Hi everyone. I joined this page to ask this specific question. I used to be a PCA, and am currently a college student. During my winter break, I was home and there was a snow storm that made visibility terrible, and the roads were not even plowed. I was scheduled to come in that night for an overnight, and had told my employer I probably wouldn't be able to get there due to the snow over 24 hours in advance. I messaged every single other person that worked as well, and everyone either did not want to or were even further away than I was. I had to end up just saying that I could not come in. I drive a very old sports car that has BALD tires. When I even hit a patch a slush doing 5 mph, I will still slide. Living in a town with all hills that was unplowed and had ice all over, I couldn't even get out of my driveway, and knew there was no way my car would make it there. My family did not allow me to take their four wheel drive vehicles, or even my brothers car which is at least a little safer. I do not live at school, so I didn't have anywhere I could stay beforehand to make it to work. I ended up being fired, and was obviously upset. I got yelled at for being "unprepared" and "irresponsible", as if I could have just snow shoed there or had any other option. This is NOT my full time job, it was simply for patient care hours. I did NOT take on this job thinking I would have to do this, nor was it ever mentioned to me. There were people on campus that just did not want to go in and cover me. Is this really my fault? I hate losing a job and a reference, but I can't control what car my family gives me, or that I have no viable option. I'm an undergrad, not a nurse knowing fully well what I have to do. Also, on overnights you get paid $20 for the whole entire night. You don't get paid hourly. I don't think totaling my car or getting hurt or killed is worth any amount, much less $20.
I'm a very mean lady, and I get even meaner when the next shift doesn't show up.
Don't be a nurse if you want to snuggle down under warm covers when it snows. Seriously.
Could you imagine if you were the victim of a crime or your house caught fire and the police and FD said "gee whiz, too much snow, you're on your own."
I like this!
Might this have been a post just to stir up a pot?
No, it's just that snow call-outs are a berserk button for me.
After working all night, I'm simply not safe during the day. Rightly or wrongly, that's how it is.
And I have a very primal fear of killing another human being through my own actions.
However, if the next shift doesn't show up because of snow, not only do I risk harming another person through error, their family has to live with the tragedy, I have to live with the tragedy and guilt, "overwork and understaffed" is NOT a defense if it rises to the level of lawsuit, so then I risk losing my livelihood.
Just so somebody else can sip hot cocoa while snuggling down under blankets. Who, by the way, won't be blamed AT ALL.
Why are people such ******** in this thread? We all have been in staffing situations that suck as nurses. I hate annually having to decide what to do during hurricane season here in Florida but it is part of the job. However, I think by the 100th post of saying the same thing over and over again, maybe the point has been made? I just don't understand how rude and presumptuous some posters are. From the condescending, "millennial" posts to insinuating the OP was a crap student who instructor didn't care about her, and finally that her parents can't trust her with a car? If this is how some of you act in a anonymous forum, I can only imagine what it is like to work with some of you.
The OP made a bad decision and hopefully learn her lesson. She rightfully DESERVED to be told to drive a safe car and not work in a job that has 24/7, 365 expectations. She did NOT deserve to have rude accusations about her character.
The bold part (my emphasis) might be directed at a comment I made, but it wasn't about the OP (even though I mistakenly said it was). It was a reference to a raging troll poster who joined yesterday, making a couple of inflammatory threads, and going on other threads to harass and insult posters she took issue with on her other threads. She claimed that she flunked out of school because her professors refused to help her but helped all of the other students. If you had read the troll threads and posts, my post and Ruby's response make sense. Because the troll's posts on this thread were deleted, my comments seem bizarre. Apologies to the OP for mistakenly referencing her instead of the now banned poster.
Put it this way...your car earns you money and should be a priority. Unless you have a reliable vehicle you won't be able to make money if you can't get to a job. You have to spend money to make money...invest in your car.
Exactly. I'd eat pasta, mac n cheese and ramen noodles every day to save for, at the very least, good tires.
Too many people don't understand sacrifice, then end up broke and in debt from getting off to a bad start in your late teens/early 20's.
P.S. I'm one of them. Luckily learned in my mid 20's at least.
Where I'm from we have really bad snow storms and the employers still don't expect you to walk 15 miles in the snow. Thats completely insane. What good is a nurse or nurse aide that has hypothermia or frost bite. telling someone to walk 15 miles in the snow is never good advice. To think that some of the people commenting are practicing nurses. that blows my mind.
I think we need to be reminded that the OP is only 20. Really still just a kid. One who it sounds like does not have a stellar support system now and probably never has. Yes it's time for them to start adulting but I'm sure more than one of us had a few false starts into adulthood especially without guidance.
Good lord! Some of this advice seems a little bit unsafe. Please don't walk 15 miles in a snow-storm to get to a job paying you less than minimum wage. That being said, as others mentioned, you could have tried to work with your employer to come up with a solution.
It seems like you were only doing the job for the patient hours, however, and you weren't too into it to begin with. If you were already thinking about quitting, your employer saved you from having to make this decision. Focus on school. In terms of a supplementary part-time job, sometimes, the relevant experience isn't always the best experience. If it's money you need, work somewhere that pays you better. And maybe spend some of your time trying to find scholarships or bursaries. There are quite a few out there!
As someone else mentioned, though, this is a particularly sensitive topic for nurses. We work in a field where we are highly dependent on the colleagues we work with: to show up on time, to do the job to the best of their abilities, to work together to provide patient care. In some settings, people's lives depend on us. When we have to work short-staffed, or stay late, or come in early, we are not working optimally. We are more tired and stressed, worried that our patients are the ones who are suffering.
Weather, illnesses, family stuff: of course these things happen. And in an ideal world staffing would be sufficient to accommodate these things. But, unfortunately, it often isn't. So sometimes (reasonably or not) we get upset at the colleague who calls out in a snow-storm that we have prepared for. Because that means that we have to work that much harder to compensate for their absence. And our jobs are usually already crazy enough as it is.
You said you aren't going into nursing. What field are you going into? If you are going to work in a health-care environment, just be mindful of the above.
I used to drive about 35 miles to a nh job. It was in a fairly rural village, in a very well-known snowbelt area. I would routinely pass by the homes of staff who lived in the village, I would get there, work my shift, and then get mandated because they had called off due to snow. Or the ones who worked the other hall on my same shift would also call off, leaving me with
60 residents.Twice I also ended up being on duty for 24 hours straight...and then had to get home 35 miles away... lazy pigs.
Specializes in Psychiatric and Mental Health NP (PMHNP).
I did not post this to get hammered about my car. If you did not read correctly I am 20 years old and an undergrad. I work 9 hours a week at my other job and pay for other bills. My parents do not pay for really anything for me, so please do not say "get a new car", because that is the least helpful advice to someone who does not have even a percentage of the money to buy that. Hence the "student worker". I do not plan on being a nurse, and I think I'm smart enough to know that living in a snowy climate requires a good car. However, again, I am 20 years old. I didn't get to CHOOSE where I live and was raised. When I HAVE a career and actual income, I will have a safer car. Not all of you were born with money I'm assuming, so perhaps be understanding.
I understand your frustration. Most of us have been young and poor. I'm sorry you got fired. In healthcare, most acute care facilities still require essential personnel to come in, even in inclement weather or natural disasters like hurricanes. In the future, ask your employer about their inclement weather policy. If you are considered "essential personnel," then make arrangements to stay near the facility in this type of situation. Ask around. There are usually people who live near the facility who will open up their homes to coworkers in these situations, or who have 4 wheel drive and will help you get to work safely. You could even demonstrate leadership and help organize a "get to work" and overnight lodging plan for the employees, if needed. Best wishes.
And you guys are nurses?!! I am truly disgusted by the lot of you! No compassion, sympathy, or empathy. @Studentworker is a 20 year old undergrad student, that was trying to do the responsible thing by letting her employer know, in advance mind you, that she wouldn't be able to make it due to the snow storm. So they could find adequate coverage!! Somehow almost all of you thought, she should walk to work, go and sit and wait for her shift 24 hours in advance, telling her how irresponsible she is for having balding tires. I am entirely confused? Are any of you good at your "nursing" job?
Not any of the comments I read, albeit it was only 3 pages so far, said anything about the employer for firing her and not considering her safety. Instead you got on her for wanting to stay alive! I can't even believe this. Paying $20 for an overnight shift that is laughable. How many hours did this person have to work for a simple measly $20? One stupid **** gonna say she could've walked. In the snow, op said 15 miles, where someone could have potentially hit her....and the stupid **** response was life isn't easy. *****!!! Are you kidding me?!
@studentworker it was not your fault. Your employer was not concerned about your well being....I am sure you see and know this based on $20 pay for an overnight shift. I have worked jobs where an employer states, their first concern is making sure the employee is safe and if they do not feel safe driving they should not come in to work. Count your blessings for being fired, you now know the type of people they are.
To the person that "drove 100 miles in a blizard" to go to bestbuy.... So because you were ok with putting your life on the line op was supposed to be ok doing that too? What? You was making minimum wage, or a little more? You put your life and other drivers on the line to fight with people rushing around for black friday? And somehow you thought that was noble?
OP do not take anything from these people. Do not allow them to make you feel bad for considering your safety and those of others. Do not let them make you question whether you did the right thing. You DID. point. blank. I am truly disgusted with these people. Somehow they don't remember how tough things can get when you have no help or no one to turn to. They obviously did everything on their own. They've never called out before. The importance of a job should never be higher priority than your safety or your kids. I put kids because it seems like some of you would leave sick kids just to make it to work to not be unpopular with others.
amoLucia
7,736 Posts
I like this!
Might this have been a post just to stir up a pot?