First off...yes I love being a nurse...but I hate having to work the major holidays
This year I have been assigned X-mas Eve...which would be okay if there were only the 14 and 12yo, but the 4yo will not be able to wait until I get home X-mas Morning...he is up @ 5am...I work 1hr away and my shift doesn't end until 7am..I would much rather work Thanksgiving, X-mas day night, New Years Eve, whatever, but I hate X-mas eve
Call me a cry baby....but does anyone else love their job, but really despise this aspect of it??
My DD, who is 9 now, always had to wait for me to get home. Santa would leave her stocking in her room, but she knew that I had to be home before she could open presents. I don't think it is too much to ask of your little one...just put some fun stuff in the stocking :) When you work like we do, your family has to give too :)
Agree. We knew this before, no need to cry now. May sound a tad harsh, and granted, ALL of us would prefer not to have to work holidays. But then so would the police, the EMTs, the FireDept.
And I do believe our PATIENTS would far prefer not being laid up in a hospital bed on a major holiday as well.. kwim? At least we get to go home after our shift... they don't.
My DD, who is 9 now, always had to wait for me to get home. Santa would leave her stocking in her room, but she knew that I had to be home before she could open presents. I don't think it is too much to ask of your little one...just put some fun stuff in the stocking :) When you work like we do, your family has to give too :)
I would always get to open my stocking Christmas morning before my dad woke up (he worked nights). I knew that I would have to wait until he came downstairs before I could open my presents, but I didn't mind. I was actually more exciting to have to wait longer! :)
First off...yes I love being a nurse...but I hate having to work the major holidays
This year I have been assigned X-mas Eve...which would be okay if there were only the 14 and 12yo, but the 4yo will not be able to wait until I get home X-mas Morning...he is up @ 5am...I work 1hr away and my shift doesn't end until 7am..I would much rather work Thanksgiving, X-mas day night, New Years Eve, whatever, but I hate X-mas eve
Call me a cry baby....but does anyone else love their job, but really despise this aspect of it??
I have to work Halloween, Thanksgiving, AND Christmas. I am so darned peeved. I just can't tell you.
i have actually signed up to work thankgiving and christmas because for one, I dont have any kids, and second because I dont like having to go over my girlfriends parents house:rotfl: ... So this year I have to excuse that I am the new nurse and dont have any choice:chuckle
I have to work Halloween, Christmas, and New Year. Now, I work the weekend program, and I knew this year was coming up (and next year will be worse), and I prepared my family for it - you know "It's a 24-hour job, and this year is my turn", etc, etc. BUT - just this week I get a letter saying all weekenders are expected to work all the holidays and, by the way, you won't be paid holiday pay. To my mind, we get the weekend premium for working every weekend, and to take away a benefit that everyone else enjoys is totally unfair. How would night shift like to have their holiday pay taken away because they already get premium pay? They have finally totally discouraged me. I have been fighting the negatives for a long time now, but now I know it is time to get out when they nickle and dime you to death. Just last month there was an newspaper article about how well our company is doing financially - now we certainly know why!
My family learned to celebrate the event, not the date. As they age, there are people spread all around, having different obligations, etc., so we just try to get together whenever it makes sense. But yes, it would be lovely if everyone could be off, but who would mind the store?
Christmas hasn't been the same for me either since becoming a nurse and moving away. No I don't like that aspect about the job either. Most of us understand what you're saying, even those who don't have little kids. I shared a few Xmases before I became a nurse with my niece and what a joy that was. I missed the last 14 with and her childhood is over. Of course, it doesn't have to be a miserable time either, we just readjust.
This year, like the last 10 or so I volunteered to work Xmas Eve and Xmas Day 7p to 7a. I'm afraid over the years xmas has become a nonevent without tradition or warm feelings. I'm sure that's not going to happen to you though. It's just me. Hopefully someone I work with who really wants it off badly will get off because I volunteered and that's a good thing.
i totally empathize with people that have children, and xmas is one of those holidays that parents would not want to give up, so for the last couple of years i have worked for the mothers that have small kids. i don't have kids yet but i know it is a downside to nursing. try not to view it so negatively. whether you spend the holiday the day before or the day after, what really matters is that you do have a family to spend it with and that alone is something to be thankful for.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Well , as a military wife and hospital-based OB nurse, there is only thing I can suggest--- you should have the other kids help w/holding off the 4 year old til you get home. Sadly, as you know, in hospital nursing, you will work holidays, period.
I think working Christmas Eve is BETTER than Christmas Day, myself. Why? Well, I am able to go home by 8 a.m., open presents and have a big breakfast w/the family. I take a nap while the turkey roasts, and my guests arrive about 3 for dinner. How can it get better??? AND I DO get HOLIDAY pay for this!!! Works for me-------------I will always volunteer to work Christmas Eve and New Years' Eve, every time. My family does fine w/it,and everyone is HAPPY!
Adapt and overcome--- that is my motto and it certainly helps me work through those requisite holiday shifts in OB and has gotten us through many a military separation at holiday time,as well. It can be worse; you or your loved ones could be geographically-seperated at holiday time. Believe me, I am grateful we are all together, even if we DO have to shift holiday schedules a bit. My family understands and we deal. If you cannot do holidays, maybe you can get OUT of hospital nursing. It will NOT change, that much I promise you. You have to be able to compromise, and so will your family. Good luck and Happy Holidays!
Specializes in Interventional Pain Mgmt NP; Prior ICU and L/D RN.
I want to thank you for all you reply's. I have been working holidays for over 6 years and no it doesn't get easier. AND YES...I knew this would be part of my job requirements. I just thought that we could all support each other during this special time of the year that we will be separated from our loved ones to take care of others in need. It has just been recently that my youngest (the 4yo) has started grabbing me before I leave to work my night shift begging me to stay home "please don't go Mommy..Pleaaaassseeee!!" "I want you to stay home with me"...etc...He leeches on and I literally have to pull him off and listen to him cry as I leave the house. It just rips my heart out ya know??? I know this is just a stage he is going through, but it still kills me...I was lucky to be home with my oldest two and did not start working until they both were in school. Even though they are MUCH older they still get me sometimes with the inevitabe..."you always have to work when.....(fill in the blank)...They understand better is alll.
Tweety..I want to say thank you for your thoughtfulness....It has been working out for me that the younger, no-children nurses have wanted New Years Eve off to "party" so I have always worked that and X-mas night....they would rather work X-mas Eve night so us oldies could be home with our kids...
Anyway...like I said I posted this thread so we could all give each other emotional support during this time of the year...!
I feel your pain. When I was young and childless I would sign up and volunteer for the holidays..every one I could get my hands on! Holiday pay and easier work..everyone was in a good mood and the food!
Now that I have young kids I only work every other weekend and this year I lucked out...off for Xmas and work New Years!
What we used to do was do different shifts....like split a 8 hr shift or work 6 hrs...maybe someone would be interested in doing this??
My regular job is 8-5, no weekends, no holidays. But I also work per diem nights twice a month (kids' college money). Now that my kids are older it doesn't matter much -- so I often work the holiday shifts because so many of the people I work with have little kids and really need to be home. I know that was very important to me when my kids were small.
jnette, ASN, EMT-I
4,388 Posts
Agree. We knew this before, no need to cry now. May sound a tad harsh, and granted, ALL of us would prefer not to have to work holidays. But then so would the police, the EMTs, the FireDept.
And I do believe our PATIENTS would far prefer not being laid up in a hospital bed on a major holiday as well.. kwim? At least we get to go home after our shift... they don't.