Parent contacting me on Saturday night to come Sunday morning, not even my shift

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Some background on this patient- I only work Thursday evenings and the patient has nurses 6 days a week, used to be 7, but the nurse scheduled for Sunday is on an extended vacation as she is scared to work during the Pandemic. Mom doesn't want the office to send an unknown nurse as she doesn't trust anyone new during this time either. 

 

I have other patients that I go see on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday. I have filled in on some Sundays for the above patient, but then the office called me saying mom went over on her hours so I stopped filling in on Sunday. 

Well on Saturday night, around 11:00 pm, mom texts me saying she has an emergency Sunday and needs me to come. I didn't come Sunday and I replied back saying I was busy on Sunday.

What would you do in this situation? 

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I would not jeopardize my employment with my agency by flaunting agency policy in accepting that shift off the books.  If an emergency, she could have made an arrangement with the agency to trade that shift for another in the next week so that her hours would not be affected.  And yes, it can be done at 11 pm, that is what they have on-call personnel for at the agency.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

You stood your ground. Good for you! You don't owe her any time over and above your regular commitment.

Question - is it common that clients are able to text you directly? Isn't that like phoning you on your phone directly?  (I'm techno challenged, so I just ask.)

 

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If the client has one's phone number, they have the ability to text them.  I was also going to add that the OP's client could have told the agency that she had already cleared it with the OP who was willing to make the change.  Of course, that is letting on to the agency that the two discuss schedule changes outside of through the agency like they are supposed to, but all agencies pretty much acknowledge this fact of life anyway.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

TY for the explanation. I know cell phones have all kinds of bells & whistles, but I have one only for emergency use. I just make calls out & receive calls in. That's my level of expertise. All I need!

I've read here that things vary from agency to agency, but I don't think I'd appreciate receiving unsolicited client phone calls, esp at 11pm. Thought that it was discouraged for staff to provide their phone#/address. But then, on the other hand, I've read where they're supposed to.

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Specializes in Private Duty Pediatrics.

I started calling my clients, in addition to the office, when I had to call off sick. Too many times I would find out that the office waited until just before the beginning of the shift to tell the parents that I would not be there. This, after I had called in with a fever that morning.

I worked nights. If the mom had known, she could have gotten a nap when dad got home.

This led to the clients & I working out scheduling arrangements between us, and then telling the office. One of my agencies was fine with that - as long as I kept them in the loop.

The other agency wanted me to call them, and not the client. We worked it out that I would tell the client, but would allow the agency to do the scheduling. I have 2 clients with this agency who do call me asking me to fill in a shift. If I'm available, I tell them that I will check my schedule and get back to them. Then I call the agency and tell them that I am available for that shift.

If I ever had a client who abused my phone, calling at all hours, etc., I could always block them.

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There are nurses who like being at the beck and call of their clients.  That is how they keep a stronghold on the case.  Some carry it so far as to sleep at the client's home on occasion, for various reasons.  And yes, the agency turns a blind eye if they know about it.  Same with fraudulent hours claimed on time sheets.  One of the reasons I started to detest home care.

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On my present case, we started talking to each other first because the agency fails to notify AT ALL too many times, leaving nurse as well as the client in the lurch.  It all works both ways.

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Specializes in retired LTC.
50 minutes ago, caliotter3 said:

On my present case, we started talking to each other first because the agency fails to notify AT ALL too many times, leaving nurse as well as the client in the lurch.  It all works both ways.

This has also been the case with the agency that I've used for a while. They ADAMANTLY frown upon direct client/employee contact.  Like what's the issue - I'm trusting these staff with my life's health & safety and my home security. And we can't directly talk to one another if she's running late due to traffic? Puhleeze!

 

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3 hours ago, amoLucia said:

You stood your ground. Good for you! You don't owe her any time over and above your regular commitment.

Question - is it common that clients are able to text you directly? Isn't that like phoning you on your phone directly?  (I'm techno challenged, so I just ask.)

 

She is the only one to contact on my off days because sometimes she changes the hours she wants her nurses to come. 

2 hours ago, caliotter3 said:

On my present case, we started talking to each other first because the agency fails to notify AT ALL too many times, leaving nurse as well as the client in the lurch.  It all works both ways.

Yes, this happens with my agency too. 

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14 hours ago, caliotter3 said:

On my present case, we started talking to each other first because the agency fails to notify AT ALL too many times, leaving nurse as well as the client in the lurch.  It all works both ways.

I run into this too from time to time.  For the most part the agency I work for is pretty good about communicating but there are times mainly if it is after office hours the messages don't get delivered in a timely manner. 

If I am not able to make a shift I will text the parent and call the agency. The parent does the same for me - if they are going out of town and don't need me they will text me.  I am not sure if they call the agency but I will turn around and call the agency to let them know client cancelled me for the shift.    

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We had some problems with a lack of communication to the agency regarding scheduling, like for an entire week's vacation, and nothing being said.  For quite some time.  Then I got jumped on for it and had to inform the person berating me that it did not involve me.  The clients have the obligation to tell the agency that they are vacationing for a week, not me.  It was not my vacation.  They took the other nurse with them on their vacation and she didn't open her mouth either.  But I was the one who got jumped.  In an entire week the agency didn't figure out that there were no nurses notes?  They didn't wonder why?  The nurse who went on the trip didn't do documentation until she returned because all involved did not want the tablet GPS to show where they really went.  I get so sick and tired of being blamed for other people's big secrets.  That is one of the disadvantages of not being the "favorite" nurse in home care.

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