Calling Out for EXCEPTIONAL Snow Conditions

Orion81RN · Jan 19, 2019

I'm in Chicagoland and called in one time due to snow. It was a short clinic day from 9a-12p at an allergist's office. So no appointments, people just walked in for their allergy shots. The doctor hadn't officially closed the office for the day yet, but I called the nurse manager after speaking with the receptionist who said she wasn't coming in either.

The issue wasn't even so much the roads, but the fact that my car was completely buried in the snow in the parking lot of my apartment complex. I still have a picture of all the cars out there from my window on the 3rd floor. It was insane.

Had it been absolutely necessary to get to work that day, I would have put on snow boots and hiked my way to the main road outside the huge apartment complex so that I could be picked up by someone. There simply was no entering or exiting of that complex. That's what I would have to do now. I do private duty 12 hr shifts for a vent dependent pt. The family are not trained caregivers. So I absolutely have to relieve the nurse before me who just worked 12 hrs.

Fiddleback · Jan 19, 2019

I realize not everyone would want or really need this but I have a GMC 3500 with a 9 inch lift kit on it. The tires on it will go through just about anything but six feet of snow would be a tad bit much.

pixierose, BSN, RN · Jan 19, 2019

Even with six feet all at once, work would still expect us to get our orifices in ...

... and sleep over with the 18 allotted cots (for 50+ scheduled employees).

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BlueShoes12, BSN, RN · Jan 20, 2019

I live in a region that gets fairly significant lake effect snow but I only live a few miles from work. Anything over about 2 feet at one time is noteworthy for us. Six feet would definitely shut things down and we are pretty prepared! I have the little Subaru that could and snow tires that goes through about two feet without an issue. Worst comes to worst, I own snowshoes so I could always snowshoe in unless it was dangerously cold.

SandraCVRN · Jan 20, 2019

I never called in when I lived in southern Illinois and had to drive an hour to work. (Then stayed for duration) I've had to call in twice since moving back to Texas because of ice storms. I live on a hilly dead end road and just couldn't get out. My 4WD didn't help either.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Jan 21, 2019

I was a dedicated nurse. Drove through blizzards to get to the hospital.. maybe back it home. I became dedicated to keeping myself safe. I stopped putting my life in danger.

Bottom line is watch the weather. The staff currently in the hospital was stuck there, because there was no coverage. Not that bad really.. if you like sleeping on a cot for 8 hours.

Katniss88 · Jan 21, 2019

Where I live we occasionally get ice and/or snow. In my five years of working as a nurse I've experienced two ice/snow storms. Thankfully the hospital I work for has a floor they don't use with beds and cots available. My first year working there we had snow and they asked us to come in well before the snow hit, the people that worked dayshift came in the night before. They planned for it in advance because they knew people wouldn't want to get out and drive in it and would possibly call out. Then last year we had snow again, they asked us to come in a couple hrs before our shift before the roads froze over again as the temperatures started to fall.

KSjo88, BSN · Jan 21, 2019

How do we start a topic on allnurses now? I’m so lost....

kbrn2002, ADN, RN · Jan 21, 2019

19 hours ago, SandraCVRN said:
I never called in when I lived in southern Illinois and had to drive an hour to work. (Then stayed for duration) I've had to call in twice since moving back to Texas because of ice storms. I live on a hilly dead end road and just couldn't get out. My 4WD didn't help either.

For sure. The ice storms are way worse than the snow storms. Driving through snow isn't bad as as long as you have a car with good tires that can get some grip. It's the ice that gets you. We are like that now, this last storm started with sleet that built up a nice base of solid ice before turning to snow so when they finally got around to plowing the streets it left a nice thick layer of ice behind. For several days until that melted from people driving on it I had to allow extra time driving to work because I had to drive slower than on the snowpack base and every time I stopped it took a little bit of effort to get going again!

audreysmagic, RN · Jan 21, 2019

(Wow, it's good to be back! I've been in AN withdrawal!)

Snow...hmm, a timely topic, as the weathermen have promised we in Chicago would "only" get an additional inch...on top of what we already have. Me? I actually live in the city, so I feel I have no excuse not to get to work unless it's so bad that public transit stops running. My car is a cute little compact that doubles as a sled on the snow, so there are a lot of times I won't risk my safety driving, but I also won't call out. I think if you do live in a snow belt, it's on you to make plans. Ice scares the heebeejeebies out of me, though. Especially because I've fallen on it before pretty badly. I'm with Ruby - the prudent thing to do is pack a bag and make sure you have it handy. I have a small laundry basket in my trunk with the essentials I threw in there before a predicted storm...have to keep remembering it's not laundry that needs to be brought in after laundromat trips! ?

Six feet, though. Dang. I'm old enough to remember superstorms of 1993 and 1996...and I still shudder.

kbrn2002, ADN, RN · Jan 21, 2019

4 minutes ago, audreysmagic said:
(Wow, it's good to be back! I've been in AN withdrawal!)
Snow...hmm, a timely topic, as the weathermen have promised we in Chicago would "only" get an additional inch...on top of what we already have. Me? I actually live in the city, so I feel I have no excuse not to get to work unless it's so bad that public transit stops running. My car is a cute little compact that doubles as a sled on the snow, so there are a lot of times I won't risk my safety driving, but I also won't call out. I think if you do live in a snow belt, it's on you to make plans. Ice scares the heebeejeebies out of me, though. Especially because I've fallen on it before pretty badly. I'm with Ruby - the prudent thing to do is pack a bag and make sure you have it handy. I have a small laundry basket in my trunk with the essentials I threw in there before a predicted storm...have to keep remembering it's not laundry that needs to be brought in after laundromat trips! ?
Six feet, though. Dang. I'm old enough to remember superstorms of 1993 and 1996...and I still shudder.

Totally unrelated to this topic so, sorry in advance! I see you are from Chicago, I was just there a week ago. I've often wondered about meeting up in person with nurses I talk to here. Would you be interested if I PM you before my next trip there? I seem to go about once a year so it'll probably be awhile.

Now back on topic. I missed the storm that hit you by not too much, this last round of storms was well south of me. I just got the deep freeze! It's finally warmed up to above zero today. A tropical heat wave of 10 above. I'll take the snow over the freezing cold any day. This sucks!

audreysmagic, RN · Jan 21, 2019

On 1/21/2019 at 2:20 PM, kbrn2002 said:
Totally unrelated to this topic so, sorry in advance! I see you are from Chicago, I was just there a week ago. I've often wondered about meeting up in person with nurses I talk to here. Would you be interested if I PM you before my next trip there? I seem to go about once a year so it'll probably be awhile.

Yeah, that'd be awesome! PM away! And I can always recommend cool, off-the-beaten path places to go. ?

My sympathies on the bitter cold. I don't have much of a tolerance for it, myself...and yet I live here. ?