My employer constantly calls me in on my days off, and it's making me want to lose it. I don't mean that they just call and say "can you come in" and I have to say no. I mean, they keep on calling and harassing me and texting and telling me how much they NEED me to come in. It's every freaking time I have a day off, and I'm sick of it. I end up working overtime that I don't want week after week.
Today, inevitably, I called in sick because I am EXHAUSTED and my body can't take this (I'm no spring chicken). Well, my supervisor got a big attitude with me and continued to text me during the day and tell me that she needs me to come in. I finally put my foot down, and she catches an attitude and tells me that I need a doctor's excuse. Unbelievable! The favors I do for these people, and this is how they act.
When I called in sick, I called in with more than enough time for the charge nurse to find a replacement, and guess what she did...she decided that the next shift would "just get by" and she didn't call anyone in. I've seen it happen before on my own shift, and the attitude appalls me.
Our "self scheduling" is a joke, because they change everything that you put in anyway. They don't schedule enough nurses, and then when our patient census goes up by two or three, we're already maxed out on patient assignments and have to call someone in. God forbid they should assign anyone less than a huge patient load.
I love my patients, but this crapola is making me dread going to work.
I would complain because previous jobs always tried to call me while I was asleep, and I'm a light sleeper. Whether I answered the phone or not, I was awake and usually couldn't fall asleep again. I like to leave my phone on in case of family emergencies, and I feel like having to spend extra money on a second phone and phone plan just so work doesn't wake me up is a little extreme. But that's just me.
I totally agree! I am also a light sleeper, and I have been called each day this week right in the middle of the afternoon, and have woken completely up. There's no going back to sleep for me after that. I highly doubt day shift people would appreciate getting called in the middle of the night.
Give your work an alternate number that you don't use. Block their number. That's what I did. When I worked in the hospital they made us give them information to enter into a database that they could use to send out robot calls. I gave them my house phone number. After they robo called me at 12 noon after I'd worked a night shift to ask me to work the next night (that I was already working) when I was sleeping, I blocked the number that the robo calls came from.
Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
I think a lot of nurses suffer from guilt and fear, which management exploits shamelessly. A lot of employers seem to think they own their employees and a lot of us buy into that. When I was younger I always agreed to go to work (before caller ID was invented and even answering machines weren't much in use yet). Now I can glibly say "Oh, sorry - not available". If you say it with finality to your voice there's not much to argue with.
And calling people at home when they're sick? Practice saying this: "Unless you're calling to ask if you can bring over some soup, do not ring my phone."
Forgot to mention that when I worked nights I kept the ringer off on my bedroom phone, and the answering machine in a far-point area of the house so that I would not be woken up by the ringing. That way my daytime sleep wasn't disturbed by incessant callers.
My kids' schools had my cell number for emergencies, and I kept my cell on my nightstand for that reason. My husband was the emergency contact to call first anyway (daytime worker) so I knew if I was getting the call, it was a big deal.
NO ONE else called me on that phone unless it was life or death situations, LOL; my friends knew to use the home phone for messages, and that was that. Protect your sleep at all costs!!
As for the "call me back either way" crap....yeaaahhh....didn't do that either. "Why didn't you call me back to say you weren't coming in?" "I didn't get that message until after the point was moot".
Another phone message telling you to call back even if you aren't taking the shift? Ignore it. When asked again...."Like I've said before, I usually don't get those messages until long after the fact. Let's go with 'if you don't hear from me, call someone else'"
My mom always said "start like you wanna finish" I "train" all new employers that they cannot call me on my days off and harass me. I always tell them NO. I do not elaborate and after they go on for 35-45 seconds I simply repeat NO. Well why not ? NO. Is that your only response? YES. You quickly become the one that NEVER comes in so they don't bother you. If I am available I call them and they are thrilled. On the other hand, if you always go in they get ticked off the ONE time you say no. ungrateful so and sos.
It might be worth it to get a virtual number (i think its free) that ONLY your job has. Set all calls from that number to go straight to voicemail. I personally prefer to assign it an annoying ringtone and smile at my phone as I ignore it :) . Small pleasures.
I agree with above poster. Get a a Google a Voice number. Tell work your new number have it go to digital transcribed voice mail. Then it won't wake you up.
Or set to do not disturb except for certain numbers. This is how my phone is set from 10p to 7a. Just do it for daytime hours.
These two option should stop sleep from being interrupted
I agree with above poster. Get a a Google a Voice number. Tell work your new number have it go to digital transcribed voice mail. Then it won't wake you up.
Agreed. I have this, and it's a much better option than paying for a separate phone line just for work purposes.
I actually used something similar as an excuse. I just had a root canal and the pain was so bad I actually broke down and took the prescribed narcotic for the pain, even though I knew what it'd do to me. When the supervisor called to see if I could work that evening. I told him I couldn't even stand up because the room was spinning too fast
abbnurse
401 Posts
lol, Miss Rayanne! Best. Post. Ever. !!!