Extra Shifts, Extra calls, feeling a bit guilty

Aurora77 · Mar 15, 2012

Don't feel guilty. Your hospital's inability to sufficiently staff is not your problem. I said no to an extra shift last night. I'm already scheduled for 4 this week, that's plenty.

JennRN65 · Mar 15, 2012

Don't feel guilty. Let it go and enjoy your life and free time.

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Mar 15, 2012

Why should you ever feel guilty for not going in extra? **** em.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Mar 15, 2012

don't feel guilty. I have had to make those calls and the thought process is, "well, I will start at the top and work down till someone says yes". By the time I get a response I forget about those who said "no". The facility probably has a policy that supervisors are to try their own staff first before calling agency. They are running a business. YOUR business is to go to school and fulfill your commitment. Nothing else. Some nurses block the hospital's number or refuse to answer UNLESS they are willing to say yes. I have been there and finally refused to feel guilty unless I knew my co-workers had real emergencies or illness or there was a census crunch. Then I was willing to work. They do not feel guilty about sending you home if you are not needed.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Mar 15, 2012

The daily calls are merely a formality. The staffing office is mandated to call available staff.. until they can try to call in agency.

Save your energy for real issues.

33762FL · Mar 15, 2012

Wait a sec... when you "go down the list" is it usually done alphabetically? Because that would explain why I'm called all the time...

AnonRNC · Mar 15, 2012

Not only are you (apparently) near the top of the list, you are also PartTime, so if you come in "extra" it's straight time, not over-time. In m facility, per diems & parttimers are called first for that reason. THEN they call the full-time staff.

33762FL · Mar 16, 2012

Most of the nursing staff where I work is part time, they reduced everybody's hours a while back and made most of the full timers part time. So they must have a long list of part timers to call before the per diems, but yeah, if this is typically done alphabetically at most facilities then I know exactly what I get called so often.

Bruce_Wayne, ASN, RN · Mar 16, 2012

I don't know if it is done alphabetically, if it is that would suck if your name is Williams and you'd love to work more but they never call you.

pinkfluffybunny · Mar 16, 2012

Don't feel guilty because they feel like making everyone pt will save them money.

rn/writer, RN · Mar 16, 2012

Make use of caller ID. If it's work and you don't want to pick up extra shifts, don't answer. Let it go to voice mail and then check it to make sure the call isn't about something else.

Some employers resist hiring an adequate number of staff members as long as they can fill the holes with people already on the books. Why would they do things any differently if the current situation works for them.

Pick up extra shifts if you want to or you need the money and you can take the extra hours in stride. But if you would prefer to use your downtime to recharge your batteries or do other things, make that choice without feeling guilty. Too many facilities exploit the nurses who over-extend themselves to make sure their co-workers aren't short staffed. Many times, the ones who stretch themselves too thin (because management knows who is likely to cave and come in on short notice), and they are often the ones who burn out and look for a different job. Or they leave nursing altogether.

As long as you are fulfilling your FTE, you are living up to your end of the bargain. You have nothing to feel guilty about.