The days are getting shorter, the leaves are beginning to fall from the trees, and the air is getting chilly. With the autumn season upon us, the major holiday season is just around the corner. This can be a hectic time no matter what industry you work in, but for hospitals or clinics this time of year comes with a unique set of challenges.
Hospitals, of course, are unable to close during the holidays. But nurses, doctors, and other medical staff should still have the opportunity to take some time off, see their families and loved ones, and observe their winter traditions. Staffing an organization with such vital team members as nurses can be tricky during this season.
You can’t make everyone happy, but with a little planning and some extra hands on deck it’s possible to ensure that these chaotic months will go by smoothly.
Things to Keep in Mind When Hiring Nurses Over the Holidays
It can be hard for a new nurse to miss out on some of their holiday customs for the first time, but seasoned nurses know that this is just part of the job. That being said, not everyone does the holidays in the same way, or even at the same time, so it’s possible to factor in some flexibility when planning the holiday scheduling for nurses. Here are a few things to keep in mind when considering how to schedule holiday rotations for your nursing staff:
- Not only is wintertime festival season, it’s also flu season. Hospitals and clinics must anticipate an influx of ill patients presenting with varying degrees of severity that may merit intensive treatment. To keep everyone as well as can be, your organization may need to fill out the ranks.
- As need for a filled-out team increases around this time, many organizations offer seasonal opportunities for per-diem and travel nurses who are happy to work over the winter months. Contracts usually range from September or October, and terminate in late January or February, once the holiday hype has died down.
- Do nurses work on Christmas or Thanksgiving? The short answer is, unfortunately, yes. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve are the major holidays that typically come with a large number of requests for time off. These are the dates we tend to worry about when planning the winter schedule, and it’s important to strategize your rotation for fairness to nurses, but also the benefit of the patients and organization.
However not everyone observes in the same fashion. Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, and Kwanzaa are other holidays which are celebrated in the same season. Nurses who honor any of these dates may step up to allow their colleagues some holiday down time. - Most organizations prioritize time off for their senior staff and nursing supervisors. But you don’t want to leave the rest of your team in the dark with no leadership in sight. Take great care in scheduling senior staff around the holidays, and make sure there’s always someone in charge on the floor.
- Just because it’s a hospital doesn’t mean it can’t feel festive. It’s important to tend to the emotional well-being of your staff, and nurses working around and on the holidays will feel supported by a decorated nurse’s station, or some holiday treats in the break room.
Holiday Planning: Nurse Hiring and Scheduling
Hiring Nurses During the Holidays
Hiring qualified full time, per diem, and travel nurses during this season can be simple enough, however you must also factor in timely complications like onboarding procedures and training. Hiring for the holidays should be done as early as possible, so that all of your nursing staff is locked in and ready to go by the time the decorations start to go up.
Prioritize hiring per-diem and travel nurses around this time. Seasonal staff are an immense asset to a clinic or hospital over the holidays, and these are likely the majority of applications you can expect to receive. The extra expenses of the season means more temp nurses seeking extra assignments. And with the intensity of winter and increased cases of seasonal illnesses, you’re going to need their help.
Your organization should begin accepting applications as early as August, and hires should be made no later than November 1st, to give you time to train and schedule your nurses before the first wave of holidays.
Holiday Nurse Shift Scheduling
There are two main strategies which medical organizations employ to schedule nursing staff around the holidays.
- Seniority: Some organizations give ultimate time-off priority to senior nurses who have been a part of the team for 10+ years. With this strategy, newer additions to your nursing staff are expected to work through the holidays on a normal rotation, with no exceptions made for the season. This method may make sense for smaller clinics with lower demands this time of year, however many nurses find it to be unfair.
- Block scheduling: This strategy involves blocking off the major holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve) by month, and assigning each nurse to one of the three blocks (A, B, C) wherein they are able to take time off in observance of one of these celebrations. Each year the block rotates, and the days which nurses take off move to the next holiday. This method is favored by nurses over the seniority method as it guarantees some holiday rest for everyone on the team.
Some other policies to follow:
- Ask nurses to submit time off requests early (at least 2 months in advance) so that your organization can strategize the holidays accordingly.
- Implement a schedule swapping policy so that nurses can switch with their colleagues if they need or want to.
- Give major financial incentives to nurses working over the holidays, even if it is voluntary. They deserve it.
With some forethought and careful planning, your nursing staff this holiday season will be happy, geared up, and ready for anything.
Medely is a nurse hiring and scheduling platform which empowers you to hire nurse and healthcare staff in a pinch, especially during the holidays. With Medely, you don’t need to worry about staff taking time off during the holidays, as you can quickly make short term hires. Sign up today for free at Medely.com.