working on Christmas?

labor93 · Nov 23, 2005

I know where you are coming from. I have been a nurse for 12 years and it stinks working Christmas. First of all, quit working the other holidays without a promise of having Christmas off in return. Second, any personal days?:chuckle :chuckle

scooterRN52 · Nov 23, 2005

I've been a nurse for almost 8 years. I have always volunteered to work EVERY holiday (newyears, 4th of July, Thanksgiving etc...) just to have Christmas off to be with my family. I am 6 months into a new ER job and they have scheduled me for Christmas Eve AND Christmas day:sniff: My poor kid's are really upset. My husband is also a nurse and is scheduled to work Christmas day this year too.
I had to tell my parent's that we were both working and ask if they would take the kids. My mom was pretty nasty and less then understanding. She said she didn't think it was "fair" to ask that I work Christmas when I have kids. I told her that people still get sick on Christmas and I wasn't the only employee with children.
Here is what I need from you all... Please help me explain to my (never had a job outside of the home) mother why I have to work Christmas. and second...Help me understand why I have to work Christmas:sniff:

I have been a nurse for 16 years and have had to work many holidays, it is not normal, but I have learned to celebrate on the days around them that I am off, my son is grown now and understands. Being in a healthcare profession is sometimes selfless and can be altruistic.:)

nurse_clown · Nov 23, 2005

some units where i work-----the nurses only work a 4 hour shift to make it fair for everyone on christmas--------

on our unit, we cut our 12 hour shifts down to eight hours on christmas and newyears. eight hours is certainly better than 12!!!

scooterRN52 · Nov 23, 2005

on our unit, we cut our 12 hour shifts down to eight hours on christmas and newyears. eight hours is certainly better than 12!!!

our unit does the same thing, we also work one eve and one day, such as, xmas eve and new years day or xmas day and new years eve or you can work the eve and day of the same holiday. eight hour shifts are nicer for holidays.

MandyInMS · Nov 23, 2005

Working holidays sux no matter who ya are :/ I'm SO grateful I was able to quit my suckie hospital job and am able to enjoy this holiday season for the first time in 15 years. If I had cont. to work, I was scheduled Christmas Eve, day, and day after...we all know that's part of the job...but dang if it isn't depressing as hell. Spent so many Christmas's away from my family..doing holidays on different days,ect...when I look back and ask Was it worth it? all I can say is HELL NO!..guess I'm in a "mood" today...lol..wishing everyone the best this season

yadda_yadda_yadda, LPN, LVN · Nov 23, 2005

First, "Happy Holidays" to you, scrmblr!

I've been in your predicament before. My kids (now 18 & 15) were 12 & 9 at the time. I worked 2300-0700, which made the holiday schedule seem even worse.

I explained that Mom had a job that required someone with watchful eyes to be at work all the time. All through the day & night---on holidays, as well as "regular days" ... Prior to Christmas, I took them with me to get my paycheck, knowing that they'd be checking things out once they were inside.

Once we were outside, they both took a bit before saying, "So, you're going to be taking care of those people on Christmas, Mom?" ----and they both understood.

As far as helping your mother understand: try reminding her what things were like when you were going through nursing school & how important the career choice was to you. You chose a caring profession--one, that unfortunately, does not have an "on/off switch", or standard operating hours, like a bank or department store does during holidays.

It might help to present her with a hypothetical situation of perhaps, herself needing care during the holidays.

Remind her that nurses, (however amazing we are!) do not have access to magic reindeer during the holidays, enabling us to "make it all better" and send all the patients home. :) Gently remind her that someone will always be in need of care-- and someone always needs to be there to compassionately respond. :)

Hope that helps :)

jailnurse1033 · Nov 23, 2005

At the risk of offending someone, I'd like to vent on this subject. The reason someone has to work christmas at a business that operates 24/7 is self evident. By and large xmas is most people's first choice to have off, so if everyone is willing to work it every other year and do their share no one will have to work it every year. But every year there's always someone who insists they must always have xmas off - they'll work any other holiday but not xmas. Step up to the plate and take your turn. I wouldn't ask anyone to do anything I'm not willing to do myself. Again, apologies if anyone is offended.

lunasea3 · Nov 23, 2005

Sorry,but this is nursing. I work a very busy L&D AND I am responsible for doing the schedule for 40 staff members. So please forgive me if I sound a little cynical. EVERYONE wants Christmas off. Frankly everyone wants Easter and Mother's Day and Halloween off too. I am truly sick of every nurse with kids wanting special privileges. If this is the profession you chose then you take the good with the awful. So buck up cupcake! Do your turn and wait for next year. Or find an office job that allows you holidays off.

AngelsRN · Nov 23, 2005

how sad that anyone (even my 74 year old mother who lives 900 miles away) has to be away from her children on christmas. but it really is your turn! and it really isn't a tragedy!

ruby

this topic really angers me -- i do not have kids -- but that does not mean i should have to work a holiday and i resent people who think that those with no children should work it. the holidays are just as important to me as to anyone else. where i work, you have to do 3 holidays a year and they rotate from year to year -- you are hired knowing it, and you deal with it. we all do our share. last year, i worked thanksgiving and then new years - this year i work christmas. you know exactly how it will be from year to year with no surprises.:rotfl:

scrmblr · Nov 23, 2005

Little did I know what a can of worms my first post here would open...

I have forwarded some of this post to my mother. Some of it I have kept to myself:rolleyes: I have managed to work out a trade to be able to be home on the 24th with my kids and my husband.

But, here is something interesting. When I started asking around (not to get Christmas off, but to get the 24th off) MANY of the older nurses who's kiddo's were grown VOLUNTEERED to work my christmas or at least part of it My husband and I have worked it out so that our Christmas will be on the 24th and hopefully next year we will both have Christmas day off. But, I was so impressed with the lovely people I work with.

I see how angry this can make some people and I do understand it. Actually this entire thread has given me a bit of an insight into my mothers feelings. People feel like family should be together on the holidays. True fact. But, in my home, from now on, the holiday will be the day of OUR choosing.

janetrnc · Nov 23, 2005

I am a nurse manager and a single parent with a small child, my family lives close by so I work most Thanksgivings so my staff can have part of the day off and I work Christmas mornings most of the time for the same reason. I just leave some gifts for my son to open with everyone else and then we open gifts again when I get home... :rolleyes:

dreiff · Nov 23, 2005

I've been a nurse for almost 8 years. I have always volunteered to work EVERY holiday (newyears, 4th of July, Thanksgiving etc...) just to have Christmas off to be with my family. I am 6 months into a new ER job and they have scheduled me for Christmas Eve AND Christmas day:sniff: My poor kid's are really upset. My husband is also a nurse and is scheduled to work Christmas day this year too.
I had to tell my parent's that we were both working and ask if they would take the kids. My mom was pretty nasty and less then understanding. She said she didn't think it was "fair" to ask that I work Christmas when I have kids. I told her that people still get sick on Christmas and I wasn't the only employee with children.
Here is what I need from you all... Please help me explain to my (never had a job outside of the home) mother why I have to work Christmas. and second...Help me understand why I have to work Christmas:sniff:

There is no easy answer here. You wouldn't be here if there was one that satisfied you already. I think that if you worked all the other holidays as a barter to have Christmas off, then that should be recognized as such. However, if you did not make that known in the beginning or if those holidays were worked in another unit (you say you've been there for 6 mos.) it probably doesn't matter to that manager or other staff. It is not unusual for the new person to get Christmas, especially if it is seen as your turn by others in your department. Negotiation from the get-go is always important if there are specific times you want or need off. Being an RN for 25 years, a manager, a parent, and having held many other jobs and positions, I have worked many Christmases and some willingly, some not. Praise God you live in a country that your worst concern may be getting the day off. I am not trying to be unsymathetic, but I support the idea that you do what you think best, taking into consideration that even nurses with no children feel like Christmas is a time they too consider precious. God Bless.