Calling out due to snow

[luvtwilight]

I was just wondering what everyone's opinions were and what your agency's policies were when it comes to missing a shift due to weather. I live in the mid-west where they are currently forecasting an ice storm and blizzard with upwards of 12+ inches of snow and half an inch of ice. At my agency we don't earn sick days or vacation time or get bonuses or anything like that so I don't think it's too much to ask for if you have to miss a shift due to extreme weather. I don't drive a 4x4 and my client lives on a pretty bad road and the primary care giver does not work so the patient will not be without proper care. I still can't help but feel guilty if I have to miss my shift but this IS home care and not a hospital and the patient DOES have family to care for them so why should I risk my life or just risk getting stuck in a ditch for hours in the cold or wreck my car and not be able to get to work at all without a vehicle? So I guess I'm just wondering do any of my fellow private duty nurses feel this way ever? Do your patient's families or the recruiters try to make you feel guilty for missing a shift? (I'm not talking about the repeat offenders who call off if they have the sniffles, I have maybe missed 3 whole shifts in the 2+ years working on this case) I appreciate your feedback and comments!

[caliotter3]

Under the circumstances you describe, your boss should understand. If she doesn't then you might not be able to do this often without getting grief.

[PediLove2147, BSN, RN]

Funny you should ask this question, I just received a letter in the mail from my agency regarding this exact matter. Basically it said you need to be at work no matter what and if you call out "sick" you will need to provide a doctor's note. I guess they have been seeing one too many call-outs in the past couple of weeks with all this snow we have been getting..

[Kyasi]

I'm home for lunch right now and just saw this post. We are expecting the same here and we have already been told to call our corporate office as soon as the weather starts to get bad and they will send us all home. We were instructed to bring on call books home and contact info so we can call clients tomorrow since we may not be able to get to the office tomorrow. We don't expect our field staff to be able to get to the patient homes if we can't get to our office.

We include an 'inclement weather' clause on our 485's that covers just this situation.

Kyasi

[Elektra6, ASN, BSN, RN]

I hear you luvtwilight, this happened to me last Thurs. A foot of snow and mom and I went out at 6 am to dig out. No plows came either. Like you, the primary caregiver and family were home (school job) so I took my time and went in at 12 when I felt safe. Of course, I notified the office. I think you have to use your judgment and try not to feel guilty. I'm a big feeling-guilty kind of person too so I understand. Luckily the patient's family was very understanding!

Hang in there, I can't wait till spring!!!!!

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

I go to school with my client, and the school is notorious for not having snow days. Basically, if school is in session, I have to be there. Today turned out to be a snow day, and the family has no spare Medicare hours, so I'm off. I told the office I was available to work elsewhere if needed, as long as it's not too far from home.