Private Duty Schedulers: Why are they so deceptive?

[erroridiot]

Unfortunately, I have worked for several private duty companies and the schedulers lie, bait and switch, and play such nasty games.

Are they actually trained to do this?

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

What do you mean?

Claim there are shifts when there are none?

Put you in schedule then pull you off sans notice?

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

I feel I'm with the best company I've been with this far. But I know what you are talking about JBN. They tell you there are cases in your area when there are none. That pisses me off the most!

[SDALPN]

Its a game. Some get bonuses based on the percentage of shifts covered. They certainly don't do it because they feel like it. They have motivation.

What irritates me is that they think we are that stupid. They think we don't talk with the families. The truth comes it even when we don't dig for it. I've had tons of families say the scheduler told them things that weren't true. It leads the families to distrust everyone.

I will never understand how someone can go to work and spend all day lying, manipulating, and misleading people that depend on honest scheduling to pay bills. It says a lot about the character of the schedulers for sure!

I have learned to make it clear that I'm not a doormat. I don't give in. If they use dishonest tactics, I call them out on it. When I get the rare, honest scheduler (they never last in the job), I go out of my way to cover shifts to help them out. If they do me right, I make sure I look out for them. Dishonesty and games don't motivate me.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[darliff]

I don't have too much experience yet, but the company I work for seems to have the least amount of work hours dedicated to the scheduler. I can't imagine that keeping track of who is covering all shifts on all cases and training and what nurses are certified for what, plus personal preference....

This might be particular to the company I work for, but I would imagine having 2-3 people organizing staff, payroll, and scheduling as their sole duty would be more helpful and productive, if less profitable overall.

[SDALPN]

So does anyone have suggestions on ways to prevent the schedulers from manipulating?

[Crystal-Wings, LVN]

So does anyone have suggestions on ways to prevent the schedulers from manipulating?

Stand your ground and don't let them talk you into accepting a case you don't feel comfortable with, even if that means saying "no" multiple times.

[caliotter3]

I work with an extended care agency with the expectation that staffing coordinators will act like this. I accept or reject work based on my needs. Even in the most isolated of cases, eventually one can figure out where they stand in relation to others on the case. When I verify that I am relegated to the position of accepting only what others don't want, and the staffer thinks I like being lied to, it is time to look for the next agency employer.

[Kitiger, RN]

They're not all bad. I had a wonderful scheduler for over 20 years. She was great! Families and staff loved her.

She retired.

I've had some difficulties since then, especially with one in particular. I finally decided that I wouldn't work where she did the scheduling.

Sometimes, you just have to cut your losses.

[ventmommy]

Some of them lie to the families as well as to the nurses.

My favorite is when the nurse doesn't come in and the on-call scheduler doesn't answer her phone even though they claimed 24/7 support.

[Elektra6, ASN, BSN, RN]

Some of them lie to the families as well as to the nurses.

My favorite is when the nurse doesn't come in and the on-call scheduler doesn't answer her phone even though they claimed 24/7 support.

Then they take it out on you even when you weren't the one that called out!