I recently started my first nursing job (5 months), as a community shift nurse who works nights (usually). My normal schedule is working 5, 12 hour shifts overnight in a row, plus another 12 hour overnight, plus a 6 hour day shift in a pay period. However, I am CONSTANTLY asked to pick up shifts.
I dread whenever my phone rings because I know 9 times out of 10 it’s my work wanting me to pick up shifts. I do pick up some of them but they have been getting more and more and I’m starting to feel burnt out. I just received yet another call after my last 12 hour from my 5 in a row and was asked to work again in a day. They used the term “you’re my last resort,” which makes me feel like a horrible person for wanting to say no. I hate that they guilt me into this, and l get serious anxiety calling back and saying no.
Can they fire me for not picking up some shifts?
I do pick up around 50% of the ones they ask me to.
There’s a lovely “do not disturb” button on my phone that I like to utilize when I’m off the clock. I only get calls/texts from my favorites. You know who’s not on my favorites list? Work.
Nope, I'm in the same boat and no guilt here. I want to find a way to pay my bills and work less, definitely not work more. My quality of life means far more to me than extra $$$. If that makes me not a 'teamplayer', so be it, I'll be at home doing something that nourishes my soul, not being a wage slave.
Im the complete opposite, I feel like im speaking in tongues when I say no. Its the best feeling ever. Also if you work past a certain point all your money goes to taxes.
I think having a balance. Sometimes it is nice to pick up extra shifts, earn a little money for a trip, pay for a fun weekend, etc. Really, you are not their last resort. What happens if you are so exhausted from working YOUR SHIFTS that you can't pick up someone else's.? What if you in shear exhorificetion pickup a shift because they are so thankful and then stick you with a crazy assignment, only because they know you can do it and they are short staffed.
Think about yourself, do you enjoy having days off that you are not working? I do, so do most people. If you enjoy working 7 days a week and never having a day off, eventually you will crash and probably get burned..
All excellent advise above...just so NO - end of story. Don't feel like you need to justify telling them no. First...it's none of their business and second...they don't care what your reason is.
My standard response is..."No, but thank you for thinking of me."
Sometimes the only way the suits will really see our needs, is if we let the system buckle under it's own weight and quit digging them out. Definitely turn off your phone. I know exactly how you feel about letting down your fellow team mates - I always hate the thought of my friends struggling. But at the same time, I know that on my shifts... I'm not really going to expect anything differently.
They can't fire you for NOT working about your required hours.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
On 3/27/2019 at 3:06 PM, nursekaterpn said:
Hi there,
I’d just like to start out by saying sorry if I do this wrong, it’s my first post on here..
Anyways, I recently started my first nursing job (5 months), as a community shift nurse who works nights (usually). My normal schedule is working 5, 12 hour shifts overnight in a row, plus another 12 hour overnight, plus a 6 hour day shift in a pay period. However, I am CONSTANTLY asked to pick up shifts. I dread whenever my phone rings because I know 9 times out of 10 it’s my work wanting me to pick up shifts. I do pick up some of them but they have been getting more and more and I’m starting to feel burnt out. I just received yet another call after my last 12 hour from my 5 in a row and was asked to work again in a day. They used the term “you’re my last resort,” which makes me feel like a horrible person for wanting to say no. I hate that they guilt me into this, and l get serious anxiety calling back and saying no. Can they fire me for not picking up some shifts? I do pick up around 50% of the ones they ask me to.
Decide in advance how much overtime you're willing to work. If you've been burning the candle at both ends, maybe you don't want to work any. If your car needs a new transmission, maybe you want to work all you can. But decide for yourself with no pressure from anyone else what you're willing to do. Then let the calls from your work go to voicemail. Really. USE that caller ID. Wait a few minutes -- or a few hours -- to make sure you've got your resolve on, then listen to the voicemail. If you want the overtime, call back and tell them so. If you don't want it, either don't call back or call and tell them thank you but no. Repeat the "No" as many times as necessary.
Charge nurses hate calling people in to work overtime, and when I'm in charge, I usually know who wants the overtime (Education loans? Expensive wedding?) and who doesn't. I call the people most likely to say "yes" first. Of course I hate hearing the "No", but I understand it. I'll just call the next person on my list.
Agree. My phone is on silent when I'm home and I'll only answer work if I want to work extra. Then when I don't answer I get emails asking for a better number to reach me when I'm off. Uh, I'm OFF. You don't need any number to reach me. Also, I work nights so am usually sleeping during the day. Management calling me at 2 pm does nothing to make me want to help them. Why don't I call you at 2 am and see how that goes?
Please ,do not allow them to guilt you, don't pick up the phone, I agree with the other posters staffing a unit is not your responsibility.
Doing five 12 s in a row is abuse. I Didn't know there were places that still force that schedule on you.
Try to stick a v day or holiday in between when you are able to. You need to make it possible for you to survive this first year and get the experience.
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845 Posts
There’s a lovely “do not disturb” button on my phone that I like to utilize when I’m off the clock. I only get calls/texts from my favorites. You know who’s not on my favorites list? Work.