Thanksgiving is the day people come together with their families and have a hearty meal. However, not all people have the luxury to take some free time on this holiday. Nurses are expected to always be at hand in hospitals. Fortunately, working the holiday does come with some benefits.
5 benefits of nurses working on Thanksgiving
1. Extra pay
Working on a holiday means that you will get paid “time and a half.” So if you’re used to making US$15 per hour for 8 hours on a normal day totaling US$120, a holiday will net you US$180 in earnings. And it’s an even better deal for ER nurses, who are usually paid double. It definitely is a nice way to earn some extra money without doing any extra work. “I’m not going to lie, but I happily agree to work on holidays because of the double pay. Plus, my family is overseas, so I don’t have special people I can celebrate the day with at home,” an ER nurse said to Nurse Labs. So if you are a nurse who has no special plans for Thanksgiving, why waste the day at home alone when you can earn some extra cash and use that money for some fun?
2. Less commotion
Holidays like Thanksgiving usually attract fewer crowds at the hospitals and any patients who can be safely sent home usually are. Even though most people will have the day off, they are likely to spend it with their family rather than visit someone in the hospital. The hospital’s administrative personnel, including directors and supervisors, usually will be celebrating at home, too. So in addition to the extra pay you get for working on a holiday, your work environment is likely to be calmer and your schedule may not even be as busy as the rest of the working days. Sounds like a good bargain as an employee.
3. Showing commitment
Want to earn some brownie points with the hospital management? Volunteer for working on Thanksgiving. They will likely be happy that someone came forward and offered to fill in on a day that most people may want to be at home. “Nothing says ‘I love my job’ or ‘I’m dedicated to my job’ like stepping up to work on a holiday when others may not be interested… This provides an opportunity to be recognized by an employer for going the extra mile,” Teri Hockett, the chief executive of What’s For Work?, a career site for women, said to Forbes.
4. Starting new traditions
Celebrating Thanksgiving at the hospital can allow for some interesting traditions to spring up. You and your colleagues might start a tradition of collecting funds and donating to a patient in need. Maybe your tradition will be something silly, like the first nurse that gets a new patient on that day will be responsible for buying donuts for everyone. These traditions could remain a part of that establishment long after you are gone.
5. Extra day off
Some employers also offer an extra day off if you work on Thanksgiving and other holidays. So if you were scheduled to have 2 weeks of vacation a year, working a few holidays can be a way to build up extra time to take a longer trip or spend more time with your family over the summer with no loss of income. Bundled with the extra pay, this is definitely a win-win for sure.
