I love you boss ... BUT!!...

[mindlor]

Please stop calling me in the middle of the day on my days off begging me to come in.....

Its called a schedule for a reason. I am new and already overwhelmed just working my scheduled time. I need my down time. I need to reacquaint myself with the friends and family that I ignored while I was in school.

I get that we are a for profit organization. However, it is not my fault that we have too many LPN and not enough RN so that we can save a few dollars here and there.

You are going to have to hire more RNs and staff up. You run around worrying about patient satisfaction and Press Gainey and yet the company lets accountants control the floor.

You are smart boss, you know what you need to do and you certainly dont need to hear it from a newb like me.

I hate telling you no, but I am going to continue to do so. If I do not, my health will suffer and my patients will be at serious risk secondary to my exhaustion.

I will be there when I am scheduled. It will be a cold day in Hades when I call off. I promise that.

But more than my three 12's which are actually more like 18's when you factor in travel time and charting and meetings......???

NO NO NO.....I am sorry, but NO

////VENT OFF/////

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

I worked in a UNION building and mandating was in the contract. People took turns. If it was your turn you had to stay or get fired.

[Wet Noodle]

making a nurse stay past his / her scheduled shift . up to 16.5 hours. happens frequently where i work althought it is illegal ( employer doesnt care and the employees are too afraid ti speak out as it is the biggest / practically only employer in over a 100mile radius. have worked 7 am/pm to 1130 am/pm many times

16.5 hours in a row? They might as well mandate that you not wash your hands in order to keep down the hand soap bill, as far as patient safety is concerned.

Is there any way complaints could be filed anonymously, ideally by at least several people? It would be the ethical thing to do for all concerned.

[prmenrs, RN]

Never forget the corporate axiom:

"Once, it's a favor, twice, it's your job!"

[JBudd, MSN]

Wet noodle, we had to fight to get the limit DOWN to 16 hours!

[anotherone, BSN, RN]

16.5 hours in a row? They might as well mandate that you not wash your hands in order to keep down the hand soap bill, as far as patient safety is concerned.Is there any way complaints could be filed anonymously, ideally by at least several people? It would be the ethical thing to do for all concerned.

maybe but no one wants to stir the pot. how does mandating work elsewhere? most people work 12.5 hours and when we are mandated we have to stay 4hours more . so 16.5. coming in at 630pm starting at 7 then being exhausted and staying until 1130am is brutal!!!!! so tired ! only to start the 8 am rush of meds and tests and new orders , breakfast and feeds and chaos. all i want is to go home and sleep!

[anotherone, BSN, RN]

Never forget the corporate axiom:"Once, it's a favor, twice, it's your job!"

hahahahabahaha

[anotherone, BSN, RN]

i am sick of being mandated and talked to about attitudes and team work and other bs if i complain. anyone who mentions lack of staff, legalities or anything like that is half way out the door. i will keep on calling when i am in charge and we are short 2-4 nurses. just once i would like to see a manager work the floor! that never happens where i work. then management acts clueless that there is such high turnover and people jump ship right and left. suprise!

[mindlor]

One consistent thing here...Management doesn't care. The won't hire to fill the holes. I hate the term "benchmarks say that x number of nurses are all the is necessary to do the job." But in actuality, there are never enough bodies to do the work. I feel so sorry for all the new grads on this site. They sound so eager and want a job, but can't find one. Those of us on the floor, at the bedside, or in the speciality units would love more help. But management won't over hire or even hire to fill the holes.

And for the new grads "hovering" around age 50. You may want to rethink your goals. 25 year olds are having a hard time doing 16 hr shifts, you think you can? Most of the time saying "no" to mandate is not an option. You will miss family get togethers, birthdays, sporting events, holidays, etc.etc. Not to mention the lifting, sore back, sore legs; and time off for taking care of your aging parents is not a valid excuse.

My department used to be very good at coming in extra. But not any more, no body will offer to come in. So mandating is the only way to cover the shifts. We are working with bare minimum staff. From what I am hearing, this is the same everywhere. Don't go into nursing because you love being around patients, and want to help people. You will spend over 1/2 your shift with charting either with the paper chart or computer entry. Meds take up another huge portion, mandatory meetings, dealing with crazy family members and baby-sitting the doctors/residents/interns take up the rest. Spending actual time with the patient is very limited.

It seems to me that another word for mandate is SLAVERY. Last I checked slavery is illegal.

[SHGR, MSN, RN, CNS]

It seems to me that another word for mandate is SLAVERY. Last I checked slavery is illegal.

Slavery also didn't pay very well, as I recall from history class.

[Wet Noodle]

Slavery also didn't pay very well, as I recall from history class.

Slavery has more to do with bondage than pay rate.

How about indentured servitude?

[mindlor]

whatever Suz, call it false imprisonment if you wish.....its semantics.......

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

Were you carried off in a ship in chains against your will and subjected to inhumane treatment?It's hardly a matter of semantics.