Feeling guilty and mad at the same time

[gladtobeOB]

Hi, How often do you nurses go in to work a shift when called at home? I do a weekend shift 3 12 hr shifts Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The hospital has called me almost everyday this week wanting me to come in and work for call offs busy etc. Tuesday morning they called at 5 am wanting me to work a 12 hr shift starting at 7am, Wednesday morning they called at 10 am for the 3-11 shift and once again they called this am and I did not even answer the phone. They called again this evening at 545pm to come in for 7p to 11p( i live an hour away) for a one to one in the nursery. My whole beef is I WANTED the weekend option for reasons like going to school, I would be here more often for my family etc. Now I am getting called to work, work, work. Another thing is they have prn nurses that tell managment when they can work etc. I do feel bad but if I had gone into work as they had called I would have 60hrs. I told them on one occassion if they gave me off a day on the weekend I would come in to work but they just laughed and said we cant do that. What's a person-nurse to do?

[needs help]

I just checked back and I had another thought to add. I will make this one shorter than my last. :rotfl: I do tend to babble, even in person. SORRY!

Regarding feeling bad/guilty for your coworkers having to work short-staffed, don't feel guilty. I have done my share and then some when it comes to working when called in on my days off. Mostly because I know what it is like to work short-staffed and don't want my friends/coworkers to have to do it. But, this got quite old when I was working and those with the day off just "had plans" and couldn't come in. Then I get to work short-staffed even though I try to cover them. I just stopped coming in after a while.

Regarding Floating PRN staff. If a PRN is on the schedule as one of their days to work then they are in the rotation to float like the rest of us. But, if they are called and come in to cover, and then we are told someone has to float then the PRN gets to stay on her/his regular unit and someone else on the rotation schedule goes. The PRN staff learned to ask first if someone had to float when they came in, if yes they didn't come in. they didn't want anyone upset because they had to float just because a PRN came in.

See not as long :rotfl: Rhonda

[KaroSnowQueen, RN]

I never go in on my days off. I have a life, I have plans, even if it's just lay on the couch all day!!! Work doesn't "own" you and they sure as heck wouldn't drop everything for you!!!

ANSWERING MACHINE!!!! And let it pick up ALL calls. If it's your sister, best friend, whatever, you can pick it up and talk as soon as you realize who the caller is. If its work, let it pick up, let them tell their sad tale, and IGNORE IT AND DON'T CALL BACK!!

Works wonders!!!

[directcare4me]

Find the book that has all staff home phone numbers in it and right beside your name write DO NOT CALL for extra shifts.

This is what I and several other of my co-workers have done, and it works well, and I haven't noticed that it is held against us. Of course, they would like it if we would work a lot of extra, but we already have to do mandatory call, which always turns into having to go in. So I already have to work more than my assigned shifts. I definitely don't want to do any more.

This, an answering machine, and everything else that everybody else has said. Especially the not feeling guilty part; they are just doing their job, as Tweety said, and you're just doing yours. Which is enjoying your days off and using them the way you need to.