I returned to hospice this past Spring into a 7 on-7 off on call night shift. The hours and the role I play are great for me right now. The problem is that in 6 months we have worked the 7 on - 7 off schedule less than half the time. I have my review this week, and I have brought my frustrations to my supervisor and the one nurse I work opposite, but it is like talking into the wind.
The position was newly created and posted last Winter. They had to convince the other on call night nurse who has been doing the job off and on for 20 years (as she reminds me over and over and over) to switch to the 7 on -7 off schedule. This nurse has worked M-T-W-Th for years. No surprise that they had trouble finding someone to work Fri-Sat-Sun indefinitely. I know the weekend shifts can work for some folks for a few years due to family/situation/etc, though tough to do very long term. Also because the "main" nurse worked 8 shifts per pay period, the other nurse only had 6 shifts per pay period so it was basically part time. So they get her to agree, they post the job opposite her and I am thrilled.
Now 6 months in, the other nurse has taken vacation in March and July, and was off for Covid in August. I am a bit annoyed with management for approving all her vacation requests as there is no reliable relief, not even the supervisors. When someone can help, they have specific shifts they can work, so my schedule becomes a lot of on-off-on-off. Happy to have the help, but this is not what I signed up for! It is almost the end of August, and my schedule for September is not set because they approved the nurse to take off the last half of September. Are ya kiddin' me?
We have a meeting coming up to discuss holidays, etc. The other nurse just talks about how crazy scheduling has always been on nights at hospice. Well, yeah, you would be the common denominator in the last 20 years. Three months in to this the other nurse was saying she was hoping to return to the old schedule, but wanted to know if I would go to all weekends and only 3 shifts a week. No. I will have 7 shifts out of every 2 week pay period and we will find a way to rotate weekends, even if not every other.
It is a small to medium sized agency. Like everyone else in healthcare there are always a lot of open positions that are tough to fill, including per diem on call night relief. It is clear we have very different values relating to how the schedule should go. And what she says doesn't match what she does. She said we should work the holidays that pop up in our individual rotations. I had Memorial and Labor Days in mine, but 4th of July off. Then she requests vacation for the week of July 4th on the down low - after claiming over and over she always speaks to the other nurse about her plans. Uh - no ya don't.
I am coming from union hospitals, I expect there to be some intent on making holiday work somewhat fair. Her response is to use fair in quotations... make it more "fair". What in the world does that mean? I really want this job to work out for a few more years, but this is not going to work for long. She is one of those persons who says we should do xyz, but always have exceptions for herself. Ack! The supervisor said at our last meeting that she won't be approving these extended vacations for either of us in the future.
Does anyone know of a schedule that evenly divides 14 day pay periods in to 7 shifts each for 2 nurses, rotates weekends, but aren't 7 on - 7 off? She seems willing to change out of this schedule - I might be so too just to have a little predictability. I was thinking there might be a way to do mostly 5 on - 5 off, but then have some planned odd 2-3 night runs to make it even over time.
Currently I'm working a case manager position M-F at a small agency. The 3 case managers split call, including covering every 3rd weekend. Most of the time, it works fine.
Currently I'm working a case manager position M-F at a small agency. The 3 case managers split call, including covering every 3rd weekend. Most of the time, it works fine.
The only problem with this potential schedule is if it's a repeating schedule Nurse A gets that 4 day weekend but also gets stuck with a 4 day stretch. That last Fri-Sat goes right into the first Sun-Mon. Nurse B never has a stretch longer than 2 days. Maybe Nurse A is fine with that, but more likely not
The only problem with this potential schedule is if it's a repeating schedule Nurse A gets that 4 day weekend but also gets stuck with a 4 day stretch. That last Fri-Sat goes right into the first Sun-Mon. Nurse B never has a stretch longer than 2 days. Maybe Nurse A is fine with that, but more likely not
Good point. Since @vampiregirl posted the options I have been thinking about how important it is to have the days in a row? For instance, in the hospital when doing 12s I usually worked 2-4 shifts in a row, but would never want just one night off... unless it was the only way to break up doing 8 or 9 in a row. Man we were short staffed at times!
So my assumption was it would be better to do 7 on 7 off. Now since the work is variable, I am reexamining that assumption. Maybe working only a couple in a row is fine. I am not traveling as much now. I am doing more work around the house. Maybe it isn't important to have the long stretch on alternating with a long stretch off.
I agree that if I had 4 on in a row, I would want 4 off in a row at some point. The first option might be better for that reason, at least for me.
vampiregirl, BSN, RN
824 Posts
Here's a potential schedule with a 4 day weekend:
Su M Tu W Th F Sa Su M Tu W Th F Sa
Nurse A X X X X X X X
Nurse B X X X X X X X
Currently I'm working a case manager position M-F at a small agency. The 3 case managers split call, including covering every 3rd weekend. Most of the time, it works fine.