Dont know if I will ever volunteer to do overtime agarin!!!

Nurses New Nurse

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My NM bugged me all day yesterday to come in today to work overtime.. well I had some personal things that I had already planned to take care of, so I told her I would be able to do a few hours ( 7-2).

Needlesss to say I came in and was given 8 pts! (2 vents, one in restraints). I mentioned again that I was leaving at 2 and I dont think I could get everthing done. Was told dont worry we will split your team at 12:30 among the other two nuses. (Surgical Floor 27 pts 3 Nurses- No float or any other nurse coming in until 7p) I never took lunch, still didn't get to give report until 1:40, didnt get to do my 2 meds. still had notes and orders to pick up. One nurse says "well you are leaving early the "least" you could have done was your 2 o'clock meds. I am very bothered by this, and NM did not even support the fact that if I wasn't there how much more chaotic it would have been.

Don't think I want to work O/T again! I am off orientation for only 6 weeks. Was I in the wrong???

:o

Specializes in Med-Surg/Tele, ER.

It really doesn't sound like you volunteered at all, but were bullied into it by the NM. If you have plans already on your day off, don't allow yourself to be coerced like that.

Also, did you respond to the nurse who was critical of you? I would have wanted to clear that up.

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.

I rarely do extra time for the same reasons you stated. You can never seem to leave when you agreed to leave, you get dumped on b/c "you are only there a few hours, and people seem ticked that you leave when you said you were going to. If you don't like the guilt trip from saying no, you can let your answering machine take the call. I then return the call when there is only an hour or two left of the shift they wanted me to work. That way I don't get in to trouble for not returning calls, but its too late to be expected to work.

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Specializes in none yet.

I agree with every post up here,once i started to agree to come in 1-2 times they assumed that i would do it all the times. that is when i had to put my foot down, i learned my lesson the first time i signed up for an extra shift. had the heaviest patient load, 1 patient, going down hill stressed out the entire shift, a billion orders from this one dr. after that day, i haven't yet done an extra shift, never answer my phone, look at my caller id and laugh when i see their number. do not return messages. and if i do answer i have no problem saying no. i have learned that you have to look out for your best interest, health, etc. working all the time is not good for your mental or physical health in the long run. do not feel guilty about saying no, if you don't look out for u, who else will,, you see that they are not by the way you were treated once you got there. No is my favorite word, i don't even know why they bother calling me still, i say no before they even have the chance to ask and do feel guilty about a thing, for what?

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Specializes in Post Anesthesia.

Just my opinion but I think the "powers that be" have an opportunity for learning. The next time they ask you to work extra describe your previous experience and in a professional manner explain that even with overtime your not paid enough for that abuse. You may find with a little effort you can negotiate a reasonable assignment or even an easy night ie-come in to task, help with meds etc.. I have been called in to be one of the two RNs it takes to open a closed critical care unit. I was paid time and a half for 12 hours. They were never able to find a second RN so I watched an empty unit all night. I offered to be on unpaid call but the said they wanted me in house. Those that call will eventualy learn that if you are treated well you are usually availible, if you are treated badly-go fish!

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We are really short staffed right now, due to some very unfortunate events. Management is trying to get new hires, but we all know it may be awhile. So everyone is trying to help out, picking up an extra shift here and there to help cover.

However, I have learned a couple things.

1. Caller ID is your friend.

2. The phrase, "Gee, i'd love too, but I already had plans that I can't change!" The plan may be to sit at home with my husband, a pizza and the remote. But they are my plans, darn it.

I help out when I can, and I help out what I consider to be my fair share. I did the math once, and if every nurse on the unit picked up 2 shifts a month, we could staff. But you know what? The hospital has a float pool for a reason.

And somehow, it seems like that one extra shift you pick up is the hardest one of the week........

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
I am in the same area as you - have you ever seen a vent outside an ICU? And if they are allowed in a step down...still should they be having 9 patients with this level of acuity?

Vent does not automatically mean critical. There are vents in nursing homes or even at home with home health. But definitely should not be mixed in a med-surg assignment within a hospital setting. Our chronic failure-to-wean vents must meet certain criteria in their settings to get out of ICU and then are in a 3:1 assignment, 4:1 at worse.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

The next time you're asked to do overtime, and you will be asked. Simply say "no, because the last time it was a disaster and I felt unsupported when I had to leave early..........." Don't sugar coat it, be honest with your feelings. The manager will realize not to burn bridges like that.

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Like most everybody, I've done the OT thing, too. Same scenerio...I got taken advantage of & had a really bad day! Once they find out you'll come in, they'll keep calling! Yeah, the money looks great in my paycheck, but the exhaustion & aggravation just isn't worth it. I agree with all the previous posts & I no longer answer my phone. Yes, I do feel guilty everytime because I know first hand what a strain it puts on the staff that's there. I'm more than reliable to be there when I'm scheduled, but not when I'm off...not even for a bonus.

I don't know about you, but the times I've done a lot of OT, it sure didn't seem to be reflected on my paycheck. Uncle Sam got the lion's share.

No good deed goes unpunished. Learn that early. You don't need to apologize as someone else said. Just don't answer the phone or get caller ID.

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Specializes in LTC, Cardiac Step-Down.

Here's a little trick I learned for refusing to come in and work OT:

"I don't want to."

Can't be argued with. The phrase "Why not?" can be replied to with the same sentence: "I just don't want to."

Has always worked ;)

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My husband had a job in a door factory and when review time came up, they told him he wasn't a "team player" and was denied a raise. WHen asked to elaborate, they told him that he never agreed to work on Sundays when they needed him. (at the time, they were working 6 days a week quite regulary).

Has this ever happened to those of you who are asked by NM to work overtime? Do they ever say anything to you about not coming in when they need you?

BY the way, my hubby no longer works there - thankfully. :-)

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Specializes in ER/Trauma.
I don't know about you, but the times I've done a lot of OT, it sure didn't seem to be reflected on my paycheck. Uncle Sam got the lion's share.
This is very true :stone
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Specializes in Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care.

Just one thing to add. If you can only do part of a shift OT make sure it is the last half of the shift. I have never gotten out on time when I tried to do the 1st half of an extra shift. But come in and pick up tasks/ pts from a whole unit's worth of over-worked nurses and you will be a genuine hero! (And we know we nurses love the rescuer role!)

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