Forced to stay and work under mandatory evacuation?

Nurses Safety

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I live near the gulf where evacuating for hurricanes is a possibility around this time. The hospital where I work places nurses on teams. One team is forced to say, the other forced to come back 24 hrs after the hurricane is gone, and the other can come back when regular citizens come back.

My question can they legally do this? I was placed on the team that's forced to stay in the hospital with pts. They'll keep ICU, ER and MY floor open only.

There will be no extra pay, no bonus, just regular pay and time and 1/2 when you're in over time. Expected to sleep in the hospital, in semi-pvt room WITH ANOTHER CO-WORKER!

If the evacuation is mandatory how can they legally tell me to stay and WORK? Can I be fired for leaving?

Specializes in Med/surg, Quality & Risk.

We work every other "holiday," in other words I have to work Christmas Eve and New Year's Day this season. I'm gonna trade Christmas Eve for New Year's Eve, then I'll have all of New Year's off, and will probably get called off at least one of the Christmas days due to low census...meanwhile this lady that wants off for her kids thinks she getting a deal not having to work Christmas, lmao

Specializes in Forensic Psych.

The problem with making a exception for those who have kids is that so many people have kids and making an exception for them implies that their lives/comfort is worth more than those who don't. It's indirect discrimination and that's wrong.

Bottom line the OP has been given notice of what is expected of her in advance so if she chooses to disagree with the terms of her employment she is free to seek employment elsewhere.

Are we talking about our own lives? I thought we were talking about the lives of the children we value so highly. Really, are childless people REALLY under the impression that a parent would push them into the eye of a tornado because their life is worth more?

Is this a reality that anyone has actualy faced, or just a version of taking things to the extreme to make a point?

Because, and I'm sorry, but life trumps all. My life is not more valuable than anyone else's but my child's life is worth more than your car. Yes, we all have fulfilling lives, but we're talking about dependents. Be they children or impaired adults or beloved pets, I wouldn't equate protecting my house to anyone protecting their dependents.

Do I think distasteful duty should be decided by who has the most valuables at home? No. But when I'm watching my single parent coworker dodge duty because her kids are alone in a hurricane, that's hardly the time to put a chip on my shoulder.

Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.
Are we talking about our own lives? I thought we were talking about the lives of the children we value so highly. Really, are childless people REALLY under the impression that a parent would push them into the eye of a tornado because their life is worth more?

Is this a reality that anyone has actualy faced, or just a version of taking things to the extreme to make a point?

Because, and I'm sorry, but life trumps all. My life is not more valuable than anyone else's but my child's life is worth more than your car. Yes, we all have fulfilling lives, but we're talking about dependents. Be they children or impaired adults or beloved pets, I wouldn't equate protecting my house to anyone protecting their dependents.

Do I think distasteful duty should be decided by who has the most valuables at home? No. But when I'm watching my single parent coworker dodge duty because her kids are alone in a hurricane, that's hardly the time to put a chip on my shoulder.

I think you've misinterpreted my statement because it serves to illustrate your point. When I said "their lives" I was referring to their children. I'm sorry if you don't like this but I have felt that people with children think their progeny are more important that anything else in non disaster situations.

In a disaster situation I can potentially save more lives by showing up for duty than I would being at home with my family. But the OP doesn't have children but even if she did my opinion would be the same. Also a lot of people have stated they would not show up so they could stay home and board up their houses. She may find in a year or two she'll be placed on a different team and it'll be a non issue.

Specializes in Med/surg, Quality & Risk.
Are we talking about our own lives? I thought we were talking about the lives of the children we value so highly.

No offense, I don't know you, lol.

Really, are childless people REALLY under the impression that a parent would push them into the eye of a tornado because their life is worth more?

Love the hyperbole.

I'm personally under the impression that some people think their time is more valuable and/or they should be able to do whatever they want because they have a family. They certainly use that crutch on much less pressing matters than tornado duty. Rarely do I think it results in some group of childless superheroes doing all the emergency work, since a) there do exist plenty of parents with morals and work ethic, and b) there just aren't that dern many of us out there.

Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

Redhead that pretty much what I would have said. I hate when people try to make me feel like I'm less of a person because I haven't experienced parenthood.

Specializes in Med/surg, Quality & Risk.

It used to happen to me more often when I was younger; I am in the upper land of the 30's now and have been married over 10 years. I think the idiots surrounding me have figured out that I don't have them on purpose and am not planning on it, so I don't have to listen to all the drivel about what I'm missing out on as often. Yeah you know what I'm not missing out on? Sleep. lol

Love that we've all interjected how dern valuable all of God's children are on this thread, when the OP made absolutely no reference to parental obligations whatsoever...she was just disgusted by the thought of sleeping in a room with a coworker.

That is why it is MY responsibility to ensure the safety of MY children.

Who else is going to do it?

We have a lot of talk about being responsible, but yet there is no regard for the responsibility of being a parent and protecting your children.

In an extreme life-threatening circumstance, I'm with my kids.

Specializes in Forensic Psych.

No offense, I don't know you, lol.

Love the hyperbole.

I'm personally under the impression that some people think their time is more valuable and/or they should be able to do whatever they want because they have a family. They certainly use that crutch on much less pressing matters than tornado duty. Rarely do I think it results in some group of childless superheroes doing all the emergency work, since a) there do exist plenty of parents with morals and work ethic, and b) there just aren't that dern many of us out there.

"We" as in "parents" who value the lives of their children, not necessarily their own. . That was an awkwardly worded sentence.

Point being, while some people said, point blank, they would not die on the job, I don't recall seeing anyone saying they were unwilling to die because they personally are somehow more valuable than others. I don't recall anyone saying only childless people should be forced to stay during mandatory evacuation: but certain posts have me wondering.

I've never been trapped in a hospital in a life or death situation, but if I were to simply freak out and head for the hills, I don't think I'd begrudge anyone for following me.

As far as non-disasters go, I don't doubt kids can be a great excuse to get out of doing just about anything. But in my experience, it's linked more to laziness than some extreme valuation of parental duties, and the fault lies with the managers who allow that kind of behavior to affect others long term.

And just as a side note: If I somehow treated my kids as unimportant and low on the totem pole, I'd be absolutely criminalized for being a shoddy parent and told I shouldn't have had any at all. Could they be somewhere in the middle? I suppose, but how would the world come to an agreement on what should be above and below? It's a losing game, it seems.

As a secondary side note: THANK YOU for the return hyperbole. Makes life more interesting ;)

We have a lot of talk about being responsible, but yet there is no regard for the responsibility of being a parent and protecting your children.

And if YOUR children need medical care during this emergency, are you ok that they won't be able to get it because all the parents at the children's hospital are off taking care of their own kids and nobody's left to give medical care to YOUR child?

Specializes in Forensic Psych.

I think you've misinterpreted my statement because it serves to illustrate your point. When I said "their lives" I was referring to their children. I'm sorry if you don't like this but I have felt that people with children think their progeny are more important that anything else in non disaster situations.

In a disaster situation I can potentially save more lives by showing up for duty than I would being at home with my family. But the OP doesn't have children but even if she did my opinion would be the same. Also a lot of people have stated they would not show up so they could stay home and board up their houses. She may find in a year or two she'll be placed on a different team and it'll be a non issue.

It has nothing to do with liking it or not...it was an honest quietism expecting an honest answer.

You could very well save more lives at work than at home, and if your sense of duty lies in saving a quantity of people vs specific people who are important to you, then so be it. I don't think it's wrong, and I really don't understand why anyone would see the opposite as wrong. I don't think utilitarianism has been adopted as absolute right as of now.

Personally, if I'm stranded at work valuing the life of other people's children, I would hope someone out there would be valuing the lives of my children - whether they know me or not.

And if YOUR children need medical care during this emergency, are you ok that they won't be able to get it because all the parents at the children's hospital are off taking care of their own kids and nobody's left to give medical care to YOUR child?

How could I blame them if I know they feel the same way I do?

If my children were in a safe place with the right people, I would be there right along side my coworkers.

If not, I'm with the kids.

Specializes in Dialysis/Nephrology.

"if i understand this, your husband was at home and caring for/evacuating your children when you got a request from your work asking you to come in and help to evaluate patients. was your concern that your husband was unable to drive the truck away once it was packed? or just that you wanted to be with your family.

i think it was more than fair that you were never put on the schedule again. and after a year of not working, they terminated your employment . . . was that a surprise to you?"

just to answer your questions......most of the packing and loading was done by me and our 6 kids. my husband is disabled. he can "watch" and "supervise" but considering "him" i thought it best to stay with them. as far as the termination...they requested that i keep calling in days and hours that i 'could' work. to which i did for approx. 4mos.? then i just gave up and stopped calling. the separation letter i received stated that i had not been 'calling in'?

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