Cutting Back from Full-Time to Part-Time or Contingent

[westieluv]

I recently took a job at a retirement community where I work nights overseeing a couple of locked dementia units and a couple of open assisted living units. While I like the job overall, I see that I made a huge mistake in taking a full-time position. I am middle-aged and have been a nurse for 25 years. I really need to just work part-time, ideally 2-3 nights a week. I don't mind the night shift, I just want to do less of it.

I requested almost a month ago to have my hours cut back to three nights a week or be given contingent status. None of the other RNs on any shift in this facility are full-time, they are all part-time or contingent. I think the only reason the night position is full-time is because it is harder to find people to work nights. So far, they keep blowing me off..."We will look at the schedule and get back with you...I will talk to so and so and get back with you...etc., etc."

In my experience, facilities will allow their staff to change their status from full-time to part-time or contingent because they figure it's better than having a good nurse quit and some nights are better than no nights. I didn't think that this request would be a problem at all. What do you think? Do you think they should let me cut back, or do you think they have a right to "force" me to stay full-time? I just emailed the HR lady this morning and made it fairly clear that if i am forced to stay full-time, I will look elsewhere for employment that is part-time. My thinking is that it would be better to have me one night less each week than to not have me at all and have to fill four nights a week on the schedule.

Any thoughts? I am heading into a stretch on the schedule where I work ten hour shifts six nights out of the next seven. This is not sustainable, and I will quit if I need to, but I really don't WANT to quit!