Holiday schedule....

jemb · Mar 19, 2003

Our hospital,and the prior one where I worked, have the same six holidays. They separate them into two groups: major holidays aka winter holidays, and minor holidays aka summer holidays. Each employee is required to work two summer holidays and one winter holiday.

A sign-up sheet is circulated prior to the season on which you indicate your 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choices for the day off. (You have to specific that they are choosing the day they want off . Otherwise people like me always get confused and think I'm signing up for the day I prefer to work.) Gives a good start for meeting staffiing needs without getting too many employees upset. No one has to work a shift other than their own.

There's always a disclaimer on the sign-up sheet, too - sonething like "We will do our best to accommodate your preferences, but we cannot promise that you will get your first choice."

Would this help you?

plumrn, BSN, RN · Mar 19, 2003

We may have to change our normal days to work, but we never have to change the shift we work over the holidays.

We usually have the list of holidays written down, and we are supposed to number them in order of desire; most desired to least desired. They try to get you your most desired day off, but it is not promised, unfortunately.

Last years holidays are compared, and if there are 2 people wanting Christmas day off, but you worked it last year, than you get it off this year.

Sorry, if this is too longwinded, and confusing, but I am home sick today, and not thinking too clearly. (probably RSV infection from all the sick babies lately!)

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 19, 2003

We don't have to be pulled to work off shifts. Usually it's a preference, we sign up for our preferences, then management fills in the holes. If you want Xmas and you worked it last year, your first priority to get it this year.

Weekend people don't have to be pulled to work during the week if the holidays there. But if Xmas is on a weekend, then they work, which also means they are working New Years which is going to fall on the next weekend.

Holidays is always a stressful time for scheduling and there are always, always, always going to be people crying foul, can't please everyone in a 24-hour business.

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 20, 2003

Usually signing up ahead of time with our preferences works VERY well. What they do is post who worked what holidays last year to make it fair. Usually they get filled up quickly and usually w/o any trouble. I try to do the summer holidays and Christmas Eve when possible because I have young kids and feel strongly I need to be there Christmas morning with them. I only have so many years in which to do this. And fortunately, by being willing to work other holidays, this has afforded me that ONE day off a year I FEEL MOST STRONGLY ABOUT.

MomNRN, BSN, RN · Mar 20, 2003

When I was hospital nursing, I worked two departments. One department had the sign-up sheet method. You signed up for your choice of holidays, and the list was routed via seniority.

The other department had NO holiday schedule. If your regularly scheduled day fell on a holiday, you worked it. It didn't matter if every stinkin holiday fell on your normal schedule!

That is why I am now enjoying my school nursing job!

luv l&d · Mar 21, 2003

In my place you are assisgned to a "group". With that group you work one summer holiday and one winter holiday. Doesn't matter if you are wkend or not. You work your holiday or trade to get the schedule you want. you know 3 yrs in advance what holiday you are scheduled for. Example, I worked Labor Day/ Christmas last yr and work 4th of July /New Years this yr, the Memorial Day/Thanks giving next. Works well for staff and we have per diems, regular staff, wkends, and part timers. You know when you sign up for our unit that is what is expected of you up front. Can't live with it, you don't get the job.

moonshadeau, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN, APN, NP, CNS · Mar 21, 2003

Per diems must work at least one holiday a year of their choice. 8 hour shifts must work every other holiday. 12 hour shifts must work every third. We switch holidays after the labor day so that people don't get stuck working the major holidays in winter. So you might just end up working Labor day and Thanksgiving, but you wouldn't work Christmas for sure. Most people where I work are fairly good about switching holidays and shifts to meet the needs of the coworkers.

Mattigan, RN · Mar 21, 2003

The only holiday we are guarenteed off is a Christmas- either day or eve. You alternate those year to year but you can trade with someone with the same skill level if it doesn't involve OT.

Thanksgiving is alternated year to year - unless census is low.

Employees are expected to work other shifts to cover holidays and vacations. The Nurse Manager even works nights and she usually does more evenings and nights than anyone.

Other Holidays are upon request, first come- first served.

part time only has to work 1 w/e a month- no holidays specified.

no agency allowed.

whipping girl in 07, RN · Mar 21, 2003

Our weekend-only people have to work the same holidays as the rest of us. Full-time and part-time employees have to be scheduled half the holidays each year (you work one half of them one year, the other half of them the next year). You can trade holidays if you can find someone willing (for instance, one girl I work with never works Christmas; the years that she's scheduled, she manages to find someone to trade with her). The people with more seniority get to be on call for the major holidays and to make it fair (I guess), the people with less seniority can be on call for the minor holidays. In the past year I've been on call for Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Mardi Gras and I'm on call for Easter next month. PRN people have to schedule one holiday a year, of their choosing.

Hope this helps you.

There is no way in hell I'd want to have to make the schedule. What a PITA!

Going80INA55 · Mar 21, 2003

At our place we know way ahead of time which holiday we are working. We have 6 and need to work two a year. Last year I was X-mas (which I traded to another nurse) and July 4th. This year I am Turkey day and Memorial Day.

Weekend only people ONLY work the holiday if it falls on the weekend. I think that is very fair considering they are giving up EVERY weekend.

RNonsense · Mar 21, 2003

The only ones we play around with are Christmas and New Years...if you worked it last year, they book you off the next.