Dealing with calls from work

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I'm a new nurse and I like my job, but I really enjoy my days off too. I work 3 days in a row and most of the time have four days off. On a occasion I'll have 3 days off. I work on a unit where it's mostly pain management and it can pretty challenging dealing with very demanding patients and some not so nice patients. When I get home from work I'm very tired. It annoys me to get calls almost every other week when I'm off to ask if I can come in to work. I don't mind helping out sometimes, mostly to help my co-workers who will be struggling with the patient load. When I do decide to come in it seems as if I get the worst end of the deal, "I'm thinking I came in on my day off to help out". The last time I came in I had 7 patients, our patient load is usually 5-6. I felt like I was drowning and had a hard time keeping up with everything. I was scared I would forget something. I have a hard time saying no. When I do say no or don't answer the phone I feel guilty. On the other hand, it's not my fault that they have staffing issues. When people do come it when asked they aren't able to get overtime because they get low census on one of the days and are left with just three days and no overtime. I have this horrible feeling that if continue to say no that my manager will find so way to get back at me for not wanting to come in. What does everyone else do in this situation?

They know not to call me. If I answer at all, it's because I want something from them.

Specializes in CT ,ICU,CCU,Tele,ED,Hospice.

I just dont answer my phone.no guilt here.

Specializes in Home Health.

At my last job they were constantly calling me. To come in early when it wasn't even my on-call day, or to fill in when they were short-staffed on my days off. And occasionally the nurse on-call would ask me after med pass if I wouldn't mind staying an extra 4 hours so she could go home or take care of something. At first I said yes, but I quickly learned to say no. Then I ignored my phone, and eventually started turning it off as soon as I clocked out for my night(s) off. I always felt guilty, but got over it after the shift started, knowing they found a way to make it all work. I'm still a new nurse, and I don't have family obligations, but we all deserve our time off. Like others have said, unless you really want to go in and work on your day off ignore the calls and don't give them another thought. Turning the phone off makes it a lot easier. ;)

Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

If it is work I always let it go to voicemail to see what they want. I call back if I am interested. Otherwise no, without one second of guilt. Staffing will never be fixed as long as the current workers make so that it looks like nothing is broken. ZERO guilt.

I don't answer the phone unless I am actually interested in going in.

Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

1. Get caller ID

2. When the phone rings and you see it's your job, let voice mail get it.

3. After screening the call, decide if and when you wish to return the message. I do recommend returning it eventually. If I don't want to work, I tell them that I am unavailable as I already have other plans...those plans may only involve coffee and be a good book, but work doesn't need to know that. I stand firm and I do not return any further calls from them that day unless it's critical.

4. Repeat PRN.

Staffing is going to call you like it or not, so you need to learn how to deal with it.

I'll probably just start turning my phone off, it makes it hard to ignore the calls when they call 3 or 4 times in the same day.

Specializes in Home Health.
I'll probably just start turning my phone off, it makes it hard to ignore the calls when they call 3 or 4 times in the same day.

No guilt! That's your time, not theirs.

Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

That's what caller ID is for! If it's my day off and work is calling, I let it go to voicemail. It's amazing--I don't feel any guilt over saying no (not that we NEED to feel guilty) because I haven't said no. If it's important, they will leave a message and I will return it, but if it's a "Can you come to work?" and I don't want to, I hit "7" to delete the message. Then I go about my day off.

If you still can't shake that feeling, I like Blue Devil's idea about getting a separate phone for work. LEAVE IT OFF if you don't want to pick up. That way you won't even know that you've been called.

But really, you don't need to spend one iota of mental energy on the guilt thing. On those Saturdays when you're drowning, management not sitting at home feeling guilty for not coming in to help. You are a professional. You don't need to be a martyr for your work, and you DEFINITELY don't need to justify having days off. Days off are not something you need management's approval for. Those days are YOURS.

Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
Ugh. I know how you feel. I literally get calls and texts about every 15-20 minutes on my days off. They're about absolute everything and anything. And what's even worse? We are strongly strongly encouraged to answer because we are a "team." And need to stand together.

Calls this frequently is harassment and needs to be nipped in the bud yesterday.

Specializes in ICU.

I will answer the phone and tell them "yes or no." I prefer to be professional about it, rather than just refuse to answer. When I am off or out sick, someone has to cover for me; I try to do my share of extra shifts, too. I have found that job security lies with those who are willing to work extra, or cheerfully get pulled to other units. Nurses who refuse to work extra shifts at my hospital will be assigned extra shifts by management, and added to their schedule, whether they like it or not. It is just part of the job to me.

Specializes in Post Anesthesia.

I route all the calls from work to a voice-mailbox(Broadband Phone gives you a lot of options). I learned some time ago, going out of my way to help bail out my employer in a time of need did nothing positive for me. It put me in a higher tax bracked, annoyed my wife, and from my employer's point of view, I was bankrupting the business. All they look at is what units are using OT and what staff are getting it. The next step is to lower the standard of care in that area and double the assigned patient load. I never got any gratitude from my employer, my family or my peers, who treated me like I was an agency nurse and just in it for the money with no commitment to the unit. (not that I'm not- If don't get paid- I don't come in). Now, I never work extra that I'm not required to work, and then I whine a bit about that just so they know I don't want the time.

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