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.
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.
No, you clearly didn't.
Yeah hon, I was born before 1970, way before 1970 so I have been a nurse longer than YOU have been alive. You are absolutely hilarious thinking you are old because you were born in 1970.
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.
Just wondering where you live as it sounds like you are very fortunate in your situation.
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.
Yes I got that they graduated before other people were born. My comment was directed to the young people who were unborn when the old poster was already a veteran nurse. My comment was directed to the young nurses not the old one.
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.
Yes, I totally agree with you. I cannot believe the rudeness displayed by some of the posters. I feel sorry for them that they do not have any social skills or manners. Maybe that should be a course in nursing school curricula.
Yeah hon, I was born before 1970, way before 1970 so I have been a nurse longer than YOU have been alive. You are absolutely hilarious thinking you are old because you were born in 1970.
I took it to mean she's been a nurse since 1970, or 46 years.
Yes, I totally agree with you. I cannot believe the rudeness displayed by some of the posters. I feel sorry for them that they do not have any social skills or manners. Maybe that should be a course in nursing school curricula.
And I can't believe people can't understand that they don't have to agree with an opinion on an anonymous message board. How do you know these people don't have social skills or manners? It must be because you don't agree with their opinion that makes them rude. How boring would life be if everyone shared the same viewpoint.
I live in an at-will state where the job opportunities are quite tight. Why is that relevant?
Sorry that you are offended by my question. I was just wondering where it is because you said it was so great, that's all. No need for you to get hostile towards me. No need to answer the question. I was trying to be friendly. Sorry you misunderstood and misinterpreted. It was just a question. Nothing more. You make me feel like I am on trial. Please don't bother to reply.
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 indeed it is at that. So true. Thank you for your education session on the topic. Are you a nurse educator? If not you should be.
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.
The health authority where I live discourages staff from coming to work with communicable diseases they may spread to vulnerable patients. They don't agree with your position that it is okay to do this. This is not my opinion. This is the policy of the regulatory body. You can be sent home if you come to work too sick to work with a communicable illness and I have seen people sent home. Once again, not my opinion but the health authority policy.
Horseshoe, BSN, RN
5,879 Posts
No kidding.