Is it a bad idea to ask?

[Gabby-RN]

After searching for months, I was recently hired for a 24 hour position working 3-11 on the sub-acute unit at a Skilled nursing facility. This is my first job as an RN aside from working for a flu clinic.

When I was hired, the DON told me they had 2 teams of nurses and that each team worked every other weekend. Yesterday I went in to get my pre-employment physical and was given a copy of my schedule which listed my orientation hours for February and March, followed by my permanent rotation days from then on. After looking at it, I realized that the team I was placed on works the same every other weekend schedule that my husbands job requires him to work. Since we have 2 school aged kids, this means we will need to find someone to watch them every weekend from 7am-5pm. We have a sitter (and back-up) that we can count on to watch the kids but obviously it would be better and more affordable for us to work opposite weekends from each other.

Is it a appropriate to ask the DON if there is an opening working the opposite weekends? If so, what would be the best way and time to bring it up? I have to go on tomorrow to have my PPD results read and start orientation on Feb 1st.

Thank you in advance for any input you may have!

[hikernurse]

As long as you are professional, there's no reason not to ask. They might not have an opening, but you can tell them you are interested in changing schedules when they do.

I'd talk to the DON sometime during orientation. It doesn't have to be a big discussion :).

[mentalhealthRN]

I am in the same boat....however if you told her you could work every other weekend but didn't specify that it needed to be 1st and 3rd vs 2nd and 4th then how would she know?? I would let her know asap. I refuse to work on the weekends I have my son. I could leave him with my fiance technically but then what is the point. Your kids are only young once and you deserve to have your weekends. I have found that most places with an every other weekend policy are fine with you needing certain weekends as long as you meet the obligation. Again if you never mentioned it how would she know you had a preference as to which "team" she put you on. Speak up for yourself and as long as you are polite and professional hopefully she will understand. And also if there is someone on the "team" you need to be on who has no kids or other job or anything and doesn't really care which team she works as long as its eow....maybe someone would switch if needed. But yeah....I would say something.

[noahsmama]

I would ask, but make clear that you still want the job even if she can't switch you (assuming this is the case). It may be she just didn't know, or it may be that they're short on that weekend and that's where they need to put you.

If she can't change it, is there any way your husband can switch to the opposite weekend at his job?

Good luck!

[klone, MSN, RN]

This is probably something you should have addressed with her when she first told you about the every-other-week commitment.

[steelcityrn, RN]

If you don't ask, who will? You need to know everything about the position to except it.

[TheSquire, DNP, APRN, NP]

If you don't ask, who will? You need to know everything about the position to except it.

*accept

[nurse2033, MSN, RN]

Ask ASAP. You are not asking for special treatment, just a different weekend. If they refuse you wouldn't want to work there anyway. An employer has to accept that people have lives and families. You should have told them the minute you knew about the weekend requirement but don't worry, just be open and honest. Perhaps someone on the other shift would want a switch. Good luck.

[freemirini]

I would ask, but make clear that you still want the job even if she can't switch you (assuming this is the case). It may be she just didn't know, or it may be that they're short on that weekend and that's where they need to put you.

If she can't change it, is there any way your husband can switch to the opposite weekend at his job?

Good luck!

I think NoahsMama has a great idea ---ask the mgr, and also inquire about your husband changing his schedule... Also think it's good to inform the mgr that you are interested no matter what. I imagine if they can't accommodate you near-term, they'd eventually be able to do it.

I would definitely ask sooner than later.

[Gabby-RN]

Thanks everyone for the input. I wish I had mentioned my weekend preference when I was offered the position I think I was just caught off guard when I got the job offer. It was at the end of my second interview, the DON and I had just got back from the tour, I liked everything I heard and saw about the company so when she offered me a part time position right then, I was excited and overwhelmed. I have been looking for the right job since May, applied for so many positions, my student loans have gone into repayment, the job market is just horrible and I was happy to be offered a position at a place I liked. My husband and I had discussed the possibility of me having to work every weekend depending where I found a job, so we can make it work it would just be better if I didn't have to work the same weekends as him. I guess I have just been thinking that it couldn't hurt to ask, maybe it would not be a big deal and they would be able to accommodate me. If they can't, that is okay too. I just wasn't sure if it was inappropriate to ask at this point. I wouldn't want to make a bad first impression.

[Gabby-RN]

I just wanted to give an update. The DON switched the weekend rotation for me without a problem :)

[April, RN, BSN, RN]

I just wanted to give an update. The DON switched the weekend rotation for me without a problem :)

Awesome! Good luck on the new job!