The hurricane is slated to arive 2-6 pm on Sunday. THe DON threatened the entire Nursing staff today saying that anyone who does not adhere to the new schedule (coming out tomorrow) will be fired!
Let me tell you what this new schedule entails - ALL nursing staff will come in on Sunday. Those that are scheduled to work Sunday will work. Everyone else will RELAX until their shift comes due (in my case more than 24 hours later).
This LTC locked us in the facility for 48+ hours during and after Hurricane Ivan 10 months ago!
I have 32 years experience as an LPN and I understand what quality of care means to my patients. But I do not like being threatened with my license and I do not like being incarcerated!
More importantly, I do not like the idea that this LTC facility is staying regardless of Dennis being a Category 3 or 4 hurricane. We are less than 1 mile from the Pensacola Bay.
The management and the DON and ADON are threatening the staff. They are putting their patients at RISK.
Then they wonder why people are quitting.
I need that great American dream - health insurance - so I can't quit.
Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.
This would be a easy decision for me. It is not safe to endanger the lives of so many people , move inland please...But me as a mom, wife and daughter I have responsibilities on the outside to take care of my family. I could sing the words "I quit" as I danced out the door. I could never live on the coast, everytime the wind blew I would be packin. I feel sorry for all the people in the nursing homes, who are at the mercy of people who want to lock them up instead of spending a little money to move them to saftey....LAWD
Last year we had a blizzard and the maintenance people picked us up on snowmobiles if we lived in town we had to work. Unfortunatly i live 5 min away but my car was under 1 foot of snow. I was there almost 18 hours and another nurse had been there 24 hours and was sleeping in an empty room. But all the higher ups that made it in were doing laundry and cooking and serving meals. I didn't mind it so much when i realized that people were working as a team. I would find another job if you can.
Do you have to bring your own food and water with you?
That was the expectation of the local HCA hospital during an expected hurricane. The hospital would provide food and water for the patients but not the staff. The word also did not get out to other than full time staff, I guess the per diem who were scheduled were supposed to starve and die of thirst. I think if they expect staff to stay there for 48 plus hours they could at least provide food and water. Oh wait, that would cut into their profits!
I'm sure there will be those who disagree with me.
Ummmm...I've alpplies to some LTC facilities in Pensacola...can you tell me which one this is so I know not to go there??!!
Please!
I don't know about the panhandle but on the SW Coast county emergency management mandates who must evacuade and who stays. One of our hospitals was compleletly emptied prior to Charlies making landfall. One question you might ask is their plans for the hurricane season.
Well, in the summer of 1989 while on a travel nurse assignment in Charleston, SC "Hurricane Hugo" hit the area HARD!
The nursing staff was forewarned that once the hurricane approached land, the hospital doors would be locked and no one would be allowed to leave for any reason until two days post the hurricane.
I worked eight hour dayshift at that time, so come time for me to leave, I got out of there just in time not to be locked in, rushed home to pick up my 12 year old daughter who had just gotten off the school bus, the winds were already kicking butt, packed our bags and my Bible and hit the road going north to Columbia where we found one hotel that still had a couple rooms. All others were full from the people who had fled there.
Once there, we went to KMart, bought bottled water, flashlights, masking tape to tape up the window in the room and prayed as we covered ourselves with the bed linen as we sat in the dry bathtub together holding on to each other and my Bible. I was more afraid than my daughter appeared to be.
The wind kicked butt in Columbia, and the sound of it against the hotel made me see stars and the end of my life. We survived that horrible storm - praise God!
The next day, we drove back to our apartment to see if it had been damaged. Trees were knocked down everywhere along with power lines, etc. I even bought the video tape the news media made of the coming storm and the aftermath of the area after the hurricane and storm passed. I will NEVER forget that dreadful time.
Do you have to bring your own food and water with you?
That was the expectation of the local HCA hospital during an expected hurricane. The hospital would provide food and water for the patients but not the staff. The word also did not get out to other than full time staff, I guess the per diem who were scheduled were supposed to starve and die of thirst. I think if they expect staff to stay there for 48 plus hours they could at least provide food and water. Oh wait, that would cut into their profits!
I'm sure there will be those who disagree with me.
During Hurricane Hugo in 1989, the hospital I was on contract with as a travel nurse provided food for the staff and the patients and I don't recall having to pay for it. Of course, the food was all "brown paper bagged" from the kitchen. All three meals consisted of peanut butter and jelly, juice, and fruit. At least we ate. The patients ate the same thing because the power in the area as still out, stores and restaurants were still closed, and there was no running water in the city yet.
Our fantastic Army National Guard came in to save the day by bringing us fresh water to drink...one gallon per family member. When we had to go to the store or local pharmacy, people were made to line up outside as they were taken into the store in twos with a flashlight to prevent theft from occurring (still no lights and no cash registers to ring up the goodies purchased, so all purchases were added up the old fashioned way -- imagine that kids of today...brain power in motion and no calculators) :chuckle
This would be a easy decision for me. It is not safe to endanger the lives of so many people , move inland please...But me as a mom, wife and daughter I have responsibilities on the outside to take care of my family. I could sing the words "I quit" as I danced out the door. I could never live on the coast, everytime the wind blew I would be packin. I feel sorry for all the people in the nursing homes, who are at the mercy of people who want to lock them up instead of spending a little money to move them to saftey....LAWD
There has to be an accepting facility. My hospital is near the water but on high ground, so we don't close. But there are nursing homes in lower lying areas that have other facilities accept their residents. But most of the nursing homes have their residents stay put.
Quitting is always an option in America. :)
There are very of us who don't have outside obligations to family, which is why I guess they feel the need to be hard nosed for those who like their jobs. Fortunately most of us find a way to take care of family and the hospitals obligation to it's patients.......with planning.
I agree though that locking someone is doesn't sound quite right.
During Hurricane Hugo in 1989, the hospital I was on contract with as a travel nurse provided food for the staff and the patients and I don't recall having to pay for it. Of course, the food was all "brown paper bagged" from the kitchen. All three meals consisted of peanut butter and jelly, juice, and fruit. At least we ate. The patients ate the same thing because the power in the area as still out, stores and restaurants were still closed, and there was no running water in the city yet.
Our fantastic Army National Guard came in to save the day by bringing us fresh water to drink...one gallon per family member. When we had to go to the store or local pharmacy, people were made to line up outside as they were taken into the store in twos with a flashlight to prevent theft from occurring (still no lights and no cash registers to ring up the goodies purchased, so all purchases were added up the old fashioned way -- imagine that kids of today...brain power in motion and no calculators) :chuckle
Sounds like too many people are forgetting about the patients :angryfire Yes, it is an inconvenience to be "Locked" into any establishment, but what about your responsibility to your patients? I grew up in Pensacola, and EVERYONE knows of the dangers and inconveniences of hurricanes. Most facilities do NOT want to lock you in, but it is for everyone's BEST interest and safety. Maybe they could do a better job of explaining things to you, but remember, DON's are people too and are as nervous and stressed as everyone with this monster of a hurricane coming. Good luck to all who live in the path of Dennis!
txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN
4,373 Posts
This would be a easy decision for me. It is not safe to endanger the lives of so many people , move inland please...But me as a mom, wife and daughter I have responsibilities on the outside to take care of my family. I could sing the words "I quit" as I danced out the door. I could never live on the coast, everytime the wind blew I would be packin. I feel sorry for all the people in the nursing homes, who are at the mercy of people who want to lock them up instead of spending a little money to move them to saftey....LAWD