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??
The holiday nightmare starts on my floor around Spetember. People start complaining about having to work for different reasons. Bottom line is everyone's Christmas is important. We try to work it so that if you worked one of the holidays last year you work the opposite this year. I know last year I worked Christmas night, so this year I suck it up and work Christmas eve. It does suck but you plan for it and we make the best of it by potlucking or doing a gift exchange. I love the people I work with and they are like a second family so at least we try to have fun. But I do work nights so on Christmas day you end up very tired or sleeping through part of the day. This is a 24/7 profession and at least I am not a patient in the hospital and get to go home for some of it. Good luck with a trade. Someone usually will help out others. It depends on their ideas of work ethics. We also have those who will take advantage of the situation and think they are entitled to the holidays off every year. What can you do?
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Well, what you can do is what we do:
We keep last year's schedule and we post it on the wall in the breakroom about the beginning of October. Everyone can see who worked when---and plan accordingly to work the holiday she did not last time. That way, no one can whine and moan about getting screwed year after year. Everyone is expected to work at least one major holiday at Thanksgiving/Christmas time, old and new nurses alike---- no screwing new nurses, as our names are always in the same pot. For example, if one did NOT work Christmas the year prior, she can plan to this year, pure and simple. It's the most fair way to go I can think of. Most of the time, people do ok with it.
As for me, I do my part w/o complaining. I work 7p to 7a both Christmas and New Years' Eve. yes, I will be exhaused Christmas Day, but at least I will be home w/the kids when present time comes and will be able to roast the turkey dinner while I nap. I am grateful and feel blessed to be home with my family at all------and grateful my work is so fair about the issue of holiday working.
cjmue12
47 Posts
The holiday nightmare starts on my floor around Spetember. People start complaining about having to work for different reasons. Bottom line is everyone's Christmas is important. We try to work it so that if you worked one of the holidays last year you work the opposite this year. I know last year I worked Christmas night, so this year I suck it up and work Christmas eve. It does suck but you plan for it and we make the best of it by potlucking or doing a gift exchange. I love the people I work with and they are like a second family so at least we try to have fun. But I do work nights so on Christmas day you end up very tired or sleeping through part of the day. This is a 24/7 profession and at least I am not a patient in the hospital and get to go home for some of it. Good luck with a trade. Someone usually will help out others. It depends on their ideas of work ethics. We also have those who will take advantage of the situation and think they are entitled to the holidays off every year. What can you do?