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.
I am sorry I could not help but laugh when was it mentioned the house moved closer when they needed her and moved away when she need them. Everything is for their convenience not yours(in this case hers).
Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.
If you request a particular day off for an important (to you) reason and give your employer plenty of notice, do THEY have any trouble saying "No" to you a half of a second after the request is out of your mouth?
Wow! I had no idea that this thread would end up being eight pages long! Thanks, everyone, for taking the time to reply. As a PP stated, just knowing that there are this many nurses out there who ignore the annoying VMs from their employers has given me a lot more peace of mind and courage about doing it too. You all have made such good points, and believe me, I have read every single post in this thread. It is both comforting and alarming to see how many of you are in the same boat. I guess it's just how it is in modern healthcare.
Thanks again to all who replied. It is much appreciated!
Oh, and to the PP who said that there is no excuse to miss work because of the weather because you can just buy an old 4x4 and keep it around for times like this, I can maybe understand if you live somewhere that gets a ton of snow, as you said that you do, but I don't. Where I live we get some snow, but getting this much at a time is a very rare occurrence, not even every winter, as we usually get it an inch or two at a time. Honestly, it would be ridiculous for me to buy an extra vehicle and pay insurance on it and find a place to store it just on the outside chance that we might have a big snowstorm once every couple of years. That just isn't normal where I live, which is why they (presumably) send people out with 4x4s to pick people up when we do get the rare big snowstorm.
I am much like you, westieluv, although I only have a little over 3 years experience. I too, feel guilty when I purposefully don't answer my phone or call back to even let them know that I can't work. Usually when they leave a VM, they tell me to call back regardless. I'm getting better with saying "no" but it depends on who calls. I've had a supervisor call and when I tell them "no," she immediately says "Okay, no explanation needed. Thank you." I've had our scheduler call me & ask, and then wait for a reason to why I'm saying "no."
I've been told several times not to worry about not coming in extra because they will survive without me regardless, and I need to remember this. Because they WILL! We always do when we are short & I'm working (as much as it sucks), but we survive, we do what we can, and we work together. Unfortunately, they know who to call for hours. It's typically always the same people...I fall in that category.
Don't be afraid to say no because they WILL survive and make due without you. And as far as the guilt, do something to get your mind off of it :). You have a right to have a life outside of work. Gotta keep yourself healthy too!
Having been the person who had to make the calls, hoping someone would come in, I answer and give a firm no if that's the case. That way they know for sure they can cross me off the list, and aren't waiting and hoping I listen to my voicemail and call back. No amount of pleading/begging works. "Sorry, I can't, I've got plans" is sufficient. I'm a grownup dealing with grownups and don't have to explain my reasons for not wanting to work extra.
At one place I worked the nursing supervisior asked me to come in. I said "I can't I've got plans". She responded "what can you possibly be doing that you need a day off?"
Personally, I view my phones, cell and land-line, as being a CONVENIENCE for me, and just because it rings DOESN'T mean I have an obligation to answer it. Phones do not control my life.
Awesome. If I recognize the number I decide if I want to answer it or not.
I have to laugh....a number of years ago I was visiting family up in Maine (I live and work south of the Mason-Dixon line). Got a call from CSR wanting me to cover a shift that evening! I said, "Well, it'd be a hell of a commute and by the time I get there the shift would be over." She was calling off a list and not using a computer, otherwise she would've known I was on vacation.
I had a very similar situation. I too live below the mason-dixon line. I got a text asking if I could work 7-3 shift. I was so happy to call them and say "that might be alittle difficult since I am in Buffalo". I hung up the phone and was dying of laughter,
Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
I have to laugh....a number of years ago I was visiting family up in Maine (I live and work south of the Mason-Dixon line). Got a call from CSR wanting me to cover a shift that evening! I said, "Well, it'd be a hell of a commute and by the time I get there the shift would be over." She was calling off a list and not using a computer, otherwise she would've known I was on vacation.
I had a very similar situation. I too live below the mason-dixon line. I got a text asking if I could work 7-3 shift. I was so happy to call them and say "that might be alittle difficult since I am in Buffalo". I hung up the phone and was dying of laughter,
I was on vacation once, 5,000 miles from home and in another country. Out of habit since it was the middle of the night where I was (the habits of an OR nurse who takes a lot of call and has a certain ring tone for the hospital), I answered. Now, this isn't even a staffing person calling but our unit secretary, who should have figured out that she didn't see me all week. She asked me to come in for an emergency (call team was already there and working with another emergency)- sure, if you can ensure that the emergency is going to live for the 24 hours it's going to take me to get back! Oh, and will you be reimbursing me for that last minute plane ticket? Thing is, I'd be very willing to come in for an emergency for that particular surgeon (has never cried wolf, unlike one of our others that I will never come in extra for again)- but have a little courtesy not to call people who are on vacation- the schedule is in the same book as the phone list.
I always ignore phone calls from my hospital. I want to hear a voicemail first. What if it was the manager, or I did something wrong?! I need to prepare my response. Or my ignore. I just don't respond if it's a call asking to work extra.
I have zero guilt for not working extra. We work hard enough as it is.
EwaAnn
282 Posts
Nuangel1
I do the same;)