It's that time again! Working Christmas?

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Soooo...I worked Thanksgiving and Christmas last year. I have both off this year:p Our ER has tried really hard to be fair in who works what. Usually the newest staff work Christmas. That means that whoever was last hired is automatically on for Christmas. (which is why I worked it last year)

I had never worked Christmas before and it nearly broke my heart...But, after posting something here, I waaaaay got over it:D I recieved many replies that basically said "Christmas is any day you make it" I actually enjoyed working Christmas last year. Lot's of actually sick pt's! My family had Christmas the day AFTER and it was really fun.

This year in our unit was difficult. Here is the scoop. Two nurses were hired at exactly the same time. The Christmas shift was filled by nurses who volunteered to work except for one slot. So, our poor director had to choose one nurse to work. The first new nurse has "little kids" ages 2 and 3. The second new nurse has a husband who has been in Iraq for the past two Christmases and a new grandchild to see. The first nurse (with "little kids") was scheduled for Christmas. :chair: ohmyholycow...She pitched a FIT. Crying and throwing things in the break room about how "she has little kids" It was a scene. She went down the schedule and realized that many of us have both holidays off and really went crazy.

Anyhow...What do you think was "fair" She managed to throw enough of a hissy fit that our director posted the position as "open" and another nurse actually wanted to trade for Thanksgiving... I just thought the nurse throwing a hissy was ridiculous.

Thoughts?

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

skeleton crew remaining happens to be the only 2 of us, because "well you dont have kids so you don't need it off". last year had a nurse demand i worked christmas for her because "you dont have kids" . i might have done, of even split a shift, but for the attitude. all i think most of us need is fairness and that this "i have kids" crap stays out of it; i mean some of these people using this have teenagers for gods sake. besides you work in a hospital its 24/7. don't like it, plenty of other options.

so because someone else chose to reproduce and you didn't (or weren't able to) you should work her holiday? that sucks!

i worked with a nurse years ago who informed me that i needed to work her christmas for her "because you don't have a life." had she asked me nicely, i would have worked her christmas for her because i didn't have a life that year. (that was the year my boyfriend moved out on christmas eve.) but because she was so nasty about it, i didn't trade with her, and put out the word to everyone else on the unit about what she said. no one else worked for her either. it just so happened that someone asked me very nicely on december 23 if i would work her christmas for her because something came up at the last minute at her church and she had an opportunity to sing a solo for the christmas service. she'd be happy to work my christmas for me next year, plus trade for ny for me this year. i traded with her at the last minute, even though it meant working six 12 hour shifts in a row because she asked me so nicely (and because my bf moved out on christmas eve.) the first nurse didn't speak to me until the following november, when once again, she informed me that i needed to work her christmas for her because she had little kids and i didn't. guess what? i didn't.

[hikernurse]

I'm working Christmas day, fair enough--we alternate years, too--but the people I'm working with don't have childen and volunteered for the day. Even though I'm working, too, I appreciate the people who did volunteer so more nurses with families could stay home. You can bet I'll be bringing in a little gift for them Christmas day :-). When my kids are older, I'll be the one volunteering for the holiday so others can stay home.

That said, we're celebrating Christmas a day early (couldn't talk anyone into a day late, LOL) and the children are fine with it. They got together and wrote a letter to Santa asking him to come a day early (just like the earlier poster) and put "Please open this soon, Santa, it's important" on the outside of the envelope. They think they're getting a good deal since their friends have to wait an extra day for Santa to come.

You've got to know getting into this field that you'll end up working holidays--I can't imagine pitching a fit about it--esp. at work. I hope she's embarassed.

[TazziRN, RN]

I can't imagine pitching a fit about it--esp. at work. I hope she's embarassed.

Unfortunately she probably sees it as a victory, and will until she experiences something worse, like no one wanting to help her out. A few years ago there was a registration clerk that had been hired a few months before. She was a single parent and came to register a pt in tears one night because she thought she would get Christmas off and didn't. Her way of handling it was to quit, and she was very happy about that decision. Several months later she was seen working at In 'N Out and looked very unhappy. Oh well.

[MIA-RN1, RN]

I am straight evenings and have two older kids (12 and 18) and I knew all along I'd have to work Christmas this year but what I don't like is that I got put on the day shift 7a - 3p. I was counting on my regular hours, either 3p - 11p or 11a - 11p. But what can I do? Suck it up and deal with it and I know I will have next Christmas off.

My holiday is busy with work this year, 12/22 12h shift, 12/23 4h evening shift, 12/24 off (thankfully! I was asked to work but said I just can't!) 12/25 7a -3p and 12/26 12h shift. My kids are not thrilled but not too upset; since i expected to work 11a-11p on Christmas, the day shift seems like a bit of a bonus to them. I like the idea of celebrating a day early, maybe we will have Christmas morning on the 24th (yes we still do it even with older kids lol). And maybe Santa will leave a few extra presents out before she goes to work Christmas morning.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Just because you don't have kids doesn't mean you don't have family/friends and want to celebrate with them.

Exactly. I will never have kids, so giving preference to those with kids would make me work every Christmas from now on.

My sister wants me to come home this Christimas. Unfortunately I volunteered to work and it's too late. But next year if I want to go spend Xmas with my parents and sister's family I expect that after working the last 15 years my manager is going to let me have it, even though I don't have kids. I dare someone with kids to tell me I don't need it off and they should get preference. LOL

[kate1114]

It always amazes me how some people just expect holidays to be handed to them, especially if they are new. I'm working my first holiday season in my new unit and I've requested off Christmas, since I'm trying to travel. In return I've volunteered for Thanksgiving and the night before Thanksgiving and I'll be available for New Year's as well. You have to show the ability to give as well as take. I go in tonight, hopefully they will have the Christmas schedule out. Luckily, there are a lot of younger nurses on my shift who don't have kids, and many of them are wanting New Year's off. I can still travel even if I have to work Christmas, but I just want to know if I need to buy a plane ticket :)

[Kelky]

In all honesty it was worse working holidays when I didn't have kids, it meant that my husband would be spending the day alone as we had no family nearby and most friends go away to theirs. At least now while I work nights over Thanksgiving he will have lots of fun playing with the boys. I bet they won't miss me a bit!

[jannrn]

I don't know about anyone else, but I like Holiday pay, and it is fun to make the unit festive (in spirit) and I also don't mind a convenient excuse to not cook a holiday meal!! makes me sound greedy and lazy....or maybe I just know it comes with the career and fussing about it does no good, and there are jobs out there where you don't have to work holidays (day surgery, office jobs, occupational nursing, school nursing.....) and if I chose to I could find one of those.

[Quickbeam, BSN, RN]

Last year had a nurse demand I worked christmas for her because "you dont have kids" . I might have done, of even split a shift, but for the attitude. All I think most of us need is fairness and that this "I have kids" crap stays out of it

Whew, are you my twin? This happened to me more times than I can count in my hospital years (20 years of straight nights). Trouble was, I'd do someone a favor after they begged and by the next year, that nurse was gone and a new one with young children in her place. I got real tired of people trying to manipulate me. My husband and I are a family.

In my hospital, the moaning over Christmas would begin in July! I'm in community health now...no holidays to work...but I remember the angsting like it was yesterday. The 15 or 16 Christmas shifts I did work? Easiest shifts I ever had (pediatrics and rehab).

[perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN]

They are talking about doing split shifts in my unit this year, for those who want it but not everyone has to. The way it is now, you either work a full 12-hr shift the holiday or the day after, and on night shift that basically means you work every holiday unless you can finagle out of it (you work, for example, either Dec. 24 or 25 for Christmas). (It counts as "your" holiday if you work the night before, i.e. Christmas Eve). I prefer working the night before b/c my family is out of town and that way I can just drive home afterwards and celebrate with them, take a nap later in the day and not have to worry about driving all the way back for work that night. And I guess that is a good idea in some ways to do it that way, b/c then no one has to work both those days/nights and has some chance of celebrating.

Holidays yes, are what you make of it. It's all about respect and realizing EVERYONE who works in that hospital has family and/or friends who love them and want to be with them on holidays- NO ONE is more "important" in that respect than others!!! We are all adults and I don't see why some people can't act like it.

[Midwest4me]

At our hospital even though you may get a holiday granted off, others(who'd requested the day off) may call in sick and you'll get mandated to work part of or all of a shift anyway! (No, nothing is done to those who call in).

[Christie RN2006]

I actually got Thanksgiving off, but I have to work Christmas day this year I really wouldn't be upset about it except for the fact that I get nothing extra for working that day. I do not get a holiday bonus or anything because I am still new enough that all my benefits are frozen.