Extra Shifts Extra calls feeling a bit guilty

I'm a new nurse, I've been working med surg less than a year. I'm officially a part time employee as are most nurses at my facility (actually I was hired as PT, "laid off" and made per diem for a few months, then hired back as PT when somebody else resigned). I am also in school for my BSN at this time and have some other personal things I'm trying to take care of. I get called almost every day to work extra shifts, and I feel I have to say no more than I can say yes due to my BSN work and just the fact that I need some down time to "recharge" before working again. I have never called off for my shifts, I am a day shift person but have volunteered to cover nights, other floors, work 2 shifts back-to-back, you name it, I've covered it.

I believe I've seen this topic discussed once or twice before on AN, but opinions are appreciated. I feel guilty not helping out more, but I know I need to do my BSN and get some time for myself. (?)
Don't feel guilty. Your hospital's inability to sufficiently staff is not your problem. I said no to an extra shift last night. I'm already scheduled for 4 this week, that's plenty.

Don't feel guilty. Let it go and enjoy your life and free time.

Why should you ever feel guilty for not going in extra? **** em.

don't feel guilty. I have had to make those calls and the thought process is, "well, I will start at the top and work down till someone says yes". By the time I get a response I forget about those who said "no". The facility probably has a policy that supervisors are to try their own staff first before calling agency. They are running a business. YOUR business is to go to school and fulfill your commitment. Nothing else. Some nurses block the hospital's number or refuse to answer UNLESS they are willing to say yes. I have been there and finally refused to feel guilty unless I knew my co-workers had real emergencies or illness or there was a census crunch. Then I was willing to work. They do not feel guilty about sending you home if you are not needed.

The daily calls are merely a formality. The staffing office is mandated to call available staff.. until they can try to call in agency.Save your energy for real issues.

Wait a sec... when you "go down the list" is it usually done alphabetically? Because that would explain why I'm called all the time...

Not only are you (apparently) near the top of the list, you are also PartTime, so if you come in "extra" it's straight time, not over-time. In m facility, per diems & parttimers are called first for that reason. THEN they call the full-time staff.

Most of the nursing staff where I work is part time, they reduced everybody's hours a while back and made most of the full timers part time. So they must have a long list of part timers to call before the per diems, but yeah, if this is typically done alphabetically at most facilities then I know exactly what I get called so often.

I don't know if it is done alphabetically, if it is that would suck if your name is Williams and you'd love to work more but they never call you.

Don't feel guilty because they feel like making everyone pt will save them money.

Make use of caller ID. If it's work and you don't want to pick up extra shifts, don't answer. Let it go to voice mail and then check it to make sure the call isn't about something else. Some employers resist hiring an adequate number of staff members as long as they can fill the holes with people already on the books. Why would they do things any differently if the current situation works for them.Pick up extra shifts if you want to or you need the money and you can take the extra hours in stride. But if you would prefer to use your downtime to recharge your batteries or do other things, make that choice without feeling guilty. Too many facilities exploit the nurses who over-extend themselves to make sure their co-workers aren't short staffed. Many times, the ones who stretch themselves too thin (because management knows who is likely to cave and come in on short notice), and they are often the ones who burn out and look for a different job. Or they leave nursing altogether.As long as you are fulfilling your FTE, you are living up to your end of the bargain. You have nothing to feel guilty about.

how long have you been a nurse? Just curious to know if you got hired PT right out of school. I had kinda dreamed of working PT after I finish school because I have children, but didn't really think it would be realistic. Just curious to know your story! And it seems the other posters gave you good advice, I wouldn't feel bad at all