Should I be upset about this?

PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN · Dec 11, 2009

That depends.

WHAT do you feel? Do you want to feel miffed? Or do you want to know why you were offered the job? If it is policy then you have an explanation. If that isn't the policy, why not just ask your manager?

Go straight to the source; it saves a lot of headaches.

Baloney Amputation, BSN, LPN, RN · Dec 11, 2009

I bet it's just facility procedure to do that. Not only that, a day shift job in a LTC is a hot entity, and the day shift sometimes has a list of nurses in the facility who have asked for day shift hours previously. It's really only fair to let everyone have a shot at applying for it, particularly those with seniority, but getting your app in was the right thing to do. I don't think it was anything personal against you to post it up. Good luck!

sunnycalifRN · Dec 11, 2009

However, I feel like since I have been working these hours for the past 6 months, when they were posted someone should have said something to me like "Hey if you're interested in keeping these hours you should put in an application." I did put in an internal application for the position today. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I get the position since I've been working it for the past 6 months.
Am I right to feel a bit miffed about the whole thing, or do I just need to get over it?

You were just working the other nurse's hours while she was on leave. You did not have her position. Your workplace is doing the right thing by posting the position and allowing everyone to apply for the job. So, you should not feel miffed about anything because there's nothing to be miffed about. You found out that the position was posted and you've applied for it. Good luck, maybe you will get the position.

FroEJ25 · Dec 11, 2009

I wouldn't worry too much about it either; sounds like it could have been handled better, but depending on how big of an LTC facility it is and how well its run, telling you could have just slipped their mind. And they probably do have to post it- wouldn't really be fair to someone on night shift who's been there for 10 years waiting for a day shift to open to miss out on it just because you happened to have been filling in on an interim basis. On the plus side, if the person with 10 years on nights moves to days, there should be a new full-time night position opening...

Emergency RN · Dec 11, 2009

You were just working the other nurse's hours while she was on leave. You did not have her position. Your workplace is doing the right thing by posting the position and allowing everyone to apply for the job. So, you should not feel miffed about anything because there's nothing to be miffed about. You found out that the position was posted and you've applied for it. Good luck, maybe you will get the position.

That is absolutely correct. When a position become available, generally most institutions have policies to ensure that the the job is first offered internally, and then if unfilled after a time, to then be offered to outsiders.

To the OP, suppose that the facility did not post the position when they realized that the other RN wasn't coming back, and instead, just gave you the position? What problems might that have encountered? While you would have been very happy, I suspect that other nurses, would have complained that you, being a new grad, junior nurse and recent hire, somehow got a coveted position ahead of many other seniors nurses who had wanted it. The senior nurses would have been right, in that they were never given the opportunity to apply for that position. The hospital did the right and fair thing. Once that realized that they had an opening, they're offering it internally to everyone who might be interested.

Whether they should have told you about it or not? They did tell you, in exactly the same manner that they told everyone else; the position was posted internally. So you were given as much advanced warning as everyone else. This is absolutely, 100% perfectly fair.

No offense, but IMHO, you're now letting your fear of losing those hours (which you've understandably have probably grown very comfortable in and emotionally attached to) perhaps cloud your opinion of the process. Needless to say, you should get your application in, and who knows? Maybe no one else wanted it. At any rate, good luck.

nursynurseRN · Dec 11, 2009

I wouldn't take it personally.. Someone might have overlooked it... Lots of time people don't know what your intentions are and they can't guess. Don't exepct people to care or put interest into things as you do.... If you want the hours ask for them now as you did... Don't take it personal though cause that will happen many more time in your career...

caliotter3 · Dec 11, 2009

I would hazard a guess that the HR department just posted the job as it normally would with no thought to the fact that there was someone temporarily filling the position. The supervisors weren't involved in the posting and, with all of their responsibilities, didn't think to talk to you about it, one way or the other. Apply for the job and talk to your immediate supervisor to find out why you were not offered the job straight up.

Scrubby · Dec 11, 2009

If I were in your position I too would feel a tad annoyed as well but try not to take it too personally.

My advice is not to let anyone know that you feel upset about it otherwise it might work against you. At interview don't act like you're self-entitled to this position, just promote yourself by getting a good reference from your current managers. This sounds like one of those situations where they probably because of some policy HAVE to advertise for the position. But given you have been doing the job for 6 months, it's likely that you may just be left in the position because they would have to retrain someone else...

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Dec 11, 2009

In many facilities, they are required to post all openings.

Now, I would hope that the manager would have let you know that they were to be posted, so that you could be on the lookout. But not essential.

There is a possibility that the position is earmarked for a particular individual, possibly with more seniority. That may mean they when nurses shift around ( a senior night shifter going to days, then a PT going to FT, etc.), you may have a FT position. So go ahead and throw your hat in the ring. But do not be surprised if there are several internal applicants.

The other issue is sometimes the manager has already picked the staffer, but is required to post the position for at least a week or two per facility policy, for "looks". I have seen that done several places.

cjcsoon2bnp, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 11, 2009

To be honest if I were you I wouldn't be mad at all. In many facilities when someone leaves a position the job must be posted internally first and if no internal candidates are interested then it will go to the public. But when this is posted internally it is usually supposed to go to the person with the most seniority (but that might not always be the case). They reason why your boss might not have mentioned it to you about the position is because they did not want to come off as showing favoritism and to cover their butt for later on in case someone makes a fuss if you get the position. This way your boss can say that he/she posted the position and give everyone the same opportunity for the position and if they decided to hire you for it then you got it fair and square without any forewarning or favoritism. Try not to get upset or be too hurt by it...

!Chris :specs:

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Dec 11, 2009

You should feel however you feel. But you should get over it. It probably must be posted per policy and no one can apply until it is.

Fingers crossed!