Lost 15 yrs of Senority by changing departments

Nurses General Nursing

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Our hospital policy is for RN's to keep seniority when changing departments. After 15 years in the ED I accepted a position in Interventional Radiology. It wasn't until 8 months of being there, (when it was time to bid on vacations and holidays based on seniority) was I told I am at the bottom of the seniority list. There are only eight of us nurses and I would be second from the top. I brought it up to my manager who said she would "look into it" but of course did nothing. What would you do? Do I push the subject and really upset my co-workers in a small department? Or do I just deal with it and be happy I got the job?

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If that's the policy, yes you push it! Some might be upset, but they all would do the same.

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You don't worry about what your coworkers think- they have nothing to do with this. You go to HR and the union if you have one because your manager wont do their job.

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I did go to HR. They weren't helpful. I was directed to the Nursing Staffing Office (I didn't go there because they have nothing to do with our department). We aren't union. I can go above my manager, I'm worried about how she will react. Thats why I'm asking for opinions of others.

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If HR told you to go to the Nursing Staffing Office, I would at least try and talk to them as directed, jumping through the hoops as necessary. When you talk to other people have this policy printed off and with you. And if no headway, go back to your manager. If the answer is the same, go above her.

I can't believe this is even a problem, but then again I work where we have a union.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

I would check the policy as to what seniority you keep. In mine, length of service with the facility means some things but other things (like vacation requests during summer months) is based on unit seniority.

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Good point. It doesn't really specify.

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Good point. It doesn't really specify.

It would be odd for someone new to merge into a small unit and jump straight to the front of the line.

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Because its small? In the ED in the same hospital (where I came from), new RN's from other units jumped to the front if they had the seniority. Why would it be different?

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Because its small? In the ED in the same hospital (where I came from), new RN's from other units jumped to the front if they had the seniority. Why would it be different?

A smaller unit might be more difficult to cover? I think I would be irritated if I'd been in "department A" for 14 years and someone from "department B" jumped over and hijacked my preferred time off. In a larger unit, multiple people could probably take the same time off without a huge disruption.

If you're entitled, you're entitled. I can see both sides, but I wouldn't willingly give anything up if I didn't have to.

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It would be odd for someone new to merge into a small unit and jump straight to the front of the line.

Depends on the institution's policies. If it were my facility, you keep your senority no matter where you go.

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So you see what I mean by not wanting to push it if its going to piss everyone off. We need to be a team. I'm torn.

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