Just a little rant. I work for a nursing home with approximately 170 residents and since I was hired, part time, I have been taking shifts to cover holidays and sick calls which keep me at almost full time hours. I went to work on Saturday and was SO SICK, my head was full, coughing, sneezing, nose dripping and I even threw up what little food I tried to eat. I said to the day staff coming in that I would not be able to make it the next night as I was feeling so ill and that I would call to let them know for the next shift after that. I had agreed BEFORE I got sick to cover someone's holiday which has me scheduled from Saturday through to the next Sunday, nine shifts in row......6 eight hours and 3 twelve hours. Anyway, I called at 3pm today to say that even after a long rest that I wouldn't be able to make it in for 11pm that night. EIGHT HOURS NOTICE! I get a call from my boss, who's tone of voice was not very kind asking me if I would be in for tomorrow? I said I would try, but I would let them know after more sleep. She stated that I didn't sound good and that she would replace me. That they needed to know earlier in the day if I wouldn't be in. I have bent over backwards to help cover shifts for them and I don't expect to be rewarded or glorified but, I am honestly sick and they treat you like a piece of crap. I stewed for two hours called and left a very strongly worded message explaining how I didn't appreciate her distain for me calling in and that I WOULD be in for my shift on Thursday night and that there would be a doctor's waiting for her under her door Friday morning. I have two kids under three and when they call me to work, I have to find a sitter but have always been there to help them out. Maybe I won't be ....
Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.
First, I would like to thank all that replied to this thread. It turns out that I had pneumonia in my right lower lobe, I was VERY SICK.
Get yourself well, kiddo. You come first. I'm sure the facility appreciates your help, but you have to be #1. Do your deep breathing and coughing--and that's an order.
Just a little rant. I work for a nursing home with approximately 170 residents and since I was hired, part time, I have been taking shifts to cover holidays and sick calls which keep me at almost full time hours. I went to work on Saturday and was SO SICK, my head was full, coughing, sneezing, nose dripping and I even threw up what little food I tried to eat. I said to the day staff coming in that I would not be able to make it the next night as I was feeling so ill and that I would call to let them know for the next shift after that. I had agreed BEFORE I got sick to cover someone's holiday which has me scheduled from Saturday through to the next Sunday, nine shifts in row......6 eight hours and 3 twelve hours. Anyway, I called at 3pm today to say that even after a long rest that I wouldn't be able to make it in for 11pm that night. EIGHT HOURS NOTICE! I get a call from my boss, who's tone of voice was not very kind asking me if I would be in for tomorrow? I said I would try, but I would let them know after more sleep. She stated that I didn't sound good and that she would replace me. That they needed to know earlier in the day if I wouldn't be in. I have bent over backwards to help cover shifts for them and I don't expect to be rewarded or glorified but, I am honestly sick and they treat you like a piece of crap. I stewed for two hours called and left a very strongly worded message explaining how I didn't appreciate her distain for me calling in and that I WOULD be in for my shift on Thursday night and that there would be a doctor's waiting for her under her door Friday morning. I have two kids under three and when they call me to work, I have to find a sitter but have always been there to help them out. Maybe I won't be ....
find another job - one where you don't get crapped on - you shouldn't put yourself out there just to be used... without some understanding when you're sick. Move on.
ho! your attitude is misplaced. based on your post your boss acknowledged that you "didn't sound good and that she would replace me. that they needed to know earlier in the day if i wouldn't be in." that wasn't satisfying enough for you? what's wrong with them needing to know earlier than 3pm that they need to get someone for the 11pm to 7am shift? most places i worked had a policy that we had to call off before 3pm if we worked the night shift! keep in mind that if they do find someone, that person needs time to sleep before coming in. have you ever had to call around trying to find staff to replace people who have called off? not only is it time consuming, but the people who are getting these calls don't like being disturbed on their days off either. and, the night shift isn't exactly the easiest shift to replace. keep in mind that you yourself said you were someone who had been covering some of the holidays and sick calls for them. there is probably no one else left to call!
i've been in supervision and management and replacing calls off is a big part of that job. so what if she was "not kind"? i am not excusing her, but are you so perfect that you never get aggravated at work and it never shows in your voice? "not kind" would be if she said something like, "i don't care how sick you are, you need to get in here to work." that, i would be sympathetic with you about. since you promised a "doctor's ?" you had better produce one. i think that all you did was dig an unnecessary hole for yourself with your boss who may have been having a bad day that you probably made a lot worse by your behavior.
next time, don't waffle about whether or not you are able to work. and, if you want to stick it to your boss, hold your tongue and don't volunteer to work all these extra shifts which is probably why you got sick in the first place. why did you volunteer to work all the extra time? to help the boss? or to help your bank account?
daytonite, i think you're in the wrong, here, going on the attack with op - she was sick and at work and said she'd try to come in (giving notice) for the next shift... she was met with little understanding by her boss. who cares if her boss is having a bad day, if she/he was, because they're not the ones covering the shift and doing the patient care while they are sick. op was not waffling, but trying to do her best to cover what she could while sick - and wanting to make an effort she should be praised and not put on the chopping block. it is unnecessary for you to state and ask that her working those shifts to cover were for either her bank account and to insinuate that she doesn't care about the needs of the facility. your post to op states a bit more about your management skills.
ho! your attitude is misplaced. based on your post your boss acknowledged that you "didn't sound good and that she would replace me. that they needed to know earlier in the day if i wouldn't be in." that wasn't satisfying enough for you? what's wrong with them needing to know earlier than 3pm that they need to get someone for the 11pm to 7am shift? most places i worked had a policy that we had to call off before 3pm if we worked the night shift! keep in mind that if they do find someone, that person needs time to sleep before coming in. have you ever had to call around trying to find staff to replace people who have called off? not only is it time consuming, but the people who are getting these calls don't like being disturbed on their days off either. and, the night shift isn't exactly the easiest shift to replace. keep in mind that you yourself said you were someone who had been covering some of the holidays and sick calls for them. there is probably no one else left to call!
i've been in supervision and management and replacing calls off is a big part of that job. so what if she was "not kind"? i am not excusing her, but are you so perfect that you never get aggravated at work and it never shows in your voice? "not kind" would be if she said something like, "i don't care how sick you are, you need to get in here to work." that, i would be sympathetic with you about. since you promised a "doctor's ?" you had better produce one. i think that all you did was dig an unnecessary hole for yourself with your boss who may have been having a bad day that you probably made a lot worse by your behavior.
next time, don't waffle about whether or not you are able to work. and, if you want to stick it to your boss, hold your tongue and don't volunteer to work all these extra shifts which is probably why you got sick in the first place. why did you volunteer to work all the extra time? to help the boss? or to help your bank account?
I used to work every weekend and was full time and had been there for almost 5 yrs. When I wanted to be off for the weekend I would let my boss know at least 2 months off in advance so she could adjust the schedule. She appreciated the weekend coverage. When she left we got a new manager. There was a certain weekend I wanted off to go camping with some friends and I let her know in the written form asking for the time off. When the schedule cam out I was on the schedule to work that weekend. I asked her why she didn't give me the weekend and she said "Tough, I am not changing the schedule. You're working"
I was so mad. I then told her since I was full time that I wanted every other weekend off just like everyone else. She told me no. So I went to HR and told them. I got what I wanted just like everyone else. She lasted 4 months and was terminated for all the dirty low-down things she did to at least 10 people.
give them enough rope... they'll hang themselves eventually.
you're right to a certain extent - nurses are seen as being subservient... it's a tough stereotype to try to break... I'm sick of fighting about it or being hurt by it. I correct as I see fit and appropriate, but I think the only true way to dispel any of that junk is to do your job well and let that speak for itself. Not taking any nonsense from those believing they are superior is another aspect of the job.... you can't be placed into a position that wasn't partly your own doing. I speak up when it's needed and let my work speak for itself at other times.
I went to the ER because I was sick of feeling like a handmaiden on the floor - I felt as though I was smarter than that and I don't enjoy working without critically thinking - and I don't enjoy taking care of total care patients that don't need to be in an acute care setting (spending days wiping heinies or chasing after someone with Dementia - that dumbs the profession down). Those type of patients can go to a rehab to recuperate - and leave the ill patients in the hospital.
In my work, I have gotten to the point where my only concerns are giving exceptional patient care and getting my paycheck. Thats my subjective daily experience.
But the objective part of me says this "profession" is utter BS.
I do believe there is are two types of basic personalities that end up in Nursing (aside from those who do it soley for the money, and they usually don't stay long.) I won't address the codependent type. I believe most of us are truely born to serve others when they are at their worst because we have the inate ability to do that.
Even when I do leave this field, I am sure I will be doing some work of service, because that is who I am. But I don't fit well into the codependent mindset. And thats where Nursing wants to shove me.
Daytonite, BSN, RN
1 Article; 14,604 Posts
Get yourself well, kiddo. You come first. I'm sure the facility appreciates your help, but you have to be #1. Do your deep breathing and coughing--and that's an order.
See you on the forums!