Extra Shifts.. are they worth it?

SubSippi · Mar 21, 2015

That's pretty typical of nursing in a hospital. If you don't want to work, just keep telling them you can't. You can't feel bad, you signed up to work full time and you're doing that. In fact, I think that when everybody refuses to come in and the manager has to work the floor, they tend to make hiring extra staff more of a priority.

I feel like I turn down extra shifts a LOT, and I still made over 8k in overtime last year. So if you're trying to pay off some debt, working those extra shifts will definitely help get you there!

RN403, BSN, RN · Mar 21, 2015

I can empathize. I stopped answering the overtime calls a long time ago. They don't bother calling me anymore. My mental and physical health is priority. We need our days off for our sanity. Take care of yourself first!

PCnurse88 · Mar 22, 2015

I feel like I could have written this post myself! We consider ourselves to be in a staffing crisis, and they call me nearly every single day to either pick up an extra shift or come in a few hours early. There have only been three weeks since Thanksgiving that I have not ended up with overtime, and I was on vacation for two of those (and they STILL called me!). I'd say I go in about half the time. It's pretty good money, and we work short staffed so often that I want to help my colleagues out by giving them as many nurses as possible. That being said, there are definitely days when I see the name of my hospital on my caller ID and immediately drop the phone like it's burned me. A colleague of mine, who was also getting calls almost daily, told them to stop calling her or she would change her number. She's got a new baby at home on top of two other kids and her husband makes bank; I can't say I blame her.

Aurora77 · Mar 22, 2015

Those staffing ratios are insane! No wonder they're short staffed--I can't imagine anyone works there for long.

Only agree if you want the overtime.

I wish people would actually STOP picking up extra shifts. That might force facilities to hire more staff. I can dream, right?

amoLucia · Mar 22, 2015

Having been on the other side of the fence, I'd like to respond to OP's comment that "the house sup must be heartless". No, she wasn't heartless (unless she was being REALY nasty on the phone/text). IT'S HER JOB to try to fill out short staffing. She answers up the chain-of-command to her superiors that she tried. And she DOES answer higher up.

As 11-7 LTC house supervisor, I've had to make those phone calls. I had to keep a record of whom I called and the response, if any. I hated waking up staff - I knew who usually would or would not come in. Didn't matter. I had to call. That was my job. I usually prefaced my call with "Sorry I'm calling, but I have to ask you ...". And I would end my call with "Thank you". I really appreciated those staff that were polite to call me back, even if they declined. And I thanked them too.

And just to tell you, it's not just a willy-nilly sequence of phone calls. There is a priority that we freq have to follow. First, the PRNs and per diems (as long as they weren't going into OT). Then the regular part-timers (again, try those not yet into OT first).

THEN, we could call the 'regulars' (knowing that they could be into OT). We were supposed to see if maybe someone who was an 'S' day or 'V' day or 'H' day for that week would want to come in. OT is usually paid 'in excess of x hours WORKED', so that would have to be one of my considerations. And don't forget that if a union contract is in place, union staff get first 'dibs' at OT, so they usually must be called first. Otherwise, the facility could be 'grievanced'.

'Making staff" was my WORST responsibility - I absolutely HATED it. Some places did utilize 'agency'. Others did not. Yes, the worst places DID need more staff, and yes, poor staffing contributes to staff attrition. And even when I was staff, I RARELY ever came in extra. I valued my time off. So it was nothing personal when someone said "NO" to my request. It's no sweat to the facility CEO or Board of Trustees. Bottom line is to meet staffing numbers (to avoid survey deficiency requirements)at minimum cost.

Many responders here on AN will tell you to just not answer your phone calls or texts. And if you're 11-7, turn the ringers off. A supervisor doesn't take it personal - it's just their job!

seconddegreebsn · Mar 22, 2015

I always say NO tho these - money is nice, but every time I take one I always regret it when I'm there. Especially on night shift - I need me time and sleep.

Nola009 · Mar 22, 2015

Sounds like where I work. You need to care for your self FIRST,otherwise you won't be able to care for others. Feel no guilt about saying no to extra shifts.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Mar 22, 2015

Agree that the house sup is not asking out of heartlessness, they are asking because they have to.

That said, if you want the hours, say yes. If not, say no. You don't have to justify your decision to stay home on your day off--whether you had prior commitments, whether you want to spend time with your family, whether you'd rather do ANYTHING but work--your days off are your days off. You need not feel guilt for keeping your days off.

Besides, if you take extra shifts for any reason OTHER THAN wanting hours, you teach TPTB that this practice of running short staffed is acceptable. It's not. Not for the nurses, and NOT for the patients.

APRN., DNP, RN, APRN, NP · Mar 23, 2015

I do not go in for extra shifts any more. I have not participated in this form of *ahem* Retrospective Staffing for quite some time.

The thing is; you are not only expected, but required to provide maximum care to your patient assignment whether you are on a short shift or a regular shift.

If you become unable to perform to your full potential and are unable to staff for a regularly scheduled shift despite filling in every single hole on someone else shift for the past five months, you WILL be counted as absent, and it will go against you.

Human Resources may function differently than Nursing Management, HOWEVER:

Human Resources wants you to perform the best that you can, and know your limits so that you do not produce any holes in the schedule.

Nursing Management wants you to perform the best that you can, and know your limits so that you do not produce any holes on the schedule.

They are alike, but they each have their own form of punishment for you, for not knowing your limits.

Please don't work yourself to the bone. There is no one on the other end of your career that is going to soothe all of the damage away once you've gone too far.

If you are able to help, then please do so. If you are questioning yourself about going in.....you may want to listen to yourself.

automotiveRN67 · Mar 23, 2015

This has been common for as long as I have been in healthcare. When I was young, it seemed there were more bonuses, and more reason for me to work extra.

I did work in a couple of hospitals that would mandate overtime. This usually meant staying an extra 4 hours, but sometimes meant coming in on an off day.

When I had to fill the shifts, I loved someone like the OP who would oblige and come in. Work needed to get done, and this made my job easy.

The last place I worked as a staff nurse had this awful habit of calling at 0430 to ask if you would come in on day shift. Having just left at 1930, and knowing they were short for the next day, I would tell them "If you would ask me at a reasonable time the day before, I would be likely to come in. Right now, you are just waking up my whole family". Its not like the census would change that much overnight. DumbA@#.

So I just unplugged the phone.

Scarlettz, BSN, RN · Mar 24, 2015

Nope, not to me anymore. When I first started out, I was more eager to pick up the extra shifts. But, the last few months have been hell on my floor. No aides, playing multiple roles. I am a charge nurse but one day I had to do charge/unit secretary (never trained on the desk, btw), and help patients get to the bathroom, etc, because all of my nurses were busy with their patients and multiple admits. I am not the only one that is fed up with the way things are going - many other nurses have been declining extra shifts. I sleep almost all day on my days off just to recuperate. It is especially hard now because I am 7 months pregnant.