Staying late

Question 1

You have been asked to stay on beyond your normal working hours by the consultant due to a staff sickness leaving the evening shift uncovered at late notice.

You had plans to attend a close friend’s birthday party after work.

None of your current colleagues on the ward appear willing to cover the shift at present.

approach ?

Answer 1

I would tell my consultant that i have worked the rota’d hours - may be he is confused of my working hours expected

I do understand that patient safety is a concern leaving the team short staffed however it is also weighed with the fact i can be facing work fatigue

So i would try to work with the consultant to see if other doctors in other departments can come and cover the shift , or can senior colours step down

if i do decide on staying longer then i would need the last minute locum pay rate enquired - the consultant in charge and the rota managers need to be made aware of this via email or some sort of paper trail

I would need to also escheat this issue so it does not happen in the future

Finally, documenting and reflecting on the situation may help your personal and professional well being

Question 2

If you did agree to stay late, are there any other avenues by which you could raise this issue in the following days?

Answer 2

Raising this issue via an ‘exception report’ or incident reporting system would be important to formalise the issue and ensure it does not pass unnoticed.

Alternatively, raising the issue with your IMT representative or guardian of safe working may be needed if this is a recurring issue

Talking to your educational supervisor or another consultant may also be appropriate