This is my fourth job so far. I made the jump for a pay increase, and I've been here for around eight months. When I interviewed, I made sure I let them know my schedule and what I was available to work. I told them I wasn't available on weekends and that I wasn't interested in any over-time (I said this so they would know not to call me on my off days- my sister who is also an RN told me it's a more polite way to let them know you don't want to be called on your days off) I started working, I liked the unit and everything was fine and dandy...
Until I started getting calls CONSTANTLY to come in. It started the second weekend I was off and has not stopped since. The ringing off the wall, the pressuring phone calls that start on Friday and normally persist all the way up until Sunday afternoon. It's incredibly irritating. Part of me wants to just block my work number. It's not as though I don't have the lady balls to say no, I do, but how many times can I say that I can't and that I'm not interested? I think what makes me more angry is the fact that they always want an explanation as to why I can't come in. At first I would struggle to come up with excuses. "I've already had several glasses of wine. I'm sorry!" "I'm actually visiting my sister and she's two hours away! I can't. I'm sorry". Then after a while I realized I was being ridiculous and just started telling them the truth; that I was off work and just didn't want to work. Yet, the phone calls persist... I understand that it's frustrating to be understaffed, but my coworkers just call in constantly and there just aren't enough nurses... I'm already tired of picking up the slack once I'm there that I don't want to pick up the slack on my off days too.
My coworkers drive me bonkers as well. They always want to switch days off! I don't know how many others have weekends off, but I'm thinking it's not many. I'm constantly asked if I will switch. "Little Johnny has a baseball game this weekend. Will you switch with me?" "I have a baby shower on Saturday, want to switch me days?" From bat mitvahs to pet shows, I have heard it all. I feel a little bad, but at the same time, I ASKED FOR MY DAYS OFF FOR A REASON. I'm unavailable on weekends. I'm not interested in switching. I try not to be rude about it, but I'm always asked time and time again. Explaining that I'm unavailable doesn't seem to hit home for anyone.
I'm thinking I got spoiled because my past jobs included a mid-sized hospital and a dialysis clinic. I just had never experienced this before. Being short staffed? Yes, on the occasion. Getting bombarded with requests to switch shifts and come in? No. One would be fine, but multiple calls? Noooo.
I'm not sure if it's anything to quit over, but it is driving me up the wall. I'm starting to just turn my phone off on my days off.
They don't... but it's strongly encouraged. There is pressure there, if you get what I mean. I do have it in writing, I'm not worried about it getting taken away. I just feel pressured to answer? It's more annoying than anything.
Especially when a random nurse that I don't know very well texts me and asks if we can switch days so she go to a bachelorette party...
Strongly encouraged is very vague. Can you use your voicemail to triage the calls. I know I do. If I don't return the call it means I'm not interested. If it's something I need to call back or important I do. I don't do anything via text messaging. It's my pet peeve especially coming from the charge phone and I don't know who exactly is manning it at the time. It's one of those things. If you're not on call, you're not required to work the weekends then you have plenty of ammo to send them to voicemail and triage as you'd like.
I was in a CMS survey couple of years ago. We had to provide proof that we made all the effort to bring people in when understaffed. But we never called the nurses individually, we sent a group text to everyone who was off on that shift. Most never responded and that was expected. Maybe your hospital has to notify you to fulfill their obligations.
See, I'd be more than fine with a group text. I really wish they would do that. It's almost like they want to get you on the phone lol. It has to be part of the pressure tactic I guess.
Not familiar with that in a non-salaried position where call is not part of the position. How does that work?
Meaning they need verbal confirmation of yes or no. It's listed on your employment contract. I work in a position requiring a ton of call but even on our non call/scheduled days off we are required to call back or answer the phone to whatever they are calling about. Many times it's with schedule changes. Low census, etc.
I am prn and get full-time hrs because I choose to work a lot of weekends. I am going back to school during the week so it works for me. Places of employment will schedule you according to what benefits them. That is just how it goes most of the time.
Meaning they need verbal confirmation of yes or no. It's listed on your employment contract. I work in a position requiring a ton of call but even on our non call/scheduled days off we are required to call back or answer the phone to whatever they are calling about. Many times it's with schedule changes. Low census, etc.
Okay, thanks for the reply. It disappoints me to hear of yet another insanity being incorporated into nurses' working conditions. I will go out of my way for an employer and have done it many, many times - as lots of us have. But they don't provide my phone, and they don't pay my phone bill, and they don't pay to keep me on-call in the fashion described above. What do people get paid for all of this? I'm fairly sure no one would pay me what I would require to be at their beck and call. I happily use my time and resources voluntarily to help others, but won't have them stolen for someone else's profit.
Maybe I'm behind the times; I find this somewhat appalling.
Okay, thanks for the reply. It disappoints me to hear of yet another insanity being incorporated into nurses' working conditions. I will go out of my way for an employer and have done it many, many times - as lots of us have. But they don't provide my phone, and they don't pay my phone bill, and they don't pay to keep me on-call in the fashion described above. What do people get paid for all of this? I'm fairly sure no one would pay me what I would require to be at their beck and call. I happily use my time and resources voluntarily to help others, but won't have them stolen for someone else's profit.
Maybe I'm behind the times; I find this somewhat appalling.
Welcome to modern day bedside nursing at an at will state.
If the sound of the constant ringing phone bothers you, if I were you, I would simply block that number at the end of my last work shift and unblock it the night or morning before I'm set to return to work. That way, it is not lying to say that you never received a call from them.
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
Perhaps some of the responses I use will assist you in dealing with your needy co-workers, NurseDisneyPrincess:
"Little Johnny has a baseball game this weekend. Will you switch with me?"
No.
You see, I had a vasectomy in 1986, before I got married, so I wouldn't have to take time off to watch Little Johnny play ball. Being childless has afforded me the freedom from such superfluous endeavors and has freed those around me from having to enable me to live vicariously through my offspring which would provide me with a delusion of immortality.
"I have a baby shower on Saturday, want to switch me days?"
No.
You're going to have to shower your baby on a weekday just like everybody else.
It's not as though I don't have the lady balls to say no, I do, but how many times can I say that I can't and that I'm not interested? I think what makes me more angry is the fact that they always want an explanation as to why I can't come in. At first I would struggle to come up with excuses. "I've already had several glasses of wine. I'm sorry!" "I'm actually visiting my sister and she's two hours away! I can't. I'm sorry". Then after a while I realized I was being ridiculous and just started telling them the truth; that I was off work and just didn't want to work. Yet, the phone calls persist... I understand that it's frustrating to be understaffed, but my coworkers just call in constantly and there just aren't enough nurses... I'm already tired of picking up the slack once I'm there that I don't want to pick up the slack on my off days too.
RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN
8,498 Posts
Strongly encouraged is very vague. Can you use your voicemail to triage the calls. I know I do. If I don't return the call it means I'm not interested. If it's something I need to call back or important I do. I don't do anything via text messaging. It's my pet peeve especially coming from the charge phone and I don't know who exactly is manning it at the time. It's one of those things. If you're not on call, you're not required to work the weekends then you have plenty of ammo to send them to voicemail and triage as you'd like.