Should I feel bad?

Nurses General Nursing

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I work for an agency doing private duty nursing. I have two cases, nights on one and days on the other. I am taking my first big vacation at the end of July and I need to take time off. PDN isn't like hospital nursing where you just ask for time off and someone else gets the hours. When I take time off, the parents are left without an RN. I am not too concerned with my nights case because they have a lot of extra nurses, whereas my days case does not. I took a day off in May for my boyfriend's college graduation and it was awful. The parents accused me of not telling them (I gave 6 weeks), told my agency that I work for a competing agency (which is a big no-no), and basically made a huge deal about my DAY off. Because of all this I decided to only take one day off for my vacation. I work W/F for them. I already told them about the W and I am considering taking the F off too. My flight is a red eye and gets in at 6:20 AM on Friday morning, I have to be at work at 8. I can make it but I am going to be exhausted. I always feel bad taking time off but I have been with them for a year and May was my first requested day off. I guess I am looking for some reassurance - that taking time off is normal. This is definetely a part of PDN that I hate, no backup!

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

I don't know how it works in other states for Medi-caid patients but the agencies I have worked for here require the client designate one person as the "primary caregiver" who signs a document placed in the chart stating that they are responsible for shifts the agency is unable to cover.

My state also implemented a program through IHSS for a pool of "on call" caregivers in case of emergency - but that would not replace a licensed nurse and it seems most people didn't want a complete stranger to cover the hours anyway. At least it was there as a final stopgap.

From what I read here it seems private insurance coverage is very different and maybe reflects the old adage about getting what you pay for as I do not think the state would pay for an inpatient stay to cover vacation days, etc.

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
The other nurses on this case continuously go above and beyond which gives them the impression that we all will. Examples: working additional hours without pay, "babysitting" when they've hit 40 hours, driving the patient even though it states it is not allowed in our policies, the list goes on. I have stayed firm. I will pick up shifts at my other case if I have the hours but that's as far as I go. I agree I am entitiled to time off, I just am sick of being the "bad" nurse because I do my job, and nothing more.

And a big whoopee do to your co- workers.You really are the black sheep-how dare you expect fair compensation for your hours worked!And you have some nerve-always sticking to the policies.How dare you!Who are YOU to think you arr so special?...........you stinker.

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Specializes in Peds Medical Floor.

And imagine what will happen to those coworkers if they get into an accident or something driving people around they aren't allowed to drive around. *shudder.*

So how did they take it when you told them you are taking time off?

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
And a big whoopee do to your co- workers.You really are the black sheep-how dare you expect fair compensation for your hours worked!And you have some nerve-always sticking to the policies.How dare you!Who are YOU to think you arr so special?...........you stinker.

lol . . . sorta reminds me of that other thread - "you mean you would refuse to defrost the freezer in your spare time??? Well, I never!! I don't even ask the parent to lift his feet off the floor so I can vacuum under them while he watches TV! And you have the gall to call yourself a nurse?

Guess I was absent on that day. Lord, the drama that goes on in this line of work! Seriously, all the machinations would be great fodder for the next tele-novela .

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.

Once a lady went down into her cellar and brought up her silver for me to polish! She was afraid I might have a minute or two when I was sitting . There WAS one of us who DID polish it, but it warnt me, by gawd!

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

I just submitted an app. for home care hospice.I must need to have my head examined.This thread has reminded me of my past experiences-washing the gunk from the little frou frou dogs eyes and putting it's tiny hair clip on every morning.What am I thinking?

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