How many times will you ask me to stay over??

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Hey all, I've been at my long term care place for about a month now. I'm not getting any benefits or insurance yet, and I don't get holidays paid until after January.

Lately, a lot of people have been calling off (which I could have sworn that my manager was going to "crack down" on it when I first started, like she claimed) and/or just not showing up. We've had a lot of people now leave as well.

Where I work, we have 8 hour shifts. I've now been asked four times to go over my limit and work 16 hour shifts. I work evenings so that goes into nights.

The book and many others have claimed I don't have to continue to do these double shifts if I don't want to. I am just very nervous. I want to make a good impression and show I'm a dedicated employee. I don't want to loose another job.

But I'm getting very tired. I'm tired mentally and physically. And I've confronted my scheduler...who called me twice and texted me this morning asking me if I'd come in today. He claims that "he's doing me a favor" and "you got the whole weekend off" (not really now since I'll have to sleep when i get home)

What should I do? Stick it out and hope it gets better? I need to be here until April at least...I'll have my year of experience then.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Learn to say no and advocate for yourself. Working when exhausted and worn out from working overtimes can lead to patient harm via medication mistakes etc. If they do decide to terminate you for refusing overtime, you may have a case for unemployment. However, I would be very cautious about leaving without a replacement at the end of your shift- that could technically be reported as abandonment. As long as you give report to someone and they accept the assignment, you would be clear to leave. Personally, I would not want to work for a facility that does the most of its staffing through overtime, whether voluntary or coerced.

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Specializes in Hospice.

Learning to say no is one of the hardest things for some of us to learn. It took me a long time before I could do it and not feel guilty. But there is hope!!

Stand in front of a mirror, look yourself in the eye and practice saying "No, I can't stay late today". Do it until you can say it without adding "...because...".

The "because" is none of their business, and only gives them ammunition to try and guilt you into doing something you really don't want to do.

Doesn't mean you will NEVER work over. Just means you're going to do it on your terms, when it works for YOU.

You can also ask them for an extra day off for every overtime shift they try to convince you to do. And then, if they actually give it to you, make sure you don't answer any calls from them that day lol.

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Specializes in LTC.

I've been in your shoes many times. You have to put your foot down(professionally) and just flat out say no.

I refuse to do double shifts.. it is UNSAFE for anyone to be passing meds for 16 hours. 3-11 going to into 11-7 might be a little easier but my job has asked me many times to stay for 3-11 when I've worked 7-3 already. The answer is no. I offer to stay for half a shift( until 6-7pm ) and suggest maybe they could call one of the night shift nurses in early but thats my best offer. Sometimes they take it.. sometimes they don't.

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Specializes in Allergy/ENT, Occ Health, LTC/Skilled.

It's fine to help out every so often and I am sure it's appreciated but by no means should you have to come in on your day off or be the one who constantly stays for doubles. I also work PRN at a LTC that has 8 hour shifts. Thankfully, calls off are not a huge issue but there is only two floor nurses in the 50 bed facility. So if someone calls off then one of us has to stay. Usually who ever doesnt have small kids will volunteer because it can be difficult for those with small children (like me) to ask your sitter or family member to take your kids for 16 hours.

So really, in some cases, you can't refuse to do a double but if this becomes a chronic issue I would find a new job.

But, one of us HAS to stay, or it's abandoment. If both of us refuse, whoever did not have a nurse show up on their side has to stay or can be charged for abandonment. Our DON will give us gift cards if this happens but for some it's been a big issue because they have to go pick up kids from daycare.

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

What 'book' are you referring to?

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Specializes in Pediatric.

Know your limits. When I can do a double, I'll do it! And management usually knows I like to have an advance notice. Staffing needs to plan ahead when possible. Most of the time, they wait till the last second to ask... Paying OT for a person staying double is their last resort.

By consistently turning down last second doubles, I've "trained" the staffing coordinator to ask me in advance if she wants me to do a double.

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Specializes in Hospice + Palliative.

You are allowing their poor staffing to continue when you say yes to accepting double shifts. you need to say no, period. they will not make efforts to staff appropriately if they know you will (grudgingly) stay over. they don't care that it's leading to quick burnout, or that it is unsafe for you and the residents. you have to just put on your big girl panties and stand up for yourself and the residents.

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Buck up and advocate for yourself. If you don't want to work, then don't. You're supposed to be the professional here. And getting in a wreck after another double, without insurance? Hoo boy. Or making a med error because you're tired? Don't think they're gonna treat ya kindly.

I worked a ton of OT, covering call outs, working doubles, both as a cna and nurse in the last couple months before leaving my last nursing job. But that was because I knew I was leaving nursing (gratefully) for good and wanted as much $$$ before I left as possible. I wanted to take a nice month off (which I did) without having to use savings.

Ltc is the biggest clusterfluff in healthcare.Their staffing (or lack) is not your problem. Make the schedule work for you, always.

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Specializes in Medical Oncology, ER.
It's fine to help out every so often and I am sure it's appreciated but by no means should you have to come in on your day off or be the one who constantly stays for doubles. I also work PRN at a LTC that has 8 hour shifts. Thankfully, calls off are not a huge issue but there is only two floor nurses in the 50 bed facility. So if someone calls off then one of us has to stay. Usually who ever doesnt have small kids will volunteer because it can be difficult for those with small children (like me) to ask your sitter or family member to take your kids for 16 hours.

So really, in some cases, you can't refuse to do a double but if this becomes a chronic issue I would find a new job.

But, one of us HAS to stay, or it's abandoment. If both of us refuse, whoever did not have a nurse show up on their side has to stay or can be charged for abandonment. Our DON will give us gift cards if this happens but for some it's been a big issue because they have to go pick up kids from daycare.

its not abandonment if its not your shift / assignment. if you are scheduled 7-3 and they ask you to work a double but you can't, its not abandonment.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
its not abandonment if its not your shift / assignment. if you are scheduled 7-3 and they ask you to work a double but you can't, its not abandonment.

Unless report is given to someone who accepts the assignment, that is indeed abandonment in many if not all states.

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Unless report is given to someone who accepts the assignment, that is indeed abandonment in many if not all states.

Yep. If I'm the only nurse on and there is no one to give report to, then I'm still "it." This is mandatory OT. Now, the question is whether or not the OT situation was avoidable? Did the facility purposely staff low, did they make an attempt to call in people?

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