They Think I'm Working Christmas??

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Ok so where I work they apparently don't tell the staff what they're working Christmas because they don't want to hear the moaning...(?). Well that has annoyed me already, but I had calmed down because I'm already working Sunday from 7pm-7am....so thats Christmas YES??

Well I go into work last night and there is the schedule. I'm working Sat and Sun 12 hrs ending Monday am and they have me down for going back for 3-11pm???? WTH??

Now I'm really worked up. Annoyed. Pissed off..you name it.

I ask the staffing coordinator and she says some nonsence about Sunday night not counting and she had to put me on Monday also..maybe I could switch with someone "LMAO".

Now mind you, I've asked all my kids and their families to dinner on Monday. I figured I'd go home, put the turkey in and nap. I'd be fine yea? Well NOT IF I have to go back to work.

I am not cancelling Christmas.

I left a note under the staffing coordinators door stating that because I cannot come back on Monday without any real sleep AND they failed to let us know so we could schedule our LIVES I was not working monday. Thank you very much...

As expected my phone just rang. DON.."Joanne give me a call so we can talk about the schedule." I didn't answer it!!!! I know I'll have to call back..eventually, but shes going to say "Work or be fired."

Thats the way its done there.

Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

I've worked a lot of holidays and have always, always, always had plenty of advance notice. As in, by the end of October!

They could have let you know in advance and didn't. You made plans.

Additionally, working a 12 hour shift and then doubling back for another shift is not a cool thing to do!!

And yes, Christmas Eve is part of the holiday.

I would just flat not do it and if they fired me, so be it. I wouldn't want to work for them anyway!!!

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Specializes in OB, NP, Nurse Educator.

If you work Christmas Eve you shouldn't have to work Christmas Day. And if you get off at 0700 it is stupid to think that you could come back in at 1500. I would not do it. If I got fired I would just have to be fired. In most places the Holiday Schedule is completed in October in case people need to make plane reservations.... Good luck to you friend.

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Specializes in Peds ER.

3 days notice is ridiculous. It's even more ridiculous that they expect you to work at 3 after doing 2 nights.

Holiday time is always a nightmare with the schedule. Every year someone quits and someone calls in. Even at my facility where you know a year in advance if you have to work. If you were off Xmas last year, you will work this year. Xmas Eve and Day. If you weren't here last year, you will be working. Also, they don't begin Christmas Day until 7am there either, do that is not very uncommon.

I am so ready for a clinic position where this isn't an issue.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.

Your facility is being completely unreasonable on every level. Waiting until 3 days prior to the holiday to post schedules is essentially holding you hostage. Claiming that they don't want to hear the grumbles is disrespectful and unprofessional. And finally, asking you to work all weekend before and then turn around and ask you to work 3-11 is putting your health at risk as well as your patients' safety. Why should you pay for their lack of a coherent policy on holiday staffing? I absolutely would not work it, no compromises here.

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what does your contract say about notice? In Quebec, we have to know four to six weeks in advance what we are working and when all year long, including holidays.

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Is it routine practice at any time to expect nurses to return to work 8 hours after doing 2 twelve hour shifts?

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That's insane. And dangerous to the patients, let alone unfair to the exhausted employee - you.

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I just got a rotation with 6 shifts per pay period two weeks ago, and wouldn't you know, I got to work a night Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the day after (Boxing day in Canada). I am also scheduled to work an evening New years eve, and come back on New years day for another night.

I think not! We also have an agreement among the nurses that if you worked it last year you get it this year and I have always agreed to work Christmas, since you can change your dinner to either Christmas Eve day or Boxing Day, and open presents then. New Years eve for me is not negotiable, because it is one of the only nights of the year where I get to get dressed up and go out with hubby and my son. We usually go for a fancy dinner and do something fun for all of us, like a movie, or last year we went skiing New Years day.

It is also in our union contract that if required to work one holiday, then the other holiday is 2 days off in a row, and no evening shift prior. So if you work Christmas, you get newyears eve, new years day and if you worked days new years eve, the 2nd is also yours to have off if you desire. Vice versa if you work new years and want Christmas.

In this facility we work a set rotation year round, and 4 different nurses had BOTH holidays off, and no one would trade with me. I went to my union rep, and then told the boss that if I had to work it, I would not pick up extra shifts in January that she is desperate to fill. They saw it my way, and are now paying someone OT to work NY eve.

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Specializes in Gerontology.

Our policy is you alternate - work Xmas one year, New Years the next. Xmas is 24/25/26, New Years is 31/1/2 - 8 hour shifts only. No 12s. You can give away if you can get someone to work it (self-scheduling) but it is your reponsiblity to cover it. As we do have casuals who do not celebrate Xmas this can be done. Schedule was finalized by Nov 1.

This works because you always know what year is your turn to work Xmas. And with 8 hours, you do still have time with family.

Finally, people who worked shift last year get first dibs on Days this year.

Finding out 3 days ahead of time is not acceptable!

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At our place, and every other place I've worked, the night shift gets paid holiday time if most of the hours in the shift is on the holiday. In other words, nighties who work Christmas Eve 7p-7a will get paid for Christmas, but not if they work Christmas night. And our schedule comes out at least a month in advance, so there is time to try and trade if desired.

All that said, it is extremely unreasonable to expect someone to work 2 12's and come back 8 hours later, no matter if it's the holiday season or not. I would not be working for that facility anymore.

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Back when the kids were younger, oh, probably 10 and 12 or so, my DON asked me if I'd work 3-11 christmas eve and 7-3 christmas day. I still can't believe she would even ask. I told her one or the other. I can't remember which shift I worked, but it wasn't both.

For many years, we have done the- if you worked it one year, you're off the next. But we have a different DON now and she has the schedule so screwed up its ridiculus. I'm off the holidays this year, but that's because I'm off on medical leave.

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I have one shift scheduler who tries to get me to come in for "part of a day shift" 7am to 7pm when I've just gotten off a night at my other job. I guess she figures its not in her facility that I'm double shifted so no OT and if I ever made a serious mistake d/t being tired I'm quite sure they wouldn't let anyone know that they begged me to.

I would refuse to short shift on a night regardless of what time of year it was.

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