This is a question about vacation time usage, and whether this is an unusual situation, or par for the course. I work in a 99-bed nursing home, and only one nurse is allowed to be on vacation at any given time. (i.e. I work evening shift, and I cannot be on vacation if a day shift nurse is on vacation.) Since there is low turnover at our facility, many nurses have accrued several weeks of vacation, which is carried over into the next year.
Each January, we submit our vacation requests for the whole year. It is usual for most nurses to take more than one vacation period during the year. I submitted my request for two vacation periods; one was granted, and one was denied. One of the other evening shift nurses is scheduled to be on medical leave for 6 weeks this summer, as well as taking a one-week vacation. Since he will be out, no other nurse can take time off during that period. That's a huge chunk of time being taken by one nurse!
I spoke with the DON and told her I do not think it is fair to penalize every other nurse because one nurse is on medical leave. I suggested hiring an agency nurse to cover, and naturally she said they "can't afford it." This is February, and the medical leave isn't until August, so they have plenty of time to come up with a solution, in my opinion. I guess it is just easier for them to send my vacation request back to me with a big "DENIED" on it, than to work at solving the scheduling challenge.
Naturally, this is affecting other nurses as well. Any opinions or suggestions? I would really appreciate some feedback.
(And, for those of you who are wondering, we do not have a union. I am sure if we did this would not be such an issue.)
topic: what notice does an employee have to give an employer when the need for fmla leave is foreseeable?
"(e) when planning medical treatment, the employee must consult with
the employer and make a reasonable effort to schedule the leave so as not to disrupt unduly the employer's operations, subject to the approval of the health care provider. employees are ordinarily expected to consult with their employers prior to the scheduling of treatment in
order to work out a treatment schedule which best suits the needs of
both the employer and the employee."
taking leave at this time *does* unduly disrupt the employer's normal operations, as such, the requestor is required to work with both their employer and provider to find a different timeframe.
OP, this is a very unhealthy staffing plan, regardless of your co-worker's leave. I've worked facilities that did this for maternity leave. We couldn't roll over vacation so I ended up getting paid out year after year. Working an off shift, they would always say they couldn't spare me no matter when I requested leave. At another facility I worked 27 nights in a row to cover for a colleague's miscarriage. I finally refused to work anymore, was told I had to, and I quit.
Any place that hangs its hat on one employee absence is in very bad shape. Stuff happens to people and they can't plan it...the manager/DON needs to be able to deal with these situations.
topic: what notice does an employee have to give an employer when the need for fmla leave is foreseeable?
"(e) when planning medical treatment, the employee must consult with
the employer and make a reasonable effort to schedule the leave so as not to disrupt unduly the employer's operations, subject to the approval of the health care provider. employees are ordinarily expected to consult with their employers prior to the scheduling of treatment in
order to work out a treatment schedule which best suits the needs of
both the employer and the employee."
taking leave at this time *does* unduly disrupt the employer's normal operations, as such, the requestor is required to work with both their employer and provider to find a different timeframe.
making a 'reasonable effort' does not mean that the person cannot take the time as scheduled, if (as pointed out above) there are other personal factors to consider.
i agree with what's already stated here. if one person taking time off (for whatever reason) is going to send the schedule into a tail-spin, there is a much deeper issue at play.
What if this is the only time that the person can get the surgery scheduled? What if they tried to get it done earlier so as not to disrupt things, but the doctor is scheduling out this far? What if the doctor wanted to do it ASAP, but the person asked to wait so there would be time to rearrange the schedule?
I think that there are so many things the OP doesn't know about this person's medical problems that they can't really say that the person did this out of spite or convenience. They have two weeks they asked for and one of them was granted. Be grateful, where I work you can have one week and if you ask for more, it might have to be cut up so everyone gets their one week as well.
What if this is the only time that the person can get the surgery scheduled? What if they tried to get it done earlier so as not to disrupt things, but the doctor is scheduling out this far? What if the doctor wanted to do it ASAP, but the person asked to wait so there would be time to rearrange the schedule?
Jolie mentioned medical or personal issues that would make it necessary to put off or do surgery at a particular time. A relative had joint-replacement surgery, and although it was something that had to be done, it was scheduled for summer not only because of the safety issue but the doc was booked solid for months in advance. Because I live alone, I have had to plan ahead and around my family's schedule for procedures I knew would have me down for a while and needing assistance.
I think the DON was out of line and more than a bit cowardly for shifting the blame for the denial to the person going on medical leave. It's private and none of their business, and it also appears to be a 'divide and conquer' tactic. If the staff is angry at this nurse and blames him for their inability to get their requested vacations, no one is questioning why staffing is so damned tight in the first place.
Wow...first off, must not be that bad if you don't have a lot of staff turn over. Just about ever LTC in my area has a turn over of staff that is crazy. In a 99 bed facility there should be enough wilggle room for more than one nurse to take off at a time.
I could see the elective sx in the summer due to kids being out of school, etc. But summer is prime vacation time, so that shouldn't be included in the mix.
What do the other nurses say? Anyway you could work out a schedule with your coworkers and show the DON that it can be done? What about the ADM? YOu hate to go over the DON's head, but it might need to be done? Is this an independant facility or part of a chain/ corporation? It just sounds kinda unreasonable if you are asking me...
I am not faulting the nurse who is taking the medical leave--he needs the elective surgery, and has every right to take medical leave. The problem I have is that the DON decided that summer would be the best time for him to take off; due to our policy of "only one nurse can be off at a time" others are prevented from taking time off. I really don't understand her reasoning, since obviously, summer is the time most people want to go on their vacations.
I am just disturbed that even with several months' time to plan for staff coverage during the leave, the DON has decided to deny vacation requests. She doesn't seem to be willing to even entertain my suggestion of hiring agency nurses to cover the 6-week period that the nurse will be out. Many of my co-workers are also upset about this, naturally. Maybe if I can get them to also say something to the DON, she will be more likely to address the problem. (Most of the other nurses are foreign-born and tend to passively accept things rather than verbalize their dissatisfaction.) I guess I'll see how it plays out...
The problem is with the hospital. They plan poorly and don't have adequate staff to cover illnesses, vacations, holidays, and funeral leave. Most hospitals save money by inadequate staffing.
So if management refuses to work with you, at least you gave them (management) fair warning. Can you quit at the time of you vacation and hire in at another facility?? Training someone new to take your place will definately cost that manager much more than an agency nurse...
Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.
Wow, you guys are staffed really tight if only one nurse can be off at a time. What happens if someone calls out sick for 3 days in a row?
Exactly. While the one is out with his scheduled surgery, other staff members may get sick, have an accident, have a family emergency, and so forth. What would they do then???
This time off issue in some facilities is ridiculous. I have an LVN friend who had lots of time accumulated. She was told "use it or lose it." However, whenever she tried to use it, she was told "you can't be off then, no one else wants to work." They wouldn't pay it out, either. That's just plain stupid.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
others might not agree with me on this one, but the way i see it, i'm sure that nurse didn't want to be sick to have to take medical leave. that's not something most people ask for. and it's only 6 weeks out of a year filled with 50 more weeks. wouldn't it be possible to take your vacation at a different time, rather then right then.
i'd hate to be in the nurses shoes that is on medical leave. i may be wrong, but i'm not hearing a lot of concern for his health in all this.
i don't agree with you on this one -- that nurse may not want to be sick, but it sounds as if he scheduled his medical leave right when he wanted it -- six months from now when the weather is nice and his kids are home from school. if it were urgent, he'd be taking his medical leave in february. if it can be scheduled that far in advance, i don't think i'd be as concerned for his health, either!
i'm not sure which planet you live on, but here on earth there are only 52 weeks in a year, so while the op does have 46 other weeks to choose from, only six of those other weeks are likely to be in the summer when the weather is nice and the kids are home from school. sounds like the other nurse just doesn't care how many people he inconveniences!
i don't agree with you on this one -- that nurse may not want to be sick, but it sounds as if he scheduled his medical leave right when he wanted it -- six months from now when the weather is nice and his kids are home from school. if it were urgent, he'd be taking his medical leave in february. if it can be scheduled that far in advance, i don't think i'd be as concerned for his health, either!
i'm not sure which planet you live on, but here on earth there are only 52 weeks in a year, so while the op does have 46 other weeks to choose from, only six of those other weeks are likely to be in the summer when the weather is nice and the kids are home from school. sounds like the other nurse just doesn't care how many people he inconveniences!
i thought this was a bit strange:
the problem i have is that the don decided that summer would be the best time for him to take off; due to our policy of "only one nurse can be off at a time" others are prevented from taking time off. i really don't understand her reasoning, since obviously, summer is the time most people want to go on their vacations.
IMustBeCrazy
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from: http://www.dol.gov/dol/allcfr/esa/title_29/part_825/29cfr825.302.htm
topic: what notice does an employee have to give an employer when the need for fmla leave is foreseeable?
"(e) when planning medical treatment, the employee must consult with
the employer and make a reasonable effort to schedule the leave so as not to disrupt unduly the employer's operations, subject to the approval of the health care provider. employees are ordinarily expected to consult with their employers prior to the scheduling of treatment in
order to work out a treatment schedule which best suits the needs of
both the employer and the employee."
taking leave at this time *does* unduly disrupt the employer's normal operations, as such, the requestor is required to work with both their employer and provider to find a different timeframe.