holidays... sick call...

Julius Seizure · Oct 14, 2016

Have you tried asking around for someone to trade holidays with you? Like you work their thanksgiving and new years if they will work your Christmas?

mrsboots87 · Oct 14, 2016

It sounds like your facility rotates holidays. Many facilities deny vacation requests that run over the holidays if it is not your year to have that holiday off. Since they wouldn't allow you to work last Christmas, rotation is the likely cause.

Some facilities have employees list their holiday off preference and try to staff with that in mind but not all.

Calling off off is a jerk move. Either the floor staff will be working short on a day they likely already don't want to be at work, or someone else will be called in and have to cancel their plans for you.

Floor nurses work holidays in most setting. Get used to it. Suck it up this year and do what is right and go to work. Next year, don't make holiday plans (no matter what job you are at) u till the holiday off schedule is out.

ottersloveoysters · Oct 14, 2016

I wouldn't call out if I was not really sick. Ask a coworker if they would be willing to swap holidays with you and present the plan to your manager.

NuGuyNurse2b · Oct 14, 2016

holidays usually empty out hospitals. there is a chance OP will get cancelled anyway. this is what we normally do - call the floor the night before, then the day of, ask for the census, let the unit know if they are wanting to cancel anyone, you will prefer to be canceled. this is obviously some last minute planning, but that's your best bet.

MikeyT-c-IV · Oct 14, 2016

When my kids were much younger, my co-workers (who had grown children) would voluntarily cover the unit and let us younger nurses stay home. I always thought the world of them for that and many other reasons. We had a great unit with exceptionally great nurses. But truth be told, I would have been glad to work Christmas with my co-workers (avoid the MIL and do my due time.)

I've seen some nurses split the shift... one nurse works 6 hours and the other nurse works the other 6 hours. Maybe celebrate Christmas the day before or the day after or even the next day off?

Maybe if you call in it would be considered retaliation? As many have pointed out, having a term in your work history is not good. When I was managing I was highly critical of applicants who had been terminated in the past. I want exceptional staff with exceptional work ethic. And this begins a conversation for a different thread. :)

I'd bite the bullet and work.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Oct 14, 2016

i don't plan on working at this facility in the near future so it doesn't bother me if i am terminated.

That is one of the most bizarre comments I've ever read here. Do you not understand the importance of a good reference?

NuGuyNurse2b · Oct 15, 2016

maybe she has other references? I've used references that weren't former employers.

Editorial Team / Admin · Oct 15, 2016

maybe she has other references? I've used references that weren't former employers.

But many facilities will verify employment with previous employers- and as long as it's factual, the former employer may say what they wish. Some may have internal policies only permitting dates of employment and eligibility for rehire. In fact, for all of the applications I'm working on, they all ask "may we contact your current employer?" in a section independent of the references. I can only imagine checking no will send up a red flag.

NotAllWhoWandeRN, ASN, RN · Oct 15, 2016

You knew it was your assigned holiday, and you planned a vacation?

Now you're planning on calling in sick so someone who made legitimate plans will have to cancel them.

Seriously bad form, regardless of the employer. They told you a YEAR go that you'd be working Christmas; you had time to plan around it or look for coverage yourself.

Expect disciplinary action. Many facilities have increased repercussions for playing sick on a day when you've been denied time off.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Oct 15, 2016

i have already went through the channels and my Christmas vacation request was rejected. oddly enough, i wanted to work Christmas last year, but they denied me.
the turnover rate is high i am #5 on the seniority list with only 1 year of experience. so you have an idea of the environment i am in. not sure why i was denied, either. i don't plan on working at this facility in the near future so it doesn't bother me if i am terminated.
anyway, anybody ever call in on a major holiday like thanksgiving, christmas, new years, etc.. ? did they reprimand you? what happened?

First....most facilities do not allow "vacation" requests during the major holidays.

Not caring about a termination on your employment history is never a good policy. You just never know when it is going to bite you in the behind. Never intentionally burn your bridges

Nursing is a profession that requires working holidays, weekend's, and shift work. It isn't fair to your coworkers and patients not to work your fair share.

In the future I wouldn't plan vacations unless I ask for the time off first.

AllOfMyWat · Oct 15, 2016

You suck and I'd confront you if I worked with you and was stuck on the holidays spending even more time away from my family. Quit now.

imsickagain · Oct 15, 2016

ironically, i requested to work last year... but i was denied ANY holiday because certain people didn't have plans and wanted the additional holiday pay. i was bumped off thanksgiving, Christmas, and new years, because i was newer. i did not work ANY of those days. now those nurses have jumped ship. how fair is that?

i play secretary when we're short staffed, i answer OTHER nurses call lights, i am the only person who assists the CNA/MA because i do not believe i am beyond bed baths and toileting, i am the first nurse in a room when there is a code to offer assistance... let's leave the comments about my work ethics and character out of this. my director and coworkers love when i am on the floor because it lessens EVERYBODYS workload. there's a reason i scored 3/3 on my annual review. anything listed "willingness to assist others" , "teamwork" , etc... i was 100% on.

i was told we cannot request holidays off. but i still need to figure out what my punishment will be because i am still going to call off. i need these days. sorry.