So I'm currently working in a surgical onco floor as a new grad nurse and my shift begins tomorrow. I just finished a month of didactics and now we will be sent to our units.
So my didactics went from 8a-5pm and I had weekends off. That meant I had all the time to attend Church every sunday and have some free time. So I was called as a member of the young women presidency in our ward and also was assigned a teaching assignment for the youth. So I accepted these callings because I have always wanted to do these before.
What I am very sad about it is that we start working with shifting schedule this week (just as all us nurses usually do) and ofc, I may not always have the time to go to church and attend to my calling (or teach) every weekend consistently and this makes me sad. I spoke with my bishop about this and he knows I am on a shifting schedule. He said I didnt need to be there all the time.
Im just worried I might get schedules that will require me not to attend church for a loooong period and it makes me honestly sad. How did you deal with shifting schedules and Church callings and responsibilities?
To whom are you all speaking? The OP? She didn't say anything about not working the Sundays, nor ask for any pointers on how to screw others out of their weekends off, nor state that it's a sin for her to work on Sundays, nor...blah blah blah...
What gives?
My guess is it's a knee-jerk reaction, given that nearly everything post on the topic has smacked of entitlement.
OP, a thought I had: can you calling-share with one other lady? I've known some teachers who job-shared; for example, my one daughter had two 4th grade teachers who each worked part time. They collaborated to create lesson plans and both attended parent-teacher conferences.
Similarly, maybe you and the other lady could make time every couple of weeks to get together, maybe over breakfast or a cup of herbal tea, and discuss the teaching? It's not formal worship, but it would be a church activity.
I never understood why people go into fields knowing they aren't willing to fulfill the work requirements (like working nights, weekends and/or holidays).
And I am pretty sure if there is a God, he would rather you take care of your fellow man/woman than go to service. You can praise baby Jesus/Allah/Elohim/etc on any day or time of the week.
It seems to me that evangelical Christians and Mormons always want the world to bend to their will. They want to follow Jesus' commandment of loving Yahweh and their neighbors with a career of their choice. At the same time, they want that career to accommodate to their religious belief, which may not be shared by their employers.
I have run into this issue, and actually had to miss several Sundays due to my job. I talked with the Bishop first, and he advised me to talk with the young women's president (I am mia maids adviser and teach all of their lessons). They worked it out for other leaders to teach when I am at work. I think there is no way around missing church sometimes when you work in a hospital. Just communicate with the other leaders. As someone else said, you could always try to trade days with other nurses.
My guess is it's a knee-jerk reaction, given that nearly everything post on the topic has smacked of entitlement.
I assume you mean "nearly everything previously post on this topic." Well, I'll admit I don't know about all the religious things previously posted here; no matter because I'm not defending those, nor would I. But, maybe you're right - which would mean that a bunch of nurses having uncontrollable knee-jerk reactions to someone who personally has absolutely nothing to do with their past experiences have chimed in to lecture this new nurse about professionalism.
I have never seen a situation where individuals on staff were forced to repeatedly and seriously sacrifice to accommodate one other person's personal, family, social, educational, professional OR religious obligations. For goodness' sake, people go off for months at a time for various reasons, and no single nurse is individually subjected to slaving away unfairly on that person's behalf. So if we get to base everything on our own experiences, mine is that the knee-jerk reactions aren't in proportion to the actual size of the problem to begin with.
What I am very sad ... I spoke with my bishop about this and he knows I am on a shifting schedule. He said I didnt need to be there all the time.
Im just worried I might get schedules that will require me not to attend church for a loooong period and it makes me honestly sad. How did you deal with shifting schedules and Church callings and responsibilities?
Thank you so much!
I am a Christian and have been working weekends, holidays etc my entire working career (40+ years). I believe that our primary reason for attending Church is to worship God. While I do understand that it is God's will that we worship together, I reconcile this with the belief that it is possible to 1) worship God outside of a Church setting, 2) I am doing Gods work when I am in fact at my workplace (no matter what job), and, 3) I also say my prayers for God's will and for him to lead my path, then I know I am doing his will!. Also, not sure about Morman's but I do know there are SDA, Catholic, Lutheran Hospitals etc. so obviously they employee all kinds of people who are not able to attend worship services/church functions. If you notified your Bishop and he is OK with you not always being there for worship/youth responsibilities then I wouldn't worry about it, I understand your disappointment but the situation may change in the future, so for now just do what you can with the sched. you have and pray for continued guidance. Good luck and God Bless!
Just a clarification once again... OP did not question whether working on Sundays was conflict with her religious teachings, she had already received a satisfactory response from her Bishop.
For the non-religious among us, her question could be answered as if she were simply reaching out to others in similar circumstances asking how they balance work and life.
If one finds an activity that they love and want to participate in but it is in conflict with the work schedule how does one deal with it? Is the answer simply to "suck it up"? "You asked for it when you chose this career"? There is nothing more helpful that can be said?
I think lots of nurses would switch your Sunday with their Saturdays. Make some friends with the other staff and put it out there that you are willing to switch any Saturday for Sundays or another day for your Sunday. Good luck!
Stop with all the rude comments. AN was founded to be a SUPPORTIVE environment.
If you can't be supportive, skip the thread.
I read and re-read the OP ... and it just reads as someone who is sad and looking for feedback from nurses who have BTDT. Of someone looking for life-balance.
It does not read, in any way, of someone looking to get out of working weekends.
I'm so confused by some of the tones of the responses following.
It's hard becoming a new nurse and moving into that 24/7 schedule. I think all of us can attest to that. And that's all I'm reading into the OP. Just... sadness.
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Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN
5,047 Posts
My guess is it's a knee-jerk reaction, given that nearly everything post on the topic has smacked of entitlement.
OP, a thought I had: can you calling-share with one other lady? I've known some teachers who job-shared; for example, my one daughter had two 4th grade teachers who each worked part time. They collaborated to create lesson plans and both attended parent-teacher conferences.
Similarly, maybe you and the other lady could make time every couple of weeks to get together, maybe over breakfast or a cup of herbal tea, and discuss the teaching? It's not formal worship, but it would be a church activity.