Does an employer have to have staff phone numbers?

[sasha2lady]

I work in a snf. We have a number directory of our cnas and nurses . Alot of the cnas numbers are wrong and a few nurses have invalid phone numbers too. I only have my home number listed but I really want to remove it . The coworkers I am with regularly have my cell. I don't want to hear from anybody at work to be quite honest. I don't go in extra as in working my days off or going early. I do my time and no more. If others do it why can't I? Is there some kind of legality that says I have to leave a number?

[linearthinker, DNP, RN]

I give them the land line, but I never answer it. I'll give them my cell number when they start paying for it. And I never, ever work extra. I called in twice in 20 years, once b/c I was in labor, and once a family member died suddenly. For that kind of dependability I consider myself exempt from being asked to pull extra. . Well, you can ask, if you could reach me (which you wouldnt) but I would never, ever do it. No way, no how.

[TonieRN]

As I've already said, I work tons of overtime, so I'm not defending myself here but the many fantastic nurses I work with who do their required hours and not a minute more.

First, as a nurse you do not have to work overtime to "go the extra mile." In my opinion, quality trumps quantity when it comes to nursing. My performance and attitude severely deteriorates when I'm nearing the end of my fifth twelve hour shift in a row. I'm still safe, and I choose to work the overtime so I'm not complaining, but nurses who choose to "go the extra mile" by providing exceptional care are more valuable IMO than those who will do the bare minimum but are willing to pick up extra shifts.

The threatening tone of your post is very disturbing to me. If a quality nurse got fired because he/she was unwilling to work overtime, sounds like a serious issue and possibly a legal one. If you signed up for a job that required 40 hours/week, and you do a darn good job for those 40 hours/week, I don't see the problem. Any legal people on here know if an employer can fire an employee exclusively for not working overtime (assuming it was not part of the original terms of employment)?

Lastly, time and a half is why I pick up extra shifts. It sounds like you are a nurse manager, so let me ask you this: would it really kill you to say "Thank you," to the nurse who came in on their day off when your unit was short? I'm so glad you are not my NM. A simple thank you goes a long way, and I don't understand why it's so hard to say for some people. Sure, we're making more for those hours, but if we did not come in you might have to (GASP) pick up an assignment for the shift! Just think about that next time. Say thank you for Christ's sake.

No threat intended...just being blunt and real. There is NO longer a nursing shortage. Just read the posts from all those on here LOOKING for a job. Reality is you can easily be replaced. Does that make those who only do their assigned shifts BAD nurses...heck no. I never said it did. Does it mean they should HAVE to pick up extra shifts...again..I never said that. Is a "Thank YOU" warrented for picking up extra shifts? I think it is NICE...but a manager should not have to go around and THANK every person who does something extra to help keep the unit running smoothly. It IS noticed.....and appreciated by ALL. If you are NOT getting the pat on the back you soo want and need....your paycheck SHOULD suffice. Some managers are more generouse with praise then others....not bad or wrong. Some show it in different ways.

Am I a nurse manager?? I work as a manager of a physician office FULL time and work as a staff nurse at the hospital PRN...if that answers your questions. I also am typically generous with appreciation / praise (my style)...tho it may come as recognizing the morning has been extremely crazy...lunch time will be cut into...and ME laying out a menu..telling the girls to write down what they want to eat...and ME ordering and paying for it......Do I EXPECT to be thanked when i pick up extra shifts at the hospital....nope...I am thankful I have a job there. I enjoy hospital nursing, but this point in my life can not do the type of schedule required to work full time there....dont want to give it up tho....so appreciate my PRN spot VERY much. My point is that while it is NICE to be appreicated...everyone by nature wants that....we need to appreciate the fact we have jobs. The more WE do to help our units run smoothly, the bigger impact WE are having overall....better attitudes...happier work environment....possibly a bit less stress.

[BluegrassRN]

Reasons i have called coworkers in the past 2 months:

Med not documented as given

Question regarding the status of a prep

Coworker did not show up (schedule change that was not documented)

i was charging and had a staffing question for the oncoming charge nurse

if my coworkers would refuse to supply a legitimate phone number, i would not have known what to do with the vanco (it was indeed given, just not signed off), i would have repeated a bowel prep, my coworker would have been tagged as no call/no show until she came in the next week and then would have had to clarify, and I wouldn't have known what to do with an person whose, it turns out, LPN orientation was suspended and she was working as a CNA. I wouldn't have completed staffing until the charge nurse arrived and was able to answer my question, resulting in everyone being about 15 minutes late starting report.

if your job stinks so much that you can't trust your coworkers or boss with your phone number, how can you possibly even work there?