What would you say?...

[RN0820]

I'm trying to get a feel for what fellow nurses would do in the situation that was just handed to me...any comments are appreciated.

My facility requires RNs to take a certain number of "core classes" per year. We do these on our days off, and we are paid for them. We do self-scheduling and we make sure to write "class" in the day so we can have off. It was approved 3 weeks ago for me to go to this class tomorrow and work the next three days after and the weekend (evening shift)

I just got a call from my charge nurse (2030 the night before) that I may get a call in the morning...and if I do...I have to work day shift on the floor. And not just my floor...but any of the 3 floors my manager is responsible for.

There was no word of on-call pay, bonus pay, etc. My facility does not to mandatory OT...but this is manadatory OT...I'm already scheduled my required hours this week...and they are telling me I HAVE to come in if I am called. Mind you, I'm a med-surg nurse...we don't get on-call!!

What would you do/say? This is being decided by my unit manager and the nursing supervisor. I simply don't know my options and I'm afraid if I speak up I will be fired.

[steelydanfan]

I'll say the same thing I said to your coworker? in the other thread:

You have every right to say NO.

"First of all, hospital policy states you cannot change my schedule with this short notice. Secondly, you know perfectly well that it is against policy for you to force me to work overtime. Third, I have an important commitment after the class which I have scheduled in advance that I am not going to miss. I'm happy to be flexible with notice, but I think you are well aware that what you are asking is not only against hospital policy, but completely unreasonable."

Horseshoe said it all, Don't Go!

[CathyLew]

our hospital used to poach people out of CPR when the floor was short. One year they did that to me- pulled me out of scheduled CPR, had me put on scrubs, work the floor, then a few months later I got a warning saying that I would not be able to work until my CPR was renewed!

[shelliejardine]

Word to the wise...never answer your phone if the call is from work....listen to the vm and decide for yourself if you want to call back. While our careers are important and we should be available to help out , our health and well-being is more important. Help out when you can, but otherwise you and your family come first.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

YOu're co-worker made it sound like your hospital is union and the is NO manditory OT.....here was my response.

It sounds like you work at a union hospital so I'm going to answer based on that assumptiom. First.....I am suprised that the class IS overtime......technically that is considered "no-productive time" and although over your scheduled hours, would not be overtime unless it is over 40 hours for the week (if you are on 40 hour workweeks and not 8 and 80) or other wise stated in your contract. NO manditory overtime is huge in union contracts (as it should be) and technically.....no they can't make you stay the whole 8 hours but they CAN pull you from the class and have you work on the floor instead.

Not changing the schedule for 12 hours prior to a shift is a REALLY long time......you better go look at your contract to double check the details before you speak. Schedule change limitations are usually shorter than 12 hours. like sick calls are mandated in 2 or 3 hours before days, 3 hours before evenings and 4 hours before nights. If that is in your contract don't complain alone!!! file a grievance and call your union rep now to file the proper paperwork now.

Technically if they don't make you work more than the class time scheduled they can make you spend that time anywhere in the facility within those hours. You need to be very careful if you have a contract and allow the union rep deal with management....ANY infringement in the contract can lead to termination and the management of hospitals are always looking for infringements to prove their point. Trust me....I have personally viewed both sides. If you are not union look at your employee handbook very carefully and then if your concerns are not taken seriously by the management then go to HR......but work the shift .......under protest.....let them know you are unhappy and will be persuing this DOn't give them a reason to disipline you.......good luck!