required to orient 11p-7a

[Simply Complicated]

I got a transfer within my hospital corporation. I was granted the transfer about a month ago, started today. I'm a little frusturated at what they failed to inform me regarding my orientation though. It wouldn't have stopped me from taking the position, but it would have allowed me more time to plan.

I switched from a part time two 12 hours a week, to a part time three eight hour shifts a week. But they require me to work full time, five eights during my orientation, which should be about 8 weeks. They also require me to orient for 2 11p-7a shifts, even though I am working 3p-11p. I can make it work, but it has left me in a bit of a bind, as I have a 1 year old who I need to arrange day care for. I had made arrangements for 3 days a week, not 5. My husband works until 6 pm, but our daycare is only open until 5, so he has to leave work early those days. She also doesn't open until 8 am, so he has to go in late. He can not do this 5 days a week. We were planning on finding a new place regardless, but not with less than a weeks notice.

I'm sure the full time orientation is normal, but is it common to make you orient on a midnight shift? I'm going to make it work, but I just wish they had let me know sooner. . My first week was only 3 days scheduled, so I had no reason to believe I would be required to work the extra.

[Simply Complicated]

your daughter won't remember a week in her life that you weren't home in time to put her to bed. You'll make those moments that you ARE home precious, so those other times won't be a big deal. I think the guilt we feel is what we, as parents, place onto ourselves. Not how our kids feel. Our kids will appreciate our hard work that helps them to have a good life.

I didn't catch that part totally. It will be for about 6 weeks that I am working 5 nights a week, not my scheduled 3 that I was hired for.

[BluegrassRN]

Just FYI, we require all our prn and part time staff to undergo a full-time orientation, particularly if they are new to our facility and/or new to our type of nursing. We require a minimum number of 18 twelve hour shifts for our orientation, more if they need it. That's 6 weeks full time. If they only worked 3 shifts a pay period, for example, their orientation would be at least 12 weeks. We need them on the floor sooner than that. That'd be 6 additional weeks that we are working short and/or paying people overtime to pick up the hours that the new part time person is supposed to be picking up. It's simply economically unfeasible.

However, I know that our educator understands that part time people don't want to work full time typically, and she tries very hard to accommodate their schedules. You aren't the first part time employee the facility has hired who doesn't want to/can't work full time. I hope you and your educator can develop a schedule that meets the needs of your unit and your family.

[MassED, BSN, RN]

Yeah, except it's not a "week in her life." Its' 6 weeks and she's only a year old. I would have a problem with this too when my kids were little. Heck,at 1 year all three of mine were still breast-feeding.No way could I have been away from home 5 days a week for a month and a half.

OP, I agree with the others who suggest talking to the educator. I'm sure this isn't the first time this has come up. Even if they had to extend your orientation an extra 2 weeks, it would be worth it. At any rate, it won't hurt to ask. All they can say is No(and give you a good explanation why!)

You can still breastfeed while you're away for those longer shifts/days - the good thing is, that at a year old, they wake up early, late, and at all hours (or my younger one did, I should say...) - so you will still get snippets of time with your baby in those 6 weeks.... but remember you don't work 7 days a week, you'll have those 2 weekend days a week off during that orientation time. There's plenty of bonding time there - your child won't forget you!