Questions about mandatory OT and accepting assignments...

Published Feb 2, 2009

6 Posts

I am an LPN and recently started working weekends at a LTCF. I'm still new, only finished 4 shifts so far. I have noticed that it always seems to be a struggle to keep the shifts staffed, and the day shift girls are forced to stay over and work 16 hour shifts to fill in the gaps for the ones that called in for the 3-11 shift. So far I haven't been "forced" to stay, because I'm the new girl, but I know my number will come up eventually. I have looked up TN BON statutes on patient abandonment, and know about "accepting the assignment and assuming patient responsibility". Let's say I worked the 7-3 shift, and no one shows up at 3 to relieve me on my particular hall. Since I "accepted the assignment" for the 7-3 shift, and they ask me to stay and I refuse, have I still "accepted the assignment" by default because I came in and worked my scheduled shift? There are still nurses on the floor, so it's not like I'm the only nurse around...just they will be working a nurse short. I am a new nurse, so I don't know the logistics, but I feel like this...I showed up when I was supposed to, I worked my shift according to what I was scheduled....I did my part, and I will not stay over by force, I have 2 small kids and a husband who needs to get to work himself. If the issue were to be pressed and I decided to quit after the end of my scheduled shift, would I be in jeopardy of repercussions (other than screwing up a future reference)?