Forced to stay at work...?

Nursing Students CNA/MA

Published

Hi,

i would really like to know what others think about this..... yesterday, we had two people call in sick for the pm shift. So at 2.15, 15 minutes before our day shift was over, our charge nurse informed us that one of us would "have to" stay. "Us" of course meant only the aides. She seemed to feel no obligation whatsoever to cover for the absent staff members.

Anyway, none of us volunteered- one had no babysitter, two were already in overtime, one had another job, one had plans for the evening, i was not feeling well and also had a lot of homework to do yet. So none of us aides wanted to stay. So the charge nurse walked around pointing at each of us saying "you can't leave". Then she said we have to figure out who is staying, more or less implying that it should be me (since the other aide's excuses seemed to be more valid in her opinion i guess). I said I would not stay. I was too stunned by her field marshal behavior to say anything else, but I was determined not to stay. She said okay, lets flip a coin. Just before it came to that, the aide who had plans reluctantly agreed to stay. I felt like everyone was pointing fingers at me, though.

I am soooo mad. Not once did it cross her mind that maybe she should stay. Is that really so unreasonable? I mean, she's in charge, and if none of us aides can stay, shouldn't she be the one to step in and cover the shift? After all, it's basic nursing care, it's within her scope of practice, right? She acted as though she owns us, like she can FORCE one of us to stay. I am really tempted to file a grievance against her.

I personally do not feel like it is my obligation to cover for staffing shortages- especially since there is no incentive for doing so. We get no bonus, no overtime pay, just our regular wage, yet we are expected to put our life on hold and stay. I don't think so.

What do you think? How are situations like this handled where you work? And do you think I should complain about the nurse and her condescending behavior?

Thanks!

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I can't comment on the situation, as I currently work outside of healthcare, but does your state not have an overtime law?

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Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

no i wouldn't of stayed.. they can ask for volunteers to stay .. but no one can "force " you to do anything.... i would of said " no i can't my shift is done i am going home" let them call the DON or adminstration to come in ... let them reprimand these irresponsible workers ,,,,

i would never of stayed and they can't make me... i am a RN and have been a nurse for 23 years and you can bet your bottom dollar no one would be forcing me to stay..

and when we have been short staffed.. they called the manager in and or someone else... the nurse that was being a bully probably didn't want to stay herself....

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That's Crazy

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Today we found out from our professor who just got back from a conference that there is 200 percent turnaround in cna work. You just gave a prime reason why. It stinks what she did, keep going on with your school and one day you'll be the one who is in charge and will handle it better.

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You can be mandated. You simply can't be two people short on a shift, and if it was CNA's who called out, no, she should not have considered staying to work as an aide. However, she can be mandated to stay should another nurse call out.

There should be something in place to handle who stays when, a rotation is usually used. A coin toss is a ridiculously inane way to handle it.

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@ sesquash- I disagree- I CANNOT be mandated to stay at work. I am not on the schedule past 2.30. This means I am no more obligated to work the afternoon shift than somebody who has the day off. And I do believe the charge nurse needs to step in herself- patient safety is ultimately her responsibility. Rank has its privileges, but rank also has its obligations. I am a free person, and as long as I have not agreed to work the pm shift and am not formally on call, I am free to leave work. Anything else would open the doors for a law suit, imho. I may have things to do after work that are more important, like take care of my children. Or I might just want to take a nap. It really is nobody's business what I do with my free time. Bottom line is, it is my free time. I can choose to stay. I cannot be forced to stay. Katja

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Fine, Katja. You disagree.

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At the VA hospital (and nursing home) staff are frequently mandated to stay. It is legal, and clinical staff are informed of this at the time of hire. We are mandated due to short staffing and call ins.

The charge nurse or house supervisor has records of who has been mandated, and when. We must all take turns, unless someone volunteers.

Last winter when there was a multi-car pile up on the freeway (due to black ice) our entire clincal staff was mandated to stay, and treat any victims as needed, in the event that the local private hospitals were overwhelmed. We all had to stay over for an hour, until the house supervisor released us to leave.

Many states have laws which mandate nurses to stay at work in any kind of local or national disaster. I have a friend who was an RN in Michigan during a big blizzard. She was mandated by law to stay. She was at the hospital for over 48 hrs.

She tells me a couple of nurses did leave- they were reported to the MI BON and disciplinary action was taken against them.

Police, EMS and other crucial services employees can also be mandated by law.

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Valerie- But I am not a nurse. I am just a part-time CNA. I am scheduled 16 hours/pp, so i do not get beneftis or anything. Nobody can expect that this nursing home is my #1 priority. I have two children, one more pt job, and i am a full-time student. I get the respect and the pay of a CNA, so I also only accept the responsibility of an aide- and that responsibility is taking care of my residents when i am on the schedule.

But I have a question- how can you be disciplined if you leave because for example you have no babysitter? no employer can expect you to choose work over your children.

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It has happened.

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Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

this is really ironic... at my parttime job , they had a nurse call in sick and asked me to stay unitil 0100 now i have been there since 0640 ,, i said NO i will not stay.. i am tired and i am going home ,,,

i called the nursing supervisor and told her to come over so i can give her report ... and i punched out and left... she can do it ... she didnot say one word to me ... to bad.. i did my 12 hours and hung blood on 3 people and that was enough ....

to bad for them... if the nursing supervisor couldn't do it ... i would have been happy to say .. you better call the DON ... or if she wanted.... i would of called the DON.... i refuse to stay and they cannot make me...

i did my time and i am done.... they need to find people to cover these shifts... i left ontime and gee thats to bad for them....

and i am tired and cranky ...lol

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