Well, I want to say first that I fully understand that hospitals expect you to be at work no matter what the weather.
I always go. I go for other people. That's why I have a four wheel drive. However, sometimes there is bad timing. Such as major snow that falls heavily and rapidly.
I got up, took a shower, got in the car to go to work. I swept it off the night before, got gas the night before, washed my uniform and had it pressed in case the power went out.
I warmed up the car, went off my driveway...moved about 15 feet and it slid into the yard.
The vehicle would not move.
So for the first time in years...I don't call in sick but maybe once a year. Never for weather.
I have PTO right? Lots of it because I never call in.
Get this...hospital is not allowing me to use my PTO for that day.
Freaking ridiculous. So if anyone else makes an attempt and wrecks. Call the news right after the tow truck. The general public should know that hospitals don't care about the safety of their employees. So this crappie about the fact they do? They can stick it as far as I'm concerned.
I can honestly say... I look forward to being a nurse! I grew up in Canada in a big snow area and learned how to drive in it regardless of the conditions. I can drive ANYTHING in bad weather! Nothing stops me.
No position, in any company, and certainly not a position in a health care facility should want someone who has tested positive for a communicable illness to come to work. This would put vulnerable patients, as well as their coworkers at risk for contracting that illness.
I Really think you should rethink your communicable illness†thought process, nurses work every day with and around co-workers, public, patients with communicable illness.
As far as personal job choices, everyone is responsible for their own choices they make.
Well I think it is time to hang up the stethoscope and kick off the nursing shoes. I sure hope I won't be working into my eighties as this person must be close to being an octagenarian. Good on him/her if he/she can work that long though. They did say something about being born before 1970 in their post, not having graduated from nursing school that year. He/she must have been born in the forties or thirties. Wow, they must have seen and experienced a lot in that time span.
No, you are wrong. She said she has been a nurse "longer than you have been alive, unless you were born before 1970." So she is saying she became a nurse in 1970.
Specializes in Administration, Psych, Clinical Research.
Being a nurse staying over from the previous shift and seeing the roads clear after several hours a team member would come in and relieve us from doing a double. Almost never see them coming in several hours late, it is just not at all.
I do not want you to get in an accident, however after 4 hours and the roads are clear there is no effort from the people who could not get in to come in and the nurses who had to stay are doing a 16 hour shift.
Never do we hear when the road clears or plow trucks come in I will come in and relieve you. Just I won't be able to make it in all day.
Surprisingly the nurses that do come in to relieve us are the one's with small children and the most commitment. They realize people are sick 24/7 and someone has to be up with them.
I have been nursing for over 20 years several hospitals. It is the same.
I can honestly say... I look forward to being a nurse! I grew up in Canada in a big snow area and learned how to drive in it regardless of the conditions. I can drive ANYTHING in bad weather! Nothing stops me.
Just wondering where in Canada you are from as I am Canadian too, from the prairies. Yes we are pretty hearty.
I Really think you should rethink your communicable illness†thought process, nurses work every day with and around co-workers, public, patients with communicable illness.
As far as personal job choices, everyone is responsible for their own choices they make.
Where I work they really do not want staff spreading their germs around if they are really sick. I went to work with a temp. close to 39 degrees Celsius because it was Xmas and they would never get anyone to come in. But as a rule if I am that sick I stay home. Yes we do need to change our mindset to protect our patients. I work in geriatrics with frail, vulnerable people. If they get the flu from me, they may end up getting pneumonia and dying. The old mindset was just suck it up buttercup and get to work no matter how sick you are. But now things are changing with all these horrible viruses out there. I guess one good thing is that if you go to work that sick and collapse there you will get medical care. I have gotten very sick while at work needing emergency surgery. My coworker asked me if I had a will. She said I looked so awful she thought I was going to die. I did get good medical care from my coworkers. Awesome care in fact and I am forever grateful. Sorry for getting off topic.
No, you are wrong. She said she has been a nurse "longer than you have been alive, unless you were born before 1970." So she is saying she became a nurse in 1970.
So yes I am right. This person must have been born before 1950 which would make him or her at least 67 years old and probably even older. Good for them for being able to stay healthy enough to work that long. What a wonderful career they must have had. Must have seen a lot of changes over that time period. I know some nurses who worked into their mid-eighties. I really admire them and support them.
Yes Horseshoe, I did get that the person graduated in 1970. I did get that from the beginning. The comment was that they had been a nurse longer than someone had been alive if the alive person was born after 1970. Yes, I totally get that and what it means. And what it means is that the 1970 graduate must be a senior citizen, must have been born before the fifties. Hope that you are able to comprehend what I am saying.
And how do you suggest one gets it changed. I have never heard of staff nurses being in on policy decision making in 35 plus years of nursing. But then it may be a regional thing and I think you are very fortunate to work somewhere where staff nurses can actually influence such change. Very fortunate. Where do you live? THink I will move there.
Precisely my point - institutional policies are like the weather, pretty much. The only way to change it is through a new contract, legal action, or finding another employer. Otherwise, their only legal responsibility is to follow their own employee handbook and labor laws.
If you don't know what your facility's policies are around weather emergencies, that is on you. You make your decision and deal with the consequences - in this case, you stay safe and have an unpaid day off.
Staying home in a weather emergency is one thing. Demanding to get paid for doing so is something else. Insisting that the lack of a financial reward for staying home is dangerous is just plain silly.
Hi Jory, I'm sorry to hear this happened to you. I hope things improve at your place of work. Congrats on your excellent attendance- That is a big deal! Be careful on the mountains, icy or not!
But- I have to say I'm disappointed in many of the responses you received.
But not at all surprised- I've read many many pages of this. I came to nursing to help people with scientific skill & knowledge delivered through compassion and kindness- and am always blown away to realize the extent of coldness and general 'snippiness' (new word!) among, between nurses. Some here can save a life but for the life of them can't speak respectfully to a colleague. Sigh. This profession has a long way to go.
Where I work they really do not want staff spreading their germs around if they are really sick. I went to work with a temp. close to 39 degrees Celsius because it was Xmas and they would never get anyone to come in. But as a rule if I am that sick I stay home. Yes we do need to change our mindset to protect our patients. I work in geriatrics with frail, vulnerable people. If they get the flu from me, they may end up getting pneumonia and dying. The old mindset was just suck it up buttercup and get to work no matter how sick you are. But now things are changing with all these horrible viruses out there. I guess one good thing is that if you go to work that sick and collapse there you will get medical care. I have gotten very sick while at work needing emergency surgery. My coworker asked me if I had a will. She said I looked so awful she thought I was going to die. I did get good medical care from my coworkers. Awesome care in fact and I am forever grateful. Sorry for getting off topic.
I was just thinking that communicable illness†is very ambiguous at best, How many nurses would be left to work if all the nurses stayed home with a cold sore, common cold, MRSA, C-Dif ,thrush, let alone the chronic Illness's Hep's a-z, through HIV. We have all worked sick, I really don't see any difference between someone who has tested positive for the flu and someone who the same symptoms but didn't get tested. I couldn't count the times at the beginning of my shift that I have wiped down a shared work area fallowing a sick co-worker.
We all have had issues from weather, sickness, or feeling penalized unfairly, it is all part of working as a Nurse.
Yes Horseshoe, I did get that the person graduated in 1970. I did get that from the beginning. The comment was that they had been a nurse longer than someone had been alive if the alive person was born after 1970. Yes, I totally get that and what it means. And what it means is that the 1970 graduate must be a senior citizen, must have been born before the fifties. Hope that you are able to comprehend what I am saying.
. My comprehension is the same as Horseshoe's. You might want to review your comments.
andrews_mommy
8 Posts
I can honestly say... I look forward to being a nurse! I grew up in Canada in a big snow area and learned how to drive in it regardless of the conditions. I can drive ANYTHING in bad weather! Nothing stops me.