We have a new nurse in our dept, hired as a new grad to ER in this less than stellar job market. The other day I got to hear his whining about his lousy schedule.
He's a likeable guy, but is only a year out of school and landed a pretty sweet position, got a great opportunity, and seems very unappreciative. He is really mad at my manager who is actually quite a reasonable person in my opinion.
Do some new nurses totally not get it, regarding the hours and scheduling demands of nursing?
Everyone should take their turn. However, hospitals are not helping the issue by not offering attractive compensation when working undesirable shifts. I know my hospital used to offer time and a half for holidays, which meant that lots of people wanted to work a holiday, and people who didn't usually didn't have to. Now, it's about two dollars extra. So, at least where I work, the experienced nurses didn't have to pay dues in the way that we do now. Same goes for weekends...there used to be a great weekend option, and people who would rather work weekdays got to avoid most weekends because so many people wanted the extra weekend pay. Now that there isn't much incentive, it's very difficult to have a schedule that doesn't completely screw up your family life.
Not to mention we have a rotating schedule. Last week I worked two nights, had one day off (during which I was sleeping), then worked a day shift, then a call shift the next night. Which essentially meant I was out of commission for five days that week.
Some may argue that I was aware of this when I was hired, and they would be right, I did know. Which is why I never try to get out of my scheduling obligations. But what I didn't know was exactly how tough it was going to be on my body and my personal life...it's impossible to grasp until you've done it.
If I didn't absolutely love my job (aside from the schedule!) there is no way I'd stay there any longer than I had to. And I love my job because of my coworkers and because I love my speciality, NOT because of anything administration has done for us.
At my hospital the Thanksgiving holiday starts at 7pm on the eve of (Wednesday 7pm). Meaning night shifters scheduled for the holiday would work Wednesday night into Thursday morning then be off Thursday night. If it is their holiday off they would have Wednesday night off but could still be scheduled Thursday night (Thanksgiving @ 7pm) since it is not considered the holiday.
Their justification is that if I have the night before thanksgiving off, I should have to work Black Friday.
Black Friday is not a designated holiday so I called B.S.
We do self scheduling so I took myself off. I'm just waiting to see if they put me back on.
Also, since I work weekends, this puts me on 4 12 hour shifts in a row. Also not cool at all.
I think it needs to be stated that rotating is awful especially within the same week. I have seen many new grads and a few of the other less senior nurses get screwed over having to work a day shift then turn around and do a night shift a day or two later. No one should be forced to rotate as that is unhealthy and unsafe. It should be banned.
At least with straight nights one can arrange a doable schedule.
Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.
One place I worked briefly, I kinda threw a wrench in the scheduling process by WANTING to work all weekends and holidays. They we beside themselves; everybody always rotated every-other-weekend! What will we do?
How hard could it be to place my name down first and do the rotating bunch as usual?
Thay told me 'we can't do that, it wouldn't be fair to the others.'
Like that would make a negative wave amongst my coworkers?
it's human nature to want the best for yourself. i find it hard to really get mad about people trying to get the best deal for themselves schedule-wise. imho some of this anger at new grads who have cushy schedules is misplaced - it's more appropriate to direct your frustration toward the higher-ups (hint: the newbs you're complaining about don't have final say in scheduling. the new grad who started on straight days? the one who is excused from weekend shifts? management is approving/allowing.)
or just play the game yourself. be more selfish, more outspoken, and more ruthless about getting the best schedule you can for yourself. instead of being perpetually frustrated because other people have it better or have privileges that you want, learn from them.
Of course it is human nature to want what is best for yourself. The guy in the original scenario would have probably been better off if he took his concerns to the person in charge of the schedule, had some fair, but concrete suggestions on a better schedule and stopped complaining. I would rather see taking action than complaining.
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
You've been very lucky.
Unhappy employees tend not to stick around
And often that's for the best.
I don't know how many times I have heard this, or a version of this from a newer nurse, who was hired into day / night rotating position, know that 1/3 to 1/2 of their shifts would be at night, who applied for a job specifically stating it was day/night rotation:
"Why can't I work days? Don't they know that I have a 1 year old and a 2 year old at home? Don't they know that I have only been married 3 months and need to spend time with my husband? It's not fair that nurse Sue got that strait days position instead of me, After all she has been working nights for 10 years and she is already used to it. These night shifts are ruining my life!"
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Hopefully they do not put you back on. Four in a row is brutal.
I work five 12 hour night shifts in a row every pay period. I know it sounds brutal but it is actually safer and easier for me.
What kills me is the changing between nights and my regular day life. The first night I usually start work at 1930 after having been awake since 6 or 7 that morning. The first day I often get inadequate sleep and come to work tired for my send shift. By the second day I am adjusted and for shifts 3, 4 and 5 I am coming to work with 7 to 9 hours sleep under my belt. I am refreshed, rested, ready to work, and after my first cup of coffee don't need to drink it all night to stay awake.
At my hospital no one works all days or nights. Everyone works a mix...full timers usually work 2 days 2 nights and part timers are used to fill in gaps where needed. As a new grad I worked 3 days 1 night 5 off for 6 months and now I'm part time and worked random nights here and there for a month and now all my shifts for the next month are days. I don't mind it.
I am not a nurse, but I left a cushy Monday-Friday doctor office job to work in the ER during nights for nursing school.
I also work every weekend since I am in school.
That being said; I worked Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day. Thanksgiving is supposed to be my holiday off and they are trying to make me work 7p-7a that night.
I am pitching a fit, not because I am "entitled" but because it is supposed to be my holiday off and I am to work Christmas.
I'm not bad mouthing management about it, but I have made my disagreement with them known to them.
I'm hoping that it goes in my favor due to the fact that I have worked the last 3 holidays.
Not saying it's a good schedule, but.....do you normally work 7p-7a? And if so....did you work the evening before Memorial day through the night into Memorial Day morning (making it 'working the holiday')? Same with the other holidays? OR are you thinking of "working the holiday" as in you don't want to be there at all that day?
Since, typically, "working the holiday" for Thanksgiving WOULD be working the evening BEFORE Thanksgiving (into Thanksgiving morning).....technically you would NOT be "working the holiday".
That said, I've been on the screwy end of many such arrangement, until I cried 'foul'. And sometimes my argument would be won, sometimes lost. As long as you have Wednesday evening/night off....you're not working the holiday. Stinks, but there it is.
Not saying it's a good schedule, but.....do you normally work 7p-7a? And if so....did you work the evening before Memorial day through the night into Memorial Day morning (making it 'working the holiday')? Same with the other holidays? OR are you thinking of "working the holiday" as in you don't want to be there at all that day?
Since, typically, "working the holiday" for Thanksgiving WOULD be working the evening BEFORE Thanksgiving (into Thanksgiving morning).....technically you would NOT be "working the holiday".
That said, I've been on the screwy end of many such arrangement, until I cried 'foul'. And sometimes my argument would be won, sometimes lost. As long as you have Wednesday evening/night off....you're not working the holiday. Stinks, but there it is.
I did work the night into Memorial Day, and Labor Day, and the 4th of July.
I understand that 7pm on thanksgiving day is not.considered the holiday, but it is the only time I can see my family since my husband works 3-11.
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SubSippi
911 Posts
Everyone should take their turn. However, hospitals are not helping the issue by not offering attractive compensation when working undesirable shifts. I know my hospital used to offer time and a half for holidays, which meant that lots of people wanted to work a holiday, and people who didn't usually didn't have to. Now, it's about two dollars extra. So, at least where I work, the experienced nurses didn't have to pay dues in the way that we do now. Same goes for weekends...there used to be a great weekend option, and people who would rather work weekdays got to avoid most weekends because so many people wanted the extra weekend pay. Now that there isn't much incentive, it's very difficult to have a schedule that doesn't completely screw up your family life.
Not to mention we have a rotating schedule. Last week I worked two nights, had one day off (during which I was sleeping), then worked a day shift, then a call shift the next night. Which essentially meant I was out of commission for five days that week.
Some may argue that I was aware of this when I was hired, and they would be right, I did know. Which is why I never try to get out of my scheduling obligations. But what I didn't know was exactly how tough it was going to be on my body and my personal life...it's impossible to grasp until you've done it.
If I didn't absolutely love my job (aside from the schedule!) there is no way I'd stay there any longer than I had to. And I love my job because of my coworkers and because I love my speciality, NOT because of anything administration has done for us.