My employer called a couple of hours ago asking me to work tonight. Honestly, I have been shoveling snow for hours and am tired and sore and absolutely do not feel like driving in to work and staying up all night. We are chronically short staffed and I feel guilty for not answering my phone or calling back, but I'm afraid that if I call back I'll cave in and work, and I REALLY don't want to.
Also, yesterday when my street was drifted shut and I was unable to get out to drive to work, I asked if they would send someone in a 4WD to come and pick me up, since they had said that they would offer this to everyone who couldn't make it in due to the weather but they told me no, because I live in an outlying area, but that I would still be charged with a call off. Does this seem right? I was willing to work, I just couldn't get there and they backed down on having someone come and get me as promised.
I'm feeling pretty conflicted right now; angry, guilty, frustrated, anxious...
Westie, you have the most perfect reason I can possibly think of for NOT picking up shifts you don't want (and you KNOW you're getting called because the weather is bad and other people are not as dedicated as you). The reason, quite simply, is that THEY THEMSELVES SAID you lived 'too far out" or "too far in outlying area" or some such thing, when YOU needed a ride to get in because of bad weather. But NOT "too far out" on nights they want you to be there. Did your house move when you weren't looking?? Did it suddenly move closer to the hospital when they want you....and further away when you need a 4x4 transport?? I think not.
And another thought, mostly because Westie's situation sounds very familiar, very much like a facility I used to work for (emphasis on USED to, as in FORMERLY, lol).
Staffing person's job is to get you to come in, no matter what. So they are NOT going to be all friendly and sweet when you're saying "sorry, can't tonight" or "sorry, just not feeling up to it". No, they are going to go all Hannibal on your butt, seeing where they can best chew through to guilt you into going in!
The place I used to work tried to implement a rule in which once they left a message, the employee had two hours in which to call back, regardless of whether or not they were going to pick up that shift! Seriously....trying to FORCE people to call them when it was THEY who needed the help, not the employee.
I was one of the people who said "um, EXCUSE me, but I am under NO obligation to tell you I won't work an additional, unscheduled shift....if you don't hear from me within that two hours, you go right ahead and schedule someone else!!" Talk about chutzpah....like trying to make an "opt out" of an extra shift mandatory, or otherwise you'd be "opted in". Nuts to that! And...yes...nuts to them
I'd have been tempted to say, "Don't call me, I'll call you." Or "No answer *is* your answer." Or that their number has been blocked during my off-duty hours.
The place I used to work tried to implement a rule in which once they left a message, the employee had two hours in which to call back, regardless of whether or not they were going to pick up that shift! Seriously....trying to FORCE people to call them when it was THEY who needed the help, not the employee.
I was one of the people who said "um, EXCUSE me, but I am under NO obligation to tell you I won't work an additional, unscheduled shift....if you don't hear from me within that two hours, you go right ahead and schedule someone else!!" Talk about chutzpah....like trying to make an "opt out" of an extra shift mandatory, or otherwise you'd be "opted in". Nuts to that! And...yes...nuts to them
How can you block a number from an employer? What if they want something besides you working an extra shift? They think it is ringing and you never hear it?
I have my phone on Do Not Disturb mode on all my off days. Apple phones have this. You can allow certain numbers to always come through. All others go to voicemail.
My job tried to call me in the middle of a blizzard, knowing I live more than an hour away, to come in due to being short. There is no job I would risk my life for. People were in ditches along my usual route as I saw on the news
I learned early on to only answer if I was able and willing to work extra. Never on my weekend off and never in a dangerous weather situation
My employer called a couple of hours ago asking me to work tonight. Honestly, I have been shoveling snow for hours and am tired and sore and absolutely do not feel like driving in to work and staying up all night. We are chronically short staffed and I feel guilty for not answering my phone or calling back, but I'm afraid that if I call back I'll cave in and work, and I REALLY don't want to.
Also, yesterday when my street was drifted shut and I was unable to get out to drive to work, I asked if they would send someone in a 4WD to come and pick me up, since they had said that they would offer this to everyone who couldn't make it in due to the weather but they told me no, because I live in an outlying area, but that I would still be charged with a call off. Does this seem right? I was willing to work, I just couldn't get there and they backed down on having someone come and get me as promised.
I'm feeling pretty conflicted right now; angry, guilty, frustrated, anxious...
The more accurate question for me is: Have I ever answered their call or called them back?
I rarely answer the phone when my employer calls. My supervisor used to try to scold me for not returning calls looking for coverage, but I shut that down really fast by explaining that my silence in response to their request to pick up an extra shift was their answer, and if I am interested in taking them up on their offer I will call back and let them know.
I ignore their calls literally every single day, and they call me for both nights and days, so sometimes 2-3 calls for help a day. My mental health > all else.
Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.
I've been working for the same agency for a hundred years. They know there's plenty of times I will pitch in and help out, and other times I won't. I have NO trouble saying no to them.
And by the way, DON'T offer them an excuse because they will try to wheedle you into feeling guilty if your 'excuse' doesn't strike them as being legitimate enough to stand up against their 'need'.
Don't even say, "No, I can't." Just say, "No, not today, but thanks for thinking of me."
Talk about chutzpah....like trying to make an "opt out" of an extra shift mandatory, or otherwise you'd be "opted in". Nuts to that! And...yes...nuts to them 
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RNsRWe, ASN, RN
3 Articles; 10,428 Posts
Westie, you have the most perfect reason I can possibly think of for NOT picking up shifts you don't want (and you KNOW you're getting called because the weather is bad and other people are not as dedicated as you). The reason, quite simply, is that THEY THEMSELVES SAID you lived 'too far out" or "too far in outlying area" or some such thing, when YOU needed a ride to get in because of bad weather. But NOT "too far out" on nights they want you to be there. Did your house move when you weren't looking?? Did it suddenly move closer to the hospital when they want you....and further away when you need a 4x4 transport?? I think not.