I am a new nurse, graduated in March, NCLEX in April and started work end of May. Having been on my own only a few weeks at night. Anyway, I work on a med surg floor. Every night with only one or two exceptions, my phone rings anywhere from 830pm to 1045 pm from staffing asking me if I can cover tonight.
My dilemma is two fold. My guilt is overpowering. ONE: I am not experienced and have a lot of stress as it is. I work only two, three or four days a week because I work 12 hour shifts, 60 hour pay periods. Its enough money for now and I like the fewer hours. I signed up for 60. Am I wrong to say no cause I dont NEED to go in and dont feel qualified to be working so much?? TWO: If I say yes more often, our unit which is apparently VERY short handed and has a reputation of no one WANTING to work there, wont get better will it???
However, I also dont want to work short if someone is needed to work and no one will come in. My NTL's tell me to JUST SAY NO till I am comfortable. I cant even say yes to taking seven patients yet at night. Six stresses me out enough. Am I slow, selfish and stoopid, or really taking care of myself and my other patients??? This is not only a problem for me, others have complained too. Whats a girl to do??
When I worked at the hospital, this got to be a major issue because I only worked part-time the last couple of years that I worked there. The supervisor that I had in that dept. felt that my time off should be at her beck and call - we got into a big hassle about it, finally, and I refused to pick up any hours for her any more. A lot of the time when she had holes in her schedule it was because she wasn't paying attention to things.
A co-workers son died, so I worked some of her shifts, another one had surgery so I worked some of hers, but that was the only time I'd pick up. I feel like management should have a plan for times like that - and if they don't then they should be prepared to do it themselves.
Hmmm... Getting called is a trip. I was full time and started picking up doubles because of short staffing and feeling obligated. That didn't last long as I was paying out more to child care than I was bringing home. As a solution I went from full time to per diem on my old job. There were NO available LPN shifts. I was forced to get another job-part time just to make ends meet. I was getting premium pay on my part time gig so I stopped stressing the first situation. Shortly after I started working my part time job my phone started ringing non-stop at ALL hours. 'This is so-and-so from XXXXXX. Want to know if you can pick up days on 2300. The time is now 5:15AM, please call us back." Are you serious????? When I NEEDED you there was nothing, now all of a sudden you have openings on every shift, every single day? No, thanks. I pass.
Yep, they won't feel guilty calling you off. I work part-time, and they don't offer incentive pay on our unit (we're overbudget on payroll, don't get me started!) so they're always calling me, because it won't send me into overtime. I actually signed up for extra shifts because we were getting called off so much, that way I'd have a cushion. I worked 2 nights, off 1, scheduled the next 2 (all twelves.) They called on my one off night and said, "Hope you got some sleep, need you in three hours!" Told her no, I'd worked the last two and had 2 more to go. "Oh, so three twelves in a row is too many for you?" No, FIVE twelves in a row is too many for me! And I might have done it, I do need some extra money right now. But the way she just expected me to come in, rather than "hoped" I could come in, nope, not gonna do it. They drop me and float me at their discretion. I'll stay home on my off nights at MY discretion.
I get called just about every morning at 5am on my days off. I used to answer and decline, lately i've tried sleeping through the calls, and they leave a message.
I don't want to get burnt out. To me, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. I love ER that I work in!! My 3, 12 hour days are enough. If I start working more, I may get frusterated and begin to hate the place, and I don't want that to happen.
My advice to you is, don't answer the phone, or at the beginning of a schedule give your manager a list of your available days to pick up extra time.
Helllllllllllllooooooooooooooo.....Management's (my) view on the subject...
I was a manager on a med/surg/telemetry unit (NOT director). Our director's would tell us to call and fill the holes - we called as much as we could to fill the holes. However, I told my nurses time after time - If I REALLY need you I will tell you - otherwise I expect you to tell me no thanks unless you need / want to come in for some particular reason on your day off. I told one of my newer nurses during orientation - as a nurse you MUST learn to say NO unless it is your wish to come in. NO GUILT, NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY YOU AREN'T COMING IN ON YOUR DAY OFF !!! I expect you to rest and enjoy. Excuse me - if corporate is short then they need to hire more, pay higher wage, get more agency to fill holes, etc. etc. etc. I am sick to death watching nurses feeling guilty and coming in. STOP IT. Nothing is going to change because nurses insist on rescuing and fixing because they feel guilty. Until nobody is there to fill the hole - then, and only then, will change begin. It has to start in the trenches with you folks. As long as you fill the need, they will continue to ask and take advantage. Who to blame? Look in the mirror.....they will continue to call as long as you continue to come. Good luck guys - hang in.
Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
Stop answering the phone! Get an answering machine and turn up the volume so you can hear who the caller is as they are recording their message. Then you can decide whether to pick up the phone or not. I used to have a code with my relatives and very close friends that if they got no answer when they called me, to hang up, call back, let the phone ring once or twice, hang up and call back immediately. When I got a two-ring call like that I knew that I would want to talk to that person who was trying to get through to me.
A little lie you can use if you accidentally pick up the phone when it rings without thinking and you're asked to come in to work is to tell them that you've been drinking with some friends and you are in no condition to drive, let alone drink.
Another good excuse is that you have no sitter to watch the kids. If you don't have kids, tell them a relative left their kids with you while they went out of town for the day and there's no way you can leave them.
Even easier, take the phone off the hook during the anticipated times of the phone calls.
I was a nursing supervisor for many years and was on the other end of the telephone calls. We often had no choice, but to make them. And, believe me, I felt just as bad making them. I never wheedled any nurse into coming in to work if it sounded like they were undecided. Your day off is your day off. After a few months as a supervisor I got to know who the nurses were who were willing to come in and work extra shifts and doubles. You need to learn to get yourself a tough skin and learn to say "no". The world will not come to an end, I promise. Believe me, when you have to call in sick, you will not get the kind, pleading treatment you get when they are trying to get you to come in on your day off!
Well, I am one of the bad people out there making the phone calls. Yes, I admit it. *smiles* And, I don't like to get calls on my days off, either. I usually know the people who like to work the overtime, and call them first. However, I also know that new nurses feel guilty and will come in! This is my usual message to the always-present answering machine:
"Hi, this is K___ from work, we are short again tonight from 11-7. I would be happy to offer overtime and bonus pay if you are interested in working. Please give me a call back if you would like to work. Thanks."
I try not to lay on the guilt, and don't specify that I need a call back. If I am talking to a machine, I assume they don't really want to be bothered. However, I do TRY to give the person coming in extra the easiest team of patients, or fewest open beds for admits, a lunch pass. I do appreciate those who tote more than their load. And, I try to start early enough so that the person has time to get some sleep, get ready, etc.
As long as the nursing shortage persists, and as long as people call in sick, I think this will be a routine thing. Our job is unique in that it keeps going 24/7/365. Those patients don't care that we are understaffed, they still want care provided.
My advise is, do what you feel comfortable with - and no more. Don't feel guilty, and set your limits. And, there is no shame in taking the hours when you want the money, and taking your time off when you want the time. After all, most of us show up every day because we need that paycheck. We care about our jobs, probably more than most people, but the paycheck is the end result.
sometimes they call when i'm at work....yes, i'm already there. makes me wonder who is in charge! :) get caller id. if it's work...don't answer unless you want to go in for the night. also - there is nothing wrong with saying "i can come in tonight, but i'll need to be off on (the next day you work)" sometimes they will bargain with you. other times not. it is OKAY to say "no, not today" to staffing when they call. don't feel guilty. my ringers are turned off every night once i'm ready to be in for the night. not knowing they are calling helps alleviate any anxiety i might feel!
sometimes they call when i'm at work....yes, i'm already there. makes me wonder who is in charge! :) get caller id. if it's work...don't answer unless you want to go in for the night. also - there is nothing wrong with saying "i can come in tonight, but i'll need to be off on (the next day you work)" sometimes they will bargain with you. other times not. it is OKAY to say "no, not today" to staffing when they call. don't feel guilty. my ringers are turned off every night once i'm ready to be in for the night. not knowing they are calling helps alleviate any anxiety i might feel!
I've seen a few of them bargain for shifts off when they're asked to pick up - most of the time it seemed to work.
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I work at an understaffed nursing home and, yes, the staffing coordinator calls me to see if I would like to work on my days off. I am called several times per week.
I also work at a psychiatric hospital and my shift was cancelled yesterday due to low census and patient discharges. The chief nursing officer and staffing coordinator have no shame or remorse when having to cancel my shifts, but they're basically begging for people to work when the census is high.
banditrn
1,249 Posts
When I worked at the hospital, this got to be a major issue because I only worked part-time the last couple of years that I worked there. The supervisor that I had in that dept. felt that my time off should be at her beck and call - we got into a big hassle about it, finally, and I refused to pick up any hours for her any more. A lot of the time when she had holes in her schedule it was because she wasn't paying attention to things.
A co-workers son died, so I worked some of her shifts, another one had surgery so I worked some of hers, but that was the only time I'd pick up. I feel like management should have a plan for times like that - and if they don't then they should be prepared to do it themselves.