Have to Request to Cut My Hours...

[westieluv]

I recently began working at a beautiful LTC/AL/Memory Care facility and really enjoy the job. The down side is that I have to walk a TON during my ten hour shifts and I am no longer a young nurse. As a result, I am having exacerbation of old issues with heel spurs and plantar fascitis and leave work after each shift pretty much limping from the pain. I went to a podiatrist and a specialty shoe store in an effort to find something that could help and ended up spending quite a bit of money on orthotics, special shoes, etc., and even with that, I am still in pain pretty much the entire time I'm at work.

I currently work full-time, or four ten hour shifts. My goal is to continue with this job, which I really do like, and just cut back to three nights a week instead of four.

So here is my question: How do I go about requesting this when I just accepted the forty hour position a matter of weeks ago? I am not the most assertive person to begin with, but I am really nervous anticipating what they will say when I ask them to cut back on my hours. I plan to tell them that I really like the job and don't want to quit, but that my body just can't take this much walking anymore.

Can anyone offer any suggestions for how to handle this? I have a call in to the HR person and I am quite nervous! We are, like most places, perennially short staffed due to them not hiring enough nurses, and they have even hinted that they would like me to pick up a fifth ten hour shift/week once in a while! I will never do that, but even the four shifts are kiling me!

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

I feel you - getting older is for the birds, right?

I would advise you to be prepared with some sort of formal documentation from your physician re: diagnosis & activity limitations. If you are capable of working one shift at a time with sufficient amount of in-between recuperation, be sure to let them know. You have valuable skills and knowledge. Perhaps they may have other, less physical, duties you can perform in an alternating work pattern. You could contribute to staff education, quality, etc.

If it doesn't look as though a reduced schedule is going to work out for you, PLEASE explore your options for a disability claim to at least supplement your income if you are unable to continue in direct care. That's what it's there for.... when you are no longer able to perform your job. Your physician should be able to fill you in on this process.

Best wishes - hope it works out for you very soon

[caliotter3]

Maybe day on, day off? Try that and see if it helps. Or, alternatively, can you cut back to 8 or 6 hours during the most busy part of the shift? Maybe temporarily, perhaps your body will adapt. It is a shame to be in this position since you like the job. Best wishes. Please tell us how this works out.