Mandated to work Saturday?

Nurses General Nursing

Updated:   Published

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Hi, I am new to this site.  Just had a very frustrating day at work that I would like some fellow nurses’ advice on before moving forward.  I am an RN at a family medicine clinic.  We have set hours M-F.  A few weeks ago our nursing supervisor announced that the clinic would be offering 3 Saturday clinics and that they needed volunteers to staff these clinics.  We have 3 RNs and no one signed up.  Today the supervisor sent out an email stating that if no one signed up she would be forced to draw names out of a hat.  At the end of my shift today I received an email that I was going to be working this clinic.  I am not thrilled with this as my husband and I have plans for the weekend and expensive tickets for a Cubs game.  I asked a friend at work if we could really be mandated to work on a weekend when our clinic is not typically even open on weekends.  She said she didn’t think so and advised me to reach out to HR on this issue.  Personally I don’t think this is fair and that my nursing supervisor should work this shift if there were no willing staff members.  My husband however fears that going to HR would cause my nursing supervisor to cause more problems for me in the long run.  Does anyone have any advice on what to do about this?  Any comments are welcome:)

Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
3 hours ago, chare said:

Unless the OP was mandated to work all three weekends does it really matter?  The OP had the opportunity to volunteer for one of the 3 weekends that he or she didn't have plans but opted not to do so.  

No, just professional curiosity, as a clinic manager. Seems like a waste of resources to staff with an RN. 

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What does OP stand for?  Sorry, new here and not up on abbreviations.  I actually had plans for all 3 Saturdays.  If there was one that would have worked with my schedule I would have signed up!

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

Original Poster. It's a social media abbreviation; not unique to Allnurses.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Well the others likely had plans all those weekends, too. I still would have volunteered versus being made to work on a day when I hold very expensive tickets to a game.

when are the other two working?

Accept the fact you will lose a Saturday and see if someone can trade with you so you don't lose the cost of those Cubs tickets.

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The other 2 Saturdays have not been determined yet.  As of right now, there is nobody signed up.   I believe my nursing supervisor was just worried about getting the upcoming slot filled.  I contacted HR today but have not heard a response back as of yet.  I work for a very large hospital so I guess we will wait and see.  Unfortunately all three Saturdays were not optimal days for me.  First Saturday was a trip to Chicago and a Cubs game that my husband and I had planned for awhile, second Saturday was a big family reunion in Indiana for my family with many relatives I don’t get to see very often, and third Saturday was my mom’s birthday (she passed away 3 years ago this July and dates like that are hard for me to function quite honestly). I’m not saying my plans are any more important than the other nurses who may have all had plans for all three Saturdays as well.  I was just stunned that I could be mandated for a Saturday shift.  I was more interested in others opinions on what the likely outcome would be with HR, not others pointing out the fact that I should have just sucked it up a picked a Saturday.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

The likely outcome is that HR will tell you that they can do this

Pick a Saturday,  FFS.

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"I don’t think this is fair and that my nursing supervisor should work this shift"

There is NOTHING fair about nursing. No way is the supervisor going  to cover that shift.

Agree with  previous posters that you need to investigate... your state's  labor laws. It might be illegal.. to  force you over 40 hours. 

HR already knows. HR is not your friend. I agree with your husband's insight.  

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
1 hour ago, klone said:

The likely outcome is that HR will tell you that they can do this

Pick a Saturday,  FFS.

yep

55 minutes ago, Been there,done that said:

"I don’t think this is fair and that my nursing supervisor should work this shift"

There is NOTHING fair about nursing. No way is the supervisor going  to cover that shift.

Agree with  previous posters that you need to investigate... your state's  labor laws. It might be illegal.. to  force you over 40 hours. 

HR already knows. HR is not your friend. I agree with your husband's insight.  

Nope they are not our friend. They won't side with you on this. Mandated overtime is more the purvey of the labor laws.

2 hours ago, Bella1988 said:

 I’m not saying my plans are any more important than the other nurses who may have all had plans for all three Saturdays as well.

Ah but you kind of are.

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Wow, why so mean?  I posted my question to see if anyone dealt with a similar situation and for advice/support, not to get roasted.  My thoughts are if the clinic had three slots that needed to be filled and three nurses and the authority to mandate a weekend shift maybe they should have said “pick a Saturday” from the get go.  Guess I’ll know for next year.

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Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development.

Your manager is being mandated to cover these Saturday shifts, and tried to do so by getting you to volunteer.

A good question at the time would have been: "What is the plan if no one volunteers?"

 

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
13 hours ago, Bella1988 said:

Wow, why so mean?  I posted my question to see if anyone dealt with a similar situation and for advice/support, not to get roasted.  My thoughts are if the clinic had three slots that needed to be filled and three nurses and the authority to mandate a weekend shift maybe they should have said “pick a Saturday” from the get go.  Guess I’ll know for next year.

We are not being mean. We are being factual. You put it out there for opinions; you don't like what you heard. I am sorry; that's on you. I have faced similar situations. I am forced to work Sundays around Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Years to make up for those days when the clinic is closed. We rotate;  I don't get a choice. I plan on it and yea, it adds on to our burden and takes away entire weekends for us every year. And if it's my turn to work at that time, no PTO. I just plan on alternating holidays with the other nurses.

 So yeah, I have been there. I live with it. Every job has its pluses and minuses.

Leave the job if this is unacceptable to you. I imagine this will happen again next year at school time.  

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Specializes in Dialysis.
11 hours ago, Nurse Beth said:

Your manager is being mandated to cover these Saturday shifts, and tried to do so by getting you to volunteer.

A good question at the time would have been: "What is the plan if no one volunteers?"

 

That question got answered by luck of the draw,  hence where OP is now

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