They won't stop calling me!

Published

The facility I work in had an organized 'Wound care dept' consisting of 2 nurses during the week and myself on the weekends. We are the only ones that do wound care in the building because we recieved special corporate training and can provide consitancy with care and documentation. Something happened recently that caused the facility to lose both of thier weekday nurses at the same time. Since then the scheduler/don/admin have been blowing up my phone begging me (on my vmail) to come in and help since Im the only one left that knows all the proper documentation (anybody can read the TAR, but few know how to properly measure and describe). I havent returned their calls for several reasons 1)I dont feel like its my place to run in and rescue them, they should have had a plan in place before they let those nurses go. 2)With all of the drama going on in that building, Im afraid to do anything above what is expected of me for fear my head will be the next to roll 3)pulling extra shifts there does not earn you any brownie points or incentives, its just kinda expected and 4)I rather enjoy my weekdays off with my babies. So how do I get them off of my back. So far Ive just been ignoring their phone calls (and they are getting crafty using their personal cells to call me now). I hate to make up some excuse but Im not sure how honest to be in telling them I dont want within 100 feet of that place till saturday??

Thanks

:rolleyes: Great. Another martyr. :rolleyes:

It's easy. With any call, just say, "Sorry, but I have other plans, I'll be back on Saturday." Don't elaborate. Don't tell them what your plans are. Don't defend yourself. Don't argue. Just, "Sorry, but I have other plans, I'll be back on Saturday."

Agree. Enough with the guilt already...got plenty of that from my mother.

Although I do agree that patients are number one, it IS NOT your job nor are you paid to keep the ship running. Stand your ground and respectfully decline. Do not ignore your phone....or just turn it off. 15 years ago people had to wait till we were home so we could answer the home phone (remember those? LOL)....

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I worked in a facility and they fired the Wound Care Nurse for no good reason. I was then asked to take over those duties....Then they fired the restorative nurse. I was then asked to take on that duty as well...This was all while taking care of my dying father. I worked from 5am till when the work was done....When they hired new staff they pulled me in and told me that I had struggled the last few months and they thought I could not handle the job and I WAS THE ONE FIRED! DON'T DO IT!

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I worked in a facility and they fired the Wound Care Nurse for no good reason. I was then asked to take over those duties....Then they fired the restorative nurse. I was then asked to take on that duty as well...This was all while taking care of my dying father. I worked from 5am till when the work was done....When they hired new staff they pulled me in and told me that I had struggled the last few months and they thought I could not handle the job and I WAS THE ONE FIRED! DON'T DO IT!

Wow! I can't think of anything to say that does this justice...

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I must respectfully disagree. Recieving corporate training for a position by no means enslaves me to anyones beck and call! I applied for a 'weekend only' position which I fullfill dutifully. I have never called out, nor have they ever had to find a replacement for me. And as far as 'answering the call for help', I pour my heart out into caring for my residents every single weekend but I have a life outside of that building. Just because I refuse to pawn my children off on a sitter and come running to rescue the company that fails to plan does not make me a bad nurse!!

Thanks right! Stand your ground!

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Lol! This is an industry that if you do not stand up for yourself, you will get used.

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Specializes in Neurosurgical ICU.

The babies are your perfect excuse!!! :dncgbby::dncgbby::dncgbby:

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And whom do you think should do the extra work while looking for replacements or training the new nursing staff. You do not seem to know much about "wound care."

It is a highly "Specialized" field and not all can be trained to do this position.

The ones calling her usally means they have not had this traind and there for can not preform the duties. Not answering the calls is not the soultion.

I have worked in the feild for more years then I can count. When did it become OK to over look the Patients needs for our own. With this attitude, the medical field is in a very bad place.

if admin had any business savvy, they would know to have backup, in event someone is fired, quit, sick call, etc.

have them use an agency, or per diems...wouldn't you agree?

highly specialized field? bull****.

any competent nurse is capable of doing wound care.

the only difference would be a difference in p&p.

and i'm serious when i say that it is only the official doormats who would come in and sacrifice themselves.

we nurses are trying hard to shed that wimpy image.

it is only when we can present ourselves in unity, that we'll be received respectfully and professionally.

in the meantime, let the ceo's be responsible and run their facility in a way that only benefits the patients, and NOT put them at risk.

that is mgmt's job. you really need to process that.

if they/mgmt continue to treat us/nurses, as disposable toilets, it'll come to a point that they'll take anyone for hire...anyone.

with this attitude, the patients and nurses, are in a very bad place.

leslie:rolleyes:

Its not their responsibility that you have children either. Special Training cost money, you do hold some responsibility to pick up the slack when the need is present. We as Nurses have had to pull 2 or 3 shifts, many weekends, Holidays away from family. Why do you think you are so special? That is what the Medical Field is all about, giving of yourself no matter the difficulity. We do it for the GOOD of the PATIENTS not ourselves.

just shoot me.

leslie

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Specializes in geriatrics.

I am not certified, and I do wound care all the time. Any nurse can learn the basics of proper wound care. We all have lives and interests outside of work, and are entitled to them. Plus, how effective are you as a nurse if you're burnt? Not very.

I just said no today. "I'm tired of this bull. I need my days off too. No."

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Specializes in Hospice.
With that attitude, you may not keep a job for long.

And there's the heart of the matter. Employees are under increasing pressure to make a far greater commitment to an employer than any employer is willing to make to them. All the "patient first" talk is simple guilt-tripping and statements like the one quoted are the bottom line: we own you and there's nothing you can do about it.

Feh!

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Specializes in geriatrics.

At the end of the day, we all need a balance, and any employer that thinks they own me can shove it. I don't need to work there. It isn't worth exhausting yourself to be a "team player." You work to live, not the other way around.

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The babies are your perfect excuse!!! :dncgbby::dncgbby::dncgbby:

I strongly disagree. First off, the OP doesn't need an excuse. She's not calling off on a shift.

Second, it implies that those without kids have less valuable personal time. By that logic those single and/or childfree should always pick up the slack for those who have children? Or I guess management would do better to only hire those single or without children?

Starting to sound a bit discriminatory? Society has made a lot of progress when it comes to women in the workforce, let's not undo it by "making excuses". We all have diverse commitments outside of our jobs, we are all just as responsible for fulfilling our obligations.

If the OP didn't want to work OT so she could take off on a booze cruise, is not any more of her employers business, than if she wanted to spend time with her kids, study for school or stare at a wall all day.

I agree with the suggestions already mentioned upthread, best to call them back and give an answer and/or negotiate what you can/want to do. No need to play the martyr or make excuses.

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That's right! If you allow it, they will stretch you thin!

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