Really not sure how to handle this...

[crj96]

I typically work Thursday/Friday/Saturday on a pretty tame floor, 2-3 nurses, 0-1 aide, nights. Thursday morning, I found out that my grandma had a massive stroke the night before and was in a hospital about 4 1/2 hours from my home. My husband works during the week, so it makes the most sense for us to take the kids out there as soon as I get off of work on Saturday. As soon as I found out and talked with my husband, I texted my boss and told her what was going on. She asked me if I had found a replacement for my Saturday night shift.

This is my first job out of nursing school but I'm almost 40 with four teenagers and a full life outside of work. I've already run into so many issues on this unit that makes me feel that I'm not at all valued. For example, mandatory overtime/on-call hours without overtime compensation (because I'm already making weekend premium), scheduled all three major holidays in such a way that I couldn't even work around them, put on random shift changes without notice (suddenly schedule for a Tuesday day shift), getting schedules days before they go "live", and it goes on. Basically, I've been white knuckling it for awhile.

So here I am trying to arrange how I'm going to get out to the hospital to see my grandma and I'm told I have to find a replacement. The pool I can choose from consists of four people. Of course, the new schedule goes live on Sunday and I didn't have it yet, so I couldn't even see who would be able to trade with me. I came in tonight and realized that no one will. My co-worker tells me that I should have just called in sick on Saturday, that they're going to "make" me come in or I'll get written up. Getting a write up means six months before I can transfer from this unit.

Here I am trying to do the right thing and I'm feeling completely deflated. I'm not coming to work on Saturday. This is a job, a career, but it is NOT my life. My grandma is dying and I need to say goodbye to her. My kids need to see her before she's completely gone.

What do I do? How can I save this mess? I honestly feel sick thinking about it. I feel like my only option is to be upfront, call out for a "family emergency", I don't know.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Good luck in your job search!

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

Yes. It was raising giant red flags the whole time I read it. The fact that all her superior had to say in the matter was whether or not she got her shift covered was was a big indicator of the kind of culture they have in that facility/on that floor.

I 100% would take the write up and go see my family. Family will always trump a job for me.

Same here. Makes me very thankful I work clinic with awesome people. My FORMER father in law passed away unexpectedly recently and I wanted to be there for my children and ex-husband. Before I could even finish explaining, my dept head said "take whatever you need". I've been there six months, work for a highly specialized md, and being gone is a hardship to the rest of the dept, but none of that mattered to my supervisor. And THAT is why where I work is a highly respected company by employees!