I am a new grad who started working this past December at a correctional facility for part time nights. I haven't had time scheduled this week but they called me last night to ask if I can work tomorrow for day short, but we have a snow blizzard warning and expected to get 8-16 inches of snow here....I asked my parents and they said that I can't bc of the snow and all...I had to decline...
I feel really guilty...I wasn't scheduled for day shift or anything but...my question is...I know nurses don't have "snow days" so was it wrong of me to decline? I did ask for more time but it sucks that they offered it during such a time when it is dangerous for me to drive out there...I know if you're scheduled though basically you have to go in. Was it unprofessional of me to say no? Are all the nurses going to talk badly of me now? ...
I know how to drive in show and have an SUV with 4 wheel drive anti lock brakes so it is no problem for me. I have only called in once for ice on the road and that was before I learned to drive in it.
How do you learn to drive in ice? I'm not being funny. I genuinely want to know.
I don't think we can compare ourselves to other professions. As nurses, we have more of a responsiblity to come into work than a teacher or a secretary.
But policemen, firemen, are just as compelled as we are to report in. Having said that, I still don't think anyone should risk their lives to save someone else.
If hospitals want us to come in, they need to pick us up or work with a dealership to give us deep discounts to 4WD's.
If you weren't scheduled, that makes it different - you have no obligation whether there is sno or not then....
I agree. If you weren't scheduled, it does make a difference. I live in north Louisiana and have had a "decent amount" of snow very few times - once in the early 90s, one in the late 90s, and then NYE 2000. So, I LOVE it when we get snow, people here drive like NUTS when we do get some. Our hospital is big on sending the national guard to pick you up at your house but won't take you back home. You sleep at the hospital in an empty room but you are a "captive audience". You get woke up after you have just gone to sleep because someone else isn't coming in, ect. They give you an hour or two, and then there is NO rest.
Since we live in an area where we don't see bad cold weather too often, almost everyone freaks out whn driving. I'm happy to just not get out in it unless I have to.
This is one of the things they should tell you about when you change your major to nursing... I don't want to spend the rest of my career feeling guilty everytime I don't risk my life to go into work I don't know why, but I didn't realize it'd be like this.
I live 104 miles from work. It takes me 1hr30mins to get to work if I'm doing 80miles/hr consistently on a good day weatherwise. I called out of work today. My area (Northeast) got 12 inches of snow and where I work is scheduled to get upwards of 18 inches. I drive a compact car. So, NO I refuse to feel guilty...
i live in connecticut jobs arent that happy if u call out on any shift. they want you to come in with 2-3 feet of snow outside and ASK U WHY ARE U LATE? i think your safety is first
How do you learn to drive in ice? I'm not being funny. I genuinely want to know.
I finally learned to drive in ice after I had been driving more than 15 years. My "at the time" hubbie was a police officer and his patrol care already had dings and bobos on it and the steel bumper on the front they use to "bump" motorists who run out of gas so he took me out driving in that and taught me how to not panic and overcompensate or over correct. It didn't take me too long to learn, my biggest problem was that I freaked out when I would hit it early in my driving career.
Anne, RNC
Needless to say, the patrol car got quite a few more dents in it before I was through wih it.
This is one of the things they should tell you about when you change your major to nursing... I don't want to spend the rest of my career feeling guilty everytime I don't risk my life to go into work I don't know why, but I didn't realize it'd be like this.
I'm not saying you should spend your career feeling guilty or risking your life but who did you think would take care of the patients?
yep, obviously I didn't think about it. Probably because where I live, we don't get snow, and I'm trying to find a job in the part of the country that's getting a blizzard right now; so this is just another aspect of it I hadn't thought about.
I don't know why, but I didn't realize it'd be like this.
zahryia, LPN
537 Posts
How do you learn to drive in ice? I'm not being funny. I genuinely want to know.