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 just want to let all of you with no small kids at home who have so kindly switched to work holidays for those of us who DO, that you are ever so much appreciated, and I plan to do the same for others when my kids are all grown.
As for the whole working holidays thing, it sucks, but that's the life of a hospital nurse. My kids have never known anything different, and we just work around it. But I do work nights, which makes it easier, I think. I would hate to have to be gone 12 hrs on Christmas day. Some of the schedules you all have talked about though are SO unfair. The most fair way to do it *I* think, was practiced at one place I worked. They had 2 "teams", A and B. This year, A team works these holidays, B works these, next year they switch. That way you always know ahead of time which holidays you will be working. Usually every other, and you either worked the eve OR the day, never both.
As for taking time off during the holidays to go visit family, most places I've worked did not allow any vacation time between Christmas and NY, and if there WAS any it was given on seniority basis. I think that's only fair. I hate to be harsh, but if you can't make that work for you, don't go into hospital nursing. It ain't ever gonna change!
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??
Try to ask a day person if they would come in an hour early in exchange for another hour somewhere for them. It worked for me two different years. Both had older children so they could do it. They'd have to pick up your same assignment etc.. but most people, if you are flexible with them would do it. I say "where there's a will there's a way" good luck, those x-mas day mornings are prescious and you can't get them back
Specializes in Interventional Pain Mgmt NP; Prior ICU and L/D RN.
I want to say FIRST OFF....I know I chose this lifestyle of work...and yes I DO BELIEVE that even those without children need to celebrate with their family...this post was not meant to be taken that I was whining b/c I had to work X-mas Eve and miss the celebration with my parents and miss X-morning b/c I will more than likely miss my kids opening their presents (since I work 1hr away..and you know little ones..up before dawn)...Heck I have to work New years eve and New years day night. Oh Freakin' well!
THIS POST was meant to be for us to support each other during the holidays when we have to be away from our family...Do the patients want to be stuck in the hospital?? H#LL NO...of course not.....BUT neither do we!
No I can not change the date of christmas so we can't celebrate on another day..I am glad that has worked for some, but it wouldn't work for my family....
Let us all just pull together and support one another!
And like some others...THANK you for those that have offered to switch with any MOM/DAD in the past during the holidays...
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Ok so you are angry. Noted. Life is unfair. Then we move on.
When you are at work during the holiday season, try and think of those even less fortunate who have no family to be with. Those living alone. The patients stuck there in the hospital on THEIR holiday---I am sure they would rather be at home, too, after all! Or, try remembering those whose loved ones are overseas, in Iraq or Kuwait or elsewhere-- there are thousands of them. Try and console yourself with the good fortunes you have, and your outlook may change.
I respect your right to vent---- those of us replying with creative solutions or alternatives are NOT dismissing your concerns, but rather sharing what worked for us. As nurses, we have all "been there and done that". Sorry you feel unsupported by the sincere and well-meaning replies here. Your concerns are shared, but not dealt with in the same way by all of us.
All I can say now, is, take care and happy holidays to you and yours. May they be safe, warm and spritually-infused as they were intended. Cause that is what matters most.
I do know little ones and I personally don't think that it would be too much of you to ask them to wait. But that is your choice. Like I said before, sometimes our families have to give a bit too.
even those without children need to celebrate with their family.
Wow, that still makes me feel like the bottom of the totem pole! EVEN I deserve a holiday! Who'd have thought it? Next I'll be allowed to vote! :chuckle
A plan many posts up was one that was the worst I've ever experienced. It was the one where all holiday shifts are posted and people sign up for the one they want by seniority, cross shifts. In my experience, what happened was that people "magically" decided they liked nights for the first time in their lives. I'd get stuck working Christmas days, a shift I hadn't worked in 20 years. I think people should get to stay on their shift for holidays.
Well, nobody really likes it. I work weekends. three 12's. Every holiday this year falls on a weekend; even my fiances birthday and our wedding date...which I scheduled off; I'm using leave time to do it. I'm glad I have a nurse manager who accomodates my needs........
Well girls and guys, I guess I got a good job. As for Thanksgiving, I was supposed to be off BUT I would rather have the day after off to SHOP!!! I switched with a girl and I am going to work Thanksgiving Day and she is going to work the day off she says I am crazy!!! I am not a big shopper but I LOVE the day after Thanksgiving. Then the center I work at shuts down on December 14th and we don't have to go back until January 4th, 2005 we get paid for it by using our comp time, sick time and annual leave time. But hey, I don't have to worry about crunching time in for Christmas!!! Thank GOD!!!
Specializes in Interventional Pain Mgmt NP; Prior ICU and L/D RN.
Ok so you are angry. Noted. Life is unfair. Then we move on.
When you are at work during the holiday season, try and think of those even less fortunate who have no family to be with. Those living alone. The patients stuck there in the hospital on THEIR holiday---I am sure they would rather be at home, too, after all! Or, try remembering those whose loved ones are overseas, in Iraq or Kuwait or elsewhere-- there are thousands of them. Try and console yourself with the good fortunes you have, and your outlook may change.
I respect your right to vent---- those of us replying with creative solutions or alternatives are NOT dismissing your concerns, but rather sharing what worked for us. As nurses, we have all "been there and done that". Sorry you feel unsupported by the sincere and well-meaning replies here. Your concerns are shared, but not dealt with in the same way by all of us.
All I can say now, is, take care and happy holidays to you and yours. May they be safe, warm and spritually-infused as they were intended. Cause that is what matters most.
I Do greatly appreciate the support and ideas given by fellow posters here. I apologize if I came across otherwise.
And Quickbeam...I did not mean it the way you must have took it...I meant...no matter if you have children or NOT...we all WANT to celebrate the holidays with OUR families! Children are not the reason for the season..It is family and a time to rejoice for what we have! :)
I am not angry......I love the holiday season...to watch my kids get exited over what they may get and to watch my youngest still believe in Santa makes my heart mealt...I do feel for all those families in the military..they do have it WAY tougher than I...AT least I will get to go home to my family after work.
Anyway...I DO Hope everyone here has a happy, safe holiday season..and bless you all.
MY hospital just changed the way we work our holidays. Last year, we signed up for what holiday we wanted to work. This year our holidays are assigned and you are scheduled for the day before the holiday and the holiday. Also, you only have to work two of the big six (Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years) instead of three like we did last year.
I don't think for one minute that I should get special consideration because I have kids. When I have to work holidays, we jsut celebrate on another day...my family does the big celebration on the offical day and a couple days before or a couple days after, we do something special that I can be involved in. I know the OP feel like she is being attacked here, but every one of us knew when we went into nursing that it was a 24-7 job. None of us could have honestly thought that we would never have to work a holiday and if we did, we were extremely naieve!
rn500
83 Posts
I just want to let all of you with no small kids at home who have so kindly switched to work holidays for those of us who DO, that you are ever so much appreciated, and I plan to do the same for others when my kids are all grown.
As for the whole working holidays thing, it sucks, but that's the life of a hospital nurse. My kids have never known anything different, and we just work around it. But I do work nights, which makes it easier, I think. I would hate to have to be gone 12 hrs on Christmas day. Some of the schedules you all have talked about though are SO unfair. The most fair way to do it *I* think, was practiced at one place I worked. They had 2 "teams", A and B. This year, A team works these holidays, B works these, next year they switch. That way you always know ahead of time which holidays you will be working. Usually every other, and you either worked the eve OR the day, never both.
As for taking time off during the holidays to go visit family, most places I've worked did not allow any vacation time between Christmas and NY, and if there WAS any it was given on seniority basis. I think that's only fair. I hate to be harsh, but if you can't make that work for you, don't go into hospital nursing. It ain't ever gonna change!