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 really just wanted to know if there was anything else I could have said or done, for example calling in sick etc rather than trying to give advanced notice. Getting new tires, etc. wasn't something that could be done in the moment, but I do know that sometimes health care professionals are in the same situation with weather and cannot make it in, this was asking if anything I did was just wrong. I apologize if my story came out the wrong way, communication online isn't the same as in person.
Sweetie, you did what you thought was right. $20 for an entire night is crap. I wouldn't have risked my life and limb for that either. Be careful driving your car. I remember being 20 and driving a beater too. You sound like a pretty responsible kid. Good luck to you.
Also, if it were work in a hospital I would have the option to come in early. However, it was an apartment. It's not my job to come in 24 hours earlier while someone else is on the clock.
So you do private duty? Whatever.
In the future, go in early, whether it's to a hospital, an apartment, a tipi, or an igloo. Get there. If they want you to work, they must cooperate with you so you can travel safely and be at work when you're supposed to be.
You could have stayed in your car for a while if it was warm enough, or just have hung out in the apartment. Unusual circumstances call for creativity and forethought.
And yes - call off sick. And stay safe. And you have learned your lesson about trying to be considerate by giving advance notice.
Sometimes police or the Security department at a hospital will give rides to essential personnel in bad weather.
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.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, can someone please explain to me why this conversation is being had on a NURSING SITE when this person is talking about going to a job in an apartment complex?!?!? I just feel like i wasted precious time trying to figure this out and I dont want to read through the zillion page post any longer!!!
I agree with what others have said. Now you now and you gave way too much time notice. Calling in sick or saying you had a family emergency would have been better. Do not worry and you'll get something else that is better. If you could have come in early, it would be an option however we do not have the same circumstances in our personal lives. Just don't give too much time between the notice because of inclement weather, it does not look good. Don't be so hard on yourself and keep going... We are not perfect and sometimes being too honest works against you. There are times I just cannot really say everything I want to, but like calling in sick when you can't make it or something urgent... I do tell a lie and make sure nobody knows.
Triciaj, this is the best piece of advice I've read yet on this thread...As a college grad, now nursing student, who's underemployed making minimum wage in Eastern Massachusetts where rents are so high its creating a housing shortage. I feel your plight Studentworker! I've been chewed out a few times for the exact same reason, even after planning for the inclement weather, and I'm 27. Living within your means for most working class people just isn't doable, especially if your a younger person trying to get through school. Unless mummy and daddy can cover one's school costs like those wealthy enough to be spared the juggling act of work and school, most people struggle just like you are doing when it comes to getting a degree. I remember once having to go into open for Chipotle as an undergrad in the middle of a noreaster for christ's sake. I was late, got chewed out for it, and wouldn't you know we had less than a dozen customers in my whole 8 hour shift! Such ********.
Just remember this as you get older, employers, especially corporate owned establishments such as the place you probably worked at, don't give a **** about their employees. It's all about the money in America, hence the lack of benefits for most low wage workers, an unlivable minimum wage, on top of the mind numbing stagnation of real wages in relation to monetary inflation . You need a plan to be successful in this day and age in America, being a hard worker just doesn't cut it anymore. Stick with it, keep on grinding and come up with a plan to dig yourself out of that type of work. Most importantly, make sure what your studying in school will lead to gainful employment in the future. As the first one in my family to go to school, I was so naive about that kind of stuff. I'm working as a maintenance guy at a ******* grocery store with a previous B.A. while I complete my prereqs for nursing. The job sucks, the hours aren't enough, and $11.00 an hour is a ******* joke, but its a MEANS TO AN END.
That being said, I know tires are expensive as hell when your dirt poor, but they are an absolute must in snowy climates. Even my old 2000 Camry has some pretty nice tires on it. Trust me the money is worth it for a new pair of tires, and if you keep up with the maintenance schedule on the old cars you'll be in good shape. Ditch your American made piece of **** and buy a used Japanese car when possible. The replacement parts are cheaper, not to mention they are just better built and don't turn into money pits as they age. I bought my Camry and got it on the road, including registration and a new muffler, for under 1500 dollars total, you just have to be resourceful (I taught myself some light car maintenance to save money). Buy a Chilton's manual for your model car, and teach yourself with youtube videos.
I thought I could skimp on something my last car needed like you and I ended up totaling it going 20mph down a country road in the middle of the storm (it was the brakes that were going). I think it was wise of you to stay at home, but not calling out with a valid reason is no bueno. Like one of the other bloggers said, tell them its a family emergency. My mother works as a charge nurse in the ER and while its a pain to call out, sometimes its necessary (under extremely rare circumstances). I do agree with you though that the pay isn't worth it for potentially junking your car, but get those baldies replaced, dust yourself off and get a new job. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger...and now you know the downsides of calling out without a "sufficient". Moments of failure help to define one's character, getting fired happens to the best of us.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, can someone please explain to me why this conversation is being had on a NURSING SITE when this person is talking about going to a job in an apartment complex?!?!? I just feel like i wasted precious time trying to figure this out and I dont want to read through the zillion page post any longer!!!
The individual apparently was doing home care of some type.
I certainly wouldn't walk 15 miles one way for a job that pays $20 a shift.
In some states, chains are not legal.
There are no states where tire chains are prohibited when necessary for traction in ice or snow.
You can get cable chains for as little as $20, which is why I'm not see the insurmountable issue to keep the OP from getting to their scheduled obligation.
I agree if you can't miss at all then just go in early and wait. That's better than losing your job. But, I have to say that I would not expect a young college kid to just reach in her pocket and buy an SUV. That was a terrible suggestion. So learn from this mistake and when you can afford a better car it would behoove you to make that purchase. Always have a backup plan for inclement weather. Your patients and coworkers are depending on you.
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
Yeah, that's a tricky one. Instead of telling your employer you're going to call in 24 hrs in advance, you probably should have framed it as "How can I make it for my shift and avoid the snow?" The employer or family may have been able to work with you. I have slept on couches the evening before my night shift to make it in a snowstorm. I got a bit perturbed that the day shift person supposed to relieve me called in because they didn't wake up early enough to shovel his driveway... but I digress.
In short, the employer needed you to be there and you couldn't. Unfortunately, that's enough reason to fire you. I believe some nurses also got fired for not coming to work in a hurricane. It's not always fair but it's just the way it is in this field.
I also thought it was a bit far fetched to advise a college student to buy a subaru. Wouldn't that be nice? But yeah, keep your car and yourself safe. Don't be driving on bald tires. New tires are expensive but so is getting into an accident.
I di not suggest that the OP buy a Subaru even though I never owned a new car in my life and I got this one for free! You'd be surprised what you can do with a bit of ingenuity.
And yeah, I'm not sure how legal it is to only pay you $20 for an overnight ... I assume you work more than 2.5 hours?
I haven't read all the responses, but it's possible that OP is being "paid off the books"...though usually off-the-book jobs pay MORE and not LESS than the going rate because both parties in the transaction are running afoul of the IRS.
OP: if you work in an at-will state, you can be fired for any reason as long as it's not an illegal one (e.g., race, gender, or other protected classes). The car you drive is not considered a protected class. And if you work off-the-books, employment laws don't protect you at all as you're not being legally employed in the first place.
While I agree with you that it wasn't safe for you to drive your car in that weather, the fact is that you still had a commitment to get to your job. You were fired for not getting to work, plain and simple.
Yes, it was really your fault. Fair? Not really. But you failed to honor your commitment.
You mentioned that you didn't choose where you live and were raised. However, you CAN choose where you are going to work in that area. Going forward, you need to make sure that whatever job you take, you are able to get to it regardless of weather, your transportation mode, etc. However you choose to do that is up to you: car, bus, by foot, whatever. Perhaps consider a job closer to home even if it's not in patient care.
And if you are going to call out of a job--for any reason--do not use the term "probably" as that implies you still could come in. You need to be specific, as in "Yes, I can come in", or "No, I can't come in." Then at least they can plan around your definite absence instead of thinking that you might still make it in. Staffing can't really plan around "probably."
Sorry if this isn't what you wanted to hear. Best of luck in the job search.
lifelearningrn, BSN, RN
2,622 Posts
Sweetie, you did what you thought was right. $20 for an entire night is crap. I wouldn't have risked my life and limb for that either. Be careful driving your car. I remember being 20 and driving a beater too. You sound like a pretty responsible kid. Good luck to you.