Per Diem Holiday Scheduling

MERRYWIDOW46 · Nov 18, 2009

In my area it is usually required to do one major holiday with an ever and one minor holiday(major is considered Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, eve of Christmas or New Years, or day after Thanksgiving are eves) Minor are Martin Luther King BD(yes, some of us get that day off), Memorial Day, July4th, or Labor day.

Some registry/PRN pools have "difficult to staff days alslo" like Good Friday, Mother's day, Father's day, day before and after Thanksgiving, WEEKEND with Christmas or New Years, etc.

However, MOST places have some sort of requirement to be fair and equatible.

swifty1031 · Nov 18, 2009

You would think that would be the case, however on the unit where I work the per diem are being forced to work more holidays than full time. I haven't quite figured out where the fairness in that is yet, but we were told that in todays job market we are lucky to have a job and to "just deal with it". It will be interesting to see how management "deals" with it when the job market picks up again (and it will).

meluhn · Nov 18, 2009

We have to work one major summer holiday and one major winter holiday. Part and full timers have to work 2 of each. It is just assigned. We can all make requests but there are no guarantees.

cscooking · Nov 20, 2009

Thanks for the comments ! I'm guessing from the responses that per diems are assigned a holiday ? Or can they choose and not rotate with the full time staff??

7student7 · Nov 26, 2009

The nurses and MHAs (psych nurse aides) at my hospital are required to work 2 shifts during the summer holidays and 2 during the winter holidays. The provisional people do NOT get any perks. They actually make our schedules last. We got our Thanksgiving/Christmas/ New Years schedules 10 days ago. And, we don't get extra holiday pay like the other staff. I'm kind of upset about it at the moment. I have to work a double tomorrow - no Thanksgiving turkey for me. :sniff:

cscooking · Nov 28, 2009

Wow that's really sad... I had my turkey with family but I was very tired worked the night shift of thanksgiving eve.

At least we do get 10$ over scale :twocents:

RNKPCE · Nov 28, 2009

We work one major holiday Thanksgiving, Xmas eve, Xmas, NY Eve or NY day. NY days only counts if it is day shift. We use to have to work a non major holiday(Labor Day, Presidents Day, 4th of July) but all the regulars want the premium pay on those days and PRN staff was getting cancelled anyways so we don't have to do that any more.

Regular staff rate the holidays 1-5, one being the most wanted holiday off. Per diems have been able to say what day they will work though technically management could tell what shift they need you. For instance you want to work Xmas Day evenings but they have enough help that day and need you New Years eve. They could put you on but my manager doesn't.

Everyone works at least one major holiday. I think it would be nice if the most senior regular staff on the unit gets all the holidays off. If you've been there the longest you deserve it.

kristinlpn · Nov 28, 2009

I am a PRN employee at an ALF/SNF.... 1 perk to being a PRN employee is that I get to make my own schedule.... I do not have to work a holiday if I don't want to. I choose to simply for the time and a half. The full time employees get to choose which holiday they work based on a 1-3 basis- i.e. (which is of most importance). The staffing coordinator does a great job at trying to accomidate all the requests.... I usually try to work 7-3 on the holidays so that I can spend some quality time with the fam and still get paid time and a half. I can't imagine being a PRN employee and being FORCED to work a holiday... that's pretty crappy!

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Nov 28, 2009

We have to be available (i.e., put in shifts) for four holidays a year. Whether we're called to work those shifts is another story. Usually they start with whoever is regularly scheduled for that day. Then since it's double pay for working those days, they give the other regular employees first chance if they want to pick up any vacant shifts. THEN if there's any leftover slots, we can get them.