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...
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 learned to avoid the calls unless I wanted to pick up the shift. Chronic under staffing is not your problem. The unit won't close because you decide to stay home. Take care of yourself.
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Nope! I don't allow them to leave voice mails for me to listen to in the first place. Get the free app "Mr. Number". It allows you to effortlessly block and unblock numbers to your phone. If I block a number the call is simply disconnected and there is no oppertunity for them to leave a voice mail. Usually I block the hospital's number as I leave work in the morning. If I desire to work OT I unblock them.
For a person like the OP who admits they are a "people pleaser" it's far better that you don't give them a chance to even leave a voice mail for you to feel guilty about.
As for getting to work in bad weather, well I have no sympathy for you. In my opinion you need to take measures that enable you to get to work reguardless of (normal) bad weather. If that means you have to buy an old 4x4 and only insure it in winter so you can get to work then that's what you should do.
I live in a area that gets TONs of snow and I always make it to work, even if they don't plow my road. I have my own plow and a 4x4 truck with snow tires and loaded with emergency gear. If I am scheduled I come to work. I consider it my responsibiliety.
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
I used to just ignore the calls from staffing asking if I want to work on my day off, which is just about every day off. Now I answer it and forward the call to the HR hiring adminsitrator's office (the person responsible for ensuring we have adequate staff). I've yet to hear how that conversation goes.
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
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.
LOL! Where is this faciliety? The 1990's? Or was this a long time ago? The easy way out of that is to not let them leave a message. That is very easy to do nowdays with smart phones.
I'm on vacation right now. (Staycation, really.) My phone was ringing so often for call-ins I actually blocked the hospital's number a few days ago. Look - this is my vacation time. I've earned this time off and I deserve to have it 100% hospital free so I can focus on my family rather than get irritated every single time the phone rings (it rings for little else, with texting and facebook). I'll unblock them when I wake up for work in a few days.
I have learned that if they really really need you and are begging, and you go in, it's going to be a rough shift because it will be short-staffed when you get there.
I have learned that if they really really need you and are begging, and you go in, it's going to be a rough shift because it will be short-staffed when you get there.
If the facility feels the need to intimidate you into coming into work when you don't deem it feasible, they need to address their staffing issue so that they aren't so dependent on one nurse.
If the facility feels the need to intimidate you into coming into work when you don't deem it feasible, they need to address their staffing issue so that they aren't so dependent on one nurse.
In the 80's, hospitals tried using leaving messages to require you to work as notification. Union took it to court and won, ruling was if you didn't speak to the person directly there was no proof they were notified. It was either state or municipal, not federal.
brandy1017, ASN, RN
2,910 Posts
I want to double like your post!