Forced To Change Shifts

[anj]

Hi, I am a new graduate nurse who was hired to work on days. However, I was told that another new graduate who was hired two months before me (and who was originally hired to work on nights) plans on asking our manager to switch my day position with her night position since she has "seniority." Is this possible? 

I accepted this offer due to it being a day position and hope to stay on days. 

[13grad71]

If your employment contract or offer states days then you are days. Doesn’t matter if the other new grad is more senior than you. 

if you were hired for nights but are doing days then they can probably force you to move to nights but if I were you I would like hell to keep your shift 

[John2018]

If it is not a big deal for you to change shifts then I think just go with it. But I also think that it wouldnt hurt to ask why the sudden change in shifts.

[Olivelove20]

Maybe I'm not understanding your post, but if coworker wants to change from nights to days and is going to ask your Nurse Manager how is this your problem? It isn't.  Your coworker is making a lot of assumptions on the fact she has been there a mere 2 months longer.

You were hired for days. You are not obligated to make any changes for your coworker. That is your Nurse Manager's arena. Why you have not spoken directly to your Nurse Manager about your concerns with what your coworker has said? 

Now, if the Nurse Manager has come to you and said you need to switch with this person then you need to be asking why and if necessary, get HR involved since it would be a change you haven't requested and a shift other than what your interviewed/hired for. 

Either way you need to advocate for yourself/your needs because no one else is going to.

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

Seniority might count for something if a position opened, then a more senior employee might get the OPEN position depending on union contract or facility policy.  Seniority does not however give an employee the right to force somebody out of a position they  already have.  Have you already started working in that position? Or at the least does your offer letter and/or contract specify which shift you were hired to?

If you are concerned about your nurse manager actually entertaining the idea of honoring that request ask your manager about it. If your manager confirms it's true tell your manager you are not interested in switching shifts and if you are then told you have to change shifts get HR involved. 

[RatherBHiking, BSN, RN]

I once worked at a place they forced an aide to move from days which she was hired to nights or she’d lose her job. I thought that was wrong. She was so upset as she had a right to be. Thankfully she ended up loving nights! However that’s because the administration decided we had too many day shift aides and wanted him to “get rid of one” so the manager was being kind trying to help her keep her much needed job. (Of course this was pre pandemic and we were always short an aide on day shift after that but the hospital was saving money so who cares!?) I’ve never seen a nightshift nurse just decide they want to change to days and force a newer day shift nurse to change. If she wanted days she should’ve asked to switch to days when your job was being posted, not after they hired you for it. I don’t think you have much to worry about. 

[PapaBearRN, BSN]

You don’t have anything to worry about. That nurse can’t just push you out of your shift. You were hired on days and that’s what your contract says. That nurse was hired on nights and will be on nights until a day shift position opens up and no one more senior wants it.