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.
Was the public bus not an option? When I was a financially challenged before becoming a nurse, I took the bus to work, and if it was a snowy day I left *hours* in advance cause I knew the bus was going to be running super late.
OP stated there is no public transportation available in her rural area.
No, there is no public transportation, I live in a rather rural area. The only public transportation near me is for the university, but it only goes around the university, not elsewhere.
The whole point of this matter is that just like you decided it wasn't safe to go in to work, your employer had a right to say it was not a good enough excuse. You live and learn. This won't change going forward so ask yourself if this is something you want to deal with in the future.
I'm pretty sure that we've sealed the OPs determination to become anything BUT a nurse with some of the replies to this thread.
Walk rural highways in a snowstorm, buy a subaru, take the nonexistent bus.... all for a 20 buck shift. Kinda shows how out of touch a lot of us are with struggles of broke, rural workers, honestly.
I'm pretty sure that we've sealed the OPs determination to become anything BUT a nurse with some of the replies to this thread.
Walk rural highways in a snowstorm, buy a subaru, take the nonexistent bus.... all for a 20 buck shift. Kinda shows how out of touch a lot of us are with struggles of broke, rural workers, honestly.
She wasn't planning on becoming a nurse to start out with.
I wasn't born with money -- we didn't have indoor plumbing or electricity until I went to college. I didn't get to choose that, either. However, at 20 I had a safe car that I bought used. (No one gave me a car.) And had I known about snow 24 hours in advance, I would have left for town well before the snowstorm so I could safely get to work. It's not a fun thing to do, but it was better than getting fired. I think your attitude is perhaps part of the problem. If I had an employee who called off due to a snowstorm 24 hours in advance without even TRYING to get to work and then slammed everyone he worked with for not working his shift FOR him, I don't think I'd feel all that badly about firing him.
And I'm still not sure why you didn't consider just putting chains on your car. Bashing posters for not being compassionate enough reeks of entitled attitude. If you were expected at work, you were expected at work. Despite your many excuses, you didn't attempt to get to work. So you were fired. I don't understand why you believe that your lack of preparation/effort should be someone else's problem.
Again, THIS!
This is what being an adult is about. I learned this with my first job when I was 14 years old.
Specializes in Med/Surg/Infection Control/Geriatrics.
I live in Minnesota. Nurses here plan for bad weather. Patient care doesn't stop. You should have made arrangements for a ride ahead of time with someone who has a safer vehicle if that was the case. I drive 104 miles daily to and from work even in bad weather. Of course, I drive an Acadia SUV so it's a safer car. Perhaps it's time to trade up?
Listen, I understand....to an extent. When I was your age I was broke and my car was a death trap on wheels. I had no money to fix it and I still needed to get to work, so I get it. But...on the other hand, now I'm older I've realized a few things and one of them is taking responibility as an adult. Unfortunately I don't think you'll find much sympathy on this site mainly because most of us have spent decades dealing with harsh weather conditions and having to figure out how to get to work in the most inclement weather. In nursing and the medical field, the weather is not an excuse for not getting to work. The reason? People's lives depend on it. If you take a job in this field then you have to accept that responsibility and it's up to you to make other arrangements to fulfill your obligations. Personally, I watch the weather like a hawk and follow several meteorologists online to get the full scoop on the weather before it happens. If I know the weather is going to be bad I'll come into the hospital earlier and stay, and that way I know I will be there, even if it's a great personal cost for me and means I'll be there for several hours unpaid. As a nurse, when I sign on the dotted line, I know full well what I'm committing to. This ain't no Burger King.
You have to make a choice. Either commit to getting a better vehicle, repair the one you have, or get a job in a field that does not require you to travel in bad weather. You can't have it all ways. Yes, life is hard and isn't fair, but being an adult means overcoming those obstacles and succeeding anyway. Healthcare will not wait for you to catch up, so you'll either have to make it work or get a different job. I don't mean to sound harsh but that really is the reality. Working an overnight for $20 is ridiculous, unethical and untenable, so perhaps you could find something more worthwhile where you don't have to risk your life for silly money. I had issues with my first car and couldn't get out of my driveway when it snowed, but when I bought some snow tires it made all the difference in the world. 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.
Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.
You are young. Stuff happens. Lessons are learned.
When I was a nursing student working as a unit secretary i had an old car. Big snow storm happened. Come in or be fired. I made it to about a mile from the hospital when someone ran me off the road into a ditch. I called the nursing supervisor to see if someone from maintenance or similar could come get me. Nope. Just get here. So I trudged that mile in 3 feet of snow and got there. Ended up being required to stay for 3 days. No thanks. No help to get the car back to the hospital. Lesson learned. Now I do not work in hospitals and if it is a snow day I stay home.
It is good to learn from this how to make better plans, but on the other hand your employer may not give a rats you know what so i wouldn't sweat this one at all. Now, if you graduate and accept a job where this may be an issue then you now know to have a good car or make other arrangements.
Sure, being fired sucks. But are you really all that upset about being let go from a job that only allows you to clock 2-1/2 hours when you work several more? I don't even know how that's legal.
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BrandonLPN, LPN
3,358 Posts
Was the public bus not an option? When I was a financially challenged before becoming a nurse, I took the bus to work, and if it was a snowy day I left *hours* in advance cause I knew the bus was going to be running super late.