Scheduling harassment

Nurses General Nursing

Published

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.:eek: 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. :rolleyes:

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.

Anyone else struggle with this?!

Specializes in PCCN.

i just don't answer the phone. period.

I would temp. block the number if the ringing was getting to me. Luckily, my place isnt THAT obnoxious about calls

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.
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.

That's insane. You must live in a very tight job market if employers can get away with that. No way would I ever agree to respond to every call from work. If they want to pay me to be on call every hour of every day then I'd be obligated to respond to them. Since they are not paying me to be available to take or return calls 24/7 I don't feel in the least bit guilty ignoring those calls.

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You don't need to justify WHY you don't want to change your schedule. Use caller ID, and only answer the phone if it is someone you want to talk to.

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That's insane. You must live in a very tight job market if employers can get away with that. No way would I ever agree to respond to every call from work. If they want to pay me to be on call every hour of every day then I'd be obligated to respond to them. Since they are not paying me to be available to take or return calls 24/7 I don't feel in the least bit guilty ignoring those calls.

Me either... lord no, lol. I hate answering the phone. I already know what they are going to ask. It would be different if I was getting paid to be on call. Then I'd be answering that thing. But I'm not, so therefore I don't. In the beginning I did, and I reheorificed excuses for why I couldn't come in, etc. Let's just say that in made me look like a wino. But in all seriousness, I just stopped answering. I get that we are short staffed and that we need people, but that's not my responsible. Also, one phone call is understandable. But blowing up someone's cell phone over and over again... no. Like I said, I used to answer on the first call, decline, then hang up, hoping that would be the end of it. But no, I would get at least three or four more calls. That's when I stopped responding at all.

So yes, it's easy not to respond or pick up the phone, but it's still incredibly annoying. My coworkers are too. I guess my thing is that if someone firmly tells me "No", then I figure out another solution and go about my merry way. I don't know if they have listened to too much Tom Petty but "they won't back down" :D Lol.

I have a cruise coming up later this year. I was telling a friend of mine I wouldn't be shocked at all if one of them popped out from underneath my bed and asked if I could work...

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

I was just coming to see all the hate and malice thrown to the OP for having the audacity to work acute care and refusing to work weekends even though the facility is understaffed and management agreed to it.

Funny how that didn't happen this time. Hmmmmmmm I guess that's only is an issue if the person negotiates a day off each week for religious purposes.

OP the above post had nothing to do with you so please don't think it was an insult to you, if they hired you even with you stating you won't work weekends, kudos to you. Do you have an iPhone? I know on my phone I can make number Do Not Disturb and I won't get any notifications of that number calling and texting. I can still see it but my phone won't alert or ting.

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Does your employer require you to answer your phone on your scheduled days off? If not, then simply do NOT answer. I'm sure you have a smartphone where you can send them to voicemail or simply block them on your days off and unblock the night before you're due to return. Trust me, they will get the message. Did you get the no weekends or calling you on your days off in writing? If not, then you might have a problem. Never trust what anyone promises or says off the grid. If it is not in writing it quickly becomes non memorable or worse.......true! Good luck

If you are REQUIRED to answer your phone when you are off duty, you are not fully off duty. You are on call and have to be paid. Check with the Dept. of Labor on that - state, federal.

For OP - I wish your RN sis had told you to just turn your phone off. Or just not answer.

As for trade requests, harden your heart and nicely say "No, I'm sorry. I'd like to help you but I already have plans". If you think you must give a reason - which you don't - be invited to lots of weddings, showers, anniversary parties, kids' sports games, your own choir practice and chess tournaments, graduations, christenings, bar mitzvahs, housewarmings, barn-raisings, float trips, Civil War re-enactments, sewing circles, quilting bees, Sunday school classes to teach, bowling and pool tournaments, chili cook-off's, weekend getaways, ski trips, and so on. After all, you have 17 siblings, lots of in-laws, tons of nieces, nephews, cousins, you are a twin, and on and on.

Oh, and the family reunion out of state. Twice a year. Oh, and the ever popular "car trouble". This has now got my creative blood pumping. My canary is sick. My fishing bait died and I'm in mourning.

LOL

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Perhaps some of the responses I use will assist you in dealing with your needy co-workers, NurseDisneyPrincess:

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.

No.

You're going to have to shower your baby on a weekday just like everybody else.

Watching our kids play ball is living vicariously?

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Misread the quoted post and I can't get rid of the image. Disregard.

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Ok, the first thing I have to say is that you really want to be a team player if you want others to respect and like you. And hope that you don't ever need an unexpected day off, because I doubt anyone will trade with you. I am one of those that ask for trades a lot. We have to make our schedules and ask for vacations months in advance. We had to request vacation time through the end of August back in March or April. Nobody knows their schedule that far in advance. Things come up. I am also good about working for others when they need to trade, so it works out really well. I usually trade weekend for weekend. There are those in my department who are great at trading shifts, and when they need a trade, I jump on it. However, there are some who always say no, and when they are desperate for a trade, nobody, and I mean nobody will help them out.

So back to your dilemma, I told my bf the other day, you don't have to make up some elaborate excuse why you can't do something. He ends up creating these stories (lies) that sometimes bite him in the butt later. Just say, No, I am sorry I can't work, I already have plans. This is not a lie. Your plans might be to lie on the couch and watch tv. You don't owe anyone an explanation. It's nobody's business what you do on your day off .

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That's what I was thinking.... that's how I manage to not come in on weekends.

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You say it isn't something to quit over. But I would be concerned about the chronic understaffing. Basically the employer is asking you nurses to subsidize their poor management. It's not good for patients or nurses, but they can bill the patients the same whether they have to pay for a full unit's worth of nurses or not. If the nurses have to regularly work short, stay on for an extra shift or on their says off, then the nurses are taking on something that really isn't their responsibility. The employer will use their tactics to maintain this status quo that benefits them. I think this is especially true in a for-profit setting. And your schedules/middle managers/peers get sucked into the system and stressed out, displaying the annoying behaviors that you noted. Meanwhile the owner/board/CEO doesn't get too engaged in changing anything.

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Ok, the first thing I have to say is that you really want to be a team player if you want others to respect and like you. And hope that you don't ever need an unexpected day off, because I doubt anyone will trade with you. I am one of those that ask for trades a lot. We have to make our schedules and ask for vacations months in advance. We had to request vacation time through the end of August back in March or April. Nobody knows their schedule that far in advance. Things come up. I am also good about working for others when they need to trade, so it works out really well. I usually trade weekend for weekend. There are those in my department who are great at trading shifts, and when they need a trade, I jump on it. However, there are some who always say no, and when they are desperate for a trade, nobody, and I mean nobody will help them out.

So back to your dilemma, I told my bf the other day, you don't have to make up some elaborate excuse why you can't do something. He ends up creating these stories (lies) that sometimes bite him in the butt later. Just say, No, I am sorry I can't work, I already have plans. This is not a lie. Your plans might be to lie on the couch and watch tv. You don't owe anyone an explanation. It's nobody's business what you do on your day off .

If I honestly need a day off, I just take a sick day. Normally I'm pretty good about scheduling stuff I need to do around the times that I'm off. I will avoid making an appointment for things when I know I'll be at work and luckily most things I plan or places I'm invited to normally take place on weekdays. I have a cook out/part almost ever Saturday night and like I said, my weekends are busy. I do feel for people that would like to switch, but I really love my schedule and don't have any interest in switching. I feel like I'm a team player in other ways, but not as far as working other's shifts lol. I'm prepared to accept the consequences of no one switching for me.

I was a lot like your boyfriend in the beginning too! I guess having an excuse sounds "nicer" than just stating the truth, hah.

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