Holiday schedule watchers

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I work stand-by on a surgical floor and basically the only perk we get is that we only have to work one summer holiday and one winter holiday. Well, last week I go into work and my boss informs me that I need to sign up for 2 winter holidays. I ask her why all of a sudden 2 and she really can't give me an answer. (She's known for being a bully towards people - she recently told someone that they're not allowed to retire next month!!) Well, whatever - my baby is due next summer so I won't be working any summer holidays. So I signed up for my 2 winter holidays.

Later in my shift, I was telling a co-worker about what our boss said to me and another nurse starts flipping out on me saying "you young stand-by girls always complain about your schedules and you don't know how good you have it!" She then starts rattling off every stand-by nurse's name and what holidays they have or haven't worked for the past year!!

First of all, I do know how lucky I am that I only have to work 1 or 2 days a week, but I'm home taking care of my 2 year old son during the week. My son gets up at 5am every day so before I even leave for my 12 hour night shift, I've already put in a good 13 hours. And since I only work 1-2 days, my husband and I certainly aren't making the money that we used to, so we do make sacrifices!! I don't get vacation time, sick time, personal days, or benefits. The one holiday a season thing is literally the only perk I get!! I just wish that I didn't have to justify my family's decisions about my work schedule to anyone else!! Sorry so long! I just needed to vent! :banghead:

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She's just jealous!!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in ICU/ER.

I hear ya. I work "baylor" every weekend. and I have to do 2 Holidays a year. 1 major/1 minor. So for instance 4th of July and Thanksgiving. I am good with that---now sometimes the Majors fall on the weekend..that is just the way it works..If I pick up a 3rd holiday sometime in the year I get paid time and a half where as other staff just gets straight pay.--but I dont have to pick up that 3rd holiday.

But I can TOTALLY relate to others watching/complaining/griping etc etc about my sched...well ya know what--- They didnt create it for me. They could have applied for it. But most people dont want to sacrifice thier weekends.

We have many weekend warriors at our hospital. Some do Fri/Sat night, some do Sat/Sun night, some do days only or nights only, some flip flop one weeekend days, one weekend nights.

I love my sched. but I am SICK of others gripping that I get paid 36 hours for working 24. Because of me, they get thier weekends off--where else can you work as a floor nurse with weekends off???

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Her ******** is probably why you have to sign up for two holidays!

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My advice is to allow yourself one or two seconds to be annoyed and then forget it. With a family and beings that you are expecting you got a lot on your mind. It ain't worth getting upset about remarks like that. Enjoy your time at home without thinking about work. Truth is that when you started to discuss your conversation with the manager in front of this person you opened yourself up to her opinions. Forget it, have a wonderful life.

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There will always be one person around the work place who can tell you how many drops of water fell into the toilet bowl after flushing of each person and will announce when somebody gets one more drop than the others. Don't let her anguished tirades bother you. You are working per the parameters of your agreement and don't have to explain yourself to anyone else. If she is so jealous of your schedule she can change to the same schedule herself. I'll bet you won't see that happening soon.

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Specializes in cardiac, ortho, med surg, oncology.

I work registry (sounds like your standby) and am obligated to to one winter and one summer holiday but in exchange I give up PTO and benefits. I think it's a fair trade. I don't get guaranteed hours, am usually the first called off for low census and often get last minute call in. She chose her path you chose yours, I chose mine. She is being petty.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.
I just wish that I didn't have to justify my family's decisions about my work schedule to anyone else!! Sorry so long! I just needed to vent! :banghead:

You DON'T have to justify your decisions. If you wanted to be off so you could lay around and pick your nose, that's your business. If Ms. So-and-so doesn't like it, who cares? Let her simmer in her own resentment. Don't explain your situation to her or anyone else. And as for your boss, is that an official policy change to 2 holidays? Those changes have to be made in human resources and if not, then you should not allow yourself to be pushed into doing it. You need to investigate that. I was always a per diem and float nurse and they used to try to re-write the rules around holiday time but if you know the policy you don't have to go for that.

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Look up the hospital policy. That will be the tell all. She can't go against the policy.

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Specializes in ER, PACU, Med-Surg, Hospice, LTC.
I just wish that I didn't have to justify my family's decisions about my work schedule to anyone else!! Sorry so long! I just needed to vent! :banghead:

Ugh.... I totally feel for you. It is a totaly legit vent.

Unfortunately, there are a few of these busy-bodies in every workplace. The worst ones are the people that can't even pull their share of Holidays. They know that everyone has to work certain Holidays, yet they find if ok to hound people to work their Holidays, too.

From personal experience, I have learned that it is best not to explain or try to justify why you need time off to anyone. As SharonH, RN mentioned, it's your day off. Period.

Honestly, most people don't care what your reason is for needing a day off and then requesting days off becomes the battle of the excuses. By being vague, they cannot argue with you.

Funny you should bring this up though because I listed exactly what you described in the Archetypes of nursing thread:

THE STOP WATCH-Knows your schedule better than you do! Knows what days you work, what days you have requested off, when you trade shifts and exactly what time you clock in and out. Remember that Tuesday that you were late 3 1/2 years ago? Well, they do.

THE HOLIDAY HOUND-(Often a cousin of the Stopwatch) Already has the 2014 calendar out, strategically planning days off for long weekends, holidays, etc. Will be asking you about days that you can work when you haven't even had the time to think about this year. The second Management announces that requests can be submitted, the Holiday Hound's 5 page itinerary is presented within seconds.

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Specializes in Family Practice/Primary Care.

OK, I hear this a lot, and have no clue. What is Baylor?

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Baylor is a special schedule where the person works essentially two long shifts on the weekends and gets paid for a full week. Someone else can provide the details. I've seen it mentioned often. Good deal for those with other responsibilities.

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