Would you be mad at me if you were my boss.......?????

Question

So here's the scoop......In the 7 years I have been working for this employer this has never happened.

I work for a government health care region as a nurse. On my schedule at home that I copied from the main book at work, it says I was supposed to work tomorrow and the next day (so Thurs, Fri) as an extra staff orientating to our sister unit. I got a phone call this morning asking why I wasn't at work and did I know I was supposed to be working an orientation shift today.

I said I am supposed to be coming in tomorrow and Friday. So the mistake WAS made on my part, but they didn't have to call in any staff to cover me because I am orientating. I asked if I could do today's shift on Friday like I thought I was supposed to. My unit manager was supposed to call me and let me know.

I couldn't come in today even if I had wanted to because I had commitments I couldn't break and I thought it wasn't such a big deal being that I was extra staff and orientating. It wouldn't hurt to just bump the shift ahead one day. So I left two phone messages today for my unit manager (one early this morning before she came to work and one this afternoon before she left), I tried having her paged and she didn't answer. So she hasn't phoned me back to let me know what is going on. I spoke with the charge nurse on the unit and she sounded a little perturbed or confused as to why I wasn't at work.

Can you see my boss getting so totally mad at me over this? I know you don't know her, but do you think she's just put it off because it isn't that big of a deal or she's just not calling me because she's mad at me and is gonna give it to me in the morning when I get to work. I dunno what to do here. I don't see the big deal being that the shift can be worked on friday just the same as it could have been worked today.

Like I said, this is the FIRST time this has happened, but nurses tend to look down upon this sort of thing. Should I just ignore the tough time if they give it to me or try and defend myself because I know someone is gonna give me flack over this.

Answer 1

You know what don't sweat the small stuff.  You made a mistake, you have never done this before right?!!  It's not like you do this all the time.  Maybe your boss is busy and can't get back to you.  Or maybe she is letting you sweat a little bit.  All you can do is go in tomorrow and apologize and take the write up if they give you one.  Good luck and it's a good thing you are worried that means you value your job :)

Answer 2

I would ask to speak with your boss in person and show her the schedule you have, and let her know you weren't told it changed.  Apologize, to everyone, b/c even though you didn't do it on purpose people still get mad.  Just like when someone calls in, even if they are really sick, other people don't care.

I would tell my boss:  I am really sorry for this miscommunication.  I would never intentionally not show up for work when I am scheduled, it's disrespectful to you and my co-workers.  I hope you know that about me as an employee of 7 years, I hope we can put this miscommunication behind us.

Make sure to call it a miscommunication -mistake suggests that either you or your boss did something wrong, and she is not going to take the blame and neither should you.

Suck up the c**p you are going to get, and just keep saying I would never intentionally not show up to work -to everyone that gives you grief, if they push it, tell them you are sorry that they think you would disrespect them like that.

Best of luck tomorrow, it will be rough.

Answer 3

if its your first there is nothing to worry about just wait till your boss cools down. I mean the stress your boss goes through must be or she just let it slide. just make sure to ask to be sure when u get the chance to

Answer 4

I think you should try to defend yourself. It was a technical difficulty, not your fault, and if she tries to give you c**p you should explain what happened, calmly and precisely.  

Answer 5

Is it possible that something happened where you were needed and weren't there?  that would explain the anger.  Anyway, if there is any flack, just go with it and say nothing. It's not something that is worth fighting over.

Answer 6

i dont get it

all bosses see is that u did something wrong

Answer 7

well,it is not your  fault come on defend yourself you are not a baby and tell her the truth and evidence that it said that you go on friday and Thursday

Answer 8

You can always get another job.  Just remember what the bodyguard said to his client when asked about worry,  "There will always be an emperor."  He didn't say it would be the same one.

Answer 9

I have been a Manager for many many years - when I schedule people to work (always in advance) I EXPECT them to BE there unless it is a REAL emergency.  IF someone does not show up, or leaves messages with ANYONE but ME, I will fire them.  I am NOT interested in what your excuses are, and telling me you had "other commitments you could not break", tells me you really are not interested in working for me because your "commitments" were obviously more important than being at work.

YOU, never having Management experience, have no business saying what the boss should or should not think.  That is not your place.  All you can do at this point, is to TRY and apologize profusely to your BOSS, beg their forgiveness, and promise NEVER to leave her hanging like that again.  DO NOT give her mountains of excuses - she really does not want or care to hear it.  

Answer 10

I don't think she'll be that mad, but this probably isn't the best section for this question. Try posting again. Go to Business & Finance > Careers & Employment > Health Care.

Answer 11

I would talk to your boss face to face and explain what happened.  Do not ignore this because it will make things worse.  Just explain to your boss what happened.  Good Luck

Answer 12

I think you will be fine. It doesn't make any difference if you put any lives in danger (or even if anybody dies), the medical industry is used to this. More people die each year from medical mistakes than from automobile accidents, gunshot accidents and homicides combined, so one more or less is not going to make any difference.

Of much greater importance is maintaining good relations with your boss and I don't mean the doctor, I mean the administration professionals that run the operation.

Answer 13

If I was your boss, I'd tell you to take a walk.

It sounds cruel, but when you're in charge of an operation—especially one that has to save peoples' lives—you do not need to be dealing with these kinds of errors, even just once.  Period.

If you otherwise did a good job, I'd probably give you a positive recommendation to another employer, but stuff like forgetting which days you work needs to not happen.  Ever.

So, yeah, my perspective is, you're lucky you haven't been fired already.  I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but it is what it is.

Answer 14

i have to say that I am a little confused