new graduate RN...question about holidays

[aviaa]

I am still in the process of looking for a job, but I wanted to get opinions about if new graduates still orienting work on holidays???? I hope to have a job soon, so do you think I would be working Christmas this year? I would rather not, lol. I haven't had a job like this before, so I don't know. Thanks!

Aviaa

[llg, PhD, RN]

I hate to say it, but "it depends." There is no way to know whether you would be assigned to work Christmas or not -- so you need to be prepared to work it, just in case.

Some hospitals split their staffs into 2 groups (e.g. "A" and "B") with each group working every other holiday. For example, it might be the "A" group's turn this year ... and next year the "A" group would have off while the "B" group worked it. That is a fair way to take turns. With such a system, the groups need to be kept the same size to ensure equal staffing on the holidays and you would be assigned to whichever group needed new members.

Other hospitals assign the new people to work on Christmas because they have the least seniority -- and/or they figure that they want to get at least 1 Christmas out of you before you leave to work somewhere else.

Other hospitals might not want you to work ANY official holiday shifts because you will be too new to be of much help -- and they won't want to pay you the holiday pay if you are not going to be very helpful.

So ... it really depends on the particular unit you work for. Who knows? You might end up working on a unit that is closed on Christmas.

But either way, know that even if you don't actually work Christmas day shift ... there is always Christmas Eve, Christmas Night, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Eve day shift, and New Year's Day night shift. They can all put a crimp in your social plans... and odds are, you'll be working at least 1 of them. So be prepared -- and prepare your family. It's a part of many jobs. Embrace it and learn to enjoy it. It can be fun if you let it.

[SwansonRN]

If your preceptor is working that day, maybe. If you're still on probation at that point, maybe not, because they don't want to give out more holiday pay than they have to.

In my hospital you work every other holiday. I worked Christmas+Christmas Eve last year so I have them off this year. You'll get used to it. Try not to make a fuss about it in front of your new coworkers/employers. Trust me, not a good look. No one wants to be there on a holiday, especially those with young kids, but it's part of the job.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

If your preceptor is...you are.

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

Where I work, if your preceptor is, them you are.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

When I was a new grad, we didn't work holidays while on orientation. Reason being, they don't want to pay 2 people time and a half. Those new grads who were done with orientation by the holidays ALL worked Christmas.

[jennafezz]

I didn't orient on holidays because they didn't want to pay holiday pay to an orientee, since I was extra staffing.