Dealing with calls from work

Nurses General Nursing

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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?

Say no and don't feel guilty! take care of yourself!!!

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Specializes in ICU.

Think of it like this: saying no to others, is saying yes to yourself. Yes for taking time to care for yourself. I worked the other night and it was a LONG @$$ busy night!! Thankfully for me, I have a few days off after that shift. I know we are going to be short over the nexts few days and work will text me over those days. I will NOT reply to any of those requests. This is my time to unwind and recover. I will not feel one ounce of guilt for ignoring those messages.

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
Returning their calls just to tell them "no, I don't want to come in" is more professional, but I do not want to be given a guilt trip and have to listen to all the excuses of why they need another nurse because I know I will be more likely to give in at that point.

When I call people to come in and they do not call back, I don't label them as unprofessional. Somebody might, but, hey, that is their opinion--an opinion with which I happen to disagree. If you think you will give in to the guilt trip, then don't call back.

Also, look at as "I can't come in" rather than "I don't want to come in." While the latter may be true in part, you need time away from work--every human does. Therefore, you can't come in.

If you happen to talk with them, they are not entitled to a reason!

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Specializes in LTC, Sub-Acute, Hopsice.

From a sign my sister has over her desk..."Poor planning on managements part does not constitute an emergency on my part". Read it, learn it, live it!

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

I'm definitely in an unhealthy co-dependent relationship with the staffing department at my job.

I get calls several times a day as well. Sometimes, staffing will call me once, leave a message, then one more time before 5pm. If they are really desperate, they call me from work, then call me from personal cells so I won't recognize the incoming number, then they text me.

I do say no if I have plans or if I really don't want to work, but since it's PDN, I know if I don't go in, a patient won't get coverage. It leads to five or six 12's in a row sometimes, but it has given me quite a bit of leverage in terms of patient assignments and scheduling. I'm heading to Europe for three weeks, company has no problem. I need to head in four hours late, company has no problem. I only want to work with infants? No problem. I'm on the fence about picking up? No problem, they'll pay me time and a half. I want to change my availability every three months, switch from day to night, etc? No problem.

It's hard being a millenial sometimes. I was raised by a boomer who drilled a puritan work ethic and company loyalty into me, but I have no illusions about the nature of job security and corporate compassion. Meh, what can you do?

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I don't answer my phone! My sanity is more important than the overtime. Burn out in this profession is high. I don't want to be one of those statistics. My patients have my undivided attention when I'm there. When I'm home I live the same way. You will learn in time seperation of work and outside life need to be a high priority

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This drives me insane. When I used to work 11-7 and had a different DON she would call almost daily...interrupting my sleep....whatever it was she was calling me about could 100% be left until I was in again which usually was the next say. I learned quickly to keep my phone on silent or do not disturb. It got to the point where I couldn't even fall asleep because I was anxious I'd get called from work. Now I have a new don who never does this. Our scheduler sometimes texts .. Which is fine.

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Practice this phrase "I'm sorry, I already made plans for today, I can't come in." You are not required to work more than your scheduled days and management is not going to retaliate against you for having a life outside of work. Management is not sitting there stewing about the fact you would not come in on your day off..... trust me. They are moving to the next person on their call list to find coverage.

I do frequently work extra, but even when I don't want to, I answer the phone and politely tell them no. They would rather hear an upfront NO, than to leave a message and hope you respond back. The supervisor is just trying to find coverage and no one takes it personally when you want your day off to be a day OFF.

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When I was a new nurse all kinds of things were "pulled" on me. I remember getting calls to come in on my days off all the time. I remember once the Charge nurse saying "K_____, we REALLY need you." No guilt there.... They also used to schedule me 7 days in a row. Finally one day someone told me to let the calls go to voicemail and to ask the staffer not to schedule me more than 4 days in a row. It hadn't occurred to me that I could do that, but it worked! Several years later, we have something called a "red alert" mass call and text that goes out to all the nurses for our particular group of 3 units. After a year of my phone ringing off the hook multiple times a day (starting at 5am) as each of the 3 units put out their red alert calls for all 3 shifts, I finally asked them to just send all requests only to my e-mail, which I check daily. If I want to pick up or help out, I do, but usually I don't and I don't feel bad about it. Sounds like you've got a demanding job, and you should enjoy your days off.

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I feel for you.....my job will call and call asking for you to come in on your day off. I've decided to not answer those calls letting it go to voicemail unless I've called them already. It works for me :)

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Do not feel bad! They have even tried to trick me and with there mass text say it was for my unit... I called my unit and said why didn't you text me I would come in to help you... They told me we do not need help at all. I called to find out why they texted me about my floor needing help, their response was we get more help for your floor then the others we would get someone in and then take some one from that floor to put on other where they are needed. BS! Last time I ever responded to their text now if I feel that we may need help on my floor I tell charge nurse for the night if I am needed tell tomorrows charge to text me and I will come in. Save me alot of issues with House Sup and other floors needing help.

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Specializes in ICU.

Worked short this holiday weekend. I doubt the higher ups are home feeling guilty.

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