30 Days Notice & Burnt Out

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I've been working at a LTC facility full-time for a little over 3 months now. The residents are for the most part amazing, there are always those few, but I love and am attached to so many of them. Something has come up unexpectedly and I had to hand in my 30 days notice. Its the last 12 days and I feel like I'll never make it. The burn out is unreal! Co-workers have been calling off left and right for the last few weeks, making 12 hour shift miserable. To top it off, 2 evening aids flat out quit... No notice. Nothing. The scheduler knows I care and try to help where I can, so yesterday she corners me and ask if I will come in this weekend 2-10pm or 10-10pm. Knowing I won't get home till 11 or 11:30 then have to be back the next morning for a 6-6pm, this sucks. 4 or 5 hours of sleep isn't enough for a 12 hour shift. So she agreed to let me only come in from 6-10pm... Until now. She called, left a message and said the 2-6 isn't coming and she needs the 2-10pm again. I'm at wits end with people calling off and my having to cover their butts! I work days not evenings and live an hour away. Does this mean nothing? I feel SO guilty saying 'No' and searching for a good/better excuse.

Am I in the wrong for not wanting to call her back? Will I get in trouble? Can I ignore? I wish I could just do my regular shifts and enjoy my time left with the residents instead of counting down in dread.

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Specializes in Long term care.

Simply say no.

If you honestly don't have the strength to say no, then say I can work 2-8p only or I can work the 2-10p if I can come in at 9a tomorrow instead of 6am. You have the upper hand, you can bargain.

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Specializes in Hospice.

Stand in front of a mirror and practice saying "No."

Just that one word. Say it over and over until you no longer feel the urge to add "I'm sorry, I can't because..."

Also, just because your phone rings, it doesn't mean you have to answer it. Your time is your time. It took me years to learn how set boundaries and limits. I wish I had been able to do it earlier in my career.

I know you feel bad about leaving, and you don't want to make things worse because everyone else is calling off or quitting, but the reality? Management doesn't care. Your boss knows what buttons to push to get you to come in whenever she wants you to.

But when you leave? She's going to find another warm body and never give you another thought.

Do not overwork yourself out of guilt. It isn't worth it.

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