Schedule

[exit96]

How "far out" do you know your schedule, and KNOW that it will not change without all parties involved being in agreement? I have never ran into this problem but I have my schedule changing on me 1-2 weeks into the future. I CANNOT deal with this at all...

So I look at the printed schedule, and all of a sudden a "new" schedule shows up and my shifts have been changed...without notification!!!!

I am meticulous about my schedule, and NEVER miss work. Is it reasonable to know my schedule at least 4 weeks into the future and know that is is "set" unless all involved parties agree to a change??

[Fiona59]

12 week rotation.

Our union contract specifies that there must always be a 12 week schedule in place on each unit.

The manager can make changes with more than two weeks notice. So I keep my eye on it every couple of weeks so I don't get stuck with a shift that doesn't work for me.

Any changes with less than two weeks notice carry a penalty for the employer. I'm entitled to double time for the first shift of the changes.

I also mark any "blank" days on the rotation that I don't want to work or be considered to be called in for.

[Racer15, BSN, RN]

6 weeks. HOWEVER, where we had set schedules before, they are playing around with now, and not putting the schedule out until 3 or so days before the new schedule starts...causing some problems.

[MSUOUgirl]

Just started working and our schedule is two weeks in advance. The manager does not fill the schedule in completely; there is no coverage for some shifts. Seems like the manager makes it up as the days go. For instance, I was called on Friday to work two shifts for the weekend. Then one of the days turned into mandatory because they did not have someone for midnight shift scheduled. I know this is my fault for agreeing but I am new so I wanted to please them.

Also, the manager verbally agrees to let you have a day off and then turns around and says he never said it. This happened twice in the last two days with one nurse and myself. I was scheduled to work a day that the manager said I could have off because of working 3 shifts over the weekend (we have 8 hour shifts). The manager turns around and says he didn't say that. The manager did that to another girl this past weekend--agree to let them have the night off and then says they did not remember saying that.

Craziness.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Also, the manager verbally agrees to let you have a day off and then turns around and says he never said it. This happened twice in the last two days with one nurse and myself. I was scheduled to work a day that the manager said I could have off because of working 3 shifts over the weekend (we have 8 hour shifts). The manager turns around and says he didn't say that. The manager did that to another girl this past weekend--agree to let them have the night off and then says they did not remember saying that.

Craziness.

Never rely on verbal agreements as they're worth the paper they're written on.

Make it a habit to get these things in writing. One way to do it is to send the manager a email saying, "I want to confirm that per our discussion today, you stated I could have Sunday off. Please let me know ASAP if that has changed; otherwise I will take the day off as we agreed." Request a read receipt when you send the message so you have proof the manager read it (and they also can't say "I didn't get the message").

[HeySis, BSN, RN]

Our schedule is put out 3 months in advance, but subject to change the your in time up to one day before.

For example if I'm scheduled to work Tuesday at 9am, Monday I could be told (verbally if I'm at work, or via text) to come in the next day at 8am or 10am. But I knew this before I took the job.

Days that you work are never changed after the schedule is out, unless you talked someone into switching with you.

Our holiday schedule is set up for the next 4 years. And our time off requests get put in during the month of November for the entire next year. Crazy, huh? It certainly took some time getting use to planning that far in advance. The good thing is most of the people on my unit are pretty flexible if you find something unexpected (or fun) came up as long as you are willing to return the favor.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

And to answer the OP's question: my schedule never changes as I work specific days each week.

When it comes to the major holidays, generally if they fall on a day I'm scheduled, I have to work them unless I requested it off and the request was approved. If they fall on other days, I may or may not be assigned to work them, depending on staffing needs and what other holidays I was able to get off.