"Can you stay late?" Hours and overtime.

[Spookysushi]

Hello nurse-friends,

I am curious about how staffing and overtime works on your units? I work on an extremely busy Med surg unit in a large city that specializes in transplant(mostly liver). I often have 5 patients, and I work two 8s and two 12s a week. I am constantly (2-3x a week) being asked to either stay late on my 8 hour days or switch my shift the day of. I almost always turn down the offer, but usually feel guilty because I am close with my co workers and don't want to make anyone's day harder then it has to be. However, internally I get mad because my unit is NEVER staffed appropriately. When overtime is turned down, we almost always get a float nurse to fill the spot quite easily. I am a new nurse with 1 year of experience and often leave the hospital in a state of exhaustion due to the heaviness of our patients- so the thought of overtime makes me cringe. I am always willing to make switches with my co workers, stay late until my work is done, and lend a hand when things get rough...but I feel as though if I work more then 40 hours I am being spread too thin and I don't want to compromise the experience of my patients, or my sanity for that matter. There's a difference between an emergency and "whoops we don't have enough nurses- can you turn your 8 into a 12". So let me have it- should I feel guilty ?

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

Staffing isn't losing sleep over your increased workweek -- don't lose sleep over their failure to staff appropriately. Besides, staying late enables their poor practices. Why would they need to fix a situation that is working for them?

[LibraSunCNM, BSN, MSN, CNM]

Keep sticking to your guns and turning them down. While I can't say for sure that your stance alone will cause them to hire more staff, I do know that if you cave to their demands, they DEFINITELY won't. As the previous poster says, why would they? I hate hearing about nurses in situations like this, knowing so many are not strong enough to say no, and so the cycle of poor staffing continues. Do NOT feel guilty.

[heronurse]

Where I work its always short, everyday the person who does staffing will ask me if I want to work, on my off days they will call and ask if I can come in, I always say no.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

Why should you feel guilty? I have a life, I have plans after work and I'm not changing them at the last minute for work. Another reason why I like working a normal schedule now.

[heronurse]

I work 8 stressful hours, aint gonna work another 8 stressful hours then go to work early again next morning haha