Should I feel guilty?

[RNOrtho]

I’m a new RN and have been working on my unit for about 5 months now. I am officially off orientation and on my own. I currently work nights and as of right now we only have about 9 nurses working the night shift. The past few weeks my unit has called me on 3 different occasions to see if I could pick up or switch one of my days because they need someone on that particular night. The one issue is they usually don’t call until about 2-3 hours before the shift would even start. So far I haven’t agreed to come in. Mainly because I slept a normal sleeping schedule that day and have been awake for 8 or more hours already that day. Calling me 2-3 hours before a 12 hour night shift doesn’t really give me much time to get a nap in to feel awake for the shift. Especially considering I’ve been up all day already. Every time I hang up the phone after saying “No” I feel so guilty. I feel like I shouldn’t feel that way but I just do. Should I feel guilty about this?

[Leader25, ASN, BSN, RN]

You do not have to feel guilty but as nurses we usually do.Do what some savvy nurses did back in the day of forced mandatory OT[the kind where they called you at home to come in ,even if it was the middle of the night and you had already worked a day shift] They whispered that they had {genius} two phone lines....and that one line was Never answered.This was before caller ID and such.Oh nurses can be sooo smart,I wish I had thought of that.

[Julius Seizure]

On 1/28/2019 at 5:19 PM, Lev said:

You should not feel guilty although it's hard not to. If guilt gets the better of you and you really feel up to it, see if they would agree to let you work just 4 hours (the beginning of the shift) but don't let them guilt you into staying longer.

Or (only if #1 want to, #2 are rested enough to provide save care AND #3 can get yourself to/from work safely), say you would come in...for a certain amount of bonus $$$.

[Julius Seizure]

On 1/30/2019 at 10:21 AM, anewsns said:

Umm I always felt guilty when I had to call people soon before a shift.

Hospital management might not. But the poor nurse stuck making the calls definitely does.

[kaylee.]

One time..i .was guilted face to face by my charge to stay an extra 4 hours, and i was about to be off for two weeks! I was literally backed into a corner because i initially was not firm. Next time i will have an obligation lined up. But that was the only time i was made to feel guilty.

Luckily we have a staffing office so the staffers are the ones making cold calls. I have never once seen the call and thought: “im up for it, ill come in” . So i simply dont answer. I suppose if some day i see the call and going in extra feels great or i need cash, ill do it. But until then, no im unavailable.