Do you ever want to escape nursing profession?

Ruby Vee, BSN · Dec 15, 2016

My honest answer is that you knew -- or should have known -- before you took a job as a nurse that there were going to be days when you would have to drive to work in bad weather. No one is forced to "drive on the dangerous freeway" unless you live on Mercer Island. Then, I suppose you don't have much choice. If you live in Seattle, the other drivers out there have no clue how to drive in snow, so the smarter course is to stay off the freeway. Drive on surface streets, or leave for work before the snowstorm. If you live in Spokane, the other drivers can drive in snow, and perhaps you can learn from a colleague. I bought my brand new Subaru in Spokane during a snowstorm and didn't take it out of four wheel drive until I'd had it for a week. But I got to work and back. I bought the Subaru because I wanted to get to work safely -- I'd been cross country skiing to work and back because I didn't trust my old car to start in the cold.

The consequences for not showing up for work during bad weather are more serious than your employer making you feel bad about yourself. Vulnerable patients need care, whether the weather outside is frightful or just delightful. If you're supposed to show up for work, then you need to show up for work to take care of them. That's just how it is.

The low census business -- yes, I've had that happen as well.

Asystole RN · Dec 15, 2016

My honest answer is that as a nurse, you lobbied the public for the privilege to serve them. As adults we must make choices as to what is important to us.

If you do not want to serve the public then don't. If you do not want to drive in snow then don't live in a place that snows. If you do not want to work in a place that is a critical facility like a hospital then change jobs.

Keep in mind that nursing is not all hospitals and bedside, there are non-bedside jobs in places that do not snow.

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Dec 15, 2016

Staff nurses are essential personnel. I have had managers in 4 wheel drive vehicles and police get me into work.

Always check out the staffing situation before driving in on dangerous roads. I have used a well placed call off when necessary.

You don't have to "escape the nursing profession".. . find a nursing position where you are not essential personnel.

Sour Lemon · Dec 15, 2016

Hello all,
Please be honest with your answer. Do you ever want to escape nursing profession?
When it snows outside, nurses are supposed to drive on the dangerous freeway to the hospital to take care of the patients. This is true story, it happened to me. When I was on the freeway on a snowy day, there were cars sliding left and right, I risked my life to go to work. If I don't, my employer would make me feel bad about myself. That day, I took me a very long time to drive to the hospital. I finally arrived to the hospital safely. Guess what happened next? My charge nurse told me that I got low census and they didn't need me for the day. The staffing office told me that they left me a voice message. My phone did not show any voice message. I never received a voice message from the staffing office.
Do you ever experience something similar? Please share!

A few months ago, I drove to work only to find out that I'd been canceled. I only live two miles away and the weather was perfect, but it was still a little annoying. I don't mind being canceled- ever. I just wish I would have found out sooner so I could have stayed in bed longer. I also didn't get to tell my cat a proper goodbye on account of he's so furry and I was in uniform ...and I ate dinner a lot earlier and a lot faster than I would have if I'd known I had the night off. Anyway ...it turns out someone had re-typed the phone list and my phone number was off by one digit. I could have claimed four hours of pay, but I was afraid they might make me work for four hours, so I just went home ...practically skipped out to my car!!

I like my job and my co-workers, so I don't necessarily want to escape nursing. But if I could win 80 million dollars and escape work in general, I'd be very happy with that. Life is very difficult and I sometimes wonder why I wasn't born a queen.

elkpark · Dec 16, 2016

There are plenty of reasons why (and days that) I want to "escape" nursing, but having to drive to work in bad weather (or even getting told after I get there that they don't need me) is the least of my complaints. :)

Pepper The Cat, BSN, RN · Dec 16, 2016

Nurses are not the only ones expected to get to work during bad weather.

Housekeeping, lab , X-ray, and so forth are all essesential personal and need to make it in. Trust me,,I worked a blizzard where only 1/4 of the kitchen staff made it in, meals were a challenge! If you don't like driving in bad weather, ask around and find someone close to you that you can car pool with. Or move closer to work so you can walk if necessary. Take a bus. Take a taxi. Stay overnight at the hospital. Lots of options out there.

crazin01 · Dec 16, 2016

A hospital i was at years ago would not excuse your inability to get there, because the security department would pick people up & return them home. I know quite a few staff who chose to stay at the hospital for a night or two, 'just in case, when offered by the facility. And the typical shifts (0700-1900, 0700-1530) were pretty much disregarded as they would try to coordinate the trips based on where you lived. The staff would stagger changing to new staff as they arrived. And this was at a smaller, rural facility. I would hope most employers would try to accommodate staff (bed to sleep, food) in such a situation.

I agree with a lot of the previous posts, that it is a well-known fact that essential staff are expected to get there, come hell or high water... Hence the excuse "I can't make it in" was pointless since security acted as a chauffeur service at this facility. I would think even the general public would deduce that healthcare field is a 24/7 business and realize that there was no such thing as a 'snow day' for this profession.

4 years ago, I totaled my old SUV after just enough snow to make the roads slick. Less than a mile from home. And I was heading into work.

As far as wanting to 'escape' nursing, I would certainly need more cons on my list to leave nursing, than dealing with inclement weather. And I would also be pretty mad if I was cancelled but only told when I arrived.

martymoose, BSN, RN · Dec 16, 2016

there are reasons I want to escape nursing, but not for the reasons you list.

Libby1987 · Dec 16, 2016

The skeptic in me questions how dangerous the driving really was if so many other staff members made it in that you were called off. At least in the context of your area's usual weather and what the locals are used to.

And no, never wanted to escape nursing. Not for the weather and well, I don't have a cat, so..

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Dec 16, 2016

It's much too late for me to escape - - at this point, I'd need to have my DNA fumigated. But - I do feel that employers need to be much more considerate of their staffs. My organization has just rolled out a new text messaging system to facilitate better communications. So far, it's working out very well since it's much easier to quickly pick up information from your cell phone than accessing your email.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Dec 17, 2016

Hello all,
Please be honest with your answer. Do you ever want to escape nursing profession?
When it snows outside, nurses are supposed to drive on the dangerous freeway to the hospital to take care of the patients. This is true story, it happened to me. When I was on the freeway on a snowy day, there were cars sliding left and right, I risked my life to go to work. If I don't, my employer would make me feel bad about myself. That day, I took me a very long time to drive to the hospital. I finally arrived to the hospital safely. Guess what happened next? My charge nurse told me that I got low census and they didn't need me for the day. The staffing office told me that they left me a voice message. My phone did not show any voice message. I never received a voice message from the staffing office.
Do you ever experience something similar? Please share!

Being cancelled like that would actually really suck.

But as to being forced to drive the highway in dangerous weather, look at it this way. You have just put in a full 12 hours on the night shift. You're dead tired. It was your third 12 hour shift in 3 days. The day nurse just called in and basically said "Screw you, I'm not driving in this. You'll just have to stay on unless and until I decide to come in. In the meantime, I'm baking cookies for my kids and watching cartoons by the fireplace. Sucks to be you!" Now what are your thoughts about this issue?

If you did that to a coworker, you should feel bad about yourself. Snowstorms are usually known about in advance. There are ways to prepare so that you aren't driving to work in a blizzard.