I work midnight shift (7p-7a), weekend option at a hospital about 30 miles from my home. My floor is a stressful, busy med-surg floor, and a lot of times, I am the charge nurse. By the time my three days are over, I am wore out!
I chose to work weekend option so that the rest of the week I could homeschool my 5 year old son, spend time with my husband and have time for my other interests. It's like I am two different people: Through the week, I am a homeschool, stay at home mom. Come Friday night, I turn into Nurse Bugaloo for three shifts. I feel that I am a good nurse, and I do a good job while I am work. It is the best of both worlds.
The problem is this: A few weeks ago, our Nurse Manager, who I greatly admire, mentioned in a meeting that from now on, our yearly raises would not only be based on work performance. They would also take into consideration how many meetings and inservices you attend, and how involved you are in signing up to work on different hospital and floor committees. For the record, all of their meetings and inservices are mandatory and they are all held throughout the week (as are all committee meetings).
Am I wrong to think that our raises should be based on our work performance? I am a team player when I am at work. But, after almost 16 years of being a nurse, all I really want to do is work my shifts, be done with it, and then spend the rest of my time with my family. I don't want to run 30 miles back and forth for meetings and inservices on my days off!
