Do nurses get holidays off?

Creamsoda, ASN, RN · Nov 27, 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.

I have worked with nurses who think that just because they have kids, that why cant us with out kids work the holidays, weekends and later shifts. Ummm, im sorry, I didnt decided for you to get knocked up and have a kid. You figure it out (im not directing this at you, just as some nurses who feel entitled). I enjoy holidays, christmas, thanksgiving, 4th July ect just as much as anyone else and often make plans when I end up with some of these holidays off to spend time with friends/family, going campings, making turkey dinner or whatever the occasion may be. So that being said, I will work my share of the holidays and I expect everyone else to. It usually gets traded off every year and we take turns. You dont have to work EVERY holiday, just some. It aint that bad.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Nov 27, 2011

You know, I didn't get the feeling that the OP thinks she deserves holidays off because she has kids, but simply that she would LIKE them and KNOWS that that's an issue.

RNMom2010 · Nov 27, 2011

I do not work any major holidays. It's nice to know I will be home with my son and hopefully my hubby (He does have to work the holiday if it falls on his regularly scheduled day to work.) Some holidays I wish I was bringing in that extra pay, but more often than not it's nice to be off!

maelstrom143 · Nov 27, 2011

What holidays you do or don't work really depends on the facility you work in. LTC, hospitals, acute care settings are more likely to be needing you 12h shifts, holidays (many facilities let their employees choose which holidays they will cover). The newer you are, the more likely you will be given holidays (our senior nurses in GA tended to get first choice of holidays, which made sense to me).

I think if you want holidays off you might be looking at a clinic, office, school nursing setting. Much more likely to have holidays off. Also, much more likely to not get the acute care experience. However, those that work in these areas have told me that they love what they do and do not see themselves doing anything else.

It all boils down to how badly do you want to be a nurse and what are you willing to do for it. I work some holidays and celebrate the day after. Last year, my family celebrated Christmas two days in a row...the day I worked they all got to open one gift; the next day I was off, they got to open up everything. They loved it :) and I did not miss a thing. DH is very supportive about my job, so that helps.

FlyingScot, RN · Nov 27, 2011

SuesquatchRN said:
You know, I didn't get the feeling that the OP thinks she deserves holidays off because she has kids, but simply that she would LIKE them and KNOWS that that's an issue.

You're right Sue, but because she brought up the issue that she has a child and wants to spend the holidays with him/her the discussion branched off from there. I don't think most of the ensuing comments were particularly directed at her. I know mine wasn't. It's a loaded topic for sure.

joanna73, BSN, RN · Nov 27, 2011

It"s the tone of the post that has irritated some of us. "Some have kids, some don't...." The OP's opening line.

Which makes us single people feel like the OP is assuming that weekends and holidays are more important when you have kids. This is not true, and I've worked with people like this who expect their coworkers to accommodate them. Off time is valued by everyone.

noahsmama · Nov 27, 2011

Kooky Korky said:
If you don't want to work holidays, work in a doctor's office, a clinic, or be a school nurse, or teach at a school of Nursing, or do Utilization Review. Work for an insurance company as a Case Manager or find some other area of Nursing in which you don't have to care directly for patients at the bedside or in their home.

I went into public health nursing in part so that I could get my weekends and holidays back. It's nice to be off on the same days that my son is home from school. I highly recommend it! :yeah:

RNSuzq1, RN · Nov 27, 2011

merlee said:
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!

Merlee, I think that's Wonderful that you volunteered to work for others over Christmas. My Dad worked nights at the Post Office for over 30yrs - Christmas being the busiest time of yr. I still remember his Jewish co-workers always more than willing to work for him on Christmas Night so he could be home with our Family. That was many yrs ago & I still remember how much that simple gesture from those nice men, meant to us kids. He did the same for them over the Jewish Holidays - it's great when people can work together to have family time & still get the job done.

OCNRN63, RN · Nov 27, 2011

RNSuzq1 said:
Merlee, I think that's Wonderful that you volunteered to work for others over Christmas. My Dad worked nights at the Post Office for over 30yrs - Christmas being the busiest time of yr. I still remember his Jewish co-workers always more than willing to work for him on Christmas Night so he could be home with our Family. That was many yrs ago & I still remember how much that simple gesture from those nice men, meant to us kids. He did the same for them over the Jewish Holidays - it's great when people can work together to have family time & still get the job done.

When others are willing to reciprocate, it's great. In my exp., that didn't happen, which is why now I take my holidays just like anyone else. I no longer feel like it's my responsibility to help people get off when they won't help me. ("I would, but my kid has soccer/ballet/piano lessons/Scouts/art class/Bible study/etc.")

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Nov 27, 2011

krisjazzer13 said:
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!

Some people do care. Some are bound by school vacation schedules and the like, so they have to care.

Kooky Korky, BSN, RN · Nov 27, 2011

Creamsoda said:
I have worked with nurses who think that just because they have kids, that why cant us with out kids work the holidays, weekends and later shifts. Ummm, im sorry, I didnt decided for you to get knocked up and have a kid. You figure it out (im not directing this at you, just as some nurses who feel entitled). I enjoy holidays, christmas, thanksgiving, 4th July ect just as much as anyone else and often make plans when I end up with some of these holidays off to spend time with friends/family, going campings, making turkey dinner or whatever the occasion may be. So that being said, I will work my share of the holidays and I expect everyone else to. It usually gets traded off every year and we take turns. You dont have to work EVERY holiday, just some. It aint that bad.

Knocked up? Wow. :eek: :uhoh3:

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Nov 27, 2011

The issues about people with kids needing the holidays off is a personal pet peeve of mine. To paraphrase Margaret Houlihan, "You may have the most to lose, but that's only because you have the most."

I'd love to be kvetching about getting more time with my kids or husband, but it didn't turn out that way. (And wouldn't my coworkers love to listen to all that complaining...not.) I do switch when able, but everyone deserves to get special occasions off, without the whining.