Asking you to work an extra shift.....

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · May 21, 2008

Depends on my mood. If I am not busy and I feel like it, I'll go in. If I'm busy and I don't feel like it.....well, I generally don't even answer the phone because if I talk to anyone, they'll try to make me feel guilty for the problem. If I'm really tired, they can talk me into it. Then I work and I'm exhausted, cranky, and resentful for the rest of the week.

BradleyRN · May 21, 2008

Dont answer the phone! Those staffing people are pros at talking you into working even when you dont want to. I agreed to work so many times and then wondered why i just did that as soon as i hung up the phone. Now i know not to answer or i may be tricked into working. If they cant get you to agree, they will throw so much money at you that if you still say no, you will spend the day or night regretting that you passed up such an offer.

Ruby Vee, BSN · May 22, 2008

when you are off from work and they call you to come in because they are understaffed, do you come in or not? what is your usual reply? just curious.....

i don't answer the phone -- for awhile there i worked in a place that kept track of how many times you're asked for overtime and what your response was each and every time. if you refused x number of times, it was reflected in your annual evaluation. i let them leave a message and if i want the overtime for some reason, i call them back. it's been a long time since i wanted the overtime badly enough to work extra!

sample24 · May 22, 2008

I'm to the point of not even answering the phone now. I learned the hard way my first year out of nursing school. I worked week-end option and would go in any time I was called during the week. I didn't get any appreciation for going in all the time, it just got to where I was always the first they called when short-handed. I got tired of it really quickly, and decided I didn't want to be a burnt-out new nurse!

Let me share my bosses latest maniuplative move to try to get me to come in when they needed help. The call was a couple of mornings ago and went like this:

My boss: "Is Karen there?"

DH: "Yes, but she's asleep."

My boss: "Oh, would you wake her up and tell her that so-and-so is requesting that she come to her 1200 c-section today?" (so-and-so is a co-worker I really like working with and we had had no prior conversations as to my attending her delivery)

DH: "Well she has a dentist appt at 1030, so I don't think she'll be able to but I'll ask and have her call you."

Upon investigation, I discovered that I'm one of 3 people that got the same exact call. If my co-worker had indeed requested that I be the one there for her, I would've gone, but she didn't. I was ticked-off to say the least. Manipulation like that doesn't rank highly on my list of managerial tactics. I'll be hard-pressed to go above and beyond for her anymore after a stunt like that.

Thanks for letting me vent!!

TazziRN, RN · May 22, 2008

At my current place, because there are only 3 RNs to cover the whole county, if I was asked to help on my day off and I wasn't doing anything, I would. At my hospital jobs, it depended on my mood. Sometimes I said Yes, sometimes I said No and stuck to my guns.

november17, ASN, RN · May 22, 2008

I generally make my best effort to make myself available for work. I probably am able to about 50/50. I work three days a week, and am usually called to see if I want to work once or twice a week.

I don't really mind working extra, to be honest. I enjoy what I do and it doesn't bother me to pick up shifts if they need help. Not that I feel like I am duty-bound to do so, but I figure I might as well do it while I'm young!!

Again, I like my job. It's nice to actually have one that I look forward to going to everyday.

RNperdiem, RN · May 22, 2008

I do answer the phone and politely decline.

shellsgogreen · May 22, 2008

i usually get sucked into going in before i can protest... i need to learn to not answer the phone. :banghead:

but the best one is when they call and say " oh, i noticed you have three days off in a row next week, can you cover for so-and-so?"

honestly :uhoh3:

kristenncrn · May 22, 2008

I have small children and my husband works two jobs (nights at the same hospital, then part-time days somewhere else) so my managers don't call too often. So if they do call, I try and work. If I can work, I will. If I have plans or don't have childcare, then I try not to feel guilty.

What are ya gonna do? People get sick. Gotta help if you can.

Now if they called weekly, that would be different!

ZooMommyRN, ADN, RN · May 22, 2008

I'm an almost new grad (pinning in 24 days lol) but once I'm licensed you can bet I will because the hospital I'll be working for makes it worth your while to pick up a shift, if you aren't the designated on call and you pick up a shift it's 125$ bonus just to walk through the door and clock in plus time and a half if it's weekends or night, if it's days during the week you get 20% differential, even as a unit clerk I get the 20% diff if I come in and pick up a day that I wasn't schedueled for

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · May 22, 2008

I was one that was called in weekly, it seemed. I already do 4 12's in a row a week and 5 in a row the next. Used to always accept and come in............UNTIL, I saw how unappreciative they were. Got there and got horrific assignments. Now, I don't answer or return calls.

I've been tricked before by being called from random (out-of state) cell phones borrowed from traveler's.

Last time I was called and attempted to make feel guilty for declining, I just hung up.

My place doesn't offer more $, incentives of any kind either. I didn't realize other places did, until I read about it here.