Are you going to work tommorow in the big storm?

BluegrassRN · Feb 2, 2011

I'm interested to see if nurses from the midwest are planning to go to work tommorow-big snow storm is in effect.

I'm going in, and I'm picking up almost half of my floor's staff. There is no excuse...I have a big SUV and I'm picking up everyone on our floor (and at least one ED nurse) who doesn't think they can make it in in their own car. Hospital doesn't close down. Someone's gotta be there, it might as well be me!

NamasteNurse, BSN, RN · Feb 2, 2011

I'm a charge nurse in LTC. I can't not go, someone of my co-workers is waiting for me to relieve them. If too many nurses call out, people will get mandated because it will be considered an emergency. Just cannot do that to people. So, yeah, Im going.

barbyann · Feb 2, 2011

I propose mandatory hazardous duty pay for anyone who drives to work in bad weather :yeah:

Multicollinearity, BSN, RN · Feb 2, 2011

We've got a lot of snow and 40 mph winds. I'm not scheduled, but if I were, I would move heaven and Earth to get there. After all, the nurse I'd be relieving would be stuck.

Saysfaa · Feb 2, 2011

I hate the "but I have...." excuse. So do the nurses who are getting stuck covering for you (kids, pets, etc). If it is live long ways away, in the country, don't have an adequate vehicle, ect.... part of the cost of your choices is this problem. It is unfair to dump that cost on others. Enjoy your fuel economy or sporty looks or whatever the reason for 360ish days when it doesn't matter and make other arrangements when it does matter. Enjoy your privacy or closeness to family or not changing kids schools or gardens or lower property taxes or whatever the heck your reasons are for living where you do and make other arrangements when a storm comes.

It seriously does not cost that much for a hotel room a couple of times a year, especially if you share a room and split the cost with other people in the same boat. I'd consider it part of the cost of working, like gas and oil changes and shoes. A kennel is either/both part of the cost of working or part of the cost of having a dog. Maybe it is too much to find all of a sudden but not if one saves it up over the year.

Or trade services with a neighbor or coworker.

Or get a job that can handle a snow day.... like at least some home health jobs.

Blackheartednurse, you quoted someone who is not a home health nurse who was answering people who are not home health nurses.

Zookeeper3 · Feb 2, 2011

I've been forced to leave my dogs in the garage with blankets food and water and clean up the mess when I got home. my facility expects those that didn't plan well in advance for their children... and every working parent (nurse) needs a back up plan for disasters... that they are to bring their kids with them. You are expected to get to work before the weather is unsafe.

We put up cots in our auditorium and the child care center staffs it. So everyone is safe and cared for... all the staff and the patients. There are no excuses when a storm is announced this well in advance... IMHO:rolleyes:

GM2RN · Feb 2, 2011

My hospital set aside several rooms in the hospital for nurses who couldn't get home or needed to come in and stay the night before the storm hit. They also mandated all of management to be there first thing this morning to cover in case some staff couldn't make it.

I get off work at 5 am and it took me 45 minutes to get home; it would have taken 20 minutes in good weather. It was fine as long as I didn't try to drive too fast. I don't have to work tonight, but I would absolutely go if I were scheduled.

I have never called in due to weather and agree with everyone else who said that you should have a contingency plan for things like snow storms. Calling off due to weather just sticks it to the nurses who made the effort to go to work and now have to cover those who don't show up.

KJRN79 · Feb 2, 2011

I now work in a school that is notorious for closing at the threat of snow, making many parents mad, but I'm pretty happy with that situation. When I was in home health, there was a 2 foot snowfall once and my car would not have been able to negotiate it, but the CEO of the company picked me up and drove me around to probably 4 patients that day in his 4 wheel drive whatever it was....

My best friend was once picked up by the National Guard years ago, during a blizzard, she was a city employee of the city-run nursing home. She says she doesn't remember how long she stayed there or how she got home, but her story of sitting in the back of the army truck is hysterical....

Bella'sMyBaby · Feb 2, 2011

Where I live, we have a Level One Emergency which means NOBODY except EMERGENCY PERSONNEL are to be out on the roads, doing so one could be fined.

Saysfaa · Feb 2, 2011

Us too. It came after three days of "blizzard warnings for Tuesday" blanketed the weather channels and news.

Super_RN, BSN, RN · Feb 2, 2011

My husband attempted to take me to work last evening (I was scheduled for this morning), but we couldn't even get off our road. Let me rephrase that: We did get off our road, doing two 360's and ending up in a cornfield down a hill. We then had to drive in the field to get momentum to actually get up the hill back on the road, all with 4 WD. 4 WD doesn't do a lot of good on ice.

Anyhow, this all occurred 100 yards from our house, there was NO way we would have made it on all the hills and curves 30 miles away in rural Ohio.

My husband called in and told my supervisor what happened, and that I would not be in...I am upset, but I'm not killing myself to get to work.

I did offer to pick up any other shifts if needed this week though.

Super_RN, BSN, RN · Feb 2, 2011

Us too. It came after three days of "blizzard warnings for Tuesday" blanketed the weather channels and news.

We're still under a Level 2. I would so much rather have snow than ice!