[FLgrrrrl]

Does anybody have any new ideas in regards to schedules. I work on a unit and we self schedule. We have a mandatory weekend rule. It's always a hassle because there are people who will not be flexible and can't be because of kids, husbands. . We work 12 hour shifts....36/week.

[rreed]

our schedule is the same every 2 weeks and if you need off you switch with someone

our work week starts on Monday
so this week
off Mon/Tue, work Wed/Thur/Fri off Sat/Sun
next week
work Mon/Tue, off Wed/Thur/Fri work Sat/Sun

we have 2 rotations and we work opposite days of each other
it works out really great for us

[kayern]

We allow our staff to "R" request 8 days they want/need off, with the understanding that their pencil schedule is only a wish list. We do three 12s/week. They understand they have to work minimum of three weekend days per schedule. It usually works. Those who exceed their 8 "Rs" per schedule loose after the eighth one. With holidays, if no one want to work and earn the time and a half pay, we look back to who worked the previous year. We also post a "wish" list for the Christmas and New Years scheduled. It works out if everyone schedules themselves for an Eve and a day. Hope this helps

[susanmary]

Obviously you don't work in a union environment -- mandatory weekend committment is just that. If you do work union, you have a grievance. Even so, if you have mandatory weekend requirements, then it is up to your manager to make sure that everyone is treated equally and works their required weekend time -- regardless of their marital and family status. If your manager allows individuals who are married/children to have weekends off -- and if you are all mandated to work weekends -- then he/she is DISCRIMINATING against singles. I would talk to your manager, with schedule in hand, and point this out to him/her. DISCRIMINATION. Do not go into specifics or listen to "she can't be flexible because of husband ... children.... blah...blah..." Your boss, legally, should not be discussing your coworkers' personal lives with anyone. I would use the word discrimination. Your manager needs to do her job. If individuals can't work weekends, they should not take a job with mandated weekends. If you are allowed to switch hours between yourselves & the individuals are able to switch their weekends for weekdays with other nurses -- then that's up to the individuals. No WAY would I work weekends while another self-scheduling took herself off every weekend for personal reasons. We all have lives -- family committments. Our personal lives are just that -- personal. Sounds like some people are taking advantage of the system ... and your boss is letting it happen.

[FLgrrrrl]

Actually the problem isn't with people not doing their weekends. It's during the week sometimes there are more people than need to be on a certain day and the next day not enough and nobody wants to move. Every month it takes time and phone calls getting people to move. My charge nurse would like me to take over the RN schedule and I am looking for some "easy" solution. The only thing that really is nice is the holiday schedule. First hospital I have worked in where it's not an issue. You know what you are going to work a year in advance.

[bbnurse]

We do self scheduling and use a sign up sheet with only slots for the number of staff required for that day. No one else can work those days when it is filled in. We have fulltime people fill in first, then the part time , then the prn people. It works really well.

[cheerfuldoer]

Since patient population on any given unit is unpredictable, the best plan of action is to always be ready in case the census goes way up. When the census goes down, use that time to regroup in meetings on the unit talk about ways to improve the unit, move things around, restock items that need restocking, and have a session of laughter and eating as a team to bring everyone together again.

I never have believed in working a shift that goes against the way I am as a person. I know many nurses who will take a shift just to get their foot in the door, and remain on that shift even though they hate it because they are afraid they won't get hired on the shift of their choice.

Women...we need a big boost in the way we think about ourselves. We are worth making more positive choices for ourselves, so why do we keep on "settling" for the "leftovers"?

New grads.........don't start out taking a shift "just to get your foot in the door" when you know that you know that you know it is NOT a shift that would reflect the best of you while working!

Hit the panic button....think clearly about what shift would tie into your lives and would you be comfortable working that shift...and hold out for that. You'll be glad you did.

If you hate working 12 hour shifts..........don't work them.

If you hate working days, nights, or evenings......why hire on to that shift?

If you're married and work opposite one another, and by doing so your marriage is suffering.........what's more important? You married for life....jobs come and go.

Prioritization is the key to managing schedules and shifts offered to you before you hire on. If you already have a job, and the shift you are on isn't working for you or your home life, get out of it and pick one that best suits you.

We claim to desire CHOICES in nursing, well it's up to us to bring those CHOICES to a reality for ourselves....who else will do it for you if you don't?

[MandyInMS]

our work week starts on Monday
so this week
off Mon/Tue, work Wed/Thur/Fri off Sat/Sun
next week
work Mon/Tue, off Wed/Thur/Fri work Sat/Sun
--------------------------------------------------------------
Same here rreed.
This staffing is fair reguardless if you have kids,husband, or God forbid a LIFE.

[askater11]

We did self scheduling at my other job.

What the did was hang the schedule up. You'd have a week or two to fill in your days you'd like to work. Days you absolutely can't work you put down R's.

For the Fulltime/Part-time people they had a request book. If you're going on vacation put it in the request book.

There were a few rules. We had to work 3 weekend days/A number of certain holidays.

After that the supervisor or an R.N. would look over and fill in the gaps. Talk to people and move them to a "better" spot to make sure there's not Too much staff one day or not enough staff.

----

My current job doesn't seem to do that last part. Look and switch peoples days. There are day's they have to beg until they're blue for help...then the next day they'd be way over staff. I really wish they'd do what my old job did.

[Katnip]

We have a similar plan to bbnurse, except we're divided into teams 1, 2, and 3. Teams are mixed, not according to seniority.

The schedule is set up with so many slots per day/per shift. Team one signs up first, then team two, and then team three. In house agency then signs up, and the manager fills in the rest with people who want overtime or outside agency.

Each schedule period rotates teams, so team one will get first crack at the schedule in one period, then the next period team two goes first, with team three the next time, then it starts all over.