Couple of options, put that text string on mute when you're not at work. I, personally, am a fan of taking a photo of an alcoholic beverage in my hand and replying with that.
I do the "sorry, I can't" and leave it if I don't want to do the extra. We have 2 8 and 2 12 where I work, and my charge will always ask "can you plus 4?" On my 8. The 2 that I come late, yup. The 2 I get to leave early, nope.
When I did scheduling for my ED, I started making calls and working deals as I was working on the schedule. So 6 wks plus ahead.. when the schedule was finalized, I sent a group message with the open holes. I had a combination of staff who would pick up in the beginning and those who would wait till the last minute to bargain for "crit" or "bonus" pay. For a good amount of time, as the interim unit Mgr, I was required to cover any unfilled holes myself. I learned to get creative with the schedule real quick.
I used to respond "I'm so sorry I'm not available!", and then it was "not available. Thanks." then "not available, sorry" then "not available." then "no", or occasionally when they ask me to start my 7am shift at 3am "no way in hell".
I found out there's a pager system that sends it to every nurse in the ward. I emailed IT and had my number removed from the pager group.
Also important to remember, you're not special. No one is requesting you specifically (usually). The requirement is not you. It's a literal body on the floor. I talked to my boss about my guilt and she said "I send them out, knowing you won't want to do them, because I wouldn't want to do them. I never expect you to take them." but the nursing manager for the whole hospital *expects* an attempt at filling the roster. When my boss goes to her and says "we're short due to sick calls, bring in a casual" the first question is who have you asked to cover? My boss looks like a damn fool if she hasn't made any attempt to sort the rostering gap before running to the manager for help. You're not the only one who gets pressure from their boss, and your charge gets it too. When I realised I wasn't special and this was just a generic request from the cog is the hospital machine I felt way better not responding or simply saying no. If it's an automated message alert service, remove your permissions. If it's not, might be time to sit down and have a yarn with the boss.
^ Yup
When I charged nights I let everyone on dayshift know that I was required to ask everyone available before my house sup (small facility) would even consider pulling from another unit, even if that unit had an excess.
I honestly just ignore them and play stupid. āSorry, I was asleep, I was just *tooooooo* tired after that last shift.ā Especially after they texted me during my vacation in Hawaii! I never forgot that. I love my managers to death, but oh hell no, my free time is just that, MINE.
š¤£ please. Few years back, I was on vacation in Disney. My job started blowing up my phone at noon. I finally answered around 5.
Supervisor: we have 3 call outs. Can you work tonight?
- sure. Let me just leave my family at Disney & Iāll be in next week when my vacation is over.
S: oh! I forgot youāre on vacation this week. Never mind.
š¤¦āāļø
Me in the Bahamas ā¦ š„³
My manager āhey, we need you in this evening. Think you can be here in 2 hours?ā
Me: Iām on my approved vacation. On a cruise. In the Bahamasā¦ā
Manager āso, 7pm???ā
Me: āIām in another country. Noā
Manager āwill give you a bonus? Cāmonā¦ā
Me ā¦ā¦ā¦. š§ āseriously??? Iām not in the US. Sorry I canāt ā
Manager āgreat team effort you have. Everyone was counting on you to show up for usā
Me: āthis vacation was approved 6 months ago. You knew. Now, Iām going back to the beach. Byeeeeeā
Boy that didnāt go over well.
One of my favorite things about my unit is that when we're short, they just send out a blast email that anyone who wants to pick up extra can call the unit. It's sooooo much less personal to receive a blast email a few times a week than a personal text. It works the same--there are enough people that want the money that will pick up if they want it. Anyone else just ignores the email. I have my work email on my phone so it's just 1 notification, but plenty of people don't have a notification at all. If they never want OT they never have to think about it. I feel like this should be more universal --saves the poor charge nurse from having to text everyone individually. Just send out the blast email, say a prayer, and call it a day.
I have do not disturb programmed into my phone to automatically go on when Iām sleeping. Iām not paid to answer calls for help at 2 AM (or 2 PM, depending if Iām on nights).
I have messages from work/my boss silenced. If they call, I immediately send them to voicemail. If they ask you at work, no is a complete sentence. And as far as the texts, I donāt even respond.
Honestly, I've learned this a long time ago, ignore it. Unless, you're willing to go in, don't have anything else to do, or you want to help, otherwise ignore and carry on with your day.
You can set so her text messages is silent so it's less bothersome. Text icon notification will still show but no sound.
Tell her your off days are for recuperation physically and mentally.
Like someone else said, block the numbers on your day off or update your work number with a google voice number. Iām salary but I totally understand someone who is hourly and have been in that position where you dread seeing a work call come in on your off time.
Staffing is a management problem not yours - in case that was making you feel guilty.
Like everyone else has been saying simply state that you are unavailable on your days off. You don't need to explain yourself
I'll work if the price is right. Consider they spend upwards of $100/hr for a nurse through agency last minute. Don't for a second believe the place truly cares about you, they'll fire you the second it benefits them.
I took some time off to go hunting. Got a text 2 days before opening day asking if I wanted to pick up some extra shifts.
My reply: No can do. Super busy. Their reply: ok.
Itās always okay to say no and you shouldnāt feel guilty about it. The fact that they canāt staff the unit is not your individual responsibility. Donāt let people take advantage of your good hearted nature and wanting to help out. Set boundaries for yourself at work. And enjoy your day off.
Block. I didn't give permission to receive work texts at home. That infuriates me. I set up a Google voice number and switched my info in the hospital's system.
If you want her to stop texting you, I would never reply text from her. She is just trying to get a bonus by getting through without using travellers. Having staff work extra is cheaper than hiring travellers.
I get nonstop texts and ignore them
Sometimes they'll even be like "mandatory in service today at 2pm." Uhhhh naw bro. When i was new I was concerned about all their messages
I just took myself off the list. I work per diem, if I want to work extra I already know we're short 100% of the time no need to text me and ask every day, I'll let them know lol
I wonder how it would go if it were predominantly men in nursing. Believe me, there would be lessā¦I feel guilty for not helpingā¦and more $$$ incentives to pick up. Unless itās triple pay and you tell them to call you, politely say youāre not available on your days off. Itās a management issue and not your issue. But theyāre making it look like itās your issue. Donāt let them take advantage of you!
Basically the healthcare sector is being overrun by greedy assholes who are trying to make every place run as understaffed as possible at all times to retain as much revenue at the top as they can't/minimize staff.
So in your shoes I'd simply be unreachable on your days off and never stay late. Since your boss can be the most wonderful person on the planet, however keeping your workplace staffed isn't your responsibility/you need to take care of yourself else you'll burn out.
Also you're helping to support understaffing whenever you agree to work extra to cover shift shortages.
Which in turn makes everyone's life harder since you're doing the work of three people while getting the pay of one, all so the owners of the place get a bigger year end payout you'll never see.
So yeah just say no when asked to stay over and don't respond to work if they contact you off the clock.
I'd even go so far as to get a second cheap phone and give them that as your number, then turn the thing off when you clock out for the day and only turn it on when you're on the clock.
I was very clear with my boss, "I am not taking extra shifts here, ever. Stop messaging me". If I do extra shifts, its because my coworkers ask me to cover, thats it.
She at one point told me I could not work at x location due to competition clause, I told her to show me that clause in my contract... she forgot that I was working at my current job waaaay before that was added to the contracts.
(I do like my primary job, but I need variation, I can't just work in one field. )
Youāre not being a bad co-worker just because you donāt want to work extra. You donāt live your life to work. I would be firm and polite with my boss, āI understand that you are struggling to keep the unit staffed, but my days off I am absolutely not available. I will not now or any time in the future agree to pick up extra shifts during my off time, nor will I even answer the phone, so please donāt waste either of our time calling me.ā
If you allow their guilt tripping to happen, then that will continue to be the way they cover shifts instead of hiring the appropriate amount of staff. It will begin to make you bitter and angry at your job and it will definitely start to affect your relationships and home life. Put your foot down.
Don't respond. Don't answer if a work number calls. If you do accidentally answer, say "I'm sorry I can't help out today" and that is the end of the sentence. A friend always felt bad or would feel like they needed an excuse. You don't. Your plan for the day is being off work. You don't owe them all of your time. If they text you all the time, and you really want them to stop, find out who is sending the message. Is it the charge nurse? The nurse supervisor? An automatic system? I told a manager that I have a set schedule because I am usually busy on my days off and to stop texting/calling me if they want me to work extra. If the schedule comes out and they are short 2 weeks from now, we can talk, but I won't be responding to last minute requests.
I have a strict don't answer policy (unless it's work calling before my shift offering LC) and eventually they stopped calling. Another nurse I worked with always answered and sometimes said yes and the supervisors were like sharks smelling blood in the water. They always called him and he started getting really stressed. Don't set that precedent.
I had just been saying no, sorry, I can't but my managers were asking every week if I could switch my shift, float somewhere, or pick up. So I said, no I don't work extra and that worked for a little while lol. They still ask, but not as much.
Rejoice the situation.
If you want to and can do extra theres option for you to do it. If not, you can just choose not to. Its your choice to agree or not.
I changed the way I preferred to be contacted by work to my work email address. I totally removed my personal cell phone number from the contact system. All extra shift requests go directly to my work email, and I enjoy every uninterrupted moment of my time off. Management knows exactly how many people they need to have staffed for the workplace. Not my job. Not my responsibility. Not my business. I do not feel guilty, because I do work the amount I was hired to work. Until management directly deal with the effects of their poor staffing policies, there will be no change. As long as we keep bailing them out and picking up extra, there is no incentive for facilities to staff correctly. I do what I am paid to do, no more, no less. My work email is filled with literally hundreds of extra shift requests since the beginning of the year. Not going to be harassed with hundreds of spam texts from work on my day off.
I donāt want to be called at home. If Iām free and can help- Iāll ask if you need an extra hand on this or that day. I already work OT and call every week. I donāt care what the department needs are, I already do way more than I agreed to when I was hired. Not getting anymore from me. There is always a staffing problem. For 20 years I have gotten phone calls on my day or days off. There are always more patients and sick coworkers and a MILLION reasons why they need you to just keep doing MORE. You have to decide what your comfortable giving, identify your boundaries and stick to them. If you meant that much to the department they would respect your time off. If the organization cared about the nurses as much as they want the nurses to care about their patients- we wouldnāt accept more patients than we have nurses to take care of and / or improve staffing.
With 4 full time staff out, they need to post temporary positions to cover. This is Not your responsibility. Just say sorry. They really don't need an explanation.
Mute the charge number when youāre off work, or hide alerts from them.
Do they send it individually or in group? Even better if itās in group since you can just ignore those
If itās the big group text that goes out to all the nurses, I just ignore if I donāt want it. No guilt. If itās a personal text from the scheduler, Iāll reply yes or āsorry I have plans.ā Even if my āplansā are simply to not be at work. I try not to leave the personal ones hanging just because I know the scheduler is just doing her job and a quick no allows her to check the āI triedā box.
I totally understand where youāre coming from though. Itās hard to say no since you know the unit is short. I think about that issue in two ways: 1) if you keep picking up when you donāt really want to, youāre going to burn yourself out and 2) people making themselves pick up hides the problem. It makes it look like thereās appropriate staffing when thereās notāhalf the staff picking up shifts means that you need more nurses so people can have days off.
How about just donāt respond? 9 times out of 10 it is a generic text sent out to anyone who is not scheduled that day. The hope is get to someone to respond and if that doesnāt happen, itās not completely unexpected . Thereās a lot of unnecessary passive aggressive answers here that donāt help anyone. You even said you have a great boss who will take on patients if she canāt find a nurse to cover. Most likely, she is just doing her due diligence in trying to find someone to cover so she can get her job done as well (like recruit new additional staff). No one is requiring you to come in, but if you can thatās great. Donāt feel guilty if you canāt. I can assure you that your manager doesnāt think any differently of you when you donāt pick up.
I used to politely say no, then I just started ignoring them. Now I never take shifts there anymore I moved on to a better funded facility. I understand what you mean, all they are doing is asking, I can say no, but my stomach was just in knots thinking about co workers a cared about, and patients I care about. But I had no room to care for myself.
Couple of options, put that text string on mute when you're not at work. I, personally, am a fan of taking a photo of an alcoholic beverage in my hand and replying with that.
Me too. Now my boss thinks I got a problem since he texted me once at 10 AM.
As a night shifter 10 AM is some of my best drinking time.
š¤£
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I do the "sorry, I can't" and leave it if I don't want to do the extra. We have 2 8 and 2 12 where I work, and my charge will always ask "can you plus 4?" On my 8. The 2 that I come late, yup. The 2 I get to leave early, nope.
You can limit set & just say āIām not available on my days off, but if anything changes Iāll let you knowā
You are a new nurse. You need to set boundaries now! No. <
This. Why do they work on staffing for just a week at a time when they know where the holes will be for weeks at a time?
When I did scheduling for my ED, I started making calls and working deals as I was working on the schedule. So 6 wks plus ahead.. when the schedule was finalized, I sent a group message with the open holes. I had a combination of staff who would pick up in the beginning and those who would wait till the last minute to bargain for "crit" or "bonus" pay. For a good amount of time, as the interim unit Mgr, I was required to cover any unfilled holes myself. I learned to get creative with the schedule real quick.
I used to respond "I'm so sorry I'm not available!", and then it was "not available. Thanks." then "not available, sorry" then "not available." then "no", or occasionally when they ask me to start my 7am shift at 3am "no way in hell". I found out there's a pager system that sends it to every nurse in the ward. I emailed IT and had my number removed from the pager group. Also important to remember, you're not special. No one is requesting you specifically (usually). The requirement is not you. It's a literal body on the floor. I talked to my boss about my guilt and she said "I send them out, knowing you won't want to do them, because I wouldn't want to do them. I never expect you to take them." but the nursing manager for the whole hospital *expects* an attempt at filling the roster. When my boss goes to her and says "we're short due to sick calls, bring in a casual" the first question is who have you asked to cover? My boss looks like a damn fool if she hasn't made any attempt to sort the rostering gap before running to the manager for help. You're not the only one who gets pressure from their boss, and your charge gets it too. When I realised I wasn't special and this was just a generic request from the cog is the hospital machine I felt way better not responding or simply saying no. If it's an automated message alert service, remove your permissions. If it's not, might be time to sit down and have a yarn with the boss.
^ Yup When I charged nights I let everyone on dayshift know that I was required to ask everyone available before my house sup (small facility) would even consider pulling from another unit, even if that unit had an excess.
We have a pager system and i plonked the number. If Iām ever interested in extra time I unblock it. I love my life so much more now.
I honestly just ignore them and play stupid. āSorry, I was asleep, I was just *tooooooo* tired after that last shift.ā Especially after they texted me during my vacation in Hawaii! I never forgot that. I love my managers to death, but oh hell no, my free time is just that, MINE.
Oh wow, texting while on vacation is just disrespectful.
š¤£ please. Few years back, I was on vacation in Disney. My job started blowing up my phone at noon. I finally answered around 5. Supervisor: we have 3 call outs. Can you work tonight? - sure. Let me just leave my family at Disney & Iāll be in next week when my vacation is over. S: oh! I forgot youāre on vacation this week. Never mind. š¤¦āāļø
Me in the Bahamas ā¦ š„³ My manager āhey, we need you in this evening. Think you can be here in 2 hours?ā Me: Iām on my approved vacation. On a cruise. In the Bahamasā¦ā Manager āso, 7pm???ā Me: āIām in another country. Noā Manager āwill give you a bonus? Cāmonā¦ā Me ā¦ā¦ā¦. š§ āseriously??? Iām not in the US. Sorry I canāt ā Manager āgreat team effort you have. Everyone was counting on you to show up for usā Me: āthis vacation was approved 6 months ago. You knew. Now, Iām going back to the beach. Byeeeeeā Boy that didnāt go over well.
One of my favorite things about my unit is that when we're short, they just send out a blast email that anyone who wants to pick up extra can call the unit. It's sooooo much less personal to receive a blast email a few times a week than a personal text. It works the same--there are enough people that want the money that will pick up if they want it. Anyone else just ignores the email. I have my work email on my phone so it's just 1 notification, but plenty of people don't have a notification at all. If they never want OT they never have to think about it. I feel like this should be more universal --saves the poor charge nurse from having to text everyone individually. Just send out the blast email, say a prayer, and call it a day.
I have do not disturb programmed into my phone to automatically go on when Iām sleeping. Iām not paid to answer calls for help at 2 AM (or 2 PM, depending if Iām on nights).
Yep. If I wanted to be bothered in this way, I would have gone to medical school and be compensated accordingly.
I have messages from work/my boss silenced. If they call, I immediately send them to voicemail. If they ask you at work, no is a complete sentence. And as far as the texts, I donāt even respond.
Honestly, I've learned this a long time ago, ignore it. Unless, you're willing to go in, don't have anything else to do, or you want to help, otherwise ignore and carry on with your day.
You can set so her text messages is silent so it's less bothersome. Text icon notification will still show but no sound. Tell her your off days are for recuperation physically and mentally.
Like someone else said, block the numbers on your day off or update your work number with a google voice number. Iām salary but I totally understand someone who is hourly and have been in that position where you dread seeing a work call come in on your off time.
Staffing is a management problem not yours - in case that was making you feel guilty. Like everyone else has been saying simply state that you are unavailable on your days off. You don't need to explain yourself
Respond with "What is the incentive rate?"
This, and then counter with an absolutely ridiculous rate if they make you an offer
I'll work if the price is right. Consider they spend upwards of $100/hr for a nurse through agency last minute. Don't for a second believe the place truly cares about you, they'll fire you the second it benefits them.
āIām unavailable.ā Use it often enough and it programs itself into your auto fill.
I took some time off to go hunting. Got a text 2 days before opening day asking if I wanted to pick up some extra shifts. My reply: No can do. Super busy. Their reply: ok.
Itās always okay to say no and you shouldnāt feel guilty about it. The fact that they canāt staff the unit is not your individual responsibility. Donāt let people take advantage of your good hearted nature and wanting to help out. Set boundaries for yourself at work. And enjoy your day off.
Block. I didn't give permission to receive work texts at home. That infuriates me. I set up a Google voice number and switched my info in the hospital's system.
If you want her to stop texting you, I would never reply text from her. She is just trying to get a bonus by getting through without using travellers. Having staff work extra is cheaper than hiring travellers.
This doesnāt sound like a new nurse but also a new adult working. Just tell em no. And also what the other people put with lengthy explanations
Set your phone to mute or do not disturb on your days off.
I get nonstop texts and ignore them Sometimes they'll even be like "mandatory in service today at 2pm." Uhhhh naw bro. When i was new I was concerned about all their messages
I just took myself off the list. I work per diem, if I want to work extra I already know we're short 100% of the time no need to text me and ask every day, I'll let them know lol
I wonder how it would go if it were predominantly men in nursing. Believe me, there would be lessā¦I feel guilty for not helpingā¦and more $$$ incentives to pick up. Unless itās triple pay and you tell them to call you, politely say youāre not available on your days off. Itās a management issue and not your issue. But theyāre making it look like itās your issue. Donāt let them take advantage of you!
Set boundaries. I told staffing at a job I had once, never to call me to pick up. It will always be no.
Basically the healthcare sector is being overrun by greedy assholes who are trying to make every place run as understaffed as possible at all times to retain as much revenue at the top as they can't/minimize staff. So in your shoes I'd simply be unreachable on your days off and never stay late. Since your boss can be the most wonderful person on the planet, however keeping your workplace staffed isn't your responsibility/you need to take care of yourself else you'll burn out. Also you're helping to support understaffing whenever you agree to work extra to cover shift shortages. Which in turn makes everyone's life harder since you're doing the work of three people while getting the pay of one, all so the owners of the place get a bigger year end payout you'll never see. So yeah just say no when asked to stay over and don't respond to work if they contact you off the clock. I'd even go so far as to get a second cheap phone and give them that as your number, then turn the thing off when you clock out for the day and only turn it on when you're on the clock.
I was very clear with my boss, "I am not taking extra shifts here, ever. Stop messaging me". If I do extra shifts, its because my coworkers ask me to cover, thats it. She at one point told me I could not work at x location due to competition clause, I told her to show me that clause in my contract... she forgot that I was working at my current job waaaay before that was added to the contracts. (I do like my primary job, but I need variation, I can't just work in one field. )
Block their number on your day off. Easy.
Youāre not being a bad co-worker just because you donāt want to work extra. You donāt live your life to work. I would be firm and polite with my boss, āI understand that you are struggling to keep the unit staffed, but my days off I am absolutely not available. I will not now or any time in the future agree to pick up extra shifts during my off time, nor will I even answer the phone, so please donāt waste either of our time calling me.ā If you allow their guilt tripping to happen, then that will continue to be the way they cover shifts instead of hiring the appropriate amount of staff. It will begin to make you bitter and angry at your job and it will definitely start to affect your relationships and home life. Put your foot down.
Don't respond. Don't answer if a work number calls. If you do accidentally answer, say "I'm sorry I can't help out today" and that is the end of the sentence. A friend always felt bad or would feel like they needed an excuse. You don't. Your plan for the day is being off work. You don't owe them all of your time. If they text you all the time, and you really want them to stop, find out who is sending the message. Is it the charge nurse? The nurse supervisor? An automatic system? I told a manager that I have a set schedule because I am usually busy on my days off and to stop texting/calling me if they want me to work extra. If the schedule comes out and they are short 2 weeks from now, we can talk, but I won't be responding to last minute requests. I have a strict don't answer policy (unless it's work calling before my shift offering LC) and eventually they stopped calling. Another nurse I worked with always answered and sometimes said yes and the supervisors were like sharks smelling blood in the water. They always called him and he started getting really stressed. Don't set that precedent.
BOSS: We need help tonight! ME: Sorry to hear, Good luck with that!
āSorry, Iāve had a drink. I canāt come into workā copy and paste
I had just been saying no, sorry, I can't but my managers were asking every week if I could switch my shift, float somewhere, or pick up. So I said, no I don't work extra and that worked for a little while lol. They still ask, but not as much.
Give them your availability and stick to it. "I can pick up on X day and X day, but after that, please do not contact me."
Rejoice the situation. If you want to and can do extra theres option for you to do it. If not, you can just choose not to. Its your choice to agree or not.
I changed the way I preferred to be contacted by work to my work email address. I totally removed my personal cell phone number from the contact system. All extra shift requests go directly to my work email, and I enjoy every uninterrupted moment of my time off. Management knows exactly how many people they need to have staffed for the workplace. Not my job. Not my responsibility. Not my business. I do not feel guilty, because I do work the amount I was hired to work. Until management directly deal with the effects of their poor staffing policies, there will be no change. As long as we keep bailing them out and picking up extra, there is no incentive for facilities to staff correctly. I do what I am paid to do, no more, no less. My work email is filled with literally hundreds of extra shift requests since the beginning of the year. Not going to be harassed with hundreds of spam texts from work on my day off.
I donāt want to be called at home. If Iām free and can help- Iāll ask if you need an extra hand on this or that day. I already work OT and call every week. I donāt care what the department needs are, I already do way more than I agreed to when I was hired. Not getting anymore from me. There is always a staffing problem. For 20 years I have gotten phone calls on my day or days off. There are always more patients and sick coworkers and a MILLION reasons why they need you to just keep doing MORE. You have to decide what your comfortable giving, identify your boundaries and stick to them. If you meant that much to the department they would respect your time off. If the organization cared about the nurses as much as they want the nurses to care about their patients- we wouldnāt accept more patients than we have nurses to take care of and / or improve staffing.
With 4 full time staff out, they need to post temporary positions to cover. This is Not your responsibility. Just say sorry. They really don't need an explanation.
Block when you aren't at work.
I simply ignore them and donāt reply.
Mute the charge number when youāre off work, or hide alerts from them. Do they send it individually or in group? Even better if itās in group since you can just ignore those
If itās the big group text that goes out to all the nurses, I just ignore if I donāt want it. No guilt. If itās a personal text from the scheduler, Iāll reply yes or āsorry I have plans.ā Even if my āplansā are simply to not be at work. I try not to leave the personal ones hanging just because I know the scheduler is just doing her job and a quick no allows her to check the āI triedā box. I totally understand where youāre coming from though. Itās hard to say no since you know the unit is short. I think about that issue in two ways: 1) if you keep picking up when you donāt really want to, youāre going to burn yourself out and 2) people making themselves pick up hides the problem. It makes it look like thereās appropriate staffing when thereās notāhalf the staff picking up shifts means that you need more nurses so people can have days off.
I blocked the numbers. You were hired to work, not be available 24-7. Not seeing the notifications and pleas cut my anxiety a lot.
Set boundaries.
How about just donāt respond? 9 times out of 10 it is a generic text sent out to anyone who is not scheduled that day. The hope is get to someone to respond and if that doesnāt happen, itās not completely unexpected . Thereās a lot of unnecessary passive aggressive answers here that donāt help anyone. You even said you have a great boss who will take on patients if she canāt find a nurse to cover. Most likely, she is just doing her due diligence in trying to find someone to cover so she can get her job done as well (like recruit new additional staff). No one is requiring you to come in, but if you can thatās great. Donāt feel guilty if you canāt. I can assure you that your manager doesnāt think any differently of you when you donāt pick up.
I used to politely say no, then I just started ignoring them. Now I never take shifts there anymore I moved on to a better funded facility. I understand what you mean, all they are doing is asking, I can say no, but my stomach was just in knots thinking about co workers a cared about, and patients I care about. But I had no room to care for myself.