So Frustrated I Could Cry..

[NurseQT]

Well actually I did cry :-( My Dad's 75th birthday party is coming up in a month, he's been planning this party for the past year. The party falls on my weekend to work (the party is in another state), I submitted my request for time off as soon as my parents had the date set, which was a little over a month ago. About the same time I submitted my request one of the other two NOC nurses put in her resignation. After a couple weeks of not hearing anything back from my scheduler I sent her message letting her know how important it was for me to be off that weekend because it was for my Dad's b-day and since we lost my older brother 6 months ago I couldn't miss a family function now. Didn't hear anything back from her. Than the other NOC nurse put in her notice, leaving me the only full time nurse on that shift :-/. I could to work last night and had a denial note waiting for me. It basically said "due to the current staffing issues I cannot approve your request for time off" I am so angry. There are only two on call nurses I can ask to work for me and one of them has already told me she is busy. The other nurse is my last hope. I don't even know what else to do and I cannot imagine having to tell my parents that I won't be coming.. :-(

[AOx1]

I would not put up with that. They are treating you like garbage. Time for a new job.

[RNIBCLC]

Is it possible someone has got something against you that you never aware of? Cause that smells to high heaven.

[duskyjewel]

What a load of BS. I think you should tell your manager you're not showing up the day of the party and she can deal with that however she comes up with, because you just saw the schedule and it's clear you're being discriminated against. Honestly. And you definitely need to look for a new job. They are treating you like crap.

[duskyjewel]

And just to preempt any more nasty, mean-spirited remarks from the moral high-ground dwellers who would never, EVER abandon their patients to go to a party.....you do not need to grow up nor are you selfish.

[jetsy62]

Not sure what you should do, but I do feel safe in saying if you work the scheduled shift while everyone around you seems to be getting time off approved, you might as well prepare yourself for always getting the short end of the stick. You will have given the impression that you will "just take it". If everyone was being told no, I get it. But that does not seem to be the case. You get a no, while all others get a yes. Just an observation.

[RNperdiem, RN]

Sounds like it is time to schedule a meeting with your manager, or whoever does the scheduling and get to the bottom of this issue.

Taking action is empowering an energizing, fuming is depleting.

Best of luck.

[NurseQT]

I will be speaking with my DON for sure! I just don't want to start bawling in front of her... I tend to cry when I'm mad and am already super emotional about this whole deal. So I don't know if my better option would be to send her and the HR director a strongly worded email about all of this. I just told my husband that they gave the new nurse off on that following Sat and he's threatened to call my scheduler himself! He's extremely assertive (and that's putting it lightly) and can be quite intimidating.

I'm still just dumbfounded that the scheduler did what she did, did she honestly think I wouldn't notice or that I wouldn't be upset?

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

What a load of BS. I think you should tell your manager you're not showing up the day of the party and she can deal with that however she comes up with, because you just saw the schedule and it's clear you're being discriminated against. Honestly. And you definitely need to look for a new job. They are treating you like crap.

I agree 100% with this post. It's time to end this charade.

This scheduler sounds like a passive aggressive troublemaker who enjoys tormenting the staff.

Always follow the chain of command. Make an appointment to speak with your manager and take your husband with you to be your advocate.

They can not deny you unemployment if you told them you could not work that day.

[Caffeine_IV]

That would make me mad enough to call in.

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

And just to preempt any more nasty, mean-spirited remarks from the moral high-ground dwellers who would never, EVER abandon their patients to go to a party.....you do not need to grow up nor are you selfish.

Agree 100%. I already have those people on my ignore list.

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

Okay, I'd be marching in there and then taking it up the chain of command. That is BS.

[NurseQT]

Thank you to all of you for your supportive comments and suggestions, it definitely makes me feel better as well as a little bit stronger as I can be a push over at times. Ironically I had a note from my HR director with my paycheck tonight regarding setting up a "stay interview" with her and the administrator, she included an interview questionaire and the #2 question is "What's bothering you most about your job?"... So I'll be filling it out tonight and writing her a letter regarding the scheduler. Since I've been here it has been the HR director and administrator who seem to take employees' concerns seriously, more so than the DON and NM. The nurse that I worked with last night said that if I'm unable to find anyone to work for me on that Sat she'll see what she can do. She's working PMs on Sat and a PM/NOC double on Sunday... Hopefully she'd be willing to work a double on Sat and I'd gladly take her Sun NOC.. I still have a message out to one other nurse who I'm guessing is not cellphone savvy and doesn't text which is why I haven't heard back from her. She'll be working tomorrow night so I plan on leaving her a handwritten note basically begging her to work! Fingers are crossed!