Just pouting little....

[dcornelius]

Ok, this seems to be a good place to express this.... I just voyed on the home or away thread and it got me pouting for the umpteen-millionth time about the holidays....

I am a nurse as most of you know and nurses get to work holidays quite frequently. This is my fourth holiday season here in AZ at my current job and I am off for Thanks Giving this year but yet again most likely working Christmas. I have had one Christmas off since I have worked at this place and I am getting real sick of it! This is my second Thanks Giving off in that four years so that's decent I guess. The administration changes and then the way they schedule the holidays change and I am feeling used and abused... I will most likely get Christmas eve off but my very favorite part of Christmas is the Christmas eve midnight church service and since I have to be at work at 0600 the next morning I am most certain I won't be able to make that....

All the kids but one are gone, which kinda cuts down on the festivities especially since I will be at work for twelve hours on Christmas. I am considering doing our Chritmas celebration on Christmas eve this year so we can at least have the three of us together for dinner and the gift exchange. We will probably have DD's boyfriend here as well so then they can do Christmas day at his house with his parents. This will leave DH home alone on Christmas.....

So ya see I am truly feeling sorry for my self and needed to get it off my chest.

Thank you for your time and consideration to this matter...

Sincerely,
Diane Kay Cornelius

[Peggy C.]

Diane, I know it stinks. I've had to work a few (thankfully not many) holidays in my time. Check around maybe someone will switch, not everyone celebrates on both days, so maybe you'll luck out.

Otherwise you plans sounds great, you'll still be with the ones you love for part of the holiday.

[ebobbitt]

Diane, I'm sorry you'll have to work Christmas Day. This "working holiday" business is the very reason a lot of the nurses I know have gone to work in clinics, outpatient chemo facilities, etc. They're sick and tired of working holidays, nights, etc.

[beejayw1]

Originally posted by dcornelius
So ya see I am truly feeling sorry for my self and needed to get it off my chest.

There are some professions that get the short end of the stick as far as holidays go, and the healthcare profession is one of them. My brother, who is an anesthesiologist, is on for Christmas, too. NOt sure I'll see him this year. :(

You all get a pat on the back and a nice hot cup of tea from me!

[Grace]

My father was a policeman, and it seemed he always had to work Christmas too. It does stink. But, on the other hand, I and everyone else I'm sure are very, very grateful for all the people who give up the holidays with their families to do the jobs that still must be done - police, fire, hospital, etc.

I think you are wonderful for spending your Christmas in the hospital with all those sick and bedridden people who are also not home for the holidays, and you are there with a bright smiling face, cheering them up, and making them not feel so alone. It takes a special kind of person that is willing to do that, and actually embodies the meaning of the whole holiday, IMO.

So, heaven forbid anything should happen to any one of us during the holidays, but I for one would be so glad and grateful to have you as my nurse if it did!!! So a great big thank you to you and everyone else who gives so much of themselves all year long, and especially on holidays.

But I am sorry that the administrators don't see fit to make sure everyone takes turns evenly. :mad: It certainly isn't fair.

[Svadhisthana]

My mother is a Certified Nurses Assistant and will be working on T-giving as well.

[HejazSunKat]

Diane, I'm so sorry your Christmas is getting messed up. I'd feel pretty frustrated too if I were in your shoes. Jobs like yours are a 365 day a year commitment. Nurses, police officers, firemen are all unsung heroes. If it's any consolation I'd be willing to bet your patients would rather be somewhere else on Christmas Day too.

Somebody posted a thread about "What would you like for Christmas this year?" and my first thought was: "I'd like it to be over!" This will be the 5th year in a row that my husband and I have spent Christmas away from our family and since we're living in a Muslim country Christmas as we know it does not exist. It's just another day. I could go to work if I wanted to. We went to Chili's for Christmas dinner last year because we had no place else to go! lol...how pitiful is that?! :D AND, our Christmas presents from our family didn't arrive until the following April!!! AND it's 80 freakin' degrees in December! Growing up in New England that will always be bizarre to me. Needless to say I've done my fair share of pouting at Christmastime these past 5 years so I know from whence you speak. Could you talk to whoever does the scheduling and point out that you have worked 3 out of the last 4 Christmases? Is there anybody sympathetic in management that you can talk to? Are they unaware of this do you think? If they're just jerks who don't care maybe you can start thinking about finding a new job in 2003. That doesn't help you this year though does it?

I think a Christmas Eve celebration sounds like a fine idea. Maybe it could be a new tradition in your family. There are a lot of people who have their main celebration on Christmas Eve. I love midnight Mass too. It's just not the same at the early one or at Mass on Christmas morning (when you're supposed to be in the kitchen in your new bathrobe and fuzzy slippers flippin' pancakes anyway!). Could you plan something special for the weekend to make up to yourself and your family for having to work Christmas day? That way you could have something to look forward to. I've yet to come up with a foolproof remedy for the Christmas Blues so I have no words of wisdom to pass on...only commiseration. I try to kick myself in the butt when I get too down about it and remind myself how blessed I am. Compared to a great majority of people in this world I have nothing to complain about. I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas, Diane, whenever your celebration takes place. Come visit me when I'm talking to myself on the board! :D

[Canice]

That stinks. You've done your fair share of working the Christmas shifts, and you've also been at that facility for a good length of time. If ever there were an industry in which employes should be rewarded for their good work in whatever ways possible -large or small- I'd say it's nursing. How many nurses short are we now in the U.S.?
I hope you have a lovely Christmas Eve - night time with all the twinkling lights really can be quite festive. Perhaps after dinner you can all take a ride through the neighborhood and see everyone's houses decorated and aglow! :)

[SusieO]

Diane, if it's any consolation, my husband is a nurse who always volunteers to work Christmas Eve and Christmas. We don't celebrate Christmas, so he feels it's his duty to allow the people who do to spend time with their families. If he worked at the same facility as you, he would certainly trade shifts with you. :)

[Ms. Chevious]

I feel your pain - I used to be a waitress and though the restaurant was upscale, they loved to be able to say "We're open 365 days a year!" so I always got stuck working Thanksgiving and Xmas. The worst part? Everyone assumes you're closed so no one ever came in - so I'd give up a holiday to stand around for $1 an hour and make no tips! One year to get Xmas off I had to pay another waiter $100 to cover my shift!

But I know your patients will appreciate it - they're also not where they want to be on Xmas I imagine!

[wallycat]

I feel your pain. I too have held jobs that required holiday work...it stinks.
As some have posted, knowing that you are helping and serving those in need is a positive way to think about it--but I do sympathize.:(

[dcornelius]

By the grace of God my name was NOT on the schedule for Christmas day!!!! I think it was a mistake because the person who's name was on there is working another shift for some one else but I left last night at the end of my shift and my name was not on the schedule and I am NOT answereing my phone till after Christmas!!!!!!! So if any one calls me expect to be screened!!!!!!! I get Christmas off!!!!! I get to have a big dinner and open presents in the morning and go to the candle light service at 11:00 on Christmas eve!!!!! I get a traditional Christmas!!!!!! I am SO exited!!! :D :) :cool: :D :o :cool: Can you tell I am happy?:o

[Minky]

Congrats, Diane! Enjoy your time off:) :)

[Angela]

I'm soooo happy to hear you have off!!! Enjoy every minute of your Christmas!! :)

[boisewinesnob]

Hurray for you Diane!!
My neighbor is also a nurse and had to work last christmas day (7am-7pm :eek: ). My mother also works in a hospital, although not as a nurse, and every year she either has to work christmas day or eve (they alternate).

[Peggy C.]

Yippeeeeeeeeee! I am very happy for you. It sounds like you have a lovely holiday planned!

[Melman]

Congratulations!!! Sounds like you got your Christmas present a little early! Have an enjoyable couple of days off with your family!

[Peggy]

Diane,

That is wonderful news!! Enjoy your Midnight Church Service and your Christmas Day with your family. For years I worked in hospitals and was on the every other year holiday schedule. You should talk to your boss about alternating holiays. It's the only fair way for everyone. Either that or try to ask for vacation time around Christmas.

Peggy

[DmOrtega]

For all of the times that you have worked and will work in order to care for others.

Thank You !

Your hard work and dedication is truly appreciated by those that really need you. I'm pretty sure those that must be in the hospital during holidays would choose not to be there. They don't have a choice and I bet that you're being there with them makes it easier for them.

You deserve this time off. Enjoy it.

[ebobbitt]

YAY! YAY! YAY! I'm so glad you don't have to work. Enjoy your time off.

[JenniferJJ]

I'm so happy for you Diane. Have a wonderful Christmas!

Jennifer