Managers asking me to forgo sleep for meetings!

[SoundofMusic]

Our manager has started a new program where we meet as a staff once a month to discuss policies over lunch. I try to make the meetings anytime I can, even coming in on a day off to attend. Where i draw the line is after a night shift. I have only so many hours to sleep before I pick up kids and just cannot hang around the unit until lunchtime to attend. However, she seems to have hinted at us nightshifters coming in to attend the meetings, after our night shift!

Can or do managers start to expect this, or is this unreasonable. I'm sorry, but I need to rest on my off days, need to attend to personal business, and I REALLY need my sleep in beween shifts! How can I be an effective worker if I do not get enough rest and downtown at home when I'm off?

If it gets excessive, is there anywhere we could go to make a complaint, or is this typical of the staff nurse role?

[Jolie, BSN]

When I worked as a manager, I scheduled myself at lest one night shift per month and took care of all the mandatory education, meeings, etc. then.

It is far more reasonable for one person (the manager) to suffer the ill effects of an odd shift with little sleep than to expect the entire night shift staff to work and drive home overtired.

If you fall asleep at the wheel and hurt or kill yourself or someone else, your employer is not going to take responsibility. Don't allow them to put you in that position.

If your manager refuses to accommodate the needs of the night shift, I would highly recommend calling her at home at 2 am for every little problem or question that comes up. She'll get the message.

[kemper1974]

We have our meetings at 1730...right in the middle of dinner for those working or home. What irritates me is that I have to drive in an hour each way for them to read stuff off a paper. This could be accomplished in an email. Our staff meetings are for us to be lectured or dictated to, there is rarely any staff discussion. We do have a unit advisory committee that meets monthly if we want to have input, but most of our input is overturned, so it's not well attended.

[Neveranurseagain, RN]

Just ask her to rotate the meeting times around so it is fair to everyone. One month it could be 7:30 am, the next one 3:30 pm then the next one 11:30 pm. I think she'll get the message!

[blackIrish]

I've worked nights for 5 years. This is a HUGE pet peeve of mine.

Whoever thinks that 1430 (only) is an okay time for a mandatory meeting is nuts. Try asking your daylight crew to come in at 0230 for the same meeting. I'm sure that wouldn't fly. I could gripe about this subject till I lost my voice.

Our manager holds our monthly meetings at 0730 and another at 1430. You pick which you can make. But, same as someone mentioned, some just don't go to any meetings. Our raise every year depends on 90% attended.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

When I worked as a manager, I scheduled myself at lest one night shift per month and took care of all the mandatory education, meeings, etc. then.

It is far more reasonable for one person (the manager) to suffer the ill effects of an odd shift with little sleep than to expect the entire night shift staff to work and drive home overtired.

If you fall asleep at the wheel and hurt or kill yourself or someone else, your employer is not going to take responsibility. Don't allow them to put you in that position.

If your manager refuses to accommodate the needs of the night shift, I would highly recommend calling her at home at 2 am for every little problem or question that comes up. She'll get the message.

YES!.....the other possibility is video.......since many of these meetings are not participatory (sp) anyway,lol

[travel50]

I often have meetings at 2pm b/c that is most convenient for most of the staff. However, if it is really, really important, and my nite crew can't be there, then I drag myself in to see them when they are awake. It is hard for them to get up when it is their sleep time to come to a meeting just b/c I am awake. So I go see them. Furthermore, I can sleep in if I need to b/c my hours are not exact. Theirs are, so I am the one who needs to be flexible.

[diane227, LPN, RN]

When I was a manager I would understand that some people, especially night shift and people with kids at home, could not attend all meetings. I tried to schedule them so I could meet with night shift early in the mornings. I kept a communication book and placed the minutes in there for them to review. I also taped my meetings and they could listen to the tape if they wished.