Manager wants us back in office...

[rn30]

We have been working remotely since Jan 2021( we call pts at home to do a preop assmt), yes, it took a while for our admin to get work from home in place. Our manager now states she wants us back in the office( without reason). There is no reason for us to be in the office as it will be overcrowded. I asked if we as nurses could be part of the conversation with the upper nursing administration as this decision is finalized and was told "NO". Should we pursue with the nsg director as she has the final say and always tells us her door is open? We don't feel our manager will convey the positive points that work from home has provided. And there have been absolutely NO negative issue/problems in the last 6 months we have worked from home and our productivity has increased! Thoughts?

[SmilingBluEyes]

Do not post questions asking for opinions and then grouse about those with which you disagree, OP. I say, go back in or find a new job. A lot of us have not been able to do so and took all the risk w/COVID as you sat at home safe and healthy. I have been exposed so many times to Covid (finding out after the fact) that it's not funny. Hard to empathize with you, I am sorry.

[rn30]

I didn’t grouse but would expect more mature helpful responses from colleagues instead of bitter comments that provide no helpful advice. And if you had read my original post,smiling blueyes , you’d know I was working during the pandemic as you did. I worked in med surg and the ER and took as much risk as you did. Didn’t start work from home until Jan 2021 as I posted and don’t need your assumptive reply.  Thanks to those with honest feedback and not the whiney useless responses. Wow this place is full of nurses with misdirected anger. Peace.

[JadedCPN, BSN, RN]

20 minutes ago, rn30 said:

I didn’t grouse but would expect more mature helpful responses from colleagues instead of bitter comments that provide no helpful advice. And if you had read my original post,smiling blueyes , you’d know I was working during the pandemic as you did. I worked in med surg and the ER and took as much risk as you did. Didn’t start work from home until Jan 2021 as I posted and don’t need your assumptive reply.  Thanks to those with honest feedback and not the whiney useless responses. Wow this place is full of nurses with misdirected anger. Peace.

I read all the responses as this post happened and now just had to go back and reread the responses, and I’m genuinely still not understanding how you view any of the responses as bitter or whiney. 

[SmilingBluEyes]

My response was neither whiny or useless. You should understand not everyone will have answers you like. You put it out there; you got feedback. That is how these boards work.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

I've learned in almost 30 years of nursing, that whatever TPTB wants, will happen. You can have 1000 notes of proof, they don't care. At Country Bumpkin General, they called all the at home workers back. All went at risk of not having a job. Over half were sent to work the floor, due to shortage of workers. Not many jobs in my area, so many are stuck-to young to retire, nowhere else to go. I hope it works out better for you 

[Wuzzie]

10 hours ago, JadedCPN said:

I read all the responses as this post happened and now just had to go back and reread the responses, and I’m genuinely still not understanding how you view any of the responses as bitter or whiney. 

Yeah, me either.

[lifelearningrn, BSN, RN]

I believe some companies will take advantage of the "work from home" as they realize how much money it saves them on office space and utilities. Others will want their employees back in one place. Perhaps look for an official "work from home" position? 

With the vaccines widely available, and everyone well aware on the mitigation strategies to protect themselves and others, there really is no good excuse refuse to return to the office. 

Teachers didn't want to return in person last fall (prior to vaccinations) for fear of Covid spreading through schools. Somehow we managed to not have one case of a student (or teacher for that matter)  spreading covid in the school.  EVERY case was traced back to outside contacts. 

Having said all that, state your case and see how it goes.  I suspect some of your coworkers aren't being as productive at home, and rather than requiring just those to return, they're recalling you all.  

[amoLucia]

I fear that you've become very comfortable in your work-from-home position because you no longer have direct pt contact. No bedside pt whining, no admin micro-managing, no family

Be careful. If you doth protest too much, they can easily let you go and just as easily & readily find someone NEW to take your position which is prob more desirable than the traditional bedside position.

Consider yourself lucky that you DID HAVE a comfy home position for some 6 months. That's very desirable, esp if you consider that they could have furloughed you, or even terminated some positions.

This is one of those rare times that I say to be thankful you have your job. I note that you're older with seniority, and soon to be approaching retirement. I am NOT being whiney or dismissive if I tell you that all your trumpeting about nsg satisfaction doesn't mean a whit to TPTB. They have their reasons to which you are not privy. They hold all the cards in the deck; sadly you don't have much leverage. You can argue your case but you need strong, hard data to bolster you claims. The pencil pushers like positive numbers - that's your homework ammunition to promote your case. Prove your worth to them. That's what will work.

Hope things work out for you.

 

[86toronado, BSN, RN]

On 6/27/2021 at 4:15 AM, Jedrnurse said:

This may be a different take on it, but I've heard from people in a few industries about grumbling re: going back to the office. I think that people who are required to should get a "distance and danger differential". We spend time and money commuting and have more risk r/t exposure to infection.

Those of us who did not/could not work remotely throughout the pandemic received no such differential.  I worked in a closed unit with all COVID positive patients for months and received nothing above or beyond my usual pay for doing so.  What makes you think that having to go back to business as usual now that the risks are much lower entitles you to some kind of reimbursement now??

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

1 minute ago, 86toronado said:

Those of us who did not/could not work remotely throughout the pandemic received no such differential.  I worked in a closed unit with all COVID positive patients for months and received nothing above or beyond my usual pay for doing so.  What makes you think that having to go back to business as usual now that the risks are much lower entitles you to some kind of reimbursement now??

I was being (partially) facetious, 'cause I'm sick of people grousing about having to return to their jobs. It's such a first-world complaint especially considering all the people who showed up at their job sites through the worst of the waves.

Or considering the people who no longer have jobs. Or homes.

(FYI, while I didn't work completely through the pandemic, I went back much earlier than others who are still at home and are at the complaining stage.)

That being said, if a given office/business requires some people to come in, I do think they should earn more than those who skip commuting costs and avoid potential viral exposure.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

On 6/29/2021 at 11:20 PM, JadedCPN said:

I read all the responses as this post happened and now just had to go back and reread the responses, and I’m genuinely still not understanding how you view any of the responses as bitter or whiney. 

It's the "I'm being bullied" syndrome. You say something that goes against what the person wants to hear, and you're being mean. None of the responses were, and I don't think OP was either. I empathize with OP. If I could get the dialysis treatment charting, med passes, and other incidentals done from the comfort of my home, at my own computer/desk, etc, I would in a heartbeat. I wouldn't be happy to go back, either. At the end of the day, the entity that pays your check, determines your work location, as long as it's not illegal

[CommunityRNBSN, BSN, RN]

An office job is a cushy nursing job. Complain about if if you want but there are scores of burnt out hospital nurses who will happily work at your office while you stay home in your pajamas.