Best boss ever

[ghillbert, MSN, NP]

I hear so much crap about UPMC being a terrible place to work on these boards, I just wanted to recount my experience. My mom is terminally ill, and when I came home (to another country) for Christmas recently, I realized how much she had gone downhill and realized the time had come for me to come home and stay. Once her doctor told me likely 6-12 weeks prognosis, I knew it was time.

I emailed my boss, and within a day, I had an email back telling me to stay as long as I needed to, don't give another thought to work, and they would cover my on-call duties and other responsibilities. It's been about 5 weeks now, and I am no closer to knowing how long I'll be here. Work in general, and my boss in particular, have remained super supportive. They are giving me work to do from over here so I am still getting paid some hours and not using up all my leave, and keeping me involved in what's going on. At the same time though, there's no pressure and I know if I decided I can't dedicate that time to work, he'd be fine with that.

I don't really have much reason for posting this, apart from I guess wanting to show the good side of my experience since I've been at UPMC. Yes, we've lost some retirement funds, and had pay rises deferred, and some jobs lost - and I don't have rose colored glasses where they are concerned. But I do appreciate loyalty from an employer when you've been a loyal employee. All in all, they've made a really hard time a lot less difficult than it could have been.

[oramar]

First of all there is a law called FMLA that guarantees you get time off for family emergency. Second of all, are you a staff nurse? People at the bedside rarely experience the kind of support you are receiving. It is not UPMC I am speaking of but floor nursing in general. If a floor nurse found his/herself in this sort of situation, they would have a great deal of problems keeping their job once the FMLA ran out. Bedside nursing requires live, present bodies to take care of bodies. Tolerance for any sort of absence from work by management is in short supply regardless of the reason. Having said all that I am glad you are having a good experience and feel bad about the news of your mom.

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

I don't think all of UPMC is bad. It does sound like you are not a staff nurse. Missing that much work and working from home.