working on Christmas?

Nurses General Nursing

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I've been a nurse for almost 8 years. I have always volunteered to work EVERY holiday (newyears, 4th of July, Thanksgiving etc...) just to have Christmas off to be with my family. I am 6 months into a new ER job and they have scheduled me for Christmas Eve AND Christmas day:sniff: My poor kid's are really upset. My husband is also a nurse and is scheduled to work Christmas day this year too.

I had to tell my parent's that we were both working and ask if they would take the kids. My mom was pretty nasty and less then understanding. She said she didn't think it was "fair" to ask that I work Christmas when I have kids. I told her that people still get sick on Christmas and I wasn't the only employee with children.

Here is what I need from you all...;) Please help me explain to my (never had a job outside of the home) mother why I have to work Christmas. and second...Help me understand why I have to work Christmas:sniff: :lol2:

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
When it comes down to it does it REALLY matter when you celebrate Christmas as long as you remember the reason, purpose, or spirit of the season?

:yeahthat:

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Specializes in Internal Medicine Unit.

Sorry to hear that you're both working Christmas. On our unit, we have a sign up list for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years shifts. We sign up in order of seniority, and we ALL are required to take 2 - 8 hour holiday shifts. I'm low on seniority. Last year I took Thanksgiving 3p-11p and New Years 7a-3p. This year I've got Thanksgiving 3p-11p and Christmas Day 7a-3p. As a kindness to our fellow nurses, those of us without children try to cover Christmas. It's worked well for the 2 years I've been here. If you want to use time from your hour bank or want to take time off without pay, there is as second list that you can put your name on...it's first come, first serve. Then, if you're not needed, you can be "called off." If your ED is not too large, then it might be a suggestion you could make to your manager for next year.

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Specializes in L&D.
Good point. There are plenty of nursing jobs that don't require weekends/holidays/etc.quote] No there aren't. If there were, I'd be working there.
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Specializes in L&D.
If you are working Christmas Eve why won't you be home on Christmas morning? Sounds like as a night person you can have Christmas unless you work both christmas Eve and Day.

If you had kids you'd know that they are up at or before 7:00 am Christmas morning, so if you are scheduled to work until 7:30 am, don't leave until at least 8:00, then half hour to get home (if there's no snow), then you miss the kids opening their presents. Simple as that. I hear a lot of bitterness from nurses that have a problem finding a man to be with, thus no children thus some jealous people that say things like (reproductive choice) about us that were lucky enough to have a wonderful spouse and lucky enough to have children.

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Specializes in L&D.
I have not been a nurse near about as long as you have, but I can totally empathize with what you are saying. However, I feel that employers only care about one thing.......staffing there units. So I feel that I should also care about one thing.....my family first, job second. It is very important to me that my children experience the holidays the way I did growing up, and that is why I am going to seriously start looking for employment that does not require holidays. I feel that if I stay committed to hospital nursing too long, I will be bitter and resentful in the years to come due to the lack of respect that administration has for seasoned nurses. I love my career, but if I want to continue to love it I know I need to take more control over my own schedule.
Me too. Financially, I don't need to work. My husband does extremely well, and I choose to work because I want to. This is also why I never pick up extra hours. I will, however, trade days with someone who asks, if I am able. If I worked all the overtime other nurses (who don't seem to have a very good personal life) do, I'd absolutely hate my job! My family will always come first.
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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
I hear a lot of bitterness from nurses that have a problem finding a man to be with, thus no children thus some jealous people that say things like (reproductive choice) about us that were lucky enough to have a wonderful spouse and lucky enough to have children.

Bitterness, no, more like an arguement for fair consideration for days off or holidays, no matter WHAT someone's living situation, lifestyle, familystyle is like.

Any bitterness i have regarding this subject extends to those people with a sense of self-entitlement that their life, needs, and wants take precedence over any other person who may or may not have a different situation going on. I am not saying any particular person, so for those that just read my post, if this doesn't apply to you, then spare the flames, thank you.

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Specializes in L&D.
Time for some people to GROW UP.
You as a staff member of this BB should know better than talking to people like this. She is entitiled to her opinion, no need to talk to her like that.
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If you had kids you'd know that they are up at or before 7:00 am Christmas morning, so if you are scheduled to work until 7:30 am, don't leave until at least 8:00, then half hour to get home (if there's no snow), then you miss the kids opening their presents. Simple as that. I hear a lot of bitterness from nurses that have a problem finding a man to be with, thus no children thus some jealous people that say things like (reproductive choice) about us that were lucky enough to have a wonderful spouse and lucky enough to have children.

Wow, talk about an angry response. Did it ever occur to you that some couples choose not to have children? I think it's pretty arrogant to assume that others are so jealous of you. Maybe some of us aren't jealous of you, we just don't expect to work every shift you don't want. My love life is none of your business, just like your childcare issues aren't any of my business.

BTW, your kids can wait for you to get home to open presents. I did it growing up a few times. But even if they couldn't, is that really what Xmas is about to you? If so, that's sad.

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If you had kids you'd know that they are up at or before 7:00 am Christmas morning, so if you are scheduled to work until 7:30 am, don't leave until at least 8:00, then half hour to get home (if there's no snow), then you miss the kids opening their presents. Simple as that. I hear a lot of bitterness from nurses that have a problem finding a man to be with, thus no children thus some jealous people that say things like (reproductive choice) about us that were lucky enough to have a wonderful spouse and lucky enough to have children.

Oh. My. God.

That has absolutely nothing to do with it! It's almost laughable to imagine that you think us all a bunch of wizened old maids who get revenge for our miserable, single, childless lives by taking an earned holiday off.

Yup, for spite. That's exactly why I took my earned holidays off. :uhoh3:

BULLETIN: Your having a husband and children does not make your time off more valuable than mine. You're not holding a hand of trump, here.

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Specializes in L&D.
Oh. My. God.

That has absolutely nothing to do with it! It's almost laughable to imagine that you think us all a bunch of wizened old maids who get revenge for our miserable, single, childless lives by taking an earned holiday off.

Yup, for spite. That's exactly why I took my earned holidays off. :uhoh3:

BULLETIN: Your having a husband and children does not make your time off more valuable than mine. You're not holding a hand of trump, here.

I am actually not scheduled to work Christmas Eve. I was explaining to the poster how working until 7:30 am does not mean the nurse is home at that time. The kids will most likely be up before you get home. I'm not even in this situation.
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I am actually not scheduled to work Christmas Eve. I was explaining to the poster how working until 7:30 am does not mean the nurse is home at that time. The kids will most likely be up before you get home. I'm not even in this situation.

What is the horror of having the kids wait a couple of hours to open their gifts? Christmas is supposed to be about friends and family, not gifts.

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Specializes in L&D.
Oh. My. God.

That has absolutely nothing to do with it! It's almost laughable to imagine that you think us all a bunch of wizened old maids who get revenge for our miserable, single, childless lives by taking an earned holiday off.

quote] Not all of them, but yes, some of them. In fact, some of them I report off to in the morning.

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