I had been scheduled way ahead of time to work this Thanksgiving, OK, fine it's my turn. My daughter in law invited me to come to her family's town 3.5 hrs drive away from me as she and my son would be there with her family having driven down from their home 9 hrs away. But no I couldn't I had to work, so I turned down the invitation and made no plans, btw this would have been the first TG in 11 years where I wouldn't have been all alone for the day. : (.
The time comes for work, I shower, get dressed, makeup on and go to the hospital. I run into the supervisor as I was going in, "Oh I left you a voicemail, we don't need you tonight so you can go home". Not only did the hospital screw me out of a nights holiday pay they screwed me out of the opportunity to see my son and daughter in law.
Has this happened to anyone else? They maintain a rotating list of nurses who they put on "standby" when the census drops to certain levels. They just fricking hang you out to dry. Then they have the nerve to call me sometimes and ask me to come in at the last minute because "we're desperate". I never have and never will come in to work any extra shift to help them out, EVER.
Oh yes, I forgot this is at a faith based hospital that is all over themselves, going on and on about "The Spirit of Mercy"!
I was put on call last thanksgiving, for $4/hr and I had to sit home while my husband went else where. Its part of being a hospital nurse. I understand the anger though...I get 4$/hr to be on call all the time, then when they are short staffed and want us to come in and work an extra shift we do not get an extra pay as a bonus to come in on our day off; just straight regular pay.
Can't you get a cell phone? Or pager? Or call from your party and see if you're needed?
I get called off a bit here and there but always able to make it up later. It is just a census thing and not personal in the least. I am sure they did not mean to ruin your holiday or set out to make you feel bad.
Most people would have been thrilled to be called off, called family and asked if ok to still drop by. Maybe not as cool as being there pre-planned and set, but at least you would have gotten to see them, maybe? I have driven a few hours on short notice to be w/family when able to, even if only for a little bit of time together. jmho.
That stinks! I've been called off due to low census, so I'm used to it, but I'd still be mad about it being Thanksgiving. It is part and parcel of the job, so it's not your employer's fault, but it is still a bummer.
It's the employer's habit. It's the employees' fault for letting themselves be treated that way.
This has happened to me many times in my career as a nurse. There has never been fairness in any of the holiday rotation, in my experience. I have had nurses get 2 whole weeks off at Christmas, and some end up working every single holiday thru-out the year. I have also seen newly hired nurses get Christmas off, while the ones who have been faithfully there forever get shafted. I have learned not to expect anything, then I won't be disappointed.
But you have not learned to fight for the fairness you want?
This happens lots in our hospital. We get placed "on call" and are off for the night unless they call us in. $3 an hour to sit at home and wait. Usually they do not call you in but it kind of sucks if you are not looking for it. I have learned to forward my home phone to my cell phone and then go out and do something I can walk away from if I get called in. We also have lots if inequities in the way our holidays are assigned. Like a prior poster said, "I lowered my expectations" and have tried to deal with it. Working in the machine definitely has some downsides. Im thinking about getting a clinic nursing slot, but dont really want to take the pay cut from bedside care......Sorry you got ripped off on your holiday.
That happened to me two years in a row. First time I pitched a fit and they 'found' a place for me to work. The second time I made the CN write me down for 4 hours pay and went home and enjoyed the quiet while hubby was at his mother's. We had planned to have our turkey on Friday anyhow.
To OP - it is a shame you couldn't be with your family. One thing you learn in nursing is, in my experience, management does what they darn well please and its just our tough luck. Which is why I'm not at the bedside any longer.
we do not get any extra pay for working any holidays, even the big ones, so don't feel too sorry for yourself.
i don't get holiday pay, or overtime according to the state labor laws, for the most part. if you think i am feeling sorry for myself, think twice. you are being too cheeky.
suffice it to say that "get used to it" isn't an unreasonable response.
it's business- you're a commodity. they can do with you as they will for the benefit of the bottom line, and enough for the patient to not have their "perky ratings" tank.
it bites. i'm sorry you missed the time with your family
I had been scheduled way ahead of time to work this Thanksgiving, OK, fine it's my turn. My daughter in law invited me to come to her family's town 3.5 hrs drive away from me as she and my son would be there with her family having driven down from their home 9 hrs away. But no I couldn't I had to work, so I turned down the invitation and made no plans, btw this would have been the first TG in 11 years where I wouldn't have been all alone for the day. : (.
The time comes for work, I shower, get dressed, makeup on and go to the hospital. I run into the supervisor as I was going in, "Oh I left you a voicemail, we don't need you tonight so you can go home". Not only did the hospital screw me out of a nights holiday pay they screwed me out of the opportunity to see my son and daughter in law.
Has this happened to anyone else? They maintain a rotating list of nurses who they put on "standby" when the census drops to certain levels. They just fricking hang you out to dry. Then they have the nerve to call me sometimes and ask me to come in at the last minute because "we're desperate". I never have and never will come in to work any extra shift to help them out, EVER.
Oh yes, I forgot this is at a faith based hospital that is all over themselves, going on and on about "The Spirit of Mercy"!
Does this happen to anyone else?
yeah sucks but that is part of it. if census is low people get called off or are sent home.
Wonder if you could have asked if anyone would like to go home and that you would stay and work it? I worked Thanksgiving and there were at least 4 other staff who would have taken someone up on that offer.
Sorry this happened to you. At our hospital we were never officially given off until 30 minutes after the shift started. They called it "standby ETO" (earned time off). So you couldn't do anything or go anywhere until 30 minutes after your shift was supposed to start. And if you were called in during those 30 minutes expect to be pulled, and of course start at least 45 minutes behind. Guaranteed a lousy shift. And NO pay until and unless you actually were working. Grrr.
Which is why I'm not at the bedside any longer.
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Kooky Korky, BSN, RN
5,216 Posts
Can't you get a cell phone? Or pager? Or call from your party and see if you're needed?