Would you have called out?

caliotter3 · Mar 29, 2015

No. Your family was apprised of the situation and chose to put your livelihood at risk for their convenience.

Editorial Team / Admin · Mar 29, 2015

Nope. They had plenty of warning and you did what you could. Being a professional in the health care field means that sometimes, families just have to accept we can't change our schedules to meet their whims. Heck, just a few minutes ago my parents called and tried to get me to go out to dinner in my hometown, which is well outside my call response time. Guess what? Since I'm on call, I'm not going out to dinner with the rest of my family. And I'm okay with that. I knew it was part of the job, and my family just needs to learn (even though they've had a decade) that it's part of my job.

Larry3373 · Mar 29, 2015

I don't know, will your family be paying your bills if you get fired? I wouldn't have called out either.

Emergent, RN · Mar 29, 2015

I think your family needs some boundary setting. They have a lot of nerve trying to make YOU feel guilty, when they were the inconsiderate ones. :mad:

TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN · Mar 29, 2015

No, I wouldn't have called out either especially given that they knew from the start that this weekend was inconvenient for you. Not everyone "gets it" with regard to the responsibility we have as nurses, both to our patients and to our co-workers. You did the right thing.

Angeljho, MSN, NP · Mar 29, 2015

I think your family needs some boundary setting. They have a lot of nerve trying to make YOU feel guilty, when they were the inconsiderate ones.

I think a big part of the problem is that I don't have family who is in the healthcare field. A lot of times, they just don't "get it".

Omaapecm, ASN, RN · Mar 29, 2015

Definitly wouldn't have called out. Especially after you were denied. It's just bad form all together. Your family knew ahead of time and it sounds lime you did your best to get the time off. The fact that they are mad may say somethingðŸ˜. You have nothing to feel guilt about.

caliotter3 · Mar 29, 2015

I think a big part of the problem is that I don't have family who is in the healthcare field. A lot of times, they just don't "get it".

The job does not have to be a healthcare job to be important. It is common sense that people take care of their jobs, and your family knows that.

Emergent, RN · Mar 29, 2015

I think a big part of the problem is that I don't have family who is in the healthcare field. A lot of times, they just don't "get it".

That's where the boundary setting comes in. They have a knowledge deficit that needs to be addressed.

scaredsilly, BSN, RN · Mar 29, 2015

You did the right thing. If you haven't already, you need to tell family that a nurse cant just call out because they feel like it. That it leaves the floor short staffed, the patient care suffers and that you really need to keep your job!

Tell them in the future enough advanced notice will allow you to arrange time off (where I work, it's about 6 weeks to request a certain day(s) off).

They may not be in healthcare, but I'm betting that they have jobs they would want to protect! Even if not, someone has to have been a patient at one time and they have to appreciate how important it is to have nurses to care for them!

elkpark · Mar 29, 2015

One of the quickest ways to get a really bad reputation at work is to call off after having asked for those same days off for a personal event and getting turned down.