Why we work on holidays

[hawkfdc]

There's another thread somewhere in here where someone (a student) asked if hospital nurses were going to be expected to work the major holidays. As all the hospital nurses here know, the answer is yes but it got me thinking a little more about what happened to me yesterday.

Every year for the last 25 years or so, the family has always had a big family Christmas party, my stepfather, his two brothers and wives, my grandmother, and all the grandkids. Well now the grandkids have kids so there are like 40 people in my parents (big) house and it is very stressful for my mother, and as a trickle down effect, ME!!

So this year is my first year as a nurse, I've so far worked July 4th, Thanksgiving Eve night, Black Friday, and I'm scheduled to work Christmas night. My kids are now 14 and 10 so working Christmas night is not that big a deal since the traditional gift opening is over ny 9 am in my house-but I digress. Yesterday was the BIG FAMILY Christmas gathering at my mothers house. I had already told my grandmother that I had to work because our schedules are done 2 months in advance. No problem right? My husband and kids were in attendance. I sent a text to my husband and daughter at about 2 in the afternoon when I knew they'd all be there. She sent me one back that said my aunt was pretty damned indignant that I wasn't there. I think it went something like "Why do we have to be here and Jennifer doesn't, its not fair!" My daughter told me that and I thought to myself, you self centered bi***!!! You want to know what I was doing yesterday while you were with all of your family? Well let me tell you.....

I held the hand of an old lady who's son was being wheeled out on a stretcher to go die at hospice due to cancer of the brain. I also held the hand of my 89 year old little old snowbird lady as she was suffering respiratory distress telling her we were going to get her fixed up and feeling better in a few minutes, just relax (the latter happened at hour 36 of three shifts in a row, shift change-typical right). The latter turned out ok, LOLNAD is doing just fine today.

I try not to get a "holier (sp) than thou" attitude about being a nurse, because as we know, for many hours of the day its just a grind of work-paperwork, needy patients, turning and burning beds and passing meds. But when stupid family members make brainless comments and question my absence, my thought (which I keep to myself) is "I'm not there because I'm saving a strangers life or holding their hand as they go to meet their maker-what exactly did you do today to make your life worth living?"

[way2busy]

I worked for a hospital that has been closed for years but did the best thing with holidays. You knew the day you were hired whether you were working the eve's or the holidays and they assigned you a number system. So the next year it would be the oppisite it was easy and fair and you could always switch with someone else too. I have never worked any other hospital that did that. It always seems it is the same people that always have it off and the others all work lol.

[NurseJeanne]

I like to think I work those holidays, because I can. I am not a patient lying in a bed on Christmas or Thanksgiving, and I can still spend some time with my family in my own home on those days. Thankfully my family and friends understand I can't always participate in the festivities, and respect me for what I do.

I've worked Christmas or New Year's Eve for the past 30 years, and I don't like it most times, but I chose to be a nurse, knowing it would be like this. This year I'll be off New Year's Eve, and will enjoy it all the more, having worked Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas this year!

[CrazyTrainRN]

I worked 11 years in the hospital and know all about working every other weekend and every other holiday. It was always hard on my family when I had to work those days, but it was just part of the job.

This Christmas I experienced what it was like to have a family member in the hospital. My younger brother had a ruptured appendix and emergency surgery at 7 p.m. Christmas eve. When we visited him Christmas Day, he talked about the positive attitudes of the nurses in pre op and post op, and how nice the nurses were who worked on his floor. It made me think about how important hospital nurses are to the family and patients and I was thankful for them.

Thank you hospital nurses for working your weekends and holidays. It is not easy on you or your families but you are invaluable to the patients you care for. This experience gave me a whole new perspective and appreciation.

[annacat]

I personally think of working on holidays as a great excuse to avoid my sisters in law

[cjcerrn]

Working in the ED setting for a number of years, I was used to working hoplidays. I am not sure that any manager I have worked for in the last 35 years has been unfair about working too many holidays, certainly not all of them. And staff always seemed willing to trade, especially since I would rather have New Years off than Christmas or Thanksgiving (football!). (Now that I am in Nursing Admin, I will work the ED so others with kids can have the time off.)

I merely tell patients and staff the same thing, "The hosital and Waffle House are open 24/7/365". Sort of puts it in perspective, huh?

[paganoid]

You knew the day you were hired whether you were working the eve's or the holidays and they assigned you a number system. So the next year it would be the oppisite it was easy and fair and you could always switch with someone else too. I have never worked any other hospital that did that.

Fair and equitable, I like this a lot! Someday, when I'm the boss ... (long way off?)

As a neo-pagan I generally plan to celebrate Yule on the solstice and work eve's and days (or nights) for those who observe the other holy days. I think that's fair. I want to take the day off on my DH's birthday/wedding anniversary (same day).

Plus (I know this makes me a freak) I really love the baked chicken and mashed potato free lunch on holidays.

:paw: paganoid

[CNA1208]

You shouldn't have to work every holiday. I work in Florida and the RN's here only work two major holidays and one minor holiday. I work PRN at a hospital as a CNA and only have to work one minor and one major holiday.

To the "selfish" family members...hopefully they never have to experience being in the hospital on a holiday, but if they do, they will appreciate the staff that is there. I worked on Christmas Day this year and the people (staff and patients) were very appreciative on me being there. Sometimes I hate to admit it, but I feel more appreciated by the patients and fellow staff members than I do by my own family.

God Bless you all this year and Happy New Year!

[whichone'spink, BSN, RN]

The only holiday that matters to me is Thanksgiving. All others are fair game. That's the principle I'll keep when I start working as an RN.

[pattyweb]

Our unit works on a rotating holiday schedule. This past year, I worked Labor day, Memorial Day, Christmas Day, and New Years Eve. I work 7p-7a. This year (2010), I will work July 4th, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and New Years Day. It doesn't matter to me because I know that everyone's working their fair share because of the rotation. Yeah, this year's rotation is worse for me because we do more stuff on those days, but I just suck it up and deal, because someone has to be there, and my family and my husband's family all understand it. Our parents arrange the get togethers with my schedule because I'm the only one who has to work the holidays, and as far as extended family, I go when I can, whether or not its on the day of the family meal, whatever. We just make sure we see who we want to see and visit with over the holidays.

[rocketscience]

I can't imagine anyone in nursing even asking if they would be expected to work holidays. Nursing is a 24/7/365 day job. Our scheduling is such that everyone rotates the holidays each year and per holiday and may volunteer to work extra holidays if they want to. Holidays are most often less stressful and busy at work. My family understands that I am going to work holidays and we plan our holiday to get together l on the next available weekend that we are all off from our respective jobs. The family members that are off get together on the day of the holiday and then we all get together when the working members are off. This gives us more time to plan, shop, prepare, etc. and is much more relaxed/less stressful. Plus we don't have to hurry back to work the next day. I don't mind making a deal to work all the major holidays in exchange for a WEEK of holidays for the week of the nurse's choosing. I don't mind giving staff a half day before their shift starts or before shift ends as long as sufficient staff is available to cover. If you are working the day of the holiday, you get the day before off. It doesn't really matter what day the holiday is actually celebrated as long as you do it with they people you love. ANd when the people who rely on professional health care being available anytime they need it, they can't put illness on hold. I can tell you from personal experience from having a husband who needed to be flown to another state for emergency surgery to clear blockages from five previously bypassed cardiac arteries and receive stents in those bypasses on NEW YEAR'S EVE that knowing that adequate nursing and medical staff were on duty was priceless. And due to those dedicated professionals who came to work and didn't call in and God, my husband is still celebrating New year's several years later. All the staff involved was on duty, not called back or on call. Deepest respect and admiration for dedicated nurses everywhere!

[Lacie, BSN, RN]

What do you mean Christmas isn't a holiday? We get double time for that one. All the rest are 1.5 time. The fulltimers get the pay and a banked day off for each holiday they are scheduled to work. Parttimers get the holiday rate.

Be surprised how many places donot pay holiday pay nor give PTO time in turn to make up for it. The job I left in June I was the DON and I worked every single holiday for the past 3 years!! My regular staff didnt get paid time and ahalf nor did they get additional pto time for working it. Holidays were considered regular days pay!! What I hated about it was the admin wouldnt tell new staffers this until they were hired and on the floor so when payday roled around I got alot of "Where's my holiday pay?" then have to break the bad news. Lots of employers are cutting out holiday pay due to the economy. Not only that we hadnt had raises in over 3 years. As the DON I was still making my starting pay except they changed it from my hourly to salary LOL.

[Chaya, ASN, RN]

Ordinary people don't GET why nurses have to work holidays until their Mom/ kid or whoever needs to go to the hospital on a holiday. Then they are indignant that we are not fully staffed. Sorry, we're a little short on extra blankets. Sorry, the attending MD won't be in to discuss the overall plan for Mom's long range care until after the holiday-there is a resident covering in case she has chest pain or a really bad emergency.

Changing the subject, no way should you be working every holiday. We only have like 5 official holidays but Christmas is one of them. We each have to work 2-3 12 hour holiday shifts a year split between summer and winter. Gee, if they don't consider Christmas a holiday where you work, it won't be a big deal if you call in sick and management has to cover the shift somehow, will it?