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?

[caliotter3]

Canoehead...Maybe I will try that...leave dissappearing messages that I am sick. What do you mean I didn't call in...I left a message on your cell 3 days ago...you should have got it. I told you to call back if you had any questions. Ha, bet they would love that. I think maybe I will leave a calling in on vacation message too.

I know you are joking in this post, but it would be a very good tactic to fight their fire with the same type of fire. Good for the goose, good for the gander. Just stop answering your phone and returning calls. Then when something is said, come back with one of the suggested standard answers.

[Dorito, ASN, RN]

Maybe you could change the message she receives on your phone. ie: "Please do not leave messages on this phone that are work related as they will not be checked until June xxxx " Just a thought. I certainly wouldn't tolerate this. If she is considering you "on call" then you should be reimbursed all the call time too. Good Luck!

[caliotter3]

Previous poster is right. Bona fide on call employees normally receive a nominal wage for the time they are officially on call. You are being taken advantage of in more ways than one.

[TDCHIM]

Your job won't stop doing this until you stop letting them. Don't apologize, don't explain yourself, don't go in early or on your days off unless you want to. "I am not available to come in today." If they ask why, you don't have to say anything. If you really want to say something, "I have previously scheduled obligations."

If you miss their message: "I was unable to answer my phone. I just got your message about coming in early/working . I am unable to do so. I will see you at/on ." Be polite, but firm. Don't give any extra information, because it's noone's business what you have planned, whether it is attending your child's graduation or staying at home, getting drunk, and watching bad movies. Do not allow them to control your life.

I would also go to HR, get a copy of your company's scheduling/call in policy, talk to your manager--any (or many) of the awesome suggestions other people have made.

This post is dead on. I am terribly sorry you're running up against this situation. It won't change until you stop letting your supervisor make you feel guilty for having a life.

The simple fact is, your off-time is YOUR off-time. You don't have to justify what you're doing or why you can't come in. This is YOUR life and your supervisor is taking advantage of your status as the new kid to rope you into perpetual on-call status. That's low. Don't play the game.

If it makes you feel any better, my husband had a similar situation at the beginning of his last job. It took a roughly six week campaign, but he did eventually prevail - and other employees ended up following his lead. However, I would strongly advise continuing to look for a new job even after you get them to stop pulling this stuff. An employer that pulls one dirty trick usually isn't too scrupulous about trying others.

[nialloh, RN]

Just a thought. Apart from on call pay, Do you get time and a half for coming in on call. In my hospital you do. If she is doing this to save on overtime as was suggested earlier, there would be no point in continuing.

Also, are you the only one she does this to, or does she do it to others. If you are the only one, it might be because she sees you as easy. You did say you were new, and she might be taking advantage of that fact.

[RNKPCE]

So wrong!!

Please do not take this any more. Do the professional thing and initiate a conversation about this with your supervisor, document time and place and content of conversation and let her know if it continues what your next step will be. If you are union, which I doubt, bring a representative from the union with you. If she continues go up the chain of command. Though she may be unprofessional there is no reason for you to not be.

I like the suggestion of changing your voice mail message to indicate you will not check messages regarding work until x amount of hours before a shift starts.

[coolpeach]

I am not on call, and I do not get on call pay or anything extra for changing my schedule other than the fact that I get to keep my job. They do call other employees to ASK if they can come in on days off, but as far as I know I am the only one who gets a unagreed upon schedule change, and I think its because I am new. I am sure it will get better after I have been there awhile, and other newbies come aboard for them to pick on, but I need to keep my sanity until then. I have also heard stories about when people call in sick. How they will say take some Tylenol, and call us back in a bit...maybe you will feel better. Or how they will call back throughout the day to check on them, and see if they are well enough to come in. This hasn't happened to me yet, but I am not looking forward to it. I mean if you are sick you already feel bad enough without work harrassing you. Am I right?

[coolpeach]

I resigned, and to a different job at another major hospital in the area.

[caliotter3]

Glad to see you resolved this problematic job situation. Hope you are now in a more sensible environment.

[TDCHIM]

I resigned, and to a different job at another major hospital in the area.

Glad to hear it! But for the sake of your former co-workers, please drop a dime on your former employer. Call the Department of Labor and notify the folks there of the massive labor violations still ongoing. You may do so anonymously.

Best of luck to you in your new job! :)

[POTR]

I am not aware if anyone mentioned it or not, since I only read the first and last page, but were I in the situation, I would consider having my carrier turn off voice mail. Really no need for it. Your Caller ID and missed call list will let you know whether or not you want to talk to anyone who may call, and anyone who you may have missed that you actually want to speak with.

I do not use voice mail myself. Mainly to avoid vm spam, I see no reason to have to sit for extended periods erasing meaningless messages. I don`t have enough time in the day as it is.

Best wishes to you with your new job.