Can I refuse an assignment after I arrive?
You are expected to take the assignment the facility gives you when you check in. Refusing an in-scope assignment after you arrive leaves care uncovered and carries the consequences listed below.
If something about the assignment feels unsafe, use the safety steps before you decide: tell the charge nurse or on-site supervisor, then call NurseDash. While you're still with your patients, we'll reach the facility's management and work toward a fix.
What counts as "in-scope" that I'm expected to take?
Normal agency-shift realities, including:
Census drops and hallway reassignments.
New admissions and normal acuity changes during your shift.
1-on-1 assignments
For nursing assistants (CNAs and STNAs): assisted-living and memory care duties within your role and trainings.
Being reassigned, getting a heavier hall than you hoped, or being asked to cover an in-scope task are not grounds to refuse.
About safety
Am I supposed to work through something I think is unsafe?
No. You're the licensed professional in the room, and how you respond is your decision. What we ask is that you don't decide alone or leave without warning. Before you decide:
Tell the charge nurse or supervisor. Name the specific concern: ratio, missing equipment, an out-of-scope request. That gives the facility a chance to fix it, and many situations end here.
Call us before you decide to leave. Call the support line at (832) 321-8873. If no one picks up, leave a voicemail and message us in the app. While you're still with your patients, we'll reach the facility's management and work toward a fix (extra help, a reassignment, an adjusted load) so care isn't disrupted.
Keep us in the loop until it's settled. We'll log the conversation, relay it to the facility, and follow up with you after the shift. That record is how we back you up.
Can I raise the safety concern with another nurse, a resident, or a family member?
No. The concern goes to the charge nurse or on-site supervisor, and to NurseDash. Raising it with other facility staff, residents, patients or families on the unit is not professional and is treated as a conduct issue on its own.
About what happens after
What happens if I refuse the assignment or leave the shift before a safe handoff?
If you leave before the facility knows, or before we've had a chance to work it out, patients go without coverage. In that case:
DNR (Do Not Return) at that facility.
14-day hold on picking up new NurseDash shifts.
No cancellation fee is paid for that shift.
Verified hours you actually performed the assigned work up to the point you left are still paid. Being on-site without performing your assigned responsibilities is not working.
A second event within 12 months ends your access to the platform.
Does withdrawing the shift in the app while I'm still at the facility change any of that?
No. Withdrawing in the app while you are still in the building does not convert this to a normal cancellation, and it does not replace telling the charge nurse and calling us.
Will I still get paid for the time I was there?
Yes. Verified hours you actually performed the assigned work are always paid, up to the point you left. Being on-site without performing your assigned responsibilities is not working, and that time is not paid. What you also don't receive is a cancellation fee or any show-up premium.
Does this affect my reliability score?
Yes — refusing an in-scope assignment or leaving before a safe handoff is treated more seriously than a standard cancellation. It also carries the 14-day hold and DNR described above.
What if I raised a genuine safety concern through the facility and NurseDash first?
We review those departures differently from ones where the facility and NurseDash weren't told. If you told the charge nurse or supervisor, called NurseDash, and gave us a chance to work it out, that is not treated the same as walking off a shift. NurseDash reviews what happened, and you will hear the outcome from your Account Manager.
What about a real emergency — my own illness, or a family emergency?
Contact NurseDash as soon as you can, before you leave the building, and let the charge nurse know. Your own incapacitating illness and documented personal emergencies are handled differently from an assignment refusal. Do not use "emergency" as a way out of an in-scope assignment — that is a separate conduct issue.
Can I appeal a decision?
Yes. Ask your Account Manager to open an appeal. Provide the times, names, and what you communicated to the facility and to NurseDash. Decisions are reviewed against the standard, not against how any single person felt in the moment.
Need Assistance?
If you need help with your shift:
Message our support team through the NurseDash app
Or submit a support request to our 24/7 team here.
Phone: (832) 321-8873
Our team is here to support you every step of the way.