Holidays: Here We Go Again

Nurses General Nursing

Published

It's that time of year - The HOLIDAYS! :o

Do you know yet if you're working? Are you OK with it? How do you handle it?

Every year, I swear I'm going to call off on Christmas. Every year, I don't. Those who do seem to not get punished but I just don't have the nerve. Unless a loved one or I am very sick or some serious tragedy occurs, I'll be at work. :angryfire:o:madface:, etc.

Specializes in all things maternity.

I know I am working Thanksgiving as that schedule is out and I was off last Thanksgiving. Hubby and I will have our Thanksgiving dinner the day before. As for Christmas and/or New Years....that schedule is not out yet so it would be anyones guess.....I hope to be off Christmas Day as I worked last year. New Years I couldn"t care less about. If I work it, thats fine.

:balloons:

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Specializes in Corrections, Cardiac, Hospice.

I am off Thanksgiving. Was suppose to work Christmas, but I work with a wonderful, sweet, awesome Jewish lady who offered to work it for me. The other woman scheduled to work also has two little ones at home, so we are going to split the shift. I only work 8pm-12:30am on Christmas Day, not so bad;) Plus I offered to pick up New Years Eve, what do I care, my hubby is usually snoring on the couch by midnight anyway, ROFL.:lol2:

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Specializes in ICU. Med/Surg: Ortho, Neuro, & Cardiac.

Those of us on a "fixed" or set schedule simply keep that schedule and if the holiday falls on our scheduled day to work then...you know.

And I think I've had to work every single holiday this year, and the way my schedule is set, I should have to work all of the remaining holidays. It is my understanding that next year I won't have to work any of the holidays I worked this year, even if it contradicts my "set" schedule. I don't know if that ever happens though.

PRN and pool employees have to work all holidays one year, off all the next year.

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Where I worked, holiday requests had to be in by Sept 15 for all three holidays and the final schedule posted by October 15. Holidays were rotated based on the previous year's schedule, the requests for the current years, the number of available staff, etc. Please don't call off on holidays....it is a nightmare.

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New Year's Eve was never a big deal, except going into 2000. The city had a huge celebration planned (well, huge for us lol) and so I told my manager I did want it off. I was a new employee, still on orientation (just started there a month before) and was told I wouldn't be working that night because my preceptor had it off.

When the schedule came out, I was told by my manager that I could still have it off, but I'd "only" have to work for 4 hours on New Year's Eve--- 10 pm til 2 am.

:stone

The hospital was all paranoid and bent out of shape about the Y2K thing, and my job was to man The Box. A big plastic container that contained emergency equipment to be used in case the world blew up, I suppose. It had a little plastic lock on it, so I never really knew what it contained, but when the supervisor (whom I'd never met) rounded and saw me perched there guarding The Box, she asked what was inside. With a straight face and in a deadly serious tone of voice, I replied, "Flashlights and Spam." She just slowly backed away...

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Tele, ER.

I signed-up for Thanksgiving, New Year's and Christmas Eve - just hoping to get Christmas Day off. *crosses fingers* Still don't know yet. :(

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I planned my assignment to have 2 weeks off for Christmas - YAY. I have to work the night before Thanksgiving, but I don't care....my sister is coming the next week to have a real family Thanksgiving with me..... I am really looking forward to it! :)

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Specializes in Corrections, Cardiac, Hospice.
With a straight face and in a deadly serious tone of voice, I replied, "Flashlights and Spam." She just slowly backed away...

:lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2::lol2:

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

when i saw the header, i thought this was going to be another long, nasty thread about how some nurses "deserve" christmas off more than other nurses. with very few exceptions, this thread hasn't been like that at all. kudos!

i worked christmas last year -- came back from a six months medical leave on december 25. so this year i have it off. i'm working thanksgiving, new year's eve and new year's day though. i'm also working the whole weekend of thanksgiving. we'll do our turkey on tuesday this year.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Hospice.

I drew Thanksgiving off since I worked Labor Day, but I have to work Christmas, but have Christmas Eve off. I'm off New Year's, but would rather work it. Maybe I can put a note in the book saying if I"m needed I'll work? New Years or New Year's Eve are not big holidays for me... I usually just stay home and order a pizza...

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New Year's Eve was never a big deal, except going into 2000. The city had a huge celebration planned (well, huge for us lol) and so I told my manager I did want it off. I was a new employee, still on orientation (just started there a month before) and was told I wouldn't be working that night because my preceptor had it off.

When the schedule came out, I was told by my manager that I could still have it off, but I'd "only" have to work for 4 hours on New Year's Eve--- 10 pm til 2 am.

:stone

The hospital was all paranoid and bent out of shape about the Y2K thing, and my job was to man The Box. A big plastic container that contained emergency equipment to be used in case the world blew up, I suppose. It had a little plastic lock on it, so I never really knew what it contained, but when the supervisor (whom I'd never met) rounded and saw me perched there guarding The Box, she asked what was inside. With a straight face and in a deadly serious tone of voice, I replied, "Flashlights and Spam." She just slowly backed away...

Outstanding! :lol2:

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Specializes in NICU.

Work the night before Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve night and Christmas night and something on New Years (can't remember, we're usually early bedders New Years Eve anyway). I'll get Christmas and Christmas Eve off next year. I'm pleased with things--I'm new in my department and it could definitely be worse :).

We'll just do Christmas a couple of days early--my kids love that anyway, they're the first of their friends to have Christmas, LOL. One of my kids writes to Santa, alerting him to the change in schedule and life goes on....AND DH said he would take care of the Thanksgiving cooking this year while I sleep. This could be a really good thing ;)

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