Tired of being asked to work extra...

[KarmaComesAround]

I am tired of work calling me on my days/nights off or catching me at work and asking me to work extra shifts. It is hard enough to work my 3 12-hour night shifts in a row (which end up being 14 hours). I have switched with people before or worked another night if I can have one of my other nights off (although I prefer having my shifts in a row), but pulling a 4th one is hard, and I am afraid I would make a med error or something. I am so tired by the end of my 3rd night.... I want to help out, but my body and brain are saying "NO!". I end up feeling so guilty. Also, I make plans on my days off and I try to get on a regular schedule. Anyway, should I feel so guilty? Do you?

[santhony44, MSN, RN, NP]

I thought the OP made it pretty clear that she said "no" because she didn't believe she'd be giving good, safe care on that 4th 12-hour shift in a row. Her profile, I believe, also indicates that she's a fairly new nurse.

I don't believe that she should push herself beyond her capabilities.

[EmmaG, RN]

When in charge, I have to make those calls. I certainly don't take it personally when someone says 'no' and I don't push the issue; I just thank them and move on down the list. Lord knows I don't have a problem refusing and I know it's frustrating to be called all the time. But staffing is part of my job.

[Ivanna_Nurse, BSN, RN]

I am tired of getting called too! Worked Friday, they called Sat at 1530 for 7p tp 7a, I said no...(I wasnt outta bed yet!) called Sun at 0500 (hmm in bed again.....) for 7a to 7p. Monday they wanted call for day shift...then called back to see if I would be on standby for someone coming from diagnostic imaging, then a few hours later they called and asked if I could work nite shift. They call me EVERY DAY. I used to work whatever they wanted, and hey as a new nurse, the extra pay was nice incentive. When they called me today for nites, I looked at the schedule, and I am on Wed & Thur, off Fri and on Sat Sun and Mon. I thought about it for like a nano second (hah! 6 12's in seven days?? no way! Five is enough!) and called back and said, "you know, I just called everyone I could think of, but I have no one to watch my small children tomorrow so that I am able to sleep and come back in. Sorry!"

I too, will call and let em know when Im available, if Im feeling up to it. You already know that you don't do well after the 3rd day in a row, and staffing that department isnt solely your resposibility. Let someone else pick up the OT, and take care of YOU on your days off. ~Hugs, Ivanna

[I love my cat!]

When I was a new Nurse, I use to go in when work called because I felt, well, obligated to. Funny thing was, when I called in, I was given the third degree when I did return to work. I was a bit taken aback. I rarely went in on days off after that. I also never gave them a reason why I couldn't come in, just a "I'm sorry, but I wont be able to cover that shift". My personal life isn't their business. I wish I had the advice from AllNurses back then!!

My advise, please, do not feel guilty because you want to have your entitled time off! This is no fault of yours that the Hospital in understaffed. There are Registry Nurses that they can call, but personally, it comes down to a dollar and cent issue and it is more economical to have you come in that to use a Registry Nurse.

Remember, YOU are not doing anything wrong by saying NO and taking care of yourself. The old saying, "Look after Number One because nobody else will". When push comes to shove, the vast number of employers will take care of their business, first.

Definition of guilt:

noun

1. The fact of being responsible for the commission of an offense. See synonyms at blame
   
2. Law Culpability for a crime or lesser breach of regulations that carries a legal penalty.
   
3. • Remorseful awareness of having done something wrong.
     
   • Self-reproach for supposed inadequacy or wrongdoing.

[EmmaG, RN]

When I was a new Nurse, I use to go in when work called because I felt, well, obligated to.

I was doing staffing one morning and called a new nurse not long off of orientation. I could tell she was really distraught about 'having' to come in and work on her day off. I asked her if she actually wanted to work and she sounded like she was almost in tears when she admitted that no, she didn't, but she didn't want to get in trouble for refusing to work. I told her that she was not in any way obligated to work extra, and to please learn how to say 'no'. Told her to go back to sleep and not worry about it, then went on to the next call.

My manager took me to task for telling her this (even though I was right).

Pfffft.

[bigjim]

Common courtesy works both ways. If they call you multiple times daily, call you when you are sleeping (which could be any time of day, depending on your shift), and get an attitude when you try to address it in a civil manner, you could always call them at home from a pay phone at random hours and see how they like it.

[bigjim]

When in charge, I have to make those calls. I certainly don't take it personally when someone says 'no' and I don't push the issue; I just thank them and move on down the list. Lord knows I don't have a problem refusing and I know it's frustrating to be called all the time. But staffing is part of my job.

I don't mean this against you personally, because you are always a very positive poster, but that is kind of a cop out.

I'm quite sure that you are telling the truth when you say you are told by your boss to call, but your job requirements are not the problem of the person who is constantly being called, yanked out of bed, etc.

That's like a news reporter saying they "have to" trespass on someone's property, stick a camera in their face, and ask them how they feel when the person just found out their family member suffered some terrible tragedy. They don't "have to", they chose to, because it saves them problems in their own job.

What is even the point of calling someone if that person has repeatedly or in writing stated that they do not want to be called at a particular time? Seems like it just wastes your time and theirs.

Again, nothing personal, but the whole system is wrong.

[I love my cat!]

I told her that she was not in any way obligated to work extra, and to please learn how to say 'no'.

That is the key right there! Many Nurses need to learn how to say NO and not beat themselves up over it.

As a new Nurse, I was a classic example of feeling guilty for saying "NO" or going in on my day off when I didn't want to and then being unhappy and tired because of my decision. When I was young, I seemed to be more worried about what work would think of me than what I would think of me. I know, kinda twisted thinking, but as a new Nurse, I wanted everyone at work to like me.

I felt that by saying "NO", I would be upsetting someone else and making waves. Yet, I seemed to think it was OK and to upset myself? Ridiculous thinking, I know.

I quickly learned that no matter what I did, there was always going to be someone upset or ticked off about something. So, Nursing really helped me grow up fast!

I am older and wiser now.

To Add: I understand work has to call us when they are understaffed and I do not get upset with it. I get calls a lot. What my Employer needs to understand is that when I do say no, I don't want to hear about it for the next week.

[lpnstudentin2010, LPN]

I am having a similar but different problem at work. I VERY rarely take time off work. I told my boss today that I needed the 22nd off and her reaction was "But we need you" It actually mad me REALLY mad,

[neneRN, BSN, RN]

Just say no if you don't want to work...turn down the ringer if you're sleeping...use your caller ID...don't answer the phone...ask to be taken off the list of people to call...

When covering call ins, I call as many people as possible to try to get the shift covered...I would think most nurses would want management to try to get help so that the rest of the staff isn't working short all shift! If you were one of the nurses scheduled for a day when there are numerous call ins, would you rather I didn't try to get you any help? I certainly don't enjoy spending hours making phone calls to try to cover, but I do it so that staff won't be overworked...

I never take it personally when someone says no, and I don't expect an explanation...I really don't need or want one...if you want to come in, great...if not, then I go down the list.

[al7139, ASN, RN]

For me, I have a hard time saying "NO!" when asked to work extra. Especially being new and "low man on the totem pole" so to speak. My ClinII is really good at getting us to do extra shifts, so I have sometimes done a 16 hour shift if they are desparate. However, I always negotiate...I work 3-11p normally. Occasionally they have last minute call outs, etc. If I agree to stay untill 7am, they absolutely MUST give me the next day off or I won't do it. There is no way I could report to work the next day at 3 and be expected to be safe in my care. They also know never to ask me to fill in on days. I am not a morning person, and I will most likely oversleep anyway. I have learned in the last few months to say no, but I do still fill in if they are really in need (I mean, why turn down OT pay?). For a while it seemed to me that I was the person they would count on to do it when noone else would, but I have made it clear that I cannot do it all the time, and especially twice in a week. They will call me to see if I can change me schedule and do 7p to 7 a, and I don't mind, if given notice, and get the next day off.

Do not feel guilty about saying no. Be willing to help out occasionally, but don't let them take advantage of you.

Amy

[EmmaG, RN]

I don't mean this against you personally, because you are always a very positive poster, but that is kind of a cop out.

I'm quite sure that you are telling the truth when you say you are told by your boss to call, but your job requirements are not the problem of the person who is constantly being called, yanked out of bed, etc.

That's like a news reporter saying they "have to" trespass on someone's property, stick a camera in their face, and ask them how they feel when the person just found out their family member suffered some terrible tragedy. They don't "have to", they chose to, because it saves them problems in their own job.

What is even the point of calling someone if that person has repeatedly or in writing stated that they do not want to be called at a particular time? Seems like it just wastes your time and theirs.

Again, nothing personal, but the whole system is wrong.

Not a cop out, my job description as a charge nurse is that I am responsible for making the assignment for the oncoming shift, and as such if they come up short (for whatever reason) I have to make those calls. In some places that is the responsibility of the supervisor; in my experience it falls to the charge nurse of the preceding shift.

Look at it this way... if you were to come into work and find that, because someone had called in sick, you were understaffed and had what you considered to be an unsafe (or nearly so) patient load, would your expectation be that everything was done to alleviate that problem? Or would you just shrug and let it go?

As far as who I call, if I know that someone has circumstances that do not allow them to work extra or come in on short notice --- child care, school, transportation issues, whatever --- I don't call them. If someone has told me or otherwise made a request not to call them because they simply won't come in extra, I don't call them. There have been times I've chosen not to call those I knew had worked a long stretch. But just because someone usually says 'no' when I do call is no guarantee I won't try again.