Hi all, I'm Jenny, an RN ASN. I have only posted on this site a couple of times. I just started working for a Hospice Agency in June. I specified in my application I only wanted PT work. I was called for an interview and told the Director I only wanted PT work. She said, "that's fine, like 10 - 20 hours a week?" I told her I had a babysitter lined up for 2 days a week, so I could work like 16 hours a week. She said that sounded good and hired me on the spot. I spent 2 days one week doing all the paperwork for orientation. Then the next week spent 1/2 day in mandatory mtg., the other 1/2 with an RN observing her. The next day I spent a full day with an RN training with her. So I had 1 1/2 days of training with an RN. Then one of our RN's went on vacation last week and they asked me to see her pt's. I agreed b/c I felt comfortable with the 2 page assessment form (very similar to the one I used in Home Health Nursing).
While seeing pt's this past Thur., for the RN on vacation, I saw our director who was out doing admissions. I am learning that this co. is the typical understaffed nursing facility. They seem to be a very good co., highly respected in the community and getting tons of referrals and admits. Anyway, she asked me when I was going to be ready to do an admit. I said, "well I've never seen one done, never been trained to do one. Too bad I'm seeing these pt's today or I could go with you to learn how." She said, "well, you'll have to do one eventually." Almost like she wanted to push one off on me to go do along with my other visits. I just laughed and said, "I guess so."
Ok, so then Friday I was off, I had worked Wed. and Thur. (as agreed upon) and actually went to a mtg. Tues. afternoon. Friday morning the office mgr. called and asked if I would be on stand-by call for them PRN for the day? I said, no I can't, I don't have a babysitter. She said, ok. Later the same day, I was gone and she left a msg. on my machine, saying, "can you please call, I have a dire emergency, could you just help out for like an hour?" I didn't even get the msg till after the office was closed so I have no idea what the "dire emergency" was.
So I am already feeling frustrated and taken advantage of. My husband says just don't let them get to you. You are working exactly what you were hired to work. But for me, I hate knowing that they are probably thinking, she's not being a team player, we can't count on her to be there when we need her, etc.... I love doing the job so far and don't want to not be doing it. At the same time though, I don't want to be called on my days off and be given a guilt trip about how they so desperately have to have me come in. Or take on doing admissions when I already have a day full of pt's.
It's as if, they belittle the fact that I only work PT b/c I choose to be home with my daughter instead. Like that's not a good enough reason. That I should be willing to put in 65 hours a week like some of our other RN's. If I was working PT b/c I was also working another FT job, I think they would leave me alone, but they know I am a SAHM and I guess that's not a good enough reason to work PT.
I mainly needed to vent all my frustrations. Any opinions?
Specializes in Geriatrics/Oncology/Psych/College Health.
I would not be without caller ID if I was a nurse fulltime in a hospital or other 24/7 setting.
However, I also know how to say no. "No, thank you" is your best weapon - no need to explain why or why not. Polite, simple, leaves no hard feelings. I think you'll find very few managers who will push a no, even with no explanation attached. If you know for a fact that you will never be able to pick up extra hours, add that onto your standard spiel, "No, thank you; my schedule is packed and never permits me to pick up extra time beyond that which I routinely work." Eventually, the word will get around or someone will write it on the master call sheet.
They feel obliged to ask; who knows when they might get lucky and catch someone in a weak moment .
Specializes in Geriatrics/Oncology/Psych/College Health.
:angryfire When I lived in West Virginia they called everyone constantly. I finally quit answering the phone period. They would even call from pay phones and other phones to try to trick nurses into answering the phone!!! :angryfire
This is an issue in some corrections settings where people can be mandated to work if they answer the phone (but if you can't catch me, you can't make me work! )
I think this is typical in any situation. I know I had similar experiences in substitute teaching as well as a volunteer group I am a member of. It is so hard to say no, at least for me it is. Then they start using all kinds of guilt tactics to get to me. I guess I need to learn to set boundaries.
I am called every day I'm off too.........hummmmmmmm-nursing shortage?? staffing problem?? mixture of both??
Anyway, I went don't and bought a really cool phone set. It has 3 mail boxes and when our last kid moved out, we changed the message..............
"Hi this is ###-#### if your calling for 'hubby' or 'me' please press 1, if your calling for Papa or Nanie please press 2, if this is 'hubby's work' or 'my work' please press 3..........WE NEVER RETURN MESSAGES ON 3!! Ok, ok there have been 'non-working' calls and I'll call back then, but darn it, I work my rear off (it seems to grow back over night...bigger than before :rotfl: ) and I want to enjoy my days off.
Caller ID honey, it's the wave of the future. We even have privacy manager, especially good when they use one of the phones that blocks the numbers and you don't know 'who' is calling......I NEVER answer calls that I don't know the number.
I have been on both sides, management and staff, so I totally know where you and your manager are coming from. Above all do NOT feel guilty. Everyone works the hours they do for a reason. If there is ever a time that you want to do extra, just be avail then, you are not on call 24/7. Your manager is obligated to call everyone, she has her job to do too.
In nursing there's always a dire emergency brewing somewhere and a nursing supervisor going down the list trying to get someone to come in and cover this or that. You can work as much or as little as you want in this business. If they call on your day off a simple "no thanks" will suffice. There's no reason to feel guilty.
Hi all, I'm Jenny, an RN ASN. I have only posted on this site a couple of times. I just started working for a Hospice Agency in June. I specified in my application I only wanted PT work. I was called for an interview and told the Director I only wanted PT work. She said, "that's fine, like 10 - 20 hours a week?" I told her I had a babysitter lined up for 2 days a week, so I could work like 16 hours a week. She said that sounded good and hired me on the spot. I spent 2 days one week doing all the paperwork for orientation. Then the next week spent 1/2 day in mandatory mtg., the other 1/2 with an RN observing her. The next day I spent a full day with an RN training with her. So I had 1 1/2 days of training with an RN. Then one of our RN's went on vacation last week and they asked me to see her pt's. I agreed b/c I felt comfortable with the 2 page assessment form (very similar to the one I used in Home Health Nursing).
While seeing pt's this past Thur., for the RN on vacation, I saw our director who was out doing admissions. I am learning that this co. is the typical understaffed nursing facility. They seem to be a very good co., highly respected in the community and getting tons of referrals and admits. Anyway, she asked me when I was going to be ready to do an admit. I said, "well I've never seen one done, never been trained to do one. Too bad I'm seeing these pt's today or I could go with you to learn how." She said, "well, you'll have to do one eventually." Almost like she wanted to push one off on me to go do along with my other visits. I just laughed and said, "I guess so."
Ok, so then Friday I was off, I had worked Wed. and Thur. (as agreed upon) and actually went to a mtg. Tues. afternoon. Friday morning the office mgr. called and asked if I would be on stand-by call for them PRN for the day? I said, no I can't, I don't have a babysitter. She said, ok. Later the same day, I was gone and she left a msg. on my machine, saying, "can you please call, I have a dire emergency, could you just help out for like an hour?" I didn't even get the msg till after the office was closed so I have no idea what the "dire emergency" was.
So I am already feeling frustrated and taken advantage of. My husband says just don't let them get to you. You are working exactly what you were hired to work. But for me, I hate knowing that they are probably thinking, she's not being a team player, we can't count on her to be there when we need her, etc.... I love doing the job so far and don't want to not be doing it. At the same time though, I don't want to be called on my days off and be given a guilt trip about how they so desperately have to have me come in. Or take on doing admissions when I already have a day full of pt's.
It's as if, they belittle the fact that I only work PT b/c I choose to be home with my daughter instead. Like that's not a good enough reason. That I should be willing to put in 65 hours a week like some of our other RN's. If I was working PT b/c I was also working another FT job, I think they would leave me alone, but they know I am a SAHM and I guess that's not a good enough reason to work PT.
I mainly needed to vent all my frustrations. Any opinions?
Thanks,
Jen
The ONLY real emergency in hospice is uncontrolled pain. That can and should often be addressed over the phone. Then all that needs to be done (at the most) is a follow up visit.
Screen your phone calls. Either use call waiting or let your answering machine screen the calls.
Do not respond to any call that you don't want to.
Put in writing what you and the agency have already agreed to. Send them a copy. Ask that a Copy be placed in your personel file.
What difference does it make what "they" think about you. "They" agreed to hire you on your terms so "they" better stick to it.
If you bend if you give you will loose. They are testing you to see if they can push you further than what you agreed to. It's like when your kids test limits put on them.
Stand firm. they will eventually get the message but only if you are very firm.
I do not buy the "we have to show that we tried to find a replacement" EXCUSE.
I have been on both sides of this issue. There is such a thing as respect. When someone says I am not available for extra shifts, don't want them, will not work them or any other version of this there is NO reasonable reason on earth to call them.
The only PROOF you need as a supervisor that you tried everyone is this person's original statement.
If you use this excuse you will find you have created resentment in your staff, and will loose some staff over this issue. NO every place does not do this. There are places where the nurse gets respect for her word. If her word is NO NOT ever then honnor it. YOU waist your time as a supervisor pestering people whom you know will say no. Time that you could better spend finding someone who will say yes.
This is an issue in some corrections settings where people can be mandated to work if they answer the phone (but if you can't catch me, you can't make me work! )
Yes that's exactly right! You can't mandate me if I don't answer my phone. :chuckle Thank Goodness the other nurses warned me about it. Nurses who refused to come in for "mandatory overtime" on their days off always got written up. I worked at that prison for 2 years and they never caught me.
)
I really feel for you.
Nurse Ratched, RN
2,149 Posts
I would not be without caller ID if I was a nurse fulltime in a hospital or other 24/7 setting.
However, I also know how to say no. "No, thank you" is your best weapon - no need to explain why or why not. Polite, simple, leaves no hard feelings. I think you'll find very few managers who will push a no, even with no explanation attached. If you know for a fact that you will never be able to pick up extra hours, add that onto your standard spiel, "No, thank you; my schedule is packed and never permits me to pick up extra time beyond that which I routinely work." Eventually, the word will get around or someone will write it on the master call sheet.
They feel obliged to ask; who knows when they might get lucky and catch someone in a weak moment
.