I am fairly new to nursing. Two years ago, after graduation, I began working in an oncology unit in a hospital part-time, including every other weekend and 2 out of 3 of major summer holidays and 2 out of 3 of the major winter holidays. I do not have a "set" every other weekend and have been told by management that I will need to flex my weekends on with the needs of the unit.
We have a "Request Off" book where we are asked to enter any time off requests. Upon learning of an important family event this summer, I immediately entered the request into the book. This was several months ago.
The schedule just came out and I was denied the time off. I can't find anyone to switch with me as it is two weeks away. This is extremely important to me. I have relatives coming into town from all over the country, several are staying at my house for the weekend of the event.
How is this handled at your facility? Do those of you that work in the hospital setting just not go to these important events in your life. I feel cornered, resentful, trapped, taken advantage of, amongst other feelings. This is the only time I asked for off the whole summer. In the two years I have been there I have not been given a "scheduled" vacation because it is awarded based on seniority, and the vacation schedule is filled way before it ever gets to me.
Am I asking too much? Is this just how floor nursing in a 24/7 operation is run?
I recently put in for three days off in the same week that I needed off due to family gatherings for my sisters graduation. I got 1 of those 3 days off. I had to find my own coverage for the rest.
A co-worker told me in the future, put the request in as usual.. and make a copy of it.
She replied that she is unable to cover that weekend and that I would need to ask other staff to switch.
Could I do that? Maybe. But I feel that if I do, my NM will no longer attempt to fill requests off, but will put it on my shoulders to fill my own requests.
Ugh! This is the awful situation I've managed to get myself in. I'm a CV tech, but the only one scheduled from 3pm-11pm. I work every weekday - we don't have a CV tech in house on the weekends (RT covers it) - so I'm the only one who ever works this shift.
The first time I needed off was a Friday, and it was late notice because of the situation (sister's labor began on Thursday). Knowing it would be hard for my manager to get coverage for a Friday night 3-11 shift, I asked around on Thursday until I found someone to cover for me before I approached my manager asking for the next day off. Of course she said yes because of the situation and because I had already arranged a suitable replacement.
NOW she says it's my job to find coverage for *all* my requested days off "because no one wants to work 3p-11p" and she doesn't want to work to find someone. Even if I request months in advance. She says I need to submit the name of my replacement with my time off request (even though there's not spot on the time off request for "substitute"!)....and it IS hard to find coverage for 3p-11p! But staffing is the manager's job, not mine. It burns me up!
I voluntarily work tons of overtime and every holiday. I do what I can to make sure my coworkers can enjoy their holidays. I like the extra money and I love my job. But no one does the same for me, and my manager doesn't seem to care that I fill openings all the time and no one is willing to fill mine. I've worked here for over 2 years now and have only requested 7 days off. Ever. Not consecutive. I have tons of PTO, I never take vacation. I'm super flexible.
And I feel like I'm being punished with this extra burden of finding a replacement in the rare event I want time off! It stresses me out, and I don't think it should be my job.
It's just as bad in the other units, too - I've seen CNAs pay each other to cover shifts because that's the only way they can get the days off that they need.
I'm facing a similar situation twice this summer. The first was when myfirst husband and father of my 3 children died. My manager refused to let me off for the funeral, as it was my weekend to work. Evidently nurses don't understand that funerals are for the living. Fortunately, coworkers were willing to trade with me.
The second is a request for our family reunion; I asked off one year ago. I was informed a month ago I will have to work it unless I can trade to get off. I plan to give notice, but will wait until after calling in for the reunion. At the moment I have as much vacation as we are allowed to earn, so I'm losing vacation hours without being paid for them.
I have worked two of the three-and sometimes all three-of the holidays every year. I have sometimes worked as many as five weekends in a row. Some people seem to be able to get off, others can't. I've been at this facility for 8 years.
As the original poster of this thread, I feel for you. Your description of your employment is exactly what I am trying to avoid. I know that if I find my replacement she will also continue to take advantage of me. My concern in leaving this hospital, is that it is the same everywhere.
I guess my problem is that I feel that she is only scheduling around vacations and not putting the time in to schedule around the time off request book. Why do we have it? I worked in management for years and was very creative in how I scheduled to be fair to the employees.
Again, I have not had a scheduled vacation in two years. In fact I have called in exactly twice. I schedule my life around work. I fill in whenever I am asked.
I refuse to get into a situation where I feel I am being taken advantage of. There are job openings in my area. I am only interested in part-time and do not need benefits. Hopefully I can find something. I have 7 weeks vacation stored up so I have little bit of time : )
Where I am you are allowed to accumulate a certain amount of PTO and then they start making you "use it or lose it." Unfortunately, thats about the only way you will get to use your PTO.
From a purely business standpoint, it's just plain bad business to allow employees to build up excessive amounts of PTO. The company, by law, has to have enough money on hand to cover ALL vacation time, sick days, etc. That is cash that is tied up and can't be used for any other purpose. In my previous job, accounting used to scream bloody murder when the PTO days started piling up.
Where I am you are allowed to accumulate a certain amount of PTO and then they start making you "use it or lose it." Unfortunately, thats about the only way you will get to use your PTO.
From a purely business standpoint, it's just plain bad business to allow employees to build up excessive amounts of PTO. The company, by law, has to have enough money on hand to cover ALL vacation time, sick days, etc. That is cash that is tied up and can't be used for any other purpose. In my previous job, accounting used to scream bloody murder when the PTO days started piling up.
Where I work you can only accrual so many, depending how many years working at the facility. You can stop accrualing PTO. You dont have any choice but to take time off because you will be losing money you have earned.
OP: I agree your situation sucks, and I wouldn't want to work there. However, in the current economy, I'd recommend trying to find someone to cover for that weekend, and then begin looking for another job. I wouldn't quit until I have something else in hand. You do have experience now, so that should make it easier, and I don't know what part of the country you are in, but a lot of areas are still very difficult to find good nursing jobs. Just a thought.
If you really really like the place and the people where you work, consider getting another offer and then going to the manager and making demands. If s/he is unable or unwilling to meet them, then accept your new offer and be done with it.
Good luck!!
Oh, and double check your policies and make sure that your accrued PTO will get paid out to you when you leave... that'll be a nice check. :)
I refuse to get into a situation where I feel I am being taken advantage of. There are job openings in my area. I am only interested in part-time and do not need benefits. Hopefully I can find something. I have 7 weeks vacation stored up so I have little bit of time : )
Make sure you check your policy so you do everything needed to get that money due you. That is worth fighting for.
The handling of this situation is absurd. You should have been given not just the day but the weekend off. They had more than ample time to schedule around you. You could try and switch but I understand why you feel as you do. You could also lay low and just call out sick but they wil come after you at that point so prepare yourself for that and start looking now.
I would not be shy about calling off for the day. With 7 weeks of PTO to use it is unacceptable that management is not allowing you to use your time. (Where I work there literally is a policy that states some leave will be made available for unavailability. IOW if you could not get time off during signup that staffing will be adjusted to allow leave.)
I reiterate my prior post . . . just call in sick!! Your workplace clearly doesn't give a hoot about you; I hear that there's a lot of gastroenteritis from bad salsa in your area!!
It's really a shame that you've got such crappy management or staffing . . I don't know what the problem is. Where I work, if we put in requests for days off at least one month in advance, as long as it is only for 1 or 2 days, they are almost universally granted. If you've put the request in months in advance . . . 100% that you'll get the day(s)!!
And, I used to feel bad about calling in sick, until I realized that all our "20 somethings" have no accumulated sick leave . . . as soon as they build up 12 hrs, they call in. (and stupid me . . . I've got 650 hrs cuz I seldom call in)
Forever Sunshine, ASN, RN
1,261 Posts
I recently put in for three days off in the same week that I needed off due to family gatherings for my sisters graduation. I got 1 of those 3 days off. I had to find my own coverage for the rest.
A co-worker told me in the future, put the request in as usual.. and make a copy of it.