How would you handle this work issue?

npmommie

<font color=red>Channels George Michael in her car
Joined
Oct 11, 2007
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So I have a part time job, I see patients in a nursing home to manage their psych meds. so when I took the job I stressed I needed flexibility in scheduling, and was assured this is flexible, can make your own days etc etc.
so I have been working one or two afternoons in the week, when hubby gets home and sometimes one weekend afternoon, usually saturday after he gets home.
so last week , i worked the sunday before christmas, i had planned to work wednesday but because of the holiday and everything going on i decided i would work the weekend.
i check my voicemail on christmas eve. there is a message from my boss, apparently from the day before, I had checked my voicemail the day before and did not have any message, so she must have called after i checked which would have been late afternoon.
anyway she wanted to know if i was going to the home that day because there were cases for me to see. one of the cases i had seen in the book on sunday but didn't see the patient because i was told not to see BCBS patients because they won't pay for an NP. so i didn't. the other 2 were not in the book, at that time. when i went in and saw the book this past weekend they had been added the day after i was there.

so because i didn't get the message, i didn't go and went over the weekend and saw that she had gone in and saw the patient the wednesday that she called me.
so now i get a scathing email from her basically blasting me, and saying how the expectation was a weekday had to be done, ( she never told me this )
and how it was unacceptable that I didn't get her message. how wednesday and thursday are my days to be available and I have to be flexible too.
also she goes in to how DPH requires a weekday visit, again she never told me this.
so now she says she has a "written counseling document " for me to sign so there is no more confusion and she wants me to email her my schedule.

so of course I am annoyed because of this misunderstanding, and it was christmas for petes sake and the whole reason i dont' work in a hospital anymore is because I don't want to work holidays!!!

so I emailed her back tell me if its too snarky, hers to me was coldy and very snarky




Hello,
Regarding last week. No I did not get your message, it was a holiday week, my phone is reliable, I did check my voicemail on Wednesday the message was not there. Sometimes I can't be so flexible that I can receive a call in the day and go right out that same day. Some days I can. I am sorry about that. I did not know that was an expectation. I guess I wasn't clear on expectations. I assumed my weekend visits were fine.
I also did not know that DPH required a weekday visit. And in my defense one case outstanding was BC BS which I was told not to see, and the other 2 I did not know about. When I saw the book over the weekend and saw the dates, if I had known earlier in the week ( Monday ) especially since it was a holiday week I could have tried to rearrange something, but 4 days of that week for me were booked with other commitments. 2 being the holiday.
I was at the nursing home on Sunday, I had a scheduling conflict come up on Wednesday and Thursday was Christmas eve. I knew I was going back on the weekend.
Wednesday or Thursday are the days I can do during the week.This week I will be going out on Wednesday. The weekends, I have been going Saturdays, but sometimes I go on Sundays.
Maybe I should change my schedule and not do any weekend days. That seems like it may be best. Right now my schedule is Wednesday and Thursday available, that may change to Wednesday and Friday.
Thank you.
 
So I have a part time job, I see patients in a nursing home to manage their psych meds. so when I took the job I stressed I needed flexibility in scheduling, and was assured this is flexible, can make your own days etc etc.
so I have been working one or two afternoons in the week, when hubby gets home and sometimes one weekend afternoon, usually saturday after he gets home.
so last week , i worked the sunday before christmas, i had planned to work wednesday but because of the holiday and everything going on i decided i would work the weekend.
i check my voicemail on christmas eve. there is a message from my boss, apparently from the day before, I had checked my voicemail the day before and did not have any message, so she must have called after i checked which would have been late afternoon.
anyway she wanted to know if i was going to the home that day because there were cases for me to see. one of the cases i had seen in the book on sunday but didn't see the patient because i was told not to see BCBS patients because they won't pay for an NP. so i didn't. the other 2 were not in the book, at that time. when i went in and saw the book this past weekend they had been added the day after i was there.

so because i didn't get the message, i didn't go and went over the weekend and saw that she had gone in and saw the patient the wednesday that she called me.
so now i get a scathing email from her basically blasting me, and saying how the expectation was a weekday had to be done, ( she never told me this )
and how it was unacceptable that I didn't get her message. how wednesday and thursday are my days to be available and I have to be flexible too.
also she goes in to how DPH requires a weekday visit, again she never told me this.
so now she says she has a "written counseling document " for me to sign so there is no more confusion and she wants me to email her my schedule.

so of course I am annoyed because of this misunderstanding, and it was christmas for petes sake and the whole reason i dont' work in a hospital anymore is because I don't want to work holidays!!!

so I emailed her back tell me if its too snarky, hers to me was coldy and very snarky




Hello,
Regarding last week. No I did not get your message, it was a holiday week, my phone is reliable, I did check my voicemail on Wednesday the message was not there. Sometimes I can't be so flexible that I can receive a call in the day and go right out that same day. Some days I can. I am sorry about that. I did not know that was an expectation. I guess I wasn't clear on expectations. I assumed my weekend visits were fine.
I also did not know that DPH required a weekday visit. And in my defense one case outstanding was BC BS which I was told not to see, and the other 2 I did not know about. When I saw the book over the weekend and saw the dates, if I had known earlier in the week ( Monday ) especially since it was a holiday week I could have tried to rearrange something, but 4 days of that week for me were booked with other commitments. 2 being the holiday.
I was at the nursing home on Sunday, I had a scheduling conflict come up on Wednesday and Thursday was Christmas eve. I knew I was going back on the weekend.
Wednesday or Thursday are the days I can do during the week.This week I will be going out on Wednesday. The weekends, I have been going Saturdays, but sometimes I go on Sundays.
Maybe I should change my schedule and not do any weekend days. That seems like it may be best. Right now my schedule is Wednesday and Thursday available, that may change to Wednesday and Friday.
Thank you.

IMO the email is too wordy for something like this. I would simply apologize for the misunderstanding and request a meeting to discuss what is expected on both ends. Make sure that you follow up the meeting with a written document or email, noting all that was agreed upon.
 
It doesn't sound snarky at all.

But, I am not quite understanding something. If your day is Wednesday, are they not counting on you to be there? Did they tell you ahead that you could change your day without telling anyone?
 
It doesn't sound snarky at all.

But, I am not quite understanding something. If your day is Wednesday, are they not counting on you to be there? Did they tell you ahead that you could change your day without telling anyone?

The understanding by me was that I could make my own days. I did mention that right now wednesdays is the day that usually works for me, but sometimes I go on thursdays.
This was never an issue with the other home I cover.
this has only become an issue with this current home, which incidently she is pulling us out of as of Jan 15 because of other issues she has with them.
so I suspect they gave her grief over it.
but the fact is no one ever asked me which days I would be there. I was never asked to commit to certain days.
 

So you will only be working there until 1/15? If so, I would let it go.

I will still be working for the company, we just won't be covering this particular nursing home anymore after Jan 15. she cancelled the contract with them.
I have another home I also cover.
we are basically an outside consulting company for psychiatric services for nursing home patients.
 
So the phone call was from your boss who you will continue to work for, or from someone at this nursing home who you will not work for after the 15th?

I would make a monthly schedule so that there is no confusion, expectation. I would also not be available any other days than those on the schedule or else they will begin to expect that "you will cover it".
 
I'm confused as to why you didn't work on the 23rd or 24th. If you didn't want to work on the 24th shouldn't you have notified someone that you wouldn't be in?
And I'm still confused as to why you didnt work on the 23rd. :confused3

Since the contract is over on January 15th, I would just write an email with something like "I apologize for any confusion over the schedule." Don't get into it as your company is losing the contract anyway.
 
So the phone call was from your boss who you will continue to work for, or from someone at this nursing home who you will not work for after the 15th?

I would make a monthly schedule so that there is no confusion, expectation. I would also not be available any other days than those on the schedule or else they will begin to expect that "you will cover it".
the phone call was from my boss. the home didn't call me, although they could have since they know I cover them too.

I'm confused as to why you didn't work on the 23rd or 24th. If you didn't want to work on the 24th shouldn't you have notified someone that you wouldn't be in?
And I'm still confused as to why you didnt work on the 23rd. :confused3

Since the contract is over on January 15th, I would just write an email with something like "I apologize for any confusion over the schedule." Don't get into it as your company is losing the contract anyway.

because the 24th was christmas eve and I didn't plan to work.
the 23rd something came up and I decided to work saturday instead, I have done this in the past never an issue, no one ever said anything, I have been making my own schedule since I started.
one week I work sunday wednesday, sometimes I work sat and sunday, sometimes i have done wednesday thursday,
no one ever told me to commit to certain days and that i had to stick to them it was presented as flexible.
so it sounds like a misunderstanding and i feel upset because of this written counseling thing.
 
In retrospect, since the next day was christmas eve, i probably should have let them know i wouldn't be working wednesday and would be in saturday.
but like i said i have done it in the past and never an issue. i have also swapped wednesday for thursday
 
IMO the email is too wordy for something like this. I would simply apologize for the misunderstanding and request a meeting to discuss what is expected on both ends. Make sure that you follow up the meeting with a written document or email, noting all that was agreed upon.


:thumbsup2 E-mails can come back to haunt you........request a face to face meeting.....popcorn::
 
I guess I am looking at the situation from your boss's eyes. Although I am sure you put in all your work hours, I don't think your boss can see that. You need to set work days and keep them. If your set schedule is Wednesday and Thursday, be there so people can see you and communicate to you. If you are not there, it looks like you are not working. Christmas Eve is not a "holiday". My husband is a federal employee and was working that day. You needed to communicate with your supervisor if you wanted leave on that day. I would apologize and be consistent from now on.
Mary
 
I would also ask for a face to face meeting. When you talk to her I would just tell her that it was misunderstanding, ask her what her expectations are and make some suggestions as to how you can avoid another misunderstanding like this in the future, for example email her at the beginning of each week letting her know what days you will be there.
 
So I have a part time job, I see patients in a nursing home to manage their psych meds. so when I took the job I stressed I needed flexibility in scheduling, and was assured this is flexible, can make your own days etc etc.
so I have been working one or two afternoons in the week, when hubby gets home and sometimes one weekend afternoon, usually saturday after he gets home.
so last week , i worked the sunday before christmas, i had planned to work wednesday but because of the holiday and everything going on i decided i would work the weekend.
i check my voicemail on christmas eve. there is a message from my boss, apparently from the day before, I had checked my voicemail the day before and did not have any message, so she must have called after i checked which would have been late afternoon.
anyway she wanted to know if i was going to the home that day because there were cases for me to see. one of the cases i had seen in the book on sunday but didn't see the patient because i was told not to see BCBS patients because they won't pay for an NP. so i didn't. the other 2 were not in the book, at that time. when i went in and saw the book this past weekend they had been added the day after i was there.

so because i didn't get the message, i didn't go and went over the weekend and saw that she had gone in and saw the patient the wednesday that she called me.
so now i get a scathing email from her basically blasting me, and saying how the expectation was a weekday had to be done, ( she never told me this )
and how it was unacceptable that I didn't get her message. how wednesday and thursday are my days to be available and I have to be flexible too.
also she goes in to how DPH requires a weekday visit, again she never told me this.
so now she says she has a "written counseling document " for me to sign so there is no more confusion and she wants me to email her my schedule.

so of course I am annoyed because of this misunderstanding, and it was christmas for petes sake and the whole reason i dont' work in a hospital anymore is because I don't want to work holidays!!!

so I emailed her back tell me if its too snarky, hers to me was coldy and very snarky




Hello,
Regarding last week. No I did not get your message, it was a holiday week, my phone is reliable, I did check my voicemail on Wednesday the message was not there. Sometimes I can't be so flexible that I can receive a call in the day and go right out that same day. Some days I can. I am sorry about that. I did not know that was an expectation. I guess I wasn't clear on expectations. I assumed my weekend visits were fine.
I also did not know that DPH required a weekday visit. And in my defense one case outstanding was BC BS which I was told not to see, and the other 2 I did not know about. When I saw the book over the weekend and saw the dates, if I had known earlier in the week ( Monday ) especially since it was a holiday week I could have tried to rearrange something, but 4 days of that week for me were booked with other commitments. 2 being the holiday.
I was at the nursing home on Sunday, I had a scheduling conflict come up on Wednesday and Thursday was Christmas eve. I knew I was going back on the weekend.
Wednesday or Thursday are the days I can do during the week.This week I will be going out on Wednesday. The weekends, I have been going Saturdays, but sometimes I go on Sundays.
Maybe I should change my schedule and not do any weekend days. That seems like it may be best. Right now my schedule is Wednesday and Thursday available, that may change to Wednesday and Friday.
Thank you.

I would only send that if you prefer to find yourself unemployed.

First of all, the grammar and punctuation needs a lot of work. It is not professional in any way or form.

Secondly, it is never good for a subordinate to mouth off to their boss, especially in a written form which can always be referenced many years later. You have valid points, but politically, you just don't get snarky with somebody that signs your paycheck.

I would just send a quick e-mail apologizing for the misunderstanding. I would politely say that it seems that you might have misunderstood the parameters of scheduling when hired and ask for meeting to clarify your questions about scheduling and availability.

Then, at the meeting, get it in writing from your boss exactly what her expectations are of your scheduling and availability.
 
I've worked jobs before where they start off saying that I could be flexible with hours, but then they start getting nervous when they don't know when you are working. So then they ask you to have a set schedule - you get to set it, but you have to let them know in advance and stick to it. Bosses just can't let go of the control.

Not being in at all during the week, and having no way of knowing when you would be working probably got your boss in a tither. Yes, she is overreacting, but she is not being unreasonable to want to know what you were planning.
 
I think if you generally work Wed/Thurs/either Sat or Sun and Christmas week you decided to work just Sunday...that was wrong on your part. Either you should have anticipated Christmas Eve (Thursday) and worked on Tuesday and Wed or worked Mon/Tues...but you just didn't show up for a whole week and didn't let anyone know what you were doing. That doesn't seem right. Having a flexible schedule isn't the same as you can come and go as you please with no accountability whatsoever.
 
I think if you generally work Wed/Thurs/either Sat or Sun and Christmas week you decided to work just Sunday...that was wrong on your part. Either you should have anticipated Christmas Eve (Thursday) and worked on Tuesday and Wed or worked Mon/Tues...but you just didn't show up for a whole week and didn't let anyone know what you were doing. That doesn't seem right. Having a flexible schedule isn't the same as you can come and go as you please with no accountability whatsoever.

christmas week I worked sunday and then saturday, our work week goes sunday thru saturday.
you are right I should have said something when i couldn't do wednesday.

I did send the email, although I shortened it to just basically apologize for the misunderstanding, and let her know what I am doing this week.
I anticipate I will see her in person tomorrow evening when I am working.
 
If you are reviewing or prescribing psych meds twice a week, it wouldn't make sense to go two days in a row. You should spread those visits out. Just apologize and stick to a written schedule that includes hours and days.
 
I did mention that right now wednesdays is the day that usually works for me, but sometimes I go on thursdays.

As an outside observor, it looks like this was the agreement until Christmas week when you decided not to work at all.
 
I wouldn't send that Email. I would request a face-to-face meeting instead. During that meeting, I would get clarification on what the expectations are for your schedule.

FWIW, I worked a little over 3 years part-time in a hospital. (I'm not a nurse, but an admin person.) When I took the job, I was assured that my hours would be flexible. About a month into it, I found out that the only flexibility was on their part, not mine. Obviously, I stayed there so it wasn't all bad, but my experience there was that hospitals do not treat their employees very well.
 












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