working on Christmas?

canuckeh! · Nov 17, 2005

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?

Yes, I have volunteered to work Christmas. When I was Head Nurse in the ER, I came in on Christmas Eve to work for one nurse who was newly widowed with small children. She had not been able to get the time off to be with her children and my kids were teenagers and would be spending most of the evening with their friends.

wooh, BSN, RN · Nov 17, 2005

I tend to like working holidays, both my jobs pay time and half for them. I grew up celebrating holidays when it was convenient to do so, not worrying about the calendar, so I don't get the big deal. If I sit around a tree on Dec 23 and open presents, it's the same experience as if I sit around a tree and open presents on Dec 25. I felt like this as a kid too.

I'm a deal maker. I'll happily work Christmas or whatever holiday if you'll work the Friday night I've been wanting off. (And we'll both think we came out better in the end.) But if you come up to me and ask as Marie was asked in the other thread by saying I "should" work for you because you have kids and I don't have kids...it ain't gonna happen. I'll wait until they're desperate and offering double time to get help on the shift, or I'll spend it with my husband. And I won't allow myself to be scheduled for more than my fair share of holidays either. Holidays off are the best currency in the land of shift deals, and I won't give them up just because I don't have kids!

nurse4theplanet, RN · Nov 17, 2005

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:

My hubby is a policeman in civilian life and I am in nursing school so we are both going to have to deal with this issue annually.

Does it bother *you* to work Christmas...if not, don't worry about what mother thinks. Tell her simply, "Listen Mom, this is my duty as a nurse so if you would not like to watch the kids then let me know and I will find someone else to watch them." and leave it at that!

Hopefully you and hubby can get similar shifts and make your own Christmas Holiday...the idea is to celebrate the reason for the season, not necessarily on one particular day.

My hubby and I don't have kids yet, but we have discussed how to handle this and we are going to do that...either Christmas early or late, depending on our schedules so we will both be there. It will be our tradition. Every family is unique.

Sorry your mom is not understanding...I know where you are coming from. My mother has never worked and my dad has always had a job that gave him both holidays off. It will be interesting to see her reaction when I have to work a holiday.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Nov 17, 2005

An answer to that would be "Because sick people and car accident victims don't take every Christmas off, and neither can i."

ARLadyRN · Nov 18, 2005

My husband was in the hospital over one Christmas and I appreciated all of the nurses and the staff. They all smiled and were very happy. I always had the little kids open their presents from Santa on another day. If they are little enough, they don't even know the difference. Otherwise, tell them that they are special and Santa made a special trip just to deliver their gifts. It works!! Its just the adults who are disappointed. Just make do and enjoy each other, Christmas is about LOVE.

sjrn85 · Nov 18, 2005

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?

It's not an issue for me now, since I work in an amb. surg. ctr., so we're closed. But I stopped doing it when I was working in hospital, because it got so aggravating having people trying to strongarm me, as if their lives were somehow more important because they had children. Hey, maybe I wanted to be off when my friends were off, huh? (I don't even celebrate Christmas, so I got the double-whammy of "You don't have kids...you don't celebrate it!)

I'm not even sympathetic anymore. Someone else's reproductive choice is not my responsibility. No one is "owed" or "more deserving" of a holiday off just because he/she has kids.

mugwump · Nov 18, 2005

I have to give my two cents what i have to say sounds sort of rude but it is not meant to be that way. This is what i tell myself when I ask myself the same question. "Because I am a nurse and I choose to work in a 24 hour 7 day a week facility" If I really wanted/needed holidays off I would do another job, school nursing or a doctors office or insurance. But I am choosing to work in a place where someone (actually many people) need to be there all the time.

K205 · Nov 18, 2005

What I tell myself is."Christmas is all day-24 hours, and my shift is 8 hours." That helps. The double-time pay, and sharing the holiday with people who really need and appreciate me also helps. At most places, they alternate holidays annually. I don't know what to advise you about Mom. Sometimes those we love are impossible. :uhoh21: Have a wonderful holiday season!

GLORIAmunchkin72 · Nov 18, 2005

Where I used to work there was only day shift and night shift and full time work. With nursing there are many choices: day shift, evening shift, night shift, part time, part time-full time (32 hrs), weekends only, 12 hour-shift, 4p to 9p float, PRN, and so on and so on. People are free to choose and there is still a lot of bickering...I don't get it.

Chicklet2 · Nov 18, 2005

My aunt works every other christmas and so does my uncle, but it usually falls on the same christmas so they choose a day that they are both off and have christmas just like it would be but earlier and then on the real x-mas one of the aunts or uncles volunteer to pick the kids up and take them to grandma's for x-mas and the kids think it's just the best thing ever b/c they get two x-mas's... good luck

PennyLane, RN · Nov 18, 2005

I have to give my two cents what i have to say sounds sort of rude but it is not meant to be that way. This is what i tell myself when I ask myself the same question. "Because I am a nurse and I choose to work in a 24 hour 7 day a week facility" If I really wanted/needed holidays off I would do another job, school nursing or a doctors office or insurance. But I am choosing to work in a place where someone (actually many people) need to be there all the time.

Good point. There are plenty of nursing jobs that don't require weekends/holidays/etc. Some choose these jobs, others don't. It goes with the territory. My sister was in ICU over Christmas one year. It was awful for us, but I could have kissed those nurses who took care of her.

And to answer an earlier question, no, I don't volunteer to work extra holidays simply because I don't have kids. I work my assigned holidays and have off the others. I will be working on Christmas day, and yes, I will be missing my family, but they will still be there when my shift ends. Even though I don't have children, I still have family and friends that are just as important to me!

gr8rnpjt, RN · Nov 18, 2005

I presume your parents are adults. So, they ought to understand this dilemma you have, as adults.
Now, If their problem is your asking them to keep your kids for you, you may want to ask someone else, I don't know. They should feel LUCKY to have their grandkids around this time of year. Again, many other grandparents are not that lucky.
:yeahthat:
Your Mom should be thrilled to have the grandchildren on Christmas day!. I can't imagine a grandparent not feeling honored, to one last time, get to experience the magic of Christmas morning!