Schedule

Welcome to nursing.

Biff,

I am not new to the health care, CNA, LPN, RN world. Really? Is this common practice where you work?

My last hospital job, I knew my schedule from here to eternity. I had the exact same schedule each pay period. The only thing that changed were our mandatory call shifts and charge nurse assignments, and for that we had to have the schedule. And our sucky manager would wait until the last possible moment to post it, so a lot of times you'd have to call the unit to find out if there was a possibility of getting called at 3 am the next morning. I even knew about Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, because we rotated those. Prior to that, I was a travel nurse, and I never knew what I would be doing from week to week. Now I'm Mon-Fri with major holidays and weekends off.

Practically forever. I work a set 12 week rotation pattern that repeats itself so I know what my schedule looks like way way down the road. All I have to do is let google calendar do the work!

work acute care nsg....all nursing depts have to post a schedule 2 weeks in advance of the next schedule starting.our schedules are in 4 week increments based a 2 week pay period. No changes can be made to schedule once posted unless all parties are in agreement.

Exactly, I am accustomed to a 6 week schedule being presented in printed form 2 weeks prior to starting. Then from there is is up to the Nurses to put in a "switch" form for approval. I use google calendar too and cannot aid until the new 6 week set schedule comes out! This is driving me nuts!

Btw...our manager is great, just a lot going on right now in the dept. I really just wanted confirmation that "pretend schedules" we're not being used elsewhere...wanted to make sure I wasn't being irrational

No, you're not being irrational. I have never worked anywhere that published schedules would be changed arbitrarily without prior notice. From a management/administrative standpoint that practice is just unnecessary and unproductive.

Biff,

I am not new to the health care, CNA, LPN, RN world. Really? Is this common practice where you work?

Not all the time, but it happens. We've been down to Weds or Thurs before the next 4 week schedule starts on Sunday, and still had not seen it yet. How do you plan anything? There have been folks who have had their schedule changed (unknown by whom ) and not notified. Phone call: Where are you ... you're scheduled for tonight! "I AM???"

Rule: PRINT the schedule and keep a copy.

Our schedule is for 6 weeks. Neve had an issue with changing shifts except if I was put on call (and I get notification for that) or if I pick up extra shifts.

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12 week rotation.

Our union contract specifies that there must always be a 12 week schedule in place on each unit.

The manager can make changes with more than two weeks notice. So I keep my eye on it every couple of weeks so I don't get stuck with a shift that doesn't work for me.

Any changes with less than two weeks notice carry a penalty for the employer. I'm entitled to double time for the first shift of the changes.

I also mark any "blank" days on the rotation that I don't want to work or be considered to be called in for.