Manager DICTATES what to do on your day off

Nurses Safety

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PPPLLLLEEEAAAASSSSSEEEE help.

I am an OT junkie, due to finacial need, husband let go at work, now single income of family of 5 and drowning in bills

I am required to do 3 twelve hour shifts each week, plus one, 12 hr. call period in a two week period.

Long story short, I used to sign up for extra shifts in my unit. Now manager says, if I'm not needed at begining I MUST take call for that 12 hours. Then they will now, bring me in on extra and float a regularly scheduled staff nuse to the sister unit (which she also manages and is short staffed, extra does not float).

Well, I want to make it to the parking lot ALIVE, so if my working Ot, causes a regular scheduled staff member to float somewhere, we have issues..... so no-one will work extra due to the call and floating changes. I don't agree with the changes so I'm not doing extra, period.

So we are short, and I need the money

So I goto work at MICU, not mangaed by my manager.,,,,,,,,,,

I work MICU once and find out, our unit was short, and I was helping in MICU AND PUTS A MEMO OUT SAYING "YOU MUST CHECK WITH YOUR UNIT AND SISTER UNIT BEFORE WORKING ELSEWHERE!

Now, who in the hell ELSE has a manager that has the nerve to tell them WHERE they CAN work on a scheduled day off, without obligation to their HOME UNIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, Last night, I call MICU, nothing to do with my unit, without following the guidelines and work and extra shift, ON MY DAY OFF, and the MICU manager calls me at home and tells me;

My boss says I have to OK this with here prior to my working elsewhere. I respond.... "This is a scheduled day off, I have no obligation to the hospital, I'm offering you help, take it or leave it, I refuse to call and ask permission where to work on a scheduled day off"

The MICU manager says" we really need you, come on in"..

So my question is has anyone been through this, there are no policies which address, and my fall out will be BIG, but worth it. Just hearing your responses will help me know where iI stand, thanx

Specializes in MS Home Health.

Yikes I don't miss that crap. I had that problem when I worked acute care. I got written up for not floating. Be careful.

renerian

That seems absolutely ridiculous. However, I would be careful like renerian said. Maybe you could get a job w/ an agency to do those extra shifts...you'll be making more money than with the hospital.

Specializes in LDRP; Education.

My suggestion was agency as well.

Specializes in Critical Care.

Ok, take a deep breath, only work your 3 shifts, then go agency for a couple days, you will easily double your salary, you will get a change of atomosphere which you will find refreshing, you may decide to just go agency when you see the type of money that you can make, many now offer benefits too. Don't let your manager bully you into anymore OT, be good to yourself.

I can appreciate your dilemna, but you need to look out for yourself. You can either do agency, or if you are interested in the overtime in units you are comfortable I suggest speaking to your manager again, and if after you explain your need to be able to work your extra time and get paid, as opposed to being put on call-if you get continued problems I would send the manager a letter CC to the director above, and tell the manager you are doing that. Also explain that you are concerned that the antagonism that can be generated by working extra in your home unit while another nurse is floated is detrimental to morale.

The letter should be worded along the lines of....Although I would like to work extra hours in my home department, I find that the unreliability of those hours does not meet my financial needs. For this reason I find that I need to schedule my extra hours in the MICU. ...go on to explain that your loyalty to the facility leads you to schedule in another unit of your hospital, but that if it continues to cause a percieved conflict that you would be happy to pursue an agency position elsewhere (and be prepared to do that) if a reasonable scheduling solution can not be worked out.

Explain that you would like to offer your available time to your hospital, but feel that the floating of regular time scheduled shifts by others whenn you do so is not in the best interest of your department, so you would prefer not to do that.

An explanation such as this prevents backlash, but gets you what you want, more hours when you can do them without conflict. Most managers will respect this.

I have several nurses who work in my department extra because they want the hours, but also to work with us. Some are from neighboring ICUs whose time availabilities did not meet their own and some are previous employees coming to work with old friends. We have a few nurses who also go to pick up extra hours in other departments. As long as it's open and above board there are no hard feelings and payroll mess-ups don't occur. We always know that if the RN is picking up time in another unit and we have a staffing hole that we can switch the float pool nurse to the other department and bring our own nurse home to work with us. Happens at least every week. Sometimes we have to cancel overtime, and the person doing overtime from another unit gets cancelled first. We all operate under the same rules so there are no hard feelings.

Good Luck. Just remember. Cool heads and words get you better hours. Figure out a way to present your side to your manager. You did it here, I bet you can do it there.

Well it's pretty clear that you should only work your required at this insane asylum and give your extra time at an agency. Jeez! Sounds like my boss!

I agree with all of the above, however, I lean more toward working agency. You do make more money, however you can get called off. Not much different, but at least when you do work the agency days, you'll be making more money.A lot more.

Isn't obvious to everyone that poor management is driving people out of nursing. There will continue to be a shortage unless hospital's hire MANAGERS. Promoting the good ole girl system is creating havoc in our hospitals. We have the same problem and after 2 yrs. I have had it. I am going to work on a PRN basis at a hospital 2 hrs from my home and make 1.5 times as much $ per hr. I can work less and make more and not get involved with anymore of this crap.

One final note...your time when you are not scheduled to work is YOUR TIME. You need to seek the advice of your wage and hour board. This is also discrimination. But register with an agency now and be prepared to move on. But move on with dignity.

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

Wow. We never float if someone is on extra or OT....we cancel those people first and if we still have extras on regular time, then we float. Sounds like you all need a new policy.

I think your manager has already made his point quite clear! And do you know what his point is? HE is not willing to be flexible. HE will control the situation as he sees fit. He will ultimaley lose extra time from a good employee. There are managers that are flexible and will deal with a situation and managers who won't and I've worked long enough to pick out who is who! I think you have discussed this verbally with him and I see no need to cause yourself further aggravation by putting things in writing. He has already made his decision to the point of calling you at home for God's sake! Read the writing on the wall and take care of yourself! He is pissed off enough as it is that you have already done time with the MICU.

Agency is a great way to go for your days off. The higher pay is excellent. Yes, you can get cancelled from time to time but it all depends on the nursing needs in your area.

I'm sorry that your husband has been laid off and that you have so much on your shoulders right now. I will be thinking about you. Jeanne :)

Specializes in Med/Surg, ER, L&D, ICU, OR, Educator.

I concur. Your time off is out of your nurse managers jurisdiction! If that is how she is insisting on playing it, go above her, or I'm sure other employer's would be delighted to have a hard worker like you!

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