How to deal with constant calls to come into work?!

Nurses General Nursing

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I work as a CNA/HHA in LTC facility. I also go to school full time, and work another job. I have finally figured out my schedule to where it is some-what tolerable, but still get CONSTANT calls to pick up shifts or to come in to work early. I am talking almost every day. If not every day, at least every other. It stresses me out! I want to like the job (I've only been there about 2 months), but seriously want to scream each time the phone rings. I can't even enjoy my little time off. I am seriously considering quitting, but don't want it to look bad on my resume, or not have any experience when trying to find a nursing job. How do I deal with the constant calls? What do I say (I am running out of excuses already)? It just seems like no one wants to work!

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! :)

Specializes in Med-Surg.

When I see work on the caller ID I don't answer ever. When they leave a message I will listen to it and call them back if I want to pick up the shift. However, I do not allow myself to feel guilty about not answering the phone or not coming in on my day off. I work hard while I am at work, show up on time for my scheduled shifts and rarely call in sick. I am entitled to my time off.

Ugh, I used to get this all the time from a couple places I've worked, simply because they knew I had a hard time saying no and could get me to come in at the most ridiculous times. I wanted to be nice, and show that I was dependable, but you know what? All they do is take advantage of that and they are taking advantage of you. Coming in when you really don't want to or even have the time to just builds resentment and that is not good for anyone. I became a bitter b**** at my last (non-nursing) job whenever I reluctantly picked up extra hours.

Simple solution: Stop picking up the phone. Do not call back. Do not even bring up the fact that you received a phone call when you see them next. They will get the hint and move on to somebody else. Or hmm, here's a concept, realize that they need to hire another person!!!

Makes you happier. Makes work more enjoyable. Makes you a better person to work with. Everyone benefits. And you will find that the guilt over them being short quickly subsides when you realize that it has nothing to do with you. The fact that they are short-staffed is their own fault and it's their problem to deal with. Not yours.

At the very least, let it go to voicemail so you can listen to what they want and make a decision at your own pace, rather than picking up the phone and agreeing simply because you feel too guilty to say no. If you decide you can handle the extra hours, call back. If not? Well, just pretend you never even got that phone call and enjoy your day. :)

I know it IS annoying, but when I was charge nurse I HAD to call everyone on our phone list and ask them to come in. And many of these calls had to be made at 2, 3, 4:00 in the morning. If I didn't call and the management found out....I would be in trouble. I HATED waking people up. But my solution....don't answer the phone if you don't want to come in. And NO, you shouldn't feel guilty.....that is ridiculous. You can't save the world!!

Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.

I had a job that constantly asked me to take extra shifts. When I stopped returning their calls, my boss had a chat with me about it. I started returning their calls, but I still refused to take extra shifts.

If they call, all you have to say is no. If you feel like explaining, say you have plans. They don't need to know what those plans are, just that they don't include being at work.

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Home Health.

LOL I know the feeling when I first became a nurse I used to feel guilty when I said NO. Now, almost 9 years later I'm cursing them under my breath when I say no! This is part of the reason why nurses become burnt out. This is why staffing leaves and then theplace is evn more short.When there is this much turnover or this many call outs the company needs to review policy. And favorites need to be treated the same as other employees! This problem of staffing has always irritated me to the point of boiling. Especially at one place I worked the adon did all staffing and would rarely amke the schedule out to adequately staff the floor. One she always used the on call nurses and believe me when you're charge and you got every nurse in the building Pi**ed off it doesn't make for a good day!

So whoever stated you should be glad that you have a job should keep their comments to themselves. Because YES we ALL should be greatful for our jobs but NO ONE SHOULD BE A DOORMAT!

You can always try Miss Manners's classic response: "I'm afraid that just won't be possible."

DONE! That's it - no explanation needed. You do not owe them an explanation, you do not give them an explanation. Simple as that. =)

Also - if they ever ask why you're not answering your phone, just tell them you have limited cell phone minutes. Unless you truly have unlimited minutes regardless of time of day, day of week, provider of the person calling you, etc., this will not be a lie.

Specializes in L & D; Postpartum.
Also - if they ever ask why you're not answering your phone, just tell them you have limited cell phone minutes. Unless you truly have unlimited minutes regardless of time of day, day of week, provider of the person calling you, etc., this will not be a lie.

My first bit of advice would be to NOT, NOT, NOT, give them your cell phone number, unless it's the only phone you have. My work has my home number, that's it.

And unless you are on/call, whether or not you answer your phone is none of their business. A former nurse manager tried to get us to hand over cell phone numbers, and I refused. Unless the policy requires it and they are paying for it, that is private.

It's hard to say no, but you have to "just do it." Say no. And they also don't need to know why.

After 34 years, I still tell them why I can't some days. Most times, though, I just say, "not today."

My first job out of LPN school, I worked at a county nursing home that was chronically understaffed, and they had no problem will calling at all hours of the day or night. To make matters worse, it was written into the union contract that employees were REQUIRED to return any phone call within 90 minutes, or face disciplinary action - up to and including monetary fines.

I started out screening calls, and after second time I got fined $75 for not returning a call (I had pneumonia and was asleep for literally 20 hours - I didn't even hear the phone ring!), I finally quit. The reason I stayed at the facility so long? Like you, intense guilt. I'd say you've gotten some pretty good advice here - unless it's a situation like mine was where you MUST return the call, I simply wouldn't. I have a friend who had the same issue at her current job, so what she did was got a phone number from Google Voice (it's free) and gave work that phone number. She has it set to where it doesn't ring, just goes straight to voice mail that she can listen to (or read via email) at her leisure. That may be an option if you don't want to hear the phone ringing all the time.

Specializes in Med/Surg.
Wow, what a crazy world are living in today. Someone is literally whining about getting phone calls to come in to work when some people can't even find ANY job. Listen, quit your whining and don't answer your phone. Simple solution. Problem solved. Are you going to school for nursing? How will handle bigger stress? Sigh....

Statements like this are WHY people feel guilty when they don't pick up shifts.

I feel bad for those that can't find work, but that doesn't mean I can't get irritated/annoyed when I get DAILY phone calls, sometimes more than once a day, asking me to come in.

OP, if I happen to accidentally answer the phone when it's work asking me to pick up, or if they ask me the day before about working the next day (my day off), the "I'm sorry, I have an appointment" answer usually suffices.

Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.

Don't give them your cell #. Screen your home calls and don't answer. Call them back, but MUCH later, like 8 hours later when the shift is already filled or it is too late to go in when they wanted you. They don't own you on your time off. Or, just say "I have other obligations today that were made in advance, I just can't." Good luck filling the whole." You don't have to be a doormat. I went through this with one job and it SUCKED. I told them I don't know how many times I could NOT work certain days/shifts, and they STILL always called to ask me to do it anyway. (sorry, I just wasn't skipping class to work.) It really stressed me out. I did end up leaving there after 4 months. I didn't really like the job to begin with, and the constant calls waking up my family was just too much.

Wow, am I the only one who works on a unit where we get in trouble if we don't return calls? I finally decided that I spend less time if I just go ahead and pick up and say "yes" or "no" right then.

I'm usually happy to pick up EXTRA shifts, since I don't have many scheduled obligations, but I hate it when they ask me to switch shifts at the last minute. The hospital doesn't have to pay me overtime, but I'm inconvenienced--and almost always, that leaves my originally scheduled shift short anyway. They're always robbing Peter to pay Paul. So I rarely switch shifts if there's nothing in it for me. Most of the time they could have seen these problems coming--it's not because of a last-minute call-in, just a poor job of scheduling.

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