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.
Wow I am honestly surprised at all the negative responses toward the OP. Where I work an absence is an absence no matter what the reason. [/quote']
Apparently that is not the policy where the OP works.
There are always people who will abuse the system and ruin it for the good ones. While I get that no one wants a nurse caring for them who has been working 20 hours, are there not laws against that? We are not allowed to work more than 16hrs, then we MUST be clocked out 8 hours. They CAN make us stay if we can't make it back in, but we are never working 20 hours.
What good is a law stating you shouldn't work more than x hours if your replacement doesn't show up to work because they can't get there or don't want to risk the drive? It sounds like the OP's hospital is trying to set a precedent which will encourage as few mass call outs as possible. The whole situation is lose-lose for everyone. What I completely disagree with is the hospital's apparent refusal to provide accommodations in the hospital for those who are willing to stay so that they don't take the chance of being unable to get back for their next shift. If they are going to play hardball with those who call out, then they should be willing to make it easier for the goal of getting everyone to work safely to be achieved.
I understand that we have to work through bad weather. BUT I think that hospitals should provide transportation accommodation, especially in situations where it they put a driving ban. And, I think that ideally they should offer some kind of childcare because a lot of childcare providers are unable to work through bad weather as well, putting even more strain on employees.
Specializes in Med/Surg, OR, Peds, Patient Education.
I will admit to being an old lady and probably a "cranky old lady," today. However, could you possibly change the title of this post? It should read, "Hospitals Could Not Care Less About Your Safety in Bad Weather." :-)
ActualNurse ,The more you post, you are turning into a specific Nursing Caricature. I can only see you by the words you post; it is hard to gauge people on what they write because we all tend to read our own interpretations into other people's words. If the things you have posted are a true representation and there is no lampoon involved.
Specific Nursing Caricature.
Where most nurses hate to identify themselves as nurses when they are on the other side of the curtain, you would play I am a nurse card every chance you got, it would be your badge of honor. You would be the patient that the staff and unit would have to be rotated through, limiting each Nurses exposure and risk, every time someone entered into your presences there would have to be a witness. You would get the sugar sweet, strictly professional patient care and exactly what the doctor ordered and nothing more and nothing less.
If what you say about your treatment of your fellow nurses is true, you have failed them.
I think it is about time you started your teaching career.
No actually I have not failed them at all. Covering up for and being codependent towards incompetent, lazy, disrespectful nurses is not failing them. It is actually helping them. I spent one weekend as a patient teaching the incompetent nurse what her nursing educators and hospital had failed to teach her. So it was her superiors and educators who failed her, not me. I actually prevented her from killing me or other patients and potentially getting sued or going to jail. No she should thank me and the hospital should have paid me for providing the education they failed to give her. And actually you would be very fortunate to have me as a patient or a nurse. Either way would be a win-win situation. And if you think covering up for incompetence is a good thing, one really has to wonder.
Your assumption that I am incompetent, negligent and disrespectful (because I disagree with you, no doubt) is amusing and incorrect. My assumption that you would be difficult is based on your pot stirring on this forum. Perhaps you are nothing like that in real life. Perhaps little piggies fly.
Once again you have misquoted me. I never said you were incompetent or negligent. I said that if I had a nurse who was, I would not tolerate it. I did not say it was you as you will never be my nurse. It is not all about you.
From a legal standpoint and this is something to look over in your contract, is PTO contingent on approval?
In corporate America, it doesn't matter what you do to not come into work ( I know being a nurse is a different mindset but stay with me here) if you have available time to use they are not even allowed to ask questions. You are paid for your absence from work if you have that time available
I see everyone's comments on here and I am just about to start nursing school but I have worked for a very large company for the past 7 years so my view point on this is different than some other people's.
Review that contract or your employee handbook, which i just almost called a syllabus. lol
Sarah[/quote I wish you well in your future career. Just stay away from the negative ugly biter nurses and you should be okay.
I think you should start a new thread, please copy and paste our conversation ,all of it and let's see how that turns out for you. Would you feel I was harassing you if I did.I think it would be better if you did.
I will admit to being an old lady and probably a "cranky old lady," today. However, could you possibly change the title of this post? It should read, "Hospitals Could Not Care Less About Your Safety in Bad Weather." :-)
I don't find you cranky at all, just honest and refreshing at that.
Horseshoe, BSN, RN
5,879 Posts