mandated to work

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I am a LPN working in a nursing home in MA. I have been mandated the last 2 weekends totaling 5 days. My work sched is 3-11 but due to lack of nurses ive been forced to work till 7am doing 12hour shifts. I was told agree to work the 12hrs of 7pm to 7am or have to work 16hrs working 3pm to 7am so after complianing and getting no where I took the 12hr shifts. I am exhausted and stressed out. I dread each time my phone rings or when I go back into work again. I'm stressed that again this weekend I will be forced to work, I work every weekend. Last weekend I was forced to cover because the reg 11-7nurse was on vacation, a vacation she put in for in Jan. Why does MA laws on mandating only list hospitals? I dont know what do about this situation.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

Stop answering the phone when it's the hospital. Outside of that, you'll have to look for another job.

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Agreed. Do not answer your phone.

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I believe the OP is already at work when she is mandated. I'm sorry, but unless they hire more staff or you find another job it sounds like you're stuck. You can always bring up the point that you have been mandated several times already, and maybe someone else hasn't yet? Good luck to you.

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Before I married and moved to Texas I also worked in Boston (South Boston) LTC. Here are ways around that "Mandatory":

Tell the Management early in week that you have prior plans the upcoming weekend and will be unable to work. If they tell you too bad, stick to it. What used to do is by tickets for something you want to do that weekend - even if just a pair of movie tickets. When they say you *have* to work, turn around and show the tickets and tell them * already paid for and no refunds* If they don't accept that - then find new job. You are not married to your job....though a lot of places act like you are.

2nd idea....turn your phone off or don't answer if work is one calling on the weekends. They can only try to *Mandate* you to work if they reach you. A message on a machine is not *Mandating*. They need to talk to you in person.

BTW....all is true. I did Staffing in Boston facility.

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I think mandating policies suck and destroy the morale of the staff. The place I work mandates staff every weekend. This past weekend they mandated two LPNs to work for 4 hours as CNAs before their actual shift. So they each did 12 hours. I've been mandated once for 2 hours after my shift ended and I was ticked! I've never worked anywhere where mandating staff was a policy and it was never a problem. They gave more incentives to come in early, stay late, and come infor a shift and people were willing to help cover a shift, imagine that!

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I dont know what do about this situation.
I would vote with my feet by finding another workplace as soon as possible. As long as you continue to work there, you are implying to management that being mandated to work long shifts is okay with you.

Once enough nurses vote with their feet and leave, management will be forced to confront their staffing woes head-on.

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Specializes in Hospital nursing.

I'm in Canada, not the US so forgive me, but what is mandating? How can they force anyone to work?

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I'm in Canada, not the US so forgive me, but what is mandating? How can they force anyone to work?
Be cognizant that the majority of nurses in the US are not unionized, and therefore, have no union protections with regards to pay, hours worked, mandatory overtime, breaks, meal periods, and so forth. Most nurses have strong union protections in Canada, so perhaps you are viewing the situation from that lens.

In workplaces where the nurse is mandated to work, either she works the mandatory shift or she's out of a job. In addition, if she's already at work and is mandated to stay over for a double, shady managers might refer her nursing license number to the state board of nursing for abandonment if she attempts to go home.

This is why people must vote with their feet and resign from workplaces that mandate overtime.

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Specializes in Hospital nursing.
Be cognizant that the majority of nurses in the US are not unionized, and therefore, have no union protections with regards to pay, hours worked, mandatory overtime, breaks, meal periods, and so forth. Most nurses have strong union protections in Canada, so perhaps you are viewing the situation from that lens.

In workplaces where the nurse is mandated to work, either she works the mandatory shift or she's out of a job. In addition, if she's already at work and is mandated to stay over for a double, shady managers might refer her nursing license number to the state board of nursing for abandonment if she attempts to go home.

This is why people must vote with their feet and resign from workplaces that mandate overtime.

Wow, so if it's your day off, and they call you, you can be forced to come in? That's awful! :( Yes, in Ontario Canada where I work, if you're called and you are part-time and had indicated you were available, you are expected to go in. However, they cannot force you to go in. They won't be too happy if you keep doing that, though. If you are full time, you are under no obligation to work anything more than your previously-scheduled shifts. Even overtime is not mandatory, and if at the end of your shift they ask you to keep working, you do not have to.

I didn't realize that most US nurses were not unionized! Thanks for explaining!

To the OP: I don't have any advice, but wanted to say I'm sorry you're having to deal with this, and hope it gets resolved soon!

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I work in NYC and we are unionized under NYNSA & I thank God everyday that I work for a union. They really speak up for us nurses and NPs.

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