Do nurses get holidays off?

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Nov 26, 2011

caroladybelle said:
As far as I know, few places require one to work a full 24-36 HR shift straight on the holiday. This means that one has time to see their nearby spouse/children during the holiday or the holiday eve. Thus, one does not "miss" the holidays generally with them. You merely are missing part of the day with them.
When I was a child, I missed many entire holiday Seasons with my father. You see, he served our Country in Vietnam. At one point, he was overseas for 20 straight monthes (2 holidays).... At a time when few families could afford long distance calls, and communications could be limited even if one could afford it. I often did not hear his voice for monthes on end.
That is missing your parent on the holiday. A few hours out of the day.... Not so much.

Perhaps the difference is that your father was gone for only 2 years. For those like nurses, cops, fire fighters, others who work in 24/7/365 professions, it's the same battle every single year for 30, 45 years or so. And for many of us, not seeing the kids open their presents on Christmas is a very painful thing. Or missing the family dinner of TG, or the picnic on the 4th or Jewish holidays if you're Jewish or whatever. Depending on what shift you're working, sleep enters into the equation, too. So it's not just "a few hours".

I know there are pains and sacrifices that lots of people make. Yet, some of us sacrifice more than others and it's, like I said, every year for a great many years. It gets mighty old and hurts worse each year, seems like.

SuperStarRN · Nov 26, 2011

It depends on the setting you work in. I work in dialysis and we are closed o all major holidays. I have also worked in a ssurgery center which was also closed on all major holidays. If you choose to work in a hospital or LTC then yes you will have to work on some of the major holidays. You choose which setting you work in.

merlee · Nov 26, 2011

As a Jewish person, I offered to work most Christmas eves and Christmases. I usually had off New Year's Eve and Day. Keep in mind that most of my family had off on Christmas, and they were at home waiting for me to get off so we could be together.

I probably worked or was on call nearly 30 years. And yet I had to beg to get off my own Holy Days, and can only recall ONE time when someone volunteered to work for me. AND I had to frequently use personal or vacation days to take those days off. My Holy Days are spent at the Temple for many hours in prayer, as well as the family gathering.

When I lived in Israel for a while, the issue was the Jewish holidays!!!

I worked at an acute dialysis unit for a few years and the day after Thanksgiving was also a holiday for pay purposes. Some of us who worked 10hr days volunteered to work those days because of the pay - Time and a half for the shift plus reg time if you chose to not have another day off. And our boss allowed us to leave when the work was done, sometimes as early as 2 o'clock. So we worked 7 hours and got paid for 25 - - for each of those days. That week we actually worked about 34 hours but got paid for 70 hours! Extra cash to pay for Christmas or whatever!

Patients are always happy to see familiar faces on weekend and holidays instead of all of the per diem or part-timers.

Best wishes!!

By the way - - my parents vacationed without my brother and me - - during Thanksgiving week since I was in about 9th grade! And we survived!

krisjazzer13 · Nov 26, 2011

Coming from a healthcare family (mom, dad and I are all nurses), we celebrate many holidays when we all have the chance...for example, we are celebrating Thanksgiving today since dad was on call on Thurs and I had to work 2-10 pm yesterday. As long as we are all together, who cares what day it is? Giving thanks two days later doesn't bother me one bit!

allnurses Guide · Nov 26, 2011

Add me to the list of people who definitely does not feel that having kids should mean being first in line to get holidays off.

Dixielee, BSN, RN · Nov 26, 2011

I will weigh in with essentially what others have already said. I probably have had 3 Thanksgiving days off in my entire career, but have managed to get Christmas off most years. As a single parent I always worked all of the holidays in order to get Christmas or most of it off. One year when my daughter was very young, I was on call for PACU Christmas eve. I had Santa set out and all was well until I got a 0200 call to go to work. I threw a sheet over the toys, picked up my sleeping child and headed to work.

When I worked nights I usually managed to work Christmas night which gave me the Eve and most of the day off.

I always work New Year's eve and day for those who want to celebrate. I would rather be at work an off the roads those days anyway!

I teach Sunday School so I need Sunday's off. I swap with a nurse who is Seventh Day Adventist who celebrates the Sabbath on Saturday, and she works for me on Sunday.

If you are flexible, willing to work with others, you will quickly learn the art of the swap!

I have worked for people who needed special days off for their own personal reasons even if I wasn't crazy about it, but didn't really have anything planned. If you are willing to compromise and help out others who need a shift or a part of shift off to attend a child's activity, or attend to a family problem, then you will build a reputation as one who understands, and your needs will generally be met in kind.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Nov 26, 2011

The OP states she is looking FORWARD to her career. Give her a break... she is trying to find out the scoop.

See..." Nurses eat their young" posts, OP.

Usually, you will be required to work every other holiday, depends on the facilities policy.

That covers the 6 major holidays . Easter, Christmas eve, Mother's day are NOT considered holidays and when they fall within your schedule... you work them.... for STRAIGHT time! Isn't that special!

Yes, you will miss out on some big occasions... is it worth it.? .. it wasn't to me.

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Nov 26, 2011

jmiami said:
some have kids, some don't. some value thanksgiving and christmas over the new years holidays. how often do you find yourselves working important holidays? i have a 2 yo and am looking forward to a nursing career, but if that means missing out on my daughters thanksgivings and christmases growing up it does make me think twice.

You may want to think again before you jump the gun. As others have said, it's not just the hospitals anymore. Retail is getting even more ridiculous: did you see the yahoo news story about the dude who was ****** that he had to go into work at target on midnight on thanksgiving? He should be "Thankful" he has a job.

I only read one or two replies, so I'm sure it's been said already: it's the price you pay for having a good, stable job. Working 12 hour shifts, nights weekends also give you the flexibility of many days off in a row (also, not having to take more days off for a vacation), being home when your kids get home from school (because you have to do your weekends), going to school functions (some, not all). Imagine working mon-fri 9-5 and only having holidays off: never being able to pick your kid up from school, paying for afterschool, child care, etc. It's a trade off. If you have to work (which most of us do), then you have much more flexibility as a nurse, because it's a 24/7 business.

I would be very cautious with the "I have a child" line: I have a child too, but it doesn't mean I deserve to have holidays off more than the next person. People with kids are usually amenable to helping out their coworkers who have young kids, but not all of them are. And some will not, if they think you expect them to every year. The holidays are for all family members, not just children.

As a divorced parent (who is a nurse), I have spent many a holiday without my child. You make it work, you improvise. Santa has made early trips to our house, because he knew that mommy had to work, or that child was going to be at daddys this christmas.

Hopefully, you will reach a point in your career that you have an ideal schedule. I have it now... Well, almost. I am lucky to have a 4 day weekend right now. Summers and holidays off, most breaks when my kid if off. But not all: I had to work on halloween (missed trick or treating b/c I had clinical, then had to finalize test questions), had clinical on veterans day (wouldn't be a big deal, but my kid was off and had a birthday party I couldn't take her to). I've missed science fairs (lecturing in the evening) and in-school functions (cannot call in sick on a clinical day). But all in all, it's a damn good schedule.

diva rn, BSN, RN · Nov 26, 2011

caroladybelle said:
As far as I know, few places require one to work a full 24-36 HR shift straight on the holiday. This means that one has time to see their nearby spouse/children during the holiday or the holiday eve. Thus, one does not "miss" the holidays generally with them. You merely are missing part of the day with them.
When I was a child, I missed many entire holiday Seasons with my father. You see, he served our Country in Vietnam. At one point, he was overseas for 20 straight monthes (2 holidays).... At a time when few families could afford long distance calls, and communications could be limited even if one could afford it. I often did not hear his voice for monthes on end.
That is missing your parent on the holiday. A few hours out of the day.... Not so much.

My son in law is a Green Beret who is currently deployed in Afganistan....he has been there for 4months and will not be back for another 3 or 4...he will definitely not be here for Christmas...and has not been here for several others in the past...his kids are now a 4 year old little girl and a 9 year old little boy....NOW THAT IS MISSING YOUR PARENT ON THE HOLIDAYS.....

But as he is over there serving our country and risking his life, I think it puts whining about working a shift at the hospital in perspective.

(and as a single mother, I worked many holidays while my daughter was growing up...it's what you do as a nurse...so, get over it)

Dixielee, BSN, RN · Nov 26, 2011

diva rn said:
But as he is over there serving our country and risking his life, I think it puts whining about working a shift at the hospital in perspective.

How many kudos can I give the post!! Sister, you speak the truth!!

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Nov 26, 2011

I work on-call for hospice. This week, in a wicked thunderstorm, I got called to the home of a dying person. The first words out of the caregiver's mouth were, "I'm so sorry to get you out on a night like this!" My immediate answer was, "As a nurse, I've noticed that people don't only get sick during the day when the weather's nice. It's okay."

Mandychelle79, ASN, RN · Nov 26, 2011

Eh, your family gets used to it. You adjust days or times for meals. We ate T-Day dinner at noon at my grandparents house and I missed it at my inlaws who are inflexible and must eat at 5. Going to my moms today to have another dinner since my sister and BIL didnt make it on thursday ( hes a police officer) Kids open gifts at the butt crack of dawn before you leave for work or if you work well enough with your family ( and they will keep kids christmas eve) after you get home.

My favorite Christmas memory as a child was the one where my aunt had to work on Christmas and my gma kept my cousin the night before. All Zach wanted was a chain saw ( he was like 4) so gma made sure there was a toy chain saw under the tree for him. All day long he bragged about how Santa brought him just what he wanted. After his mom got home after work, so about 4 pm, my mom and I took him home. He ran through the door, up to his mom, excited about his chain saw and trying to tell her. Then he seen their tree and exclaimed " who are all THOSE presents for"