So this was around 9pm-plus. I’d just gotten back from the night shift, showered and was about to sleep, when my boss called at 9:40pm asking if I could help with a case because the other nurse was stuck in a meeting and couldn’t make it. He said it all soft like, “Let’s help each other, yeah?” I told him I was already home but if it was an emergency I’d come right away.

I went. Exhausted as hell, honestly. But when I got there I was panting because the real reason he called was a ton of paperwork. Took like an hour and a half to sort the treatment plan, there were changes, had to talk to the family, then key in data on the unit’s laptop — didn’t finish until about 1am. Before I left he just said, “Thanks, don’t worry about tomorrow,” and I just smiled and went home. The little white clock on my dresser said almost 2am. I was so sleepy, barely got up for morning shift, and I started the day cranky because work’s already busy. Feels like I’m always the one being called whenever the team’s short or someone’s off.

This has been going on for almost two months now. I’ve been a nurse 12 years, I’m 36, I get teamwork and cooperation, but it’s the same thing again and again — I’m the one getting dumped on more than anyone, even though I’m not the boss or permanently assigned to that clinic. In team meetings I’ve said I want the workload shared fairly, but when things actually happen the boss talks to me casually like it’s between us, like there’s some internal communication I’m not in on. Sometimes he hints around like, if you don’t help others will be in trouble, stuff like that.

I’m more emotionally drained than physically. I feel taken advantage of, but I’m scared if I speak up directly I’ll be seen as not being a team player or selfish. I really want to work well and be part of the team, but I don’t want to be called in so often that my personal life dies. I hesitate every time to bring it up with the boss because I don’t want team vibes to go sour, but if I keep tolerating it my mental health and private life will suffer T_T

Another small thing — there’s a nurse who’s always late but never gets called to help in emergencies. She always has an excuse in meetings. I try not to read into it but it piles up. It’s like someone keeps walking past with the car keys and I’m the one who always runs after them to pick them up. It’s not fair, right?

I’m thinking of talking to the boss more formally, maybe put a proposal to rotate duties or set clear hours for out-of-shift help, like limit after-hours help to 2 hours per call or have a clear backup roster. But I’m afraid he’ll think I’m picky or see me negatively. Sigh... confused haha

Anyone else — nurses or people who work in team setups — been through this? “Let’s help each other” sounds very different from how things actually play out. What should I do? How can I talk to the boss without sounding like a complainer but also not getting walked over? I’ll update later.