Can I please get a Parking Spot!

[ArrowRN, BSN, RN]

I haven't written anything in a while, but keeping it short and venting...I am just so frustrated with all these employers who are treating nurses are second grade employees when it comes to parking. Doctors get priviliges such as their own lots closest to the facility. Some even get reserved spots with their name even if they there maybe once or twice per week.

I work at two hospitals and both of them treat nurses parking as a threat to their patients. One of them charges rediculous fees to the day shift and require them to purchase annual parking decals. Thanks goodness I work nights, but if I don't leave on time I will be cited and possibly ticketed.

The other facility, makes nurses park off campus and "shuttle" them to the hospital. Which means instead of reaching to work 15 mins early you got to be 30-45mins early to beat the shuttle rush catch your shuttle, more time unpaid and being wasted. All this is being done in the name of "patient first"...so what the rest of it? Patient's first...Nurses Last?

That brings to bear the question, are nurses truly essential personel at hospitals? and if so why are we always treated this way? What made me write this is a facility now threating crazy citation fees if the parking rules are not followed...I mean..if the parking rules are not followed BY NURSES.

This extends into other areas in society as well. For example, on Family Feud, there was a question on asking 100 people to name an occupation that save lives. The top answer was Firefighter, deservidly so but I dont think nurses even made the list. In my state there is a discount program for mortgages called "Good neighbor next door" but it only applies to firefighters, EMT/paramedics and police officers. you would think a nurse would be a good neighbor to have but the State does not think so.

When will the status of nursing be respected to where I can at least get a decent parking spot?

[Sour Lemon]

I work at a community hospital and actually get to park right outside the employee entrance. Right inside the door are the two regular units I'm assigned to. We have assigned staff parking right next to the MDs. Just one more reason why I really like my current job.

Before that I've had to walk several blocks in "downtown" neighborhoods. I also worked at a place where the parking garage was run by a different company at night ...so like you said, if you left late they'd try to charge you.

[mtmkjr, BSN]

I didn't see an option that fit me...I park in an employee parking deck for free and have a short walk.

I think it's really silly for the hospital to charge employees for parking!

I don't know how much you pay yearly for parking, but assuming $200 (hope it's not more than that!) that's about $.10/hour that you work.

The hospital could pay everyone $.10 per hour less and give free parking. Employees would be happier and none the wiser.

[pixierose, BSN, RN]

The physicians where I work definitely receive the coveted spots.

My shift gets to park in the lot pretty much adjacent to the hospital (day shift gets a 10 minute walk); no payment necessary...

... except for the drive by shootings at night and no security. The lot is also adjacent to a bad neighborhood, and shootings have left parked cars with bullet holes. Thank goodness no one was sitting in them at the time.

We walk out in large groups. Quickly.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

Free parking, short walk. But employees' cars get booted if they park in patient parking. There is plenty of staff parking that is not far from main entrances and units.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

I didn't see an option that fit me...I park in an employee parking deck for free and have a short walk.

I think it's really silly for the hospital to charge employees for parking!

I don't know how much you pay yearly for parking, but assuming $200 (hope it's not more than that!) that's about $.10/hour that you work.

The hospital could pay everyone $.10 per hour less and give free parking. Employees would be happier and none the wiser.

$200/year?

My last job, parking at the hospital I was a liaison at was $315/month. That was to park at a local college and walk 1/2 mile to the hospital. The only reason I drove to this job was because my company paid for my parking. When I was employed by said hospital, I opted for the subsidized public transportation pass they offered. Even back then (11 years ago), the cheapest parking was $120/month and that was to park off site and take a shuttle.

[Wuzzie]

I pay nearly $1000/yr to park in a garage that's a 10 minute walk away. If I wanted to I could pay just $360/yr to park in a lot 5 miles away that requires me to arrive 45 minutes earlier than necessary to catch an overcrowded shuttle that smells of sweat socks and despair only to clock in 5 minutes late. Yeah...no.

[PeakRN]

Docs and nurses park in the same garages on campus, it takes me less than a minute to walk into my unit from where I park. We don't charge for parking.

[mtmkjr, BSN]

$200/year?

.

I was shootng in the dark... How naive of me.

I'm outraged for you!

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Parking usually costs more where places to park are scarce. I paid big bucks to park at the large, inner city teaching hospital while parking was free at the smaller, midwestern community hospital. At my last job, it was $1/hour to park in the garage that was originally built for employees but was repurposed for patients and visitors. The employee lot was a shuttle ride away. I wore a jacket over my scrubs and parked in the visitor's lot.

[beekee]

My hospital discontinued the off-site parking shuttle. You can park for free, but it's a haul!

[ArrowRN, BSN, RN]

Oh so we do got some nurses with priviledge, maybe I just working at the wrong hospitals :) It's not an issue for me only because I work nights. I was late leaving 1 morning and did get a warning ticket. They actually check car tags to rule out employees from visitors. For day shift the Decals plus monthly fees runs anywhere from $300 per year to $1300 per year. Guess which has the long walks and shuttle rides? When I do have to show up for days for training I get a discount at $4/day unless I cheat and hope they dont spot me in one of the ungated visitors lot, haven't been caught yet hehehe. I think some urban hospitals is where the problems as. They could manage this by limiting number of visitors and the length of time they stay so traffic can be better circulated, and stop them from treating hospitals like hotel rooms.