I hate my phone

[coolpeach]

I need advice. I have grown to hate my phone, not my work phone, but my personal phone. I have a cell phone which is both my cell, and home phone. My boss is constantly changing my schedule at the last minute, and she will call and leave a message that I need to come in at such and such time to call her back, and let her know I understand. This is not a question (can you work), but a demand. The other night I went to bed early, and woke up to find she had called the night before, and I had to be in within the hour. Another time I had turned to phone off to spend the weekend with my family. I turned it on to find a ton of messages that I was a no show, no call because I wasn't aware of the change to my schedule on a message that she called and left, and I didn't get. It makes me feel stressed on my days off, afraid to check my phone, afraid not to check my phone, afraid to make plans or set appointments on my days off. I am even afraid to stay up late playing board games with the kids, or going out for the evening as an adult because you never know when I may have to suddenly be in early without warning. If I am asleep, or unavailable she will repeatedly leave voice mails, text me, and even have coworkers leave messages as proof that a message was left. I am NOT on call. I have a schedule and these are changes that she makes to my schedule, and she is calling me on my days/times off. And apparently if a message is left I am responsible just the same as if I had talked to her, and agreed to the change. She is unreasonable so it will do no good to try to discuss it in an adult fashion. Has anyone else had this problem? I am considering either getting a seperate phone for work without voice mail or text. This way you can call and if I am available to answer good otherwise you can call back, and I will answer when I am. This way I will be able to enjoy my time off, sleep when I want, and spend time with my family doing things without worrying of missing a work call. I have even thought of just chucking my phone all together because I honestly would rather not have one at this point...Any thoughts?

[NickB]

I know that you said your supervisor is unreasonable, but you have to respect the chain of command. Write a letter to you supervisor explaining the issue and hand deliver the letter when you sit down to talk to this supervisor. When she doesn't respond reasonably, go to the next person in line and so on and so forth. You will get results because she is definitely in the wrong. If you're not willing to do this, than I would guess that your job isn't worth the effort. Best of luck.

[onetiredmomma]

Before this happens again ask for a meeting with your boss, her supervisor and an HR rep. State your concerns, your solution in a no nonsense professional manner. Another concern, why are your coworkers helping this manager out by leaving messages as well? Are you the only person she does this to? If you really like your job other than this issue try to get it resolved with the meeting mentioned above. If that doesn't work, dust off your resume and start looking. You owe it to yourself and your family. Best of luck!

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

It not a shock, management treated people like dirt during a nursing shortage so I am sure in a nurse surplus situation things would even be worse.

I hadn't looked at it that way, but it makes perfect sense. We're fairly replaceable nowadays, aren't we?

[DusktilDawn]

First off I would check what your facility's policy is regarding schedule changes once the schedule is posted. Second I would discuss with HR what constitutes your agreeing/accepting a change in your schedule, and I doubt simply leaving a message INFORMING/DEMANDING that your schedule has changed counts, get the name and extension of whom you spoke with. Any facility I have worked at has guidelines regarding how schedule changes are to be handled, there are limitations on management regarding schedule changes once the schedule is posted, and I've yet to work anyplace where leaving a message constitutes an agreement on the employee's part to a schedule change.

WTH is this supervisor thinking having other employees call to leave a message to verify that a message was left??!! Means absolutely nothing in regards to schedule changes, however the repeated messages, repeated texting, and recruitment of co-workers leaving messages could be considered harrassment. Unless your supervisor gets confirmation from YOU that YOU are agreeable to the change, she cannot assume that ANY message left by her or anybody else is proof of any kind agreement on your part.

While it is not unreasonable for any supervisor to request an employee to make a last minute change regarding their schedule, it is unreasonable for that supervisor to demand it and you have the right to say no. We all have responsibilities outside of work, we cannot always accommodate last minute schedule changes. What your supervisor is essentially doing IS placing you on-call and denying you on-call pay. You can try discussing this situation with your supervisor, this is not how she should be treating you or any other employee. Have a copy of the policy, labor laws, or whatever else you need that validates your position. As I posted earlier, check out what HR has to say regarding the matter and refer her to that person if she is still unreasonable.

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

Do you have a union?

[epinephRN]

I would do as others have suggested and check policy and bring this to the attention of her superiors. Although in most cases we do have a surplus of nurses, it still costs money to train someone new and get them "up to speed." A manager with common sense will realize this; unfortunately, your manager seems to lack both common sense and decency. I would also let them know that you will be filing to be paid for "on call" pay if this continues. I would do all these things in writing as upper management deserves to know that this manager is the reason that a good employee does not like work.

In any case, if it doesn't stop immediately and come with an apology from the manager (which from the sounds of things it likely will not), I would look for another job. That level of constant stress (feeling like you are in part at fault for "not catching" the messages, waiting for the next write-up) is not good for your health and doesn't allow you to fully enjoy your family time or personal time.

[nialloh, RN]

You have received some very good advice here. The only thing I would change is DON'T hand deliver anything. Just because you put it in writing doesn't mean you can prove you gave it to them. Send any correspondence by registered mail with return receipt. Even if they don't care, doing that will make them sit up and pay attention. It is a paper trail that can't be ignored. The extra effort will also show them how seriously you are taking this. Good luck. I hope it all works out.

[NurseCard, ADN]

I VERY rarely say this, because I have become a believer in the pessimistic philosophy of nursing... "it's just as bad anywhere else that you go"......

FIND ANOTHER JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is *ABSOLUTELY* the most ridiculous thing I have read on here in a long time... that your boss expects you to drop everything at a moment's notice and come in to work WHENEVER they decide that they need you, or you are in trouble/fired?

Are you paid to be on call 24/7????????

WOW!!!!!!

[Orca, ADN, ASN, RN]

Except in cases of staffing emergency, I am required to give two weeks' notice before I change anyone's schedule. I don't see how they can make you a no-call no-show if all they did was leave a voice mail message. This is an unacceptable situation that needs to be addressed with administration. If you are not on call and there is no emergency, you can't be expected to change your schedule on such short notice.

I agree with others, though - you don't have the option of not giving your phone number. Your workplace must have a way to contact you when you are off duty.

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

Your boss has you by a noose.

I've never heard of being on perpetual on call. That's ridiculous and I wouldn't tolerate it. Your boss has to figure out her staffing issues and you need to find out your policies from the hospital. Trust me, there is no on call for the rest of your life....

[scoochy]

Does your boss change your co-workers' schedules as well? Have you given any thought to calling your state's dept. of labor to discuss this issue? I have done so in the past, and I have been given good advice/suggestions for the issues I have posed to them.

What a nightmare for you!

[cebuana_nurse]

At my facility, leaving a voicemail message with regards to you having to come in because someone called off is equivalent to not receiving the message at all. So you don't get written up for not showing to work. They need to ask you first if you can come in, not demand. Knowing that you are not a PRN, I suggest that you talk to the supervisor herself. Perhaps she thinks that you are fine on how crappy of a job she does doing the schedules. We have our own lives as well. Don't let your job ruin your life.