Work calling 3-4+ times a week to come in

[PAERRN20]

My work calls at LEAST 3-4 times a week to cover call offs and empty shifts. I have not gone in due to various reasons, mostly due to health issues. I am young, single, and have no kids, so everyone thinks I should come and do it. I am not open about my health issues at work, so nobody knows, not even my manager. I am also in school full time and simply don't have the time. I am afraid this is going affect my performance review, but my health and schoolwork come first. What do y'all say when they call you and give you the guilt trip?

[linearthinker, DNP, RN]

Don't give them your cell number, only home and never answer the home phone. My work place knows I have a cell and my NM asked me repeatedly for the number so they could reach me with urgent needs, etc. I told her when she started paying my cell phone bill, she could have the number. My home answer machine is set to pick up at 2 rings, and I never, ever answer it. I never return calls to the unit either, lol.

[Forever Sunshine, ASN, RN]

Don't give them your cell number, only home and never answer the home phone. My work place knows I have a cell and my NM asked me repeatedly for the number so they could reach me with urgent needs, etc. I told her when she started paying my cell phone bill, she could have the number. My home answer machine is set to pick up at 2 rings, and I never, ever answer it. I never return calls to the unit either, lol.

The phone number book was left out one night so I flipped to my name. For some odd reason 7-3 was next to my name. I crossed it out and put 3-11. Thinking of putting a new card with just my home number in there.

Although the response they get from me would be priceless when they call me while I'm on my cruise in April.

[imagenthings]

I have a friend who has two cell phones. One that is her private phone and a pay-as-you-go phone for work calls. The pay-as-you-go costs her $20 or so. She will only leaves it on if she wants another shift, else the phone is off. She does not submit her private cell phone or house phone number to employers because of this same thing.

She said that her biggest peeve is talking to her mom on the phone and the facility mercilessly ringing on the other line or leaving several 2-3 minute messages on her phone.

Also, she never tells anyone she does not have a husband or children, because it make them feel that she has nothing to do in her spare time, so she is available.

[Zookeeper3]

Here is a different take... I really appreciate all the hard work that our lead nurses do to try to staff us. This is not a chronic issue, but it cycles. It takes three months of orientation... so we can go through spurts of being quite short. If there are a few call in's we are doomed and way unsafe. So the management tries very hard to keep us staffed so we don't have to tripple and burn out.

THe flip side... if I'm leaving work and having the next few off... I'll say "put me down as a "NO"" and they won't call. We're not automated. I also have never given my home phone number just the cell that I shut off as I sleep and screen at will on days off.

I've worked with management that wouldn't dare waste their precious time calling staff to cover shortages, we'd be scrambling when we started begging our peers to come in at the last minute to help. So my perspective is that it's a minor nuisance.

[Nomadnurse, L.P.N.]

I have 2 cell phones, no land line. I give the "house phone" number to the hospital........and turn the ringer off. The phone I carry with me, I only give out to the people I want to hear from. A second line only costs $5-$10/ mo. and it is worth getting rid of the hassle of needing to come up with an excuse why I can't compensate for their lack of planning, or cutting the staff to the bone. When I get to work and they want to know why the couldn't reach me, I just tell them I have a life.

Imagenethings:Same thought,different time zones. :-))

[Leelee2]

I don't miss that phone ringing, and being guilt tripped into coming in on a day off! You have to look at your priorities, and for me, my health comes before work. I let them know that, but they still called, and called, and called. The stress of the position just wasn't worth it for me anymore once I got sick again. I quit and I am not sorry that i did.

[Byrnowt]

If there is no contractual obligation, forget it.

Get the answering machine, turn your ringer down.

Remember, the phone is there for YOUR convenience, not the caller's.

If the calls don't stop all together, they will at least decrease when

they know they can't manipulate you. Maintaining adequate staffing

is not your job. If you don't put your own well being first,

believe me, no one else will. :)