Hurricane Irma: Are per diem nurses USUALLY required to work during a hurricane/disaster?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hey guys!

I'm not a nurse, but I am part of the nursing staff as a PCA. I have only been working in a hospital for a year, so I'm not sure what is usual or custom.

As the title suggests, I am located in South Florida and hurricane Irma may clobber us this weekend. If it is still a category 4 or 5 hurricane by Friday morning I have decided to evacuate my loved ones out of state. However, the hospital I work for is telling ALL per diem workers that we are REQUIRED to come to the hospital to work during the hurricane lock down.

So my question is, is that usual for a hospital? To require the PER DIEM employees to come in? There was a hurricane list made up in advance saying which full time workers would have to come in and who would be part of the "after" team, but I was never aware that per diem workers needed to as well.

I just wanted to know if my director/superiors are pulling one over on me by telling my it's required when it actually may not be what usually happens. My hospital has been known to lie to employees when it suits them.

Sorry for the long post, thank you for any answers in advance.

I'm not sure schedule flexibility plays a part in planning for a catastrophic, natural disaster.

While I agree with you, if one job is PRN and another is FT, we cannot be in two places at once. PRN employees usually give their availability for scheduling prior to the schedule coming out where I work and can always pick up extra if needed and the nurse wishes to do so. If I were scheduled already then I would go in, I agreed to the shift and we work during hurricanes. However, if this was mandated after the fact and I already had a FT commitment elsewhere, I'm going to report to my FT place of employment.

I'm not sure schedule flexibility plays a part in planning for a catastrophic, natural disaster.

My toddler is a catastrophic, natural disaster and I am his caretaker. If my one day a week per diem job demands that I show up more than that- I can't do it.

Specializes in LTC and Pediatrics.

We are talking about a hurricane here, not normal day to day stuff. The OP's family is evacuating to another state. She has learned she is going to have to stay and work. Preparing for such a storm is very different that any other times. The hospital needs people to cover all shifts, yet be able to give staff time off for sleep and such.

I would think that being asked to stay indicates that the hospital feels you are worth having on board. That you are a good employee to have there during the hurricane. You will probably be there for several days so make sure you take extra scrubs and clothes.

My toddler is a catastrophic, natural disaster and I am his caretaker. If my one day a week per diem job demands that I show up more than that- I can't do it.

Of course there are circumstances that impact decisions but I was responding to the poster who felt that the fact that she was per diem for schedule flexibility was not applicable in an emergency situation.

Of course there are circumstances that impact decisions but I was responding to the poster who felt that the fact that she was per diem for schedule flexibility was not applicable in an emergency situation.

But it is... even without the toddler.

But it is... even without the toddler.

Come on now SL. The reason you wouldn't go is because of your kid not because you're a per diem employee.

Come on now SL. The reason you wouldn't go is because of your kid not because you're a per diem employee.

I guess I don't know any per diem employees who don't have alternate commitments ...whether it's a job, children, or anything else. There's usually a reason why we're per diem. I'm pretty sure that few, if any, per diem employees at my hospital would show up for "lock down". It's not a reasonable expectation. They lucked out with the OP.

I guess I don't know any per diem employees who don't have alternate commitments ...whether it's a job, children, or anything else. There's usually a reason why we're per diem. I'm pretty sure that few, if any, per diem employees at my hospital would show up for "lock down". It's not a reasonable expectation. They lucked out with the OP.

I'm not trying to be argumentative but are you saying that full-time workers (not already scheduled to work) don't have alternate commitments? Why should they be expected to go in and per diem workers not be?

I'm not trying to be argumentative but are you saying that full-time workers (not already scheduled to work) don't have alternate commitments? Why should they be expected to go in and per diem workers not be?

That's usually covered in the employee handbook. If you're full time, you're pretty much expected to bend until you break as your employer sees fit (per "the needs of the unit" as they love to say). When you're per diem, you have very few benefits, but very little commitment is required of you in exchange.

I commend you for deciding to stay even though it will be tough to be away from your family.

If you signed a contract I would check to see if there are any stipulations, or check the facility policies. Like you mentioned, I think they probably just said all per diems are required to stay knowing that many wouldn't anyways but saying "all need to work" was their best chance of at least getting some extra staff.

Specializes in Maternal-Child, Women's Health.

Being per diem often means that the person works part time and has another job that they are responsible for. If you can help, do it, I think the hospital is looking for extra hands. But, I would not feel obligated unless I was on the original list.

I am per diem at a coastal Georgia hospital and did not stay nor was I asked to stay during the hurricane last season.

Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Check with your facility's P&P regarding coverage during natural disasters/emergent situations. I have never heard of a facility mandating casual/per-diem employees come in to work during these events, but that doesn't mean it can't happen.

One of my previous employers was located in Hurricane Country, and during storms (hurricane AND snow), if we were scheduled to work, we had to come in and work our shifts. If we were not scheduled, we usually received a call or 20 asking if we could come in. Either way, they would make arrangements for transportation to the facility as well as a place to crash if we were tired. If we were not scheduled, we were not forced to come in.

Best of luck and stay safe.

+ Add a Comment