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.
When I worked med surg nights years ago I would gets calls from day shift waking me asking what something was—blood sugar, vs, something. I had to tell them I was asleep & they were there with the chart—I wasn’t.
When I worked agency they would call during the day & wake me up asking for availability. I needed a secretary. ?
I seriously hope you are paid monthly because that is a lot of shifts. But anyway, DO NOT FEEL bad. Sorry for yelling at you but seriously it needed to be said.
You were offered/ agreed to a job with a given number of hours for $X per hour. That is all you are required to do. If they are constantly begging you to pick up shifts they are short staffed and need to hire more staff or call an agency to supply them staff. All you would be achieving by agreeing to work extra shifts is to show them that they don’t need to spend the money to fix the problem. Turn off you phone, screen your calls or answer and just say No!
Finally don’t forget “no” is all that is required. You do not owe them an explanation or any kind of excuse. This is their problem don’t let them guilt you into thinking it is your problem.
I understand that everyone deserves to have days off, but what if all the nurse managers are picking up all the extra shifts and floor nurses don't pitch in and there are still shifts to be picked up.
I will pick up extra shifts only when it will benefit ME and when it does I will pick up a lot. Remember if you screw up while being tired on an extra shift the admin won't say "We will give that nurse a chance because she was tired after we asked her to work 3 days extra (seen it)". Heck no, they will terminate you just the same. For me it is too risky to work too many extra shift, because that will increase your risk of making a mistake.
Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
8 hours ago, peaches51041 said:
I understand that everyone deserves to have days off, but what if all the nurse managers are picking up all the extra shifts and floor nurses don't pitch in and there are still shifts to be picked up.
Then that’s indicative of a poorly run department/facility. If there are that many unstaffed spots, then they don’t have enough FTEs. Time to open the wallet and add positions if there are none open, give raises to current staff so that they aren’t going to run the second a better offer comes along, and offer enough pay to get people in the door.
Its not that people deserve days off, no one can function without them. They are necessary in order to continue being productive.
I understand that everyone deserves to have days off, but what if all the nurse managers are picking up all the extra shifts and floor nurses don't pitch in and there are still shifts to be picked up.
Yes, what IF?
I guess the people who get to decide how the profits will be spent (which is NOT the people you are disparaging for not pitching it) will have to figure out what THEY are going to do about it.
I understand that everyone deserves to have days off, but what if all the nurse managers are picking up all the extra shifts and floor nurses don't pitch in and there are still shifts to be picked up.
Picking up extra shifts is not pitching in to help. Chronic understaffing is a huge problem and not solved by picking up extra shifts. Overtime/ extra shifts is reserved for when there are unexpected higher census, sicker patients that may need staffing ratios adjusted. This should not be a daily/weekly occurence.
If there are frequently shifts to be picked up it should be looked at as to why, staffing needs, patient needs, etc. It may be that FTEs need to be increased.
Pitching in should only happen for unexpected increase in staffing needs that is TEMPORARY, and that is when most know that this is an all hands on deck kind of deal. When it doesn't change, it is time to pay for more staffing.
Floor nurses are required to work their shifts that are assigned to them, not constatntly pick up overtime.
I always let my phone go to voice mail and then listen to the msg. If your put on the spot it’s really hard to say no, unless you have something else you have to do. Once I listen to the voicemail I can decide calmly and if I don’t won’t to work I just ignore it.
Specializes in Pediatrics, Pediatric Float, PICU, NICU.
12 hours ago, peaches51041 said:
I understand that everyone deserves to have days off, but what if all the nurse managers are picking up all the extra shifts and floor nurses don't pitch in and there are still shifts to be picked up.
This type of thinking is part of the problem and why these hospitals and facilities can get away with chronic understaffing.
I don’t owe it to ANYONE to “pitch in.” That is not my job nor my responsibility. That solves nothing in the long run.
Lovelite52
3 Posts
When I worked med surg nights years ago I would gets calls from day shift waking me asking what something was—blood sugar, vs, something. I had to tell them I was asleep & they were there with the chart—I wasn’t.
When I worked agency they would call during the day & wake me up asking for availability. I needed a secretary. ?