So fed up with my coworker

[Rainy day RN]

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?

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Why on earth is that rude? I'm sure I'm just repeating what others have already said, but you're WAAAY off base in your annoyance. She has done NOTHING for you to be annoyed about.

But you have done plenty for HER to be annoyed about.

[LeggyNurse, ASN]

PRN does not = Covering shifts that "fulltime nurses" do not want. Also, as a fulltime nurse I never in 3 years went in on a day that I was not originally scheduled. Yes, it's nice to "help out" when you can but I am only required to work 36 hours. I will always do that. Anything else is optional. If she meets her required shifts then you can't be upset because she's not covering the days you need her to for your convenience.

I hope you guys get more help!

[Wrench Party]

So let me get this straight...you're mad at a PRN employee with a bunch of small children who fulfills her contractual obligations with your employer, you think she's lazy and has lots of free time, and you want her to work more shifts so you can go camping with your boyfriend, whom you are neither assumedly engaged nor married to? Also, camping is a recreational activity that can be repeated multiple times throughout the season.

Sounds like someone is rather entitled and bratty about the the situation. Life experience might benefit you before you cast assumptions on others' personal lives.

[Jensmom7, BSN, RN]

Guys, may as well stop posting-OP created the account just for this thread, and if you go to her profile, it says "No posts".

She's flown the coop.

[nursejoy1, ASN, RN]

She doesn't need an excuse. She is PRN because she has chosen to be, and as such, I'm sure does not get benefits such as insurance, etc. She is not in any way obligated to cover for you because you want a day off. That would be your employers responsibility to find coverage, or in some facilities, yours. I work both full time position and a PT at a different employer. If my PT job calls and asks me to work, but I don't want to, I simply say no. I usually apologize, but I don't owe them an explanation.

[Creamsoda, ASN, RN]

I think your directing your resentment at the wrong person. Its not this nurses obligation to cover your shift when you demand it to be so. Its managements obligation to try to accommodate your PTO request to find coverage and they are doing a crappy job. Does this nurse work her minimum required shift each month? If yes, then shes doing her requirement. If she doesnt want to cover your shift she doesnt have too. Who cares if you think shes just lounging and eating bon bons...she doesn't need to cover your shift. She has plans. that's the point of being PRN.

I would start writing letters to your management about this issue. all your coworkers should. But direct it at management, and not be putting blame on the PRN nurses, because this is not their issue. If nothing changes, continue to work up the chain of command and then to HR. Are you unionized? If so maybe they can also help. It is ridiculous that you have to find your own coverage, that needs to be changed, or they need to hire a bigger pool of nurses who can cover so keep making a stink about it, but quit blaming the PRN nurse.

[Creamsoda, ASN, RN]

Years ago, one of my part time colleagues walked up to me where I was innocently sitting in the break room, eating my lunch.

"You need to work Christmas for me," she said. "I have a little kid and you have no life."

I might have worked Christmas for her if she had politely requested a switch. But after what she said to me, I vowed NEVER to switch with her EVER unless is was for my benefit. Furthermore, when I told my friends what she had said, they expressed the same vow.

I did work Christmas for someone that year -- someone ELSE. And the five friends who also came to the same NYE party also switched with someone ELSE. If you (not the poster to whom I'm replying, but to the collective "you") want to vastly decrease the pool of colleagues who will switch with you at any given time, continue to behave with as little class and as much entitlement as possible.

wow, the gall of some people. Yup I would have laughed in her face and said no. Then proceeded to switch with someone else if they asked. Haha, ugh, the entitelment of some people Just because they decided to reproduce, does not make their needs any more important than my requirements of days off to eat bon bons, go on vacations, and sleep in.

[~PedsRN~, BSN, RN]

Guys, may as well stop posting-OP created the account just for this thread, and if you go to her profile, it says "No posts".

She's flown the coop.

I think she had a serious case of:

Haters Gonna Hate.

ETA: I see her profile still with having seven posts. Looks like she did just create this account to post this nonsense, though.

[Rainy day RN]

I have read each and every one of your posts. Thank you for all spending the time to comment, its really eye opening. Its definitely hard to hear, but I did hear it. I've been looking up requirements of PRN employees and should have done that earlier before I made this post. I am sorry that I offended so many people and I can see how wrong I was in my thinking. I think its a combination of what I hear at work and just being unfamiliar with this type of job in the first place. Its not an excuse, I was wrong and need to be more empathetic to other people in general, not just in the nursing world. Most of you will probably think this is not genuine but I do see that I was mad at the wrong person.

[kkbb, BSN, RN]

I have read each and every one of your posts. Thank you for all spending the time to comment, its really eye opening. Its definitely hard to hear, but I did hear it. I've been looking up requirements of PRN employees and should have done that earlier before I made this post. I am sorry that I offended so many people and I can see how wrong I was in my thinking. I think its a combination of what I hear at work and just being unfamiliar with this type of job in the first place. Its not an excuse, I was wrong and need to be more empathetic to other people in general, not just in the nursing world. Most of you will probably think this is not genuine but I do see that I was mad at the wrong person.

Some lessons are hard to learn, but hopefully you did learn. Learning to see the world from someone else's perspectives is something that many simply cannot master, nor do they see the need to. Good for you for doing it. If I were you, I would go and talk with her. Tell her that you are sorry you misunderstood what PRN was. Ask her about her kids. I am willing to bet that if you play nice, she will be there for you in the future. And if she isn't, well then at least you did the right thing.

I think you also learned the importance of requesting days off that you really want, even if you typically get them off. If there are other days that you want off for the holidays, I would do it ASAP. My husband makes the schedule for his employees, himself included, and I still have to tell him way in advance when he needs to be off, even if it is his usual day off. Better to be safe than sorry.

I think some made light of the fact that you really wanted to start a new tradition with your boyfriend and were hurt that you couldn't. Sorry for that. I forget what it is like to be in a newer relationship and that all traditions have to start somewhere. Again, it is hard to master that whole seeing the world from someone else's perspective. Guess I need to work on it too.

[jbm1135]

You have some entitlement issues.

[heron, ASN, RN]

You have some entitlement issues.

And she has acknowledged them, or at least that her thinking was off.

Ten pages of posters making pretty much the same point seems sufficient to me.

OP, here's where the concept of personal responsibility comes in handy. You are responsible for defining your needs and getting them met. You should never be required to sacrifice your own needs to the interests of someone else unless you have freely chosen to do so (i.e. for your patients, friends, s.o., or your children).

Your coworker has the same rights and responsibility for her life.

Discerning where your resonsibility ends and hers begins is the first step in establishing healthy boundaries. You've made a good start.