Accepted RN position as rotating shifts but after I accepted they changed shifts

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Interviewed with va & was told I'd have rotating shifts. Did the long & drawn out hiring process for va & waited months before finally getting official job offer. I accepted excitedly, but a week later I spoke with the nurse manager on the unit I'm scheduled to start & she told me that "you will not be rotating, but strictly night shift because thats where the need is". I am a single mom of a toddler & when I assumed rotating shifts, I could work it out with family here & there to watch my son. But, theres NO way I can find someone to watch him full time plus take him to daycare before they go to work so I can sleep. Should I call the nurse manager & explain this to her & tell her I accepted under the impression of rotating shifts? I really want to work for the va but 12 hour nights 4 shifts one week & 2 shifts the following week & an 8 hour shift full time is just not fitting in my life as a single mom right now.

0 Votes

Maybe you can tell her you can do it, but since the shifts/specifications have changed, you will only be available to work part time. It would be sad to go through all that and not have a job. Or if you need full time, tell her you can work prn and continue searching for a ft job.

0 Votes

I would definitely let your supervisor know. You took the job based on what they told you about having rotating shifts. It's not fair that they've changed things on you. I was also hired for rotating shifts but before I was hired, the assistant nurse manager let me know that I would be on nights (which I prefer). Hope things work out for you.

0 Votes

ummmm i think that it was probably explained that even though its a rotating shift its as needed...

I start my job with county tomorrow and the first thing they said is that at the beginning you start off where you are needed. sometimes that requires doing day shifts...however, when i went to HR they said it was all night shift which was great for me cause the thought of having to adjust to both schedules seems crazy.

anyway, make i work! take the kjob and put in for day shift... so that you're on the list for the transfer. put in the time and before you know it, you'll be all days!

0 Votes

I am currently working at a hospital weekend option but the va is offering more pay plus better benefits. I was also offered another position at my current hospital in the "float pool". Pay is the same as my current, but I would be off weekends & it is a day shift position. So, I do have a back up plan, but I really wanted the VA job. My son is in daycare now so days is much more convenient for my situation. My sister currently picks my son up from daycare after she gets off work & keeps him for 2 hours until I get off. So days is so much better. But like I said, rotating shifts wouldn't be a prob, but nights def is!

0 Votes

I work night shift and have two kids. I get off at 6am, take my 6 year old daughter to school, and go to sleep immediately. I wake up to pick her up at 2:30. My 3 year old stays with my brother. I drop him off right before work and pick him up at 2:30 the next day the same trip that I pick my daughter up. We spend a few hours together then it's back to work, same routine.

If I am off the next day (work Monday night but off Tuesday night) then I drop my daughter off at school and then go to sleep but only for a nap. I wake up early and pick my son up early so that I get him for more hours and I catch up on my sleep that night.

Do you have someone who can watch him over night until you get off work? Then you could pick him up and take him to daycare while you sleep.

You could also hire someone to come to your house and watch him from when you leave until you get home in the morning. Have them put him to bed later (like 10pm) then he will sleep later. You go to sleep as soon as you get home and wake up with him then go back to sleep with him during his nap time. I have done this as well.

It is possible to work nights and have a toddler but a lot of it is trial and error and figuring out what works best for you.

I would at least attempt the hours and then if it doesn't work out let her know that you need part-time hours or different nights (like maybe picking up a weekend when a family member doesn't have work. That person could watch your son from when you go to work until like 11am. Instruct that person to wake your child up at 8am that way your child is ready for a nap by noon, and you can nap with him).

I have been working nights for 2 years. My son was 1 year old and my daughter was 4 when I started. I have done weekend nights and weeknights. It's complicated but once you come up with a routine it is doable.

0 Votes
Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Did you get anything in writing? This is why when nurses accept job offers they should have the specifics in writing. Many of the people I work with are experiencing the same thing: required to work 5 off shifts per 4 week schedule but are actually being assigned a lot more than was agreed upon. It's no wonder we can't keep staff when management uses such underhanded techniques to get people in and then abuse them to get what they need instead of being upfront.

0 Votes

Heres the deal. When interviewed, they specifically said, no set shifts. You will rotate but will have at least 2 days off before switching shifts. That was fine & would actually work better for me. When she told me I'd be strictly nights, I asked how hard is it for a day position & she told me that everyone on nights wants days so pretty hard. I don't see them switching me once I'm already on board & started nights. Just ky opinion

0 Votes

VA hours are from 1930-0800. My sister leaves for work at 0545. My sons daycare doesn't open until 0630. Everything is against me for this job it seems. My parents live 40 min away & agreed to keep him here & there as needed when rotating, but not full time, as they both work also.

0 Votes
VA hours are from 1930-0800. My sister leaves for work at 0545. My sons daycare doesn't open until 0630. Everything is against me for this job it seems. My parents live 40 min away & agreed to keep him here & there as needed when rotating, but not full time, as they both work also.

Why don't you get someone to watch him who doesn't have to go to work until after you are home?

0 Votes
Specializes in Cardiac, Transplant, Intermediate Care.

This happened to me with VA as well. I applied for part-time PMs, interviewed and was hired. They did not give me a proper orientation and tried to (sneakily) start to schedule me to work overnights.

0 Votes
Specializes in Management, Med/Surg, Clinical Trainer.

In most facilities having children would not push one to the front of the pack to work a different shift. They typically go by seniority, so if she has already said it would be hard to move to days then the real question is can you work nights for an indefinite period of time? If the answer is no, then you would need to pass on the job.

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment