Fairness

brownbook · Jan 18, 2018

After your schedule is out they change it? Or they make the new schedule without bothering to acknowledge certain days you can't work? Either one is wrong.

As long as you are not asking to never be scheduled on weekends or holidays or something like that there is no reason they shouldn't be able to accommodate you.

Calmly, politely, meet with whom ever does your schedule. Reinforce to them, give them in writing, what days you cannot work, and quietly start looking for another job.

ruby_jane, BSN, RN · Jan 18, 2018

Ooohh...So, if this isn't a troll post....

You signed up to come in certain hours. It sounds like the 12-hour shifts aren't working so well for you. Consider a kind of nursing (ambulatory care) where you won't be hitched to 12-hour shifts. Perhaps home health where you can be a lot more flexible about your schedule?

Crush · Jan 18, 2018

When you were hired, were you aware that you would be scheduled 12 hour shifts? Did they promise certain hours and put it in writing? Perhaps if 12 hrs is not right for you & your needs have changed, it is time to work a different area/facility with hours that reflect your needs better.

Sour Lemon · Jan 18, 2018

Why in nursing do managers not understand inflexibility with schedule changes? Im married, w 2 kids, hardly any help, and 12 hour shifts dont allow me to get kids to school. My husband and family cannot help me. No daycare before school for one of my kids. So when i say i cannot work certain days, i cant. Who will take my kids to school? They cannot stand outside for 2 hours alone. But manAgement can change my schedule, without asking me. How is this professional conduct? How am i being treated professionally, when i know my responsibilities/ limits and i cannot help their staffing issues? Why is nursing so inflexible to a working mom?

The problem is that everyone has a life outside of work and everyone has restrictions on the hours they are able or willing to work. Management can't always accommodate everyone in every case. Floor nursing is not "professional" in the purest sense of the word. We still have our schedules decided by someone else, need permission to take time off, and we still punch a time clock. Per diem has worked well for me. Maybe that's something you could look into?

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Jan 18, 2018

Managements FIRST responsibility is to the patients.

Hink12 · Jan 18, 2018

After i submit my schedule ( selfscheduling), they change it( dont ask about changes/ they know what i can/ cant do but dont care). 12 hour shifts work most days, but i just cant some days. Upon hire, i had this all in writing from previous boss, now new boss doesnt care . Shes made her own rules.

Hink12 · Jan 18, 2018

and this is why retention is low. Ms. DNP, i guess youll need to know what size scrubs to wear, cause youll be working when you have no staff.... if you keep treating us nurses like this.

chare · Jan 18, 2018

Managements FIRST responsibility is to the patients.

Yet, how many have either lost sight of, or never knew this.

cleback · Jan 18, 2018

I would look for another job, unfortunately. We self-schedule too, but management reserves the right to "balance" (change) the schedule before it's released. Unless you have a signed agreement of the hours you are available, I think your management can do the same.

On a personal note (and maybe I shouldn't go there) since you'll be making some sacrifices, I think it's personally reasonable to ask dad to share some responsibility. While I can sympathize with challenges of working moms, I don't get why the challenges are not spread equally amongst partners.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Jan 18, 2018

After i submit my schedule ( selfscheduling), they change it( dont ask about changes/ they know what i can/ cant do but dont care). 12 hour shifts work most days, but i just cant some days. Upon hire, i had this all in writing from previous boss, now new boss doesnt care . Shes made her own rules.

If you have it in writing AND they use self scheduling, yeah I can see how maddening that is. Do you still have your copy of the agreement?

Yes they have to staff the floor... but is it really that difficult? Does every single staff member need those same days off? There are unreasonable requests ("I NEED Christmas off...I have kids!!!" Or "I'm Adventist and hey scheduled me on Saturday...HOW CAN THEY DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ME LIKE THIS??????"), but there are also reasonable ones. Yours worked just fine until management changed, so I'm assuming it was a reasonable request.

Benefit-of-the-doubt question... have you had these discussions with management? With scores of staff members, is it possible that they simply don't remember?

If everything has been exhausted though, honestly I would leave. I mean employees need to benefit the employer, but employMENT needs to benefit the employEE as well.

Workitinurfava, BSN, RN · Jan 18, 2018

There bottom line is fulfilling their needs and that about sums it up. If you can't do it, they will find someone else who is willing to say yes. That is why in this field there are constant hiring's and firings. My job has stopped putting me on the schedule. I am supposed to get at-least 6 shifts a month because I am PRN. I fulfilled their needs when they didn't have enough staff but now they have hired all of these new full-time people so it is out the door for me. I asked my manager about this and all she had do say was they hired more people. I was willing to work the days no one wants to work. I will find something else and luckily am not pressured to do it right away. My husband does pretty well on his own financially. Sometimes management just doesn't want to accommodate staff. The regular full time people have been claiming that they can't take time off for medical appointments etc. They are told to find replacements, well I was there replacement and now they don't need me. The newbies are walking in all bright eyed and busy tailed but in due time they will most likely face the same situation. When I started all was well for the first two months but then a ton of people left. They like to say the are over staffed but they never are. They are actually short-staffed and like to have nurses work under that condition. They just want to save money. I know I cost more but when you burn out all of your regular staff it will end up costing you more money to replace them versus someone who doesn't work as much and can fill end where needed.