working on Christmas?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

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: :lol2:

wanna work for me?

:coollook:

Are you in Arizona? Or some other warm and sunny part of the country? Or do you live in snow and ice land? :)

Actually, we don't have much of a problem with holidays at my hospital. Lots of people don't mind working on Christmas and Easter. I want New Year's off and it's usually a good trade.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ACNP-BC.

Yep, I'll be working both Christmas & New Year's Eve. It does stink but we still have to go to work when most others don't. I work the 3-11 PM shift, so my family & I are going to celebrate Christmas early in the morning-like 9 or 10 AM until I have to leave at 2 PM. So that's good enough for me to get to still spend 4 hours or so with my family on Christmas. :) Why not do something like that, depending on which shift you work.

-Christine

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

I just wanted to take this opportunity to vent about MY Christmas schedule!! =(

I'm off Christmas night. Fine. I volunteered to work Christmas Eve this year, but 11p-7a instead of my usual 7p-7a. Got that. Fine.

HOWEVER, this is how my schedule looks:

7p-7a Dec. 22

7p-7a Dec. 23

11p-7a Dec. 24

off Christmas night, then:

7p-7a the next THREE NIGHTS.

In a seven day span, I'm going to have one day off. During the holidays. I'm going to be so tired, I'm just not going to enjoy the holiday at all this year.

I'm also peeved because I volunteered to work a full 12 hour shift on Thanksgiving. So I'm already not going to get to enjoy that holiday much either. *sigh*

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Ask your mom what she'd do if she or your father were having an MI on Christmas, and there was no one in the ED to take care of them because all the staff had kids and were at home.

Sorry, this one really fries me. :angryfire

Of course her Mom's reply would be:

Nurses who she doesn't know nor would she be affected by if they had to work Christmas, would be expected to work and take care of her if she had an MI on Christmas day.

Her daughter, of course, should be off on Christmas because it affects her personally and disrupts her own life.

My own parents used to pull the old "someone else needs to work" during holidays because they never had jobs that required working during holidays so they didn't understand.

In their minds, there is some fictional surplus of nurses dying to work during holidays because they have no loved ones of their own and are married only to their jobs.

I had to remind them that sometimes I have to be the "someone else."

Up Vote Up Vote ×

We see these threads every year and I honestly just don't get it. How many people went to nursing school with the idea that because they have kids that they should get every holiday off? How many people think that because they had kids after becoming a nurse that they should get every holiday off?

Not trying to be a witch, but are people really that naieve or selfish or what? People who don't have kids still have parents and other family...you never know, some of them might have friends too...and they deserve to spend holidays with the people that they care about just as much as people with kids deserve to spend holidays with their loved ones.

I honestly don't think seniority should play a role in who works holidays...again, new employees have family and friends too.

We work each holiday as a block (night before Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas, etc) so that people can enjoy the entire holiday and so that people who have family out of town can be with their family if they choose...it's pretty hard to visit family 500 miles away and still make it to work the next day.

Someone has to work, so cowboy up and get 'er done...and celebrate on a different day. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
We see these threads every year and I honestly just don't get it. How many people went to nursing school with the idea that because they have kids that they should get every holiday off? How many people think that because they had kids after becoming a nurse that they should get every holiday off?

Not trying to be a witch, but are people really that naieve or selfish or what? People who don't have kids still have parents and other family...you never know, some of them might have friends too...and they deserve to spend holidays with the people that they care about just as much as people with kids deserve to spend holidays with their loved ones.

I honestly don't think seniority should play a role in who works holidays...again, new employees have family and friends too.

We work each holiday as a block (night before Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas, etc) so that people can enjoy the entire holiday and so that people who have family out of town can be with their family if they choose...it's pretty hard to visit family 500 miles away and still make it to work the next day.

Someone has to work, so cowboy up and get 'er done...and celebrate on a different day. :)

I totally get it. I'm totally fine (fine-ish:p ) working Christmas day. I am just getting sh*t from my mother. I am low man on the totem pole, seniority does play a role in my work place.

I am curious, however...A question to those of you with either no children at home or family close by...Do you volunteer to work Christmas?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Case Mgmt; Mat/Child, Critical Care.
I just wanted to take this opportunity to vent about MY Christmas schedule!! =(

I'm off Christmas night. Fine. I volunteered to work Christmas Eve this year, but 11p-7a instead of my usual 7p-7a. Got that. Fine.

HOWEVER, this is how my schedule looks:

7p-7a Dec. 22

7p-7a Dec. 23

11p-7a Dec. 24

off Christmas night, then:

7p-7a the next THREE NIGHTS.

In a seven day span, I'm going to have one day off. During the holidays. I'm going to be so tired, I'm just not going to enjoy the holiday at all this year.

I'm also peeved because I volunteered to work a full 12 hour shift on Thanksgiving. So I'm already not going to get to enjoy that holiday much either. *sigh*

Now THAT schedule truly sucks! I feel for 'ya girlfriend! That hardly seems fair, I mean to work Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas day, w/that kind of run of days together???:p Can you make a fuss or is it set in stone by now?

Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics, Cardiac, ICU.

I don't see what the big deal is. If you work 7am-3pm you still have 3 pm on to celebrate. If you work 3-11, you have all morning. If you work 11-7, well you got all day. If you work 7p-7a you still have all day, and if you work 7a-7p, I feel for you cuz that does suck seeing how you will be pooped when you get home. Other than the last situation, I'd say it can be worked out. Just celebrate the day you have off before or the days after. I have to move December the 23rd, so I will be in a strange place for Christmas with my kids, unless I can get my mom, dad, and sister to come with me. They have to help me move anyway, so maybe they will.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Will that schedule give you a good run of days off around New Years? Maybe you can really enjoy that holiday.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Someone has to work, so cowboy up and get 'er done...and celebrate on a different day. :)
Yep, OR find a nursing job that does not involve weekend/holiday work. I agree. No need to whine. We all make our decisions, and have to live with them--daily.
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.

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: :lol2:

Please explain to this highly immature excuse for adult (mother) that, if people (single/or with kids) would stop getting sick over the holidays, that you wouldn't need to work them. And that she can go door to door to make them promise to do so.

Sheesh!!!!!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am curious, however...A question to those of you with either no children at home or family close by...Do you volunteer to work Christmas?

Usually, though I don't feel obligated to by any means since people with kids chose to have kids and I really don't feel it is that important for them to be home on the day. My dad worked holidays and we just celebrated around it. I wasn't scarred by it in any way. I haven't spent a single Xmas at home since I became a nurse because I am either automatically scheduled to work Xmas as low man on the totem pole or I volunteer to work it. This year I have it off and am going home. I feel no guilt and am very excited.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment