Is it typical for a representative of your company to send a text message that says,”I have called you and I have text you. You need to answer your phone!!!” when they are calling and texting a person during the day that works nightshift???
Typical?- maybe per certain facility & unit cultures . Appropriate- absolutely not! It's no wonder nurses are leaving in droves.
Are you getting on-call pay to answer your phone, because I'm pretty sure you don't want to work for free? It poses a safety issue for both you and your patients if they're not allowing you to sleep. Not to mention, it's a blatantly unprofessional and aggressive way to communicate regardless of the time or context of the communication.
Save the messages.
Do not reply. Don't set the precedent that they own you on your time off. Don't later apologize for not replying, try to justify why you weren't answering, or qualify your personal time . What you do on your time off is not their business. It's hard enough not getting burned out without them encroaching on your life outside of work too.
If/when you do reply, do so in writing so there's a paper trail in case something comes up later.
If it were me, I would reply during working hours via work email. This helps to set the boundary between work & personal; does not disturb them in the middle of the night like a text would, but still shows them how weird it is to send communication during sleep hours; and can often lead them to change their tune once they're having to use official written communication. (If their tune doesn't change, then the written communication will help to protect you later.) If they catch you in person & try to verbally speak to you instead, send a follow up email, "As per our earlier conversation..."
Make sure you're using a matter-of-fact, non-confrontational, non-pushover tone.
I remember how precious sleep was & how infuriating it was to be woken when I was on nights. Sorry :(
Supervisors trying to fill vacant shifts will call at any hour. If poss, turn off phone, put on vibrate in another room bc sleep is more important than you answering your phone for work.
