It's that time of year again, even though the holiday schedule has been out for a year, people are making last minute switches. No big deal except for a co-worker that approached me, after seeing i have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off.
Started out nice: "I saw you had both days off, are you interested in trading them?" I said "Actually i'd like to keep both days off, my family has been through a lot, my dad's brother died a couple of weeks ago, and i'd like to go back home for those days." She said "Hmm, guess i won't be home for my kids for Christmas." I didn't say anything or do anything. Then after a minute she says "You don't have kids, what do you need Christmas off for?":angryfire
It's a wonder my head didn't explode. First off it wasn't her dang business what i wanted Christmas off for anyway, secondly how dare she make such a comment, as if those days won't mean squat to me all because i don't have children.
I'm sure her kids are important to her, i'm sure she would like to be there on those days, but the fact that i do not have children doesn't mean that things in my life are no less important. Nor should it mean that i should want to rearrange my life to accomodate someone that does. Which i've had to do a few times as a result of her taking 3 days weekends since august (we do self-scheduling). As a result of her doing this, i get screwed out of 3 days weekends 90% of the time. Her excuse for needing 3 days weekends? "Because i have kids." Not "My kid(s) has an appt., game, tournament, etc." "Because i have kids."
In no way am i knocking her because she has kids, or anyone, but it's almost like she expects accomodation from people because of the kids. It's not fair to everyone else. Everyone else manages and they have children. And everyone else at work wouldn't have made such a self-entitling statement about someone with no children having the holidays off, because most people take their turns every year. Just because i don't have children doesn not mean that i don't have a life or that i don't have things to do.
I know exactly how you feel, I worked for 32yrs floor nurse and it was a yearly thing for EVERYBODY to get their feathers ruffled... Sounds almost to me like you need a break.. I got really riled up when the new employees got off for the holidays.. to me ,,, that was not fair for the regulars at all. And I was always one if you wanted to play the game we had to play fair or I was not gonna play.Also we once had a coordinator that let everyone off that lived out of town so they could fly home ...! And another really good one that let us work 4hrs or block hrs so we could be home early christmas a.m. and see kiddies and take pictures etc. Some nurses worked better in afternoon on Christmas day and some didn't ... I think it will always be a really sort of growling time during holidays for nurses because they are mostly already stressed just being a nurse, but I can say to you and please take it to heart... I worked tons and tons of thanksgivings, easter sundays, 4th of julys and christmas's and now that I am older and retired if I could do it over again,,,(I would not do it for a million dollars) we have so many family photos with me in my uniform either going or coming and many where I was absent and like I said it was never worth it. so If you possibly can ,,, and especially when you get children,, DONT DO IT, WORK AT A OFFICE OR SOMETHING WITH HOLIDAYS AND WEEKENDS OFF believe me you won't regret it like I do.... thanks....
I'll work holidays when (if) i have children, when it's my turn. I will never get the idea that i'm entitled to a holiday off just because i have kids.
after 12 years I wised up and took an insurance co job, (flex time) I enjoyed my 3 day weekend last weekend, and will enjoy another this weekend, and in 2 more weeks it's MLK holiday, so there's another. No more missed Football games or school events. Now they've given all us nurses laptops, so we can work from home if we want to!!
When I was single I was told I was expected to work so those with "families" could spend the holiday with them. (I'm not an orphan!) When I was married and had kids I was told I had to work the holidays so the single girls could spend time with their boyfriends, after all I could see my family any time.
this thread is too funny. i always take my turn working holidays. if it is my turn have one off i take that too. anyone tells me anything different i tell too bad i will not be here on that day. if they put me on the schedule i dont show up. then tell the staffing office it was my turn to have that holiday off i informed everyone i was taking my turn off. i always add its worth my job to have it off, after all it was my turn not that persons. i will quit right now if you like. dont think i will have a problem finding somewhere else to work that will be more far about it. that usually makes them back off, if not dont really want to work there anyway.
as far the girl that said the thing about her kids, just tell her it was her choice to work. you dont have to work, but if you do you must follow the rules and take your turn. deal with it or be a stay home mom. dont bother me anymore about your personal issues.
I am not currently a nurse but going to school soon. I've worked in the retail buisness since 2000. I would be besides myself to have any of the scheduling that you all have as nurses. I have not had a Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve off since I was in high school. The past five years I've had to go into work on Christmas Day to check on my store for about 3-4 hours. Maria, take your holiday and be happy.
All of us should be happy with any time we get to spend with our families. Thousands of people never get to spend the holidays with their families because of their work. I work all the holidays so that my customers are able to purchase the things they need to enjoy them.
Oh, by the way, the reason my work always schedules me for the holidays is just because of the reason that women gave you. They have kids and I don't. Well, six years later I'm starting to see they are full of (very bad things). :rotfl:
Supposedly this woman huffed and puffed all day Christmas day about having to work, to the point the surgeon said "put a cork in it and fizz out" (he WOULD say something like that, after getting annoyed with whining).
And this is the ONE year we didn't get a ruptured AAA or any suicide attempts. But it was Appy Avenue, apparently.
I have since gone from being the Assistant DON to the DON at a 140 bed facility. I have always hated the holiday schedules. For a good number of staff, its no big deal. They accept that SOMEONE has to work the holidays. But, as soon as the schedule is posted, the line outside of my office starts. There is always the one who wants EVERY holiday off, and the one who wants every Christmas or every New Year off.
I am a strong believer that staff should rotate their holidays, REGARDLESS of seniority. If you worked Christmas last year, you have the first choice of being off this year. Now, if staff wants to trade after the schedule is posted, I have no problems with that, as long as the shifts are covered.
Now, all that said. I have a lot of admiration for my staff who volunteered to come and work on the holidays. I don't know what I would do without those people!!
Good for you. My child is grown but still I enjoy having the holiday off as well as the next person, besides nursing is a 24 hour, 365 day a year job. All medical profesessionals realize this and know that sick people do not take a holiday. Does she think that the people you care for want to be there on that holiday? She needs a reality check or needs to get a new job>
Supposedly this woman huffed and puffed all day Christmas day about having to work, to the point the surgeon said "put a cork in it and fizz out" (he WOULD say something like that, after getting annoyed with whining).
And this is the ONE year we didn't get a ruptured AAA or any suicide attempts. But it was Appy Avenue, apparently.
Geez... sounds like she was abolutely determined to have a horrible day.
weezer123
57 Posts
I know exactly how you feel, I worked for 32yrs floor nurse and it was a yearly thing for EVERYBODY to get their feathers ruffled... Sounds almost to me like you need a break.. I got really riled up when the new employees got off for the holidays.. to me ,,, that was not fair for the regulars at all. And I was always one if you wanted to play the game we had to play fair or I was not gonna play.Also we once had a coordinator that let everyone off that lived out of town so they could fly home ...! And another really good one that let us work 4hrs or block hrs so we could be home early christmas a.m. and see kiddies and take pictures etc. Some nurses worked better in afternoon on Christmas day and some didn't ... I think it will always be a really sort of growling time during holidays for nurses because they are mostly already stressed just being a nurse, but I can say to you and please take it to heart... I worked tons and tons of thanksgivings, easter sundays, 4th of julys and christmas's and now that I am older and retired if I could do it over again,,,(I would not do it for a million dollars) we have so many family photos with me in my uniform either going or coming and many where I was absent and like I said it was never worth it. so If you possibly can ,,, and especially when you get children,, DONT DO IT, WORK AT A OFFICE OR SOMETHING WITH HOLIDAYS AND WEEKENDS OFF believe me you won't regret it like I do.... thanks....