Hello everyone. I have been reading discussion on this site for the past few years. Ive finally decided to come here to vent and get some advice. My manager asked me to work every Monday night on this schedule, while still doing two 7a-8p shifts. We do 13 hour shifts at my facility. She claims that the night nurses that she has can not work Monday nights. These nurses do not have young children, but just "prefer" not to work Monday night. I have a one year old child. I agreed to work the shift, but only be because she said I would work Monday night and then come back on a Thursday or Friday.
Well she didn't make the schedule out that way. She has working every wedensday morning. They only gives me one day off. I will sleep most of that day. I worked like this last week and was utterly exhausted and disoriented. When I asked her if I could have some time to thin about working Monday night she said no I have to get the schedule out. Then she stared going on about making it "mandatory". This manager also asks me to cover a night shift whenever she has a call out. She does not ask the other nurses. I've only been at this job a few months.
I feel like I'm being taken advantage of. What do you guys think? Should I suck it up or seek other employment? Sorry this is so disjointed! Your feedback is appreciate.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
I apologize for yelling. I'm just frustrated because this is the second time that I've been made to rotate like this in my short career as a nurse.
I am so sorry you are frustrated and you are probably are not going to like what I have to say.
I did not imply that I knew what their lives were like. You appear ignorant to make that assumption about the post. Would you like to work my Monday night 13 hour shift and report to work at 0700 Wed.? Feel free to do so. This is an unfair schedule. An EMPATHETIC manager takes someone's home life into account when creating a schedule. No one should have to rotate unless there is a dire necessity. Not just because the other nurses "don't like Mondays".
Scheduling is a nightmare no matter how you slice it. As a manager it was my one single nemesis. Here is the deal. Just because you were "Hired for Days" does not mean you will only work days. Most nurses do not work for union facilities that have scheduling as a part of a written contract. I am willing to bet that if you look at your personnel booklet, paperwork, or online policies that will state that there are no real "permanent" shifts and scheduling will be done for unit needs and is up to the mangers discretion/seniority.
I am so sorry you are so upset. Unfortunately, most managers try to be careful of staff requests but it is impossible to make everyone happy. Whether one has a child or not has no bearing on the schedule, per se, as people without children also have scheduling preferences.
My suggestion to you, as a new nurse entering a lifetime of shift work and missing holidays, need to find out what is acceptable for you and approach your manager in a calm professional manner and present your situation and work out the schedule the best you can. There is no labor law that limits nurses to only one shift. It is common to have to rotate 2 shifts in one week. That is why I worked straight nights.
Ask for what you need in a calm professional manner. Check the personnel scheduling policy first. I wish you the best.
I wouldn't go looking for another job, every job will test you and exploit your flexibility. Just FYI, the nurses with/without kids and scheduling is a hot button issue at allnurses. As soon as it comes up you can plan on people getting bent out of shape, so those replies were not personal to you.
Meet with your manager. Explain that while you were willing to flex to meet needs by doing X, she actually scheduled you for Y, which is unacceptable and unfair. Inform her (don't negotiate, just inform) that you will be going back to all nights. In the future you might be willing to talk about helping out on other shifts, but not right now. That's how I'd p[lay it.
It has nothing to do with seniority. Having a child does matter actually. Nurses without children do not have to worry about childcare and should be available to work any given night. I was hired for day shift and am being assigned a Monday night shift because of "preference" and not necessity.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Gosh middle management is a truly thankless job. They get flack from above and below. Just know, it's not any manager's job to be "empathetic" when trying to staff the unit. It's his or her job to staff the unit with the correct mix of staff, according to a matrix not of his/her making. You are gonna be sorely disappointed if you expect management to be sympathetic to your personal life or needs. You got a long career ahead of you. I would understand this, and then do something about it. You have received excellent suggestions above. You have choices. Make one.
Having kids shouldn't matter. We are all nurses and know what we were signing up for when we decided to go into the field. I had a coworker who told us she had an agreement with management to work only Mon, Tues, & Wed. We believed her til we'd had enough and went to our supervisor - who advised that we are all nurses and need to be able to work 24/7 (we are only open m-f 3 12's) My coworkers major "strength" as she considered it was that she was a single mom. Needless to say she was pissed at us when she lost her precious schedule. Well I was a single mom and can remember working every other weekend....because its what my unit did to rotate weekends back in the day. Nobody would have care kids or no kids - its whats fair for all team members. I'd keep my finger on the pulse of other positions in your hospital and see whats out there. Good Luck.
Specializes in QA, ID/DD, Correctional, Education.
OP you probably won't like this but be grateful it is not worse. Back when I was active duty nursing I literally worked all three shifts every week as did all the other military nurses. It sucked. At least I was not alone in my misery.
Onto the child issue I got very tired of hearing on every single holiday that the nurses with children had to have the holiday off because they were parents. My issue was even single childless folks like to have a major holiday off on occasion. We singles had family too.
OP you have been given some good advice about advocating for yourself going forward and please pay heed to not raising the "I have a child" card with your co-workers. Single, married, childless or not we all have family, friends and lives outside of work so no one has a monopoly on scheduling needs.
It has nothing to do with seniority. Having a child does matter actually. Nurses without children do not have to worry about childcare and should be available to work any given night. I was hired for day shift and am being assigned a Monday night shift because of "preference" and not necessity.
Yeah, no. Your childcare issues are not my problem. Just because I don't have kids doesn't mean I don't have a life.
Just don't do it and be aware that you may have to find another job. You don't have to justify your reasons or try to figure out why others don't have to and you do. Some refuse to and in the lovely game of nursing sometimes aren't made to but you are moldable because you are in that 90 days/new to place so it is easier for your boss to try to get you to do it. I am working fulltime and getting through my BSN with the speed of lighting because the place I work plays those games, unfortunately that is how it is with hospital nursing and it won't get any better. I am actually going for MD to escape nursing all together. I am not saying you should. What I am saying is this is what nursing is all about. I like being a nurse, I am just getting tired of all of the unreasonable expectations and not getting fair compensation. My patients love me, after 90 days I got a 3 dollar raise, HR staff says the patients love me, just yesterday my co-worker said she hopes I never leave the place. I graduate soon. I don't mind working hard, love the patients and love to help people so I am sticking with what I love, just in another way. I cannot work night shift, I get really sick and it last for days. I have tried to do it in the past. Rather than complaining, I have formulated a plan and will do what I have to while I have to or suffer the consequences of not doing so "wink,wink".
My suggestion is to stay under the radar , keep a smile (but not too happy ) , hang in there , but look for another job. Go figure , who knows what politics are at work there. Check this out , right here at my hospital's ER the mangers will use the power of the shifts to get people out. Imagine , staggered shifts from Hell- examples: 1pm-1am , 3pm-3am , 12am-12pm , 1:30am-2pm or whatever sadistic shifts they can think of. Also, if you can , find another job inside your system because we all know this healthcare thing is almost two stops from a monopoly.
3p to 3a is my dream schedule with 1p to 1a a close second. At my facility, you would get all of the night shift differential without completely messing up your sleep cycle.
When I interviewed with my current job I made it very clear I was not interested in first shift. Once I was hired I was told by my manager who did not interview me that the staff rotates through the shifts. I told her that would not work for me. I would do first shifts during orientation because I agreed that it was important to know how all the shifts work.
I also stated quite clearly and calmly that while I would fill in once in a while if they were really short I would not work first shift on a regular basis. If she continued to schedule me those shifts I would submit my resignation. I told her that wanted the job and I liked the job, but I did not need the job, so if that didn't work for her I understood. Well I'm still employed and my boss knows how to get rid of me if she ever decides she doesn't like me.
Well nothing's perfect. Including me. I would not have said that to her if it wasn't true. I really wanted the job, but I didn't NEED it. My response would have been less direct if I had. So do you NEED the job or just WANT it?
Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.
It has nothing to do with seniority. Having a child does matter actually. Nurses without children do not have to worry about childcare and should be available to work any given night. I was hired for day shift and am being assigned a Monday night shift because of "preference" and not necessity.
As suprising as it may seem there are other obligations that exist in nurses lives outside of child care.
I don't have children. I do however have other obligations
Should my mother who has stage four lung cancer or my brother in law who has pancreatic cancer take precedence over your child care needs?
Its awfully arrogant on your position to assume this is a matter of preference as opposed to actual need on just supposition without any real back up
Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.
I did not imply that I knew what their lives were like. You appear ignorant to make that assumption about the post. Would you like to work my Monday night 13 hour shift and report to work at 0700 Wed.? Feel free to do so. This is an unfair schedule. An EMPATHETIC manager takes someone's home life into account when creating a schedule. No one should have to rotate unless there is a dire necessity. Not just because the other nurses "don't like Mondays".
You are funny.
My manager scedules to cover the shifts in the facility and ensure each shift is as well staffed as possible and thats her only priority.
Doesnt mean she isnt empathetic or willing to work with people. When I had to take a day at short notice as I had to take my mum to the oncologist shortly after my brother in law was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, she was brilliant, however I certainly would not want to make a habit of the short notice because it makes rostering a nightmare.
Well nothing's perfect. Including me. I would not have said that to her if it wasn't true. I really wanted the job, but I didn't NEED it. My response would have been less direct if I had. So do you NEED the job or just WANT it?
Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN
20,908 Posts
Scheduling is a nightmare no matter how you slice it. As a manager it was my one single nemesis. Here is the deal. Just because you were "Hired for Days" does not mean you will only work days. Most nurses do not work for union facilities that have scheduling as a part of a written contract. I am willing to bet that if you look at your personnel booklet, paperwork, or online policies that will state that there are no real "permanent" shifts and scheduling will be done for unit needs and is up to the mangers discretion/seniority.
I am so sorry you are so upset. Unfortunately, most managers try to be careful of staff requests but it is impossible to make everyone happy. Whether one has a child or not has no bearing on the schedule, per se, as people without children also have scheduling preferences.
My suggestion to you, as a new nurse entering a lifetime of shift work and missing holidays, need to find out what is acceptable for you and approach your manager in a calm professional manner and present your situation and work out the schedule the best you can. There is no labor law that limits nurses to only one shift. It is common to have to rotate 2 shifts in one week. That is why I worked straight nights.
Ask for what you need in a calm professional manner. Check the personnel scheduling policy first. I wish you the best.