Can a manager force you to stay for the next shift if relief does not arrive?

I know in bc it's considered abandonment if you leave before you are relieved/ have given hand off. I know if ow someone will be late, our charge tends to split assignments or ask among the team if anyone is willing to stay if the person can't stay because of reasons. Can you clarify with your union rep?

I work with the VA and we are mandated to stay if needed. We cannot be mandated beyond 16 hours though and we work it out through rotation based on the who has performed overtime the latest, such as if sally did some in April, Ron in March, and Debbie in February, then Debbie gets mandated unless someone else steps in to take it first.

Moved to the Nursing in Canada forum

What does your collective agreement say? Are you the only trained staff working? Many times I have had to stay and work a 24 hour shift as coverage could not be found for the next shift and my agreement says should only stay 4 hours but if I am the only trained working I know if I did leave and there was no coverage my college would class that as abandonment

If I was you, I'd write directly to the nursing board so you have their standards in writing. The rub is that you may still be fired from your job for insubordination, even if your RN license is safe.

A lot of the staff extend 4 hrs to work 16 hours total but it is not forced unless you are the only rn in the entire unit/setting, in which case you do need to stay until relief arrives.

The maximum number of hours most employees can be required to work in a day is eight hours or the number of hours in an established regular workday, if it is longer than eight hours. The only way the daily maximum can be exceeded is by an electronic or written agreement between the employee and employer.

This is from the Ministry of Labour, therefore you need to look at the agreements you ve signed or any union handbooks, 24 hr straight is a no no at my place, whether you choose to accept the shift or not.