So fed up with my coworker

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Hello everyone! I used to post here last year when I was graduating nursing school but cant remember my screen name. You all helped me so much, I was hoping for some advice once again.

I work at a small hospital that only staffs around 10 RN's. We all bust our behinds working extra shifts due to being short staffed. Here is where my issue is. We have two as needed nurses who work to fill in holes in the schedule, but we are still short.

We have one as needed nurse however who isn't willing to work any shifts for anyone and it really irks me. I am work my three days but if I ever need a day off, she never agrees to cover, like ever. She works only a few times a month. She has 4 kids under 5 years old I think and she's always using that as an excuse not to work. It really puts all the rest of us in a bind when she refuses to cover.

I don't even know why my boss keeps her around honestly, you can tell she doesn't like being there even when she has a scheduled shift. We (all us full timers) talk about it all the time. What good is having as needed employees if they aren't pulling their weight when we're short? I do not get it. Its not fair, I want to be able not to work but unfortunately I have bills to pay. I asked her once why she doesn't pick up more shifts and she just said "because I don't have to", which is really rude in my opinion.

Another thing, she gives the boss the days SHE wants to work and the boss schedules us around that. She doesn't pick up weekends or holidays ever so I am really dreading my December schedule since the other as needed nurse is leaving in a few weeks.

I really want to bring it up with my boss. I don't think its fair at all, I just don't know how to approach the subject with her. Any thoughts? Would you tolerate this from a coworker?

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

Honestly, though I'm sure it's very frustrating, it's up to your supervisor to talk to her if she's not agreeing to work a minimum number of shifts. At some places, they only require per diem staff to work 2 times per month.

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Specializes in Cardiac, ER.

Honestly? If she is prn how many shifts is she required to work over a given period of time? Our prn employees are only required to work 36 hours per 8 week schedule. That is WHY they are prn! I think your beef is with your supervisors for not hiring more people, not with the prn employee who wants to and CAN work only prn! I work full time et go to school full time. I don't HAVE to work extra to make ends meet so I DON'T. I love my coworkers and have been with them for many years, but it's not my job to staff the department. If I could afford to work prn I would!

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Specializes in Trauma, Orthopedics.

I don't know if I'm reading this wrong but from what I've gathered you're annoyed that a prn nurse won't cover your scheduled shifts if you want off? Why is that her responsibility?

I always thought the beauty of prn is working when you want to. I don't think a prn nurse (or anyone for that matter, really) should be mandated to work more than their agreed to shifts because the hospital won't hire more full time staff. And really, tell me how many weekends and holidays you'd be willing to pick up if you had 4 kids under 5 to care for, and you're not required to. Work to live, don't live to work, and surely don't enslave yourself to your job.

Maybe your anger is misdirected. Be angry that your employer doesn't have stringent prn shift requirements. Be angry they won't hire more staff. But don't be angry that an employee fulfilling their required shifts is only working what they're required to work.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

She's working there on a prn basis; that means she isn't obligated to work every time someone needs to be off. Honestly, I'm surprised she has the energy to work at all with four very young children to care for.

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I think our requirement for the as needed people is 1 shift a month. I guess I don't see the point of having those employees if they wont work when they're actually needed (like to cover a shift for a full time employee). We have to get coverage in order to use PTO, or we have to call off. I don't think the "well I have little kids" is a good excuse in the professional world. We all have things in life that are important. And its not even that she CANT cover, she just doesn't WANT to.

I have to work the day after Thanksgiving and I asked her to cover, and she hasn't responded yet. I just know the answer will be no and no one else is able to do it. They have valid reasons, being out of town. I know she will be in town because she was getting recipes from another nurse and was talking about having a big dinner at her house.

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Having not read any previous replies - I'll give my 2 cents.

Being a PRN employee is as much about the convenience of the employee as the convenience of the employer. That's just part and parcel to using PRN employees. You should direct your anger at your facility for not staffing FT appropriately instead of blaming your fellow nurses.

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And I do get what you guys are saying though, I know my boss needs to hire more nurses. They've been "working on it" for a year now.

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Specializes in Trauma, Orthopedics.
I think our requirement for the as needed people is 1 shift a month. I guess I don't see the point of having those employees if they wont work when they're actually needed (like to cover a shift for a full time employee). We have to get coverage in order to use PTO, or we have to call off. I don't think the "well I have little kids" is a good excuse in the professional world. We all have things in life that are important. And its not even that she CANT cover, she just doesn't WANT to.

I have to work the day after Thanksgiving and I asked her to cover, and she hasn't responded yet. I just know the answer will be no and no one else is able to do it. They have valid reasons, being out of town. I know she will be in town because she was getting recipes from another nurse and was talking about having a big dinner at her house.

It's not her responsibility to cover a shift you don't want to work and she didn't sign up for. Having 4 kids under 5 is a perfectly good excuse to not work a shift youre not scheduled for, and so is wanting to celebrate a holiday youre not scheduled to work. Like I said, your gripe is with your employer, not your coworker.

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I think our requirement for the as needed people is 1 shift a month. I guess I don't see the point of having those employees if they wont work when they're actually needed (like to cover a shift for a full time employee). We have to get coverage in order to use PTO, or we have to call off. I don't think the "well I have little kids" is a good excuse in the professional world. We all have things in life that are important. And its not even that she CANT cover, she just doesn't WANT to.

You don't really know that unless you're up in her personal business.

I have to work the day after Thanksgiving and I asked her to cover, and she hasn't responded yet. I just know the answer will be no and no one else is able to do it. They have valid reasons, being out of town. I know she will be in town because she was getting recipes from another nurse and was talking about having a big dinner at her house.

She has plans ... to have a big dinner at her house. She's not a FT employee and is meeting her obligation per facility policy (according to you). I don't see the problem. Your anger just isn't justified.

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Specializes in L&D.

I'm not really sure I see the problem. I have a prn job as well and am only required to work 3 shifts in a 6 week period. No holidays or weekends though I often do work then. I have 4 kids. Granted they are age 6-12. I also have my full time job. I give my boss the days I can work for the prn schedule. That's the point of a prn job.

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Specializes in L&D.

Oh and prn doesn't mean you work to cover other people's shifts. You do it for your convenience not for others. Frankly I'd be pissed if a full time staff member was whining because I wouldn't cover her shifts. I also don't expect a prn person to cover my shifts at my full time job. I can do that on my own.

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