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.
You cannot drive impassable roads. Maybe I'm losing my mind here, but can someone post an official statement where nurses are permitted to drive themselves in during the midst of a blizzard or hurricane? I really would like to see that. Or if there is an official notice from your employer stating the same thing. Then and only then will I understand some of the comments on this topic.
Well, here is a copy of an executive order from the Governor of Massachusetts for a temporary travel restriction in 2015. Does that help?
Tire chains are most definitely illegal in many states. You can even buy them because it's illegal to sell them.
They aren't illegal in any state, you can't legally use them when there is no indication for using them (dry roads without snow or ice), but there are no broad prohibition of tire chains, maybe you could provide a source for your claim?
People get to work in adverse weather conditions all the time and all over the country, not everybody has the luxury of always commuting in a car and in nice weather.
You cannot drive impassable roads. Maybe I'm losing my mind here, but can someone post an official statement where nurses are permitted to drive themselves in during the midst of a blizzard or hurricane? I really would like to see that. Or if there is an official notice from your employer stating the same thing. Then and only then will I understand some of the comments on this topic.
Healthcare workers are exempt in pretty much every single restricted travel event that occurs, healthcare workers are classified as "essential personal".
From the standard MA state of emergency declaration:
The vehicle travel ban shall not apply to: Healthcare personnel, including home healthcare personnel and personal care assistants
Having owned an assisted living business & hiring employees, & having been an RN for nearly 40 years, here's my reply to your questions/post: 1.) everyone I ever hired & every place I ever worked requires their employees "have a dependable means of transportation". You did not have that. 2.) you took the overnight shift job for $20. If you didn't think that was enough money, you should have declined the offer. 3.) your patient depended on you for care. That patient is _not_ "just for patient care hours"! That patient is a living breathing human being who deserves the respect of you keeping your word that you would care for them on the overnight shift. Patients already know they are sick (duh) & they internalize when their caregivers don't show up on schedule, imagining "I guess I'm not worth living" or "I guess they don't like me anymore"! 4.) if you were living in the desert & it never snows there but all of a sudden it did snow: that's a reason not to be prepared for snow. I don't see that you had a reason. I kept reading excuses.
So how would she be able to help the patient if she ended up injured in a ditch?
Not all jobs in my area require dependable transportation.
I hope since you are the owner of the group home that you follow your own advice.
Are you at the group home during these snowstorms?
Healthcare workers are exempt in pretty much every single restricted travel event that occurs, healthcare workers are classified as "essential personal".
From the standard MA state of emergency declaration:
Home health personnel?
We have on our 485's that family shall assume care in the event that nursing is unavailable.
Patients that require extensive care or power in the home often go to the hospital during dangerous weather. We always recommended it for our patients. 1-3 days in a safe place beats the alternative.
The only time I know of that patients were required to go to the hospital was during Hurricane Sandy.
Many families refused and relied on their generators and back up vent batteries.
Thank you, but I maintain that bad weather is neither blizzard nor hurricane. You cannot see. I've lived through too many blizzards, followed by huricanes to think that anyone should come to work in either. I did see that letter in my search. As an employer I would follow protocol and have people in place before the storm. If someone were killed and left their children behind how will that help?
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Having owned an assisted living business & hiring employees, & having been an RN for nearly 40 years, here's my reply to your questions/post: 1.) everyone I ever hired & every place I ever worked requires their employees "have a dependable means of transportation". You did not have that. 2.) you took the overnight shift job for $20. If you didn't think that was enough money, you should have declined the offer. 3.) your patient depended on you for care. That patient is _not_ "just for patient care hours"! That patient is a living breathing human being who deserves the respect of you keeping your word that you would care for them on the overnight shift. Patients already know they are sick (duh) & they internalize when their caregivers don't show up on schedule, imagining "I guess I'm not worth living" or "I guess they don't like me anymore"! 4.) if you were living in the desert & it never snows there but all of a sudden it did snow: that's a reason not to be prepared for snow. I don't see that you had a reason. I kept reading excuses.
I didn't so much see the persons responses as excuses per se, but rather a young inexperienced person providinghis background and reasons ( although I have not read all the posts here ). I remember back in the day not having much money and having to compensate between whether I paid the electric bill or bought food but I could not do both. Those were some hard choices back then. I agree that if you take a job you are making a commitment not only to the patients but to one's co-workers as well. And adding in, if it was known snow was coming, then next time he needs to plan ahead better. Lesson learned.
My mother was one of the unit clerks at the ED in a hospital in suburban Chicago. The entire staff figured out in advance who had four-wheel drive, and who lived close to who, so that on bad weather days they could coordinate. Sometimes that meant my mother (or whoever) would have to get up extra-early because the only way to get a ride into work was to carpool with someone who was working 8a-4p (my mother worked 4p-12a). But she did it, because she wouldn't have felt right leaving the ED understaffed. In Chicago, bad winters are expected, and planned for, they're not a huge surprise.
We did that too. I am the one with the 4-wheel drive, so I picked up co-workers on my way in. We planned it in advance and all brought a change of clothes just in case we needed to stay over.
I've been in disaster areas and plans were made ahead of time. Those who were scheduled to work, came with extra clothes and stayed. The rest of us had to be prepared to relieve them as soon as the ok was given.
Planning ahead is key. Although where I work no matter what we are considered essential personnel so must come in early ( before the roads get bad ) and be prepared to stay just in case.
In my state we are considered essential personnel and are exempt from travel bans.
I've been a nurse 14 years and could always get to work. I live in Pittsburgh and we get typical winters I guess. Once a few years ago we got a couple feet of snow in a few hours. I was already at work and got stuck there for a couple days until the city got dug out. My measuring stick for this kind of thing is that if I can get to work its reasonable to expect my coworkers to do the same. I have a 4 wheel drive truck & have been asked to pick people up and drop them off but I rarely do it as providing foul weather taxi service is not something I want to take on
Julius Seizure
1 Article; 2,282 Posts
Well, here is a copy of an executive order from the Governor of Massachusetts for a temporary travel restriction in 2015. Does that help?
https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmcsa.dot.gov/files/docs/20150126_MA_Travel_Ban_b.pdf