This just infuriates me!

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it's that time of the year fellow nurses...heading into early october...

which means (cue the horror music): holiday schedule time!!! :angryfire

that's right, my floor has already put up a list for us to write in our preferences between thanksgiving, christmas, and new years.

now, i'm realistic. i knew as soon as i started working in a hospital that i would be working holidays, and i don't have a problem with that. it does get stressful with the planning of early or late celebrations and my family being 6 hours away from me, but it's manageable.

however, i must say that i do have a problem with a co-worker of mine who has only worked in peds for 5 months. she worked on an adult neuro unit before in the same hospital and hired in the same time as i did, so she has seniority over the new nurses hired in this year (but not over our group that hired in when she did).

she has made it known to some of the nurses on the floor that she will be having her "ankle surgery" the week after thanksgiving, and will be off for 8 weeks. she also said as a direct quote "i'll probably be working thanksgiving then." excuse me, what?!?! more like you will be working thanksgiving. when asked about the timing of her surgery, she said "my parents are going to florida for the winter and i need them to drive me around." apparently, they are currently overseas now and will be home in that time gap. well isn't that convenient!!! the one holiday that 90% of our night shift staff wants off (christmas), you'll be recovering from your elective ankle surgery. let's not forget about new years as well! i seriously had to walk away from the girl before i flew off the handle on her. i'm just pissed about the whole situation. the following things are what i would love to say to her, but i'm too professional to do that in a work setting (maybe i should get her phone number:lol2: )

1)i don't see how there isn't a hospital policy on having elective surgeries between november and january! i guess i'll make a note to have a boob job done next december!

2)i'm sure your ass will be driving 2 weeks after your minor elective surgery, why don't you just admit that you planned it on purpose to get christmas and new years off?

3)very few nurses on this floor like you... your laziness and incompetence have repeatedly been reported to our nurse manager who doesn't have the backbone to fire you. i think it's safe to say that your co-workers are not going to welcome you back with open arms when you return from your mini-vacation.

4) this sort of follows #3. there aren't many nurses who jump for joy at the thought of working holidays. sure, we do it and we tolerate it...but that doesn't mean we like it. the holidays are a time that we want to spend with our families too! show some respect towards your co-workers and go through the process like all of us have to do!

ok, so i'm done now...i feel better, lol. i apologize for the swearing, i'm just so angry:angryfire i wouldn't have an issue if she hadn't been working due to her ankle (she's been working full-time), or if she was having nonelective surgery, or having a baby. all of those situations are completely understandable...her situation isn't.

Specializes in ER, Psych.

Immature cry baby huh? That's real nice.....:nono:.

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Specializes in ICU, SDU, OR, RR, Ortho, Hospice RN.

Our organization lists all the holidays and you put your preferences numbered 1- 10 or how ever many there are.

If you had Christmas off last year well you KNOW you will be working on call this year. Not every one can have the same time off obviously. So I am pleased we keep a list of who worked what last year. Prevents any angst and upset.

Personally for me I love Thanks Giving but do not mind working any other time. :)

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Ankle surgery doesn't seem to me to be in the same league as a boob job!

Anyway, I'd be happy to work the holidays for you or anyone else. Being scheduled to work is a great way to get out of having to spend time with my in laws!!!

Oohh, I hear ya. It's a great excuse. :lol2:

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Specializes in Emergency, Outpatient.

Where I worked before everyone worked 4 hours either Christmas or Christmas Eve no vacations were allowed. The same was done for the other holidays that way with just 4 hours people could still celebrate. If you worked one the year before you worked the next the year after, even if you are part time, prn you work one or the other.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
Immature cry baby huh? That's real nice.....:nono:.

I agree. As nurses trudge to work on Xmas day leaving their kids at home, what's wrong with saying "this sucks" as they work their holiday? That's a reasonable reaction rather than being immature crybaby. They are dealing with it, doing it, but they don't have to like it do they?:trout:

However, we all work with whiners who are immature crybabies, and no I don't feel sorry for them. I'm in the same boat and I deal with whining.

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Specializes in Operating Room.

I'll probably get flamed for this, but she doesn't need your approval to have surgery done..she needs an Ok from the supervisor and to have the necessary paperwork filled out. One thing I really dislike about this profession is the tendency of nurses to stick their noses into everyone else's business. She might well be lazy etc but this sounds to me more like a personal issue. Namely, that you don't like this person and this is just one more reason why. There are many surgeries classified as ''elective" that need to get done because they affect functioning. You said she worked full-time so you doubted it was necessary..well, there are those of us with chronic conditions that work full-time-sometimes problems need to be addressed though.

I noticed a long time ago that we nurses show an amazing lack of compassion towards our co-workers when illness/injury is involved. Who knows, you might have to have your gallbladder taken out someday(for example) and guess what, many times this is also classified as "elective"(unless it is gangrenous). I've found that the same people that are so angry about other people's health issues all of a sudden expect head patting and sympathy when they are sick. It seemes to me she is aware she will be working Thanksgiving and is fine with it. It is up to your boss and not the staff, to make determinations on her LOA. Just my 2 cents.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
I'll probably get flamed for this, but she doesn't need your approval to have surgery done..she needs an Ok from the supervisor and to have the necessary paperwork filled out. One thing I really dislike about this profession is the tendency of nurses to stick their noses into everyone else's business. She might well be lazy etc but this sounds to me more like a personal issue. Namely, that you don't like this person and this is just one more reason why. There are many surgeries classified as ''elective" that need to get done because they affect functioning. You said she worked full-time so you doubted it was necessary..well, there are those of us with chronic conditions that work full-time-sometimes problems need to be addressed though.

I noticed a long time ago that we nurses show an amazing lack of compassion towards our co-workers when illness/injury is involved. Who knows, you might have to have your gallbladder taken out someday(for example) and guess what, many times this is also classified as "elective"(unless it is gangrenous). I've found that the same people that are so angry about other people's health issues all of a sudden expect head patting and sympathy when they are sick. It seemes to me she is aware she will be working Thanksgiving and is fine with it. It is up to your boss and not the staff, to make determinations on her LOA. Just my 2 cents.

No flames allowed. :)

In defense of the OP, this person taking their time off at Christmas does indeed affect her because it might cause her to work a holiday she wouldn't have to if the person stayed and worked their holiday. So that's not being nosy, and I can understand her being upset.

Personally, I have seen more than one nurse deliberately schedule surgery recovery time around Christmas, and admit they were doing it to get the time off, so the OP's concerns are valid.

On the other hand, the OP is going to have to accept that this is indeed between the employee and the boss.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Speaking of the OP, where'd they go?

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
Speaking of the OP, where'd they go?

Probably moved on. Perhaps we should too. :lol2::lol2:

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