Holidays ????

klone, MSN, RN · Jan 20, 2015

I work clinic, so get weekends and all major holidays off, including today.

RN403, BSN, RN · Jan 20, 2015

I would love to always have Christmas off. It is my favorite holiday.

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Jan 20, 2015

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day because I have family traditions and it is one of my favorite holidays; and Memorial Day-only because my birthday occasionally falls on Memorial Day, and I like to travel on my birthday. I would trade to work New Years Eve and New Year's Day each year to have Christmas off, and work the 4th and Labor Day to have Memorial Day. :yes:

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jan 20, 2015

MLK day, huh? What does anyone do that makes MLK a holiday? Even in a city where it's one of our seven annual holidays, I cannot find anyone who looks forward to having MLK off because their family has a tradition . . . well, anything . . . on the "holiday." I like having Independence day off to see the fireworks . . . the barbecues and picnics are nice as well. My family has a tradition of getting together for a meal at a public park and then we decorate the graves of ancestors (Memorial) -- not just the veterans, but all of our ancestors. Labor Day is also a big family picnic or barbecue, family reunion and excuse for drinking to excess. Thanksgiving and Christmas are again, family holidays and NYE is the biggest date night of the year. But I don't know anyone who has a tradition for MLK. Does anyone have one to share?

poppycat, ADN, BSN · Jan 20, 2015

When I worked in hospitals, I always worked Christmas Eve & Christmas Day so I could be off New Year's Eve & day. My birthday is 1/2 so this gave me several days off.

Now that I've been doing private duty home care for almost 8 years, I choose not to work any holidays. I think I "paid my dues" over the 30 years I did hospital nursing.

klone, MSN, RN · Jan 20, 2015

I know some towns have parades on MLK Day. I don't know that most people have a tradition they do, it's just a day to honor an important person. Same as with President's Day (although there does seem to be a lot of furniture sales on President's Day, so maybe you're supposed to buy a new bedroom set to honor our founding fathers).

icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN · Jan 23, 2015

I enjoy the Summer holidays the most and prefer to be off then and work the Winter holidays. My coworkers love me for that.

calivianya, BSN, RN · Jan 28, 2015

My hospital doesn't let anybody have any major holiday off. We have teams. Team 1 works Christmas Eve and New Year's Day, team 2 works Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. The next year, they switched. I worked 12/24/2014 and 1/1/2015, and this coming year I will work 12/25/2015 and 12/31/2015, no exceptions. Obviously, nobody can go on vacation either of those times because literally every single staff member has to be in the hospital 1 Christmas day and 1 New Year's day. I have never felt so abused when it comes to holidays. We don't even get time and a half... we get a $1.25/hr diff. So, I get an extra $15 to work Christmas Day, and that's before taxes. I get less than one hour's extra pay. It's so not worth it.

The teams also extend to minor holidays... I have to work Labor Day 2015, so I guess going to Dragon*Con in Atlanta this year is probably out unless I want to cut my trip short and miss the last day of the convention. Labor Day may be almost 8 months away but I already know I have to work. I love the glitz and glam of New Year's Eve and would love to travel to celebrate NYE in exotic locations, but obviously that is never going to happen since I have to work NYE this year and New Year's Day 2017, unless I am out of this workplace by then.

SassyTachyRN · Jan 28, 2015

I have them all off. ðŸ˜‰ school nurse!

T-Bird78 · Jan 28, 2015

MLK day, huh? What does anyone do that makes MLK a holiday? Even in a city where it's one of our seven annual holidays, I cannot find anyone who looks forward to having MLK off because their family has a tradition . . . well, anything . . . on the "holiday." I like having Independence day off to see the fireworks . . . the barbecues and picnics are nice as well. My family has a tradition of getting together for a meal at a public park and then we decorate the graves of ancestors (Memorial) -- not just the veterans, but all of our ancestors. Labor Day is also a big family picnic or barbecue, family reunion and excuse for drinking to excess. Thanksgiving and Christmas are again, family holidays and NYE is the biggest date night of the year. But I don't know anyone who has a tradition for MLK. Does anyone have one to share?

The point of Martin Luther King day being a holiday isn't for a day off to grill out, it's meant to be a day of service for your community. Dr. King was a pioneer for civil rights and equality for all, not throwing a burger on the grill or opening presents of watching fireworks. I'm in Atlanta and there are several opportunities to volunteer, from homeless shelters to park clean-up.

kmarie724 · Feb 4, 2015

I am always happy the years I have Christmas off because it is my favorite holiday. But if I do have to work it, we just celebrate on a different day. I never felt like I have "missed out" on Christmas because I was working. I like having the 4th of July off because we always have a BBQ and fireworks with family, but even if I do work since I work days I can still participate in the evening. Memorial Day and Labor day I don't really care about having off and I would rather work and get paid time and a half.