Your employer's policy re: *snow and ice*?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi, I would really appreciate hearing from lots of people about what you do when you have to work but the roads are covered in snow and ice. I get many sarcastic or unrealistic responses from people I've asked. I should explain that snow and ice are still somewhat new to me, AND I have driven in a HORRIBLE ice storm and am still somewhat traumatized! :o

Once when I wasn't scheduled to work, the roads were treacherous and I was SO grateful to be off! When I asked my coworkers about it the next day, they said "they weren't that bad, I just drove slowly!" I'm happy for them, but I have slipped all over roads, even when I went slowly, and even slid through stop signs.....and it is SCARY!

I asked a paramedic what they do when there is an emergency out on rural roads that haven't been salted, and she said there's not much they can do, and maybe it's just that person's time to die......gee, what a great answer! (NOT!) :angryfire

I applied for a new job and asked the manager about snow and ice, and she said: "I *ALWAYS* make it into work, NO MATTER how bad the roads are, and I live a lot further than you!" :uhoh3: The thing is, I am dedicated to my job, but I am *NOT* willing to slip and slide on icy roads and risk my life......

So please tell me......what is your employer's view on this, and what do YOU do when the roads are just terrible?

I live in a major metropolis and the hospital I work at expects all RN's to make it to work no matter the weather. Like others have said it is a 24/7 job. The hospital does help matters by allowing staff to sleep overnight in the overflow unit or empty beds somewhere in the hospital. So if a snow storm is expected to hit and you have a commute or know you will have transportation difficulties than you can bring a bag with you and sleep in between your shifts. They have also been known to put employees up in the Hyatt across the street when it gets REALLY bad. The place I work is great to it's employees.

Specializes in MS Home Health.

I have worked with alot of employers in NW and Central Ohio and the policy is work..................unless there is 4 feet of snow/to bad so sad.

renerian

When I lived in TX we had a HUGE ice storm (six inches of ice over night). My employer didn't expect anyone to risk their life for work but to make it in if they could. I drove home the 1st night of the storm then was scheduled off for 3 days. But many nurses that were working would get in and then work a double or stay in a empty room and work the next shift (if doubles weren't their thing).

But my last job in Home Health in WA was you come in irregardless and be prepared to see pts even in rural areas.

I think that the attitude is also a geographical thing.

Keep in mind that it's a great deal more traumatic to Texans when that type of thing happens than for folks up north.

I went through a couple of ice storms when I lived in Dallas and ice storms will pretty much shut the city down and go into emergency mode.

My employer sent trucks around town to pick people up for work because most are not used to driving in it.

On the other hand, when I lived in Minneapolis, a Dallas version of an ice storm would cause much laughter if you tried to call in to work because of that. If they shut down Minneapolis the same way that they shut down Dallas whenever a winter storm hits, Minneapolis would be pretty much shut down Nov-April. every year.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Geriatric, Behavioral Health.

I noticed the same thing when I was down in Texas. I'd be ready to go, and others would say, "can't, got an ice storm"....I'd scratch my head in wonder and disbelief. True, very true.

Specializes in Telemetry, ICU, Resource Pool, Dialysis.

Both hospitals I have worked for pretty much expected you to get to work no matter what. I don't think I have ever called in due to weather, but I was offered the night off a couple times because of it. I live 40 miles from my current job - with mostly rural county roads between. I have driven in several storms (just missed a tornado, several ice and snow storms). It's taken me up to 2 hours to get to work in some of that stuff. My personal policy is: I'll give it a shot. If it is simply impossible, I will turn around and go home. My life is worth not worth losing just to get to work. My employer also offers empty units for employees to stay between shifts, but I've never taken them up on the offer. I'll get home, thank you, even if I have to walk!

I also feel that if the majority of the hospital's employees live in town, they can give the people a break that commute in during bad weather. Of course, here the weather only gets that bad maybe 3-4 times a year. I would probably feel differently if I lived in town and had to cover someone elses shift every week because of bad weather.

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I live in rural central Illinois - 20 miles from where I work. I love my Subaru Outback too. I had a 4X4 pick-up before this car. I always make it to work - its just like any other day. I do allow extra time (and yes, sometimes it has taken my 2 hours to get there. However, when you live where there is snow and ice - you have to be willing to deal with it. I am also a rural fire-fighter and live 1 mile from the fire station. I am very careful and drive slow. Other things:

1. Keep an emergency bag in your car: charged cell phone, flashlight with extra batteries, clothes, blankets, water, granola bars.

2. Always let someone know the route you plan to take.

3. Slow and careful is how to do it.

4. Allow extra time.

I have to say that I lived in Alaska for two years and commuted 110 miles (one way) to school. This was in the interior (read cold and dark all winter - 6 months of the year) and still made it.

Good luck and take care.

Some blame needs to go to the persons responsible for mass staffing when a large pending storm is coming. If I owned a business, I would ask those who live closer to the work their availability and offer a bonus for staying or coming into work. I have made it in to work on days when emergency declarations were declared and thats when its pretty bad out there. No one wants to call off work when its bad out and put up with all the harassment! Lets put some of this on the employer already. They know every year,depending on location, there will be days like this. How many years have to go by where they pit employee after employee( because thats how we behave out there), against one another over their stupidity!

Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

Not in nursing but my employer(s) are understandable. At school/work there are always delay warnings all over the news channels and radio. When it's bad outside you just need to look for the name of you school or company and read how long the delays are...usually 2-3 hour delays. Meanwhile you wait til the roads are salted, sanded, and plowed. The delay time is usually more than enough time to make it there safely.

Best wishes to you.

Not in nursing but my employer(s) are understandable. At school/work there are always delay warnings all over the news channels and radio. When it's bad outside you just need to look for the name of you school or company and read how long the delays are...usually 2-3 hour delays. Meanwhile you wait til the roads are salted, sanded, and plowed. The delay time is usually more than enough time to make it there safely.

Best wishes to you

Good point also jess, like the old saying "better late than never". You still will hear some @#$^^&*( crap), but thats a good plan!

I've driven in bad weather to make it to work, but it's a judgement call. And that takes a little experience with driving in snow/ice.

It's not only how far you live from the place you work, but your route. It might be only a few miles to drive but if there are lots of hills? Big ones? That changes the picture. Also, in bigger cities, there are usually designated snow routes, which they keep plowed and cleared better.

Not only did I used to keep an emergency bag in the car, like another nurse mentioned, but I also kept a shovel and a bag of kitty litter. If I did get stuck, I've been able to dig the wheels out, throw some litter down for traction and get out. Some folks use sand. My mom used to keep afew roofing shingles to lay down in front of the tires.

I don't have a 4X4. There were a couple days when I decided it really was too hazardous to attempt a drive. I hate ice storms. I hate driving on ice. You just don't get traction.

We get a few minor storms every year, but often in the am we have icy roads. Comes with the territory.

Once when we had a surprise major snow storm, they sent out city vehicles to get some of the docs and nurses in. I rode my bike (it worked better than the car), but by the time it was time to go home, the roads were clear and it was no big deal.

I think most people are pretty understanding, depending up on your circumstances. If you live in a rural area or a long way away, if you call in, no big deal. If you live within city limits, you are expected to be there. The better late than never philosophy applies. If *you* don't come in, you are putting a bigger burden on your co-workers who *did* make it in. You are also directly affecting pt care by upping the pt/nurse ratios.

Let your director know now how you feel. Maybe she can help you get a bad weather car pool going, where those who live in your area and are comfortable driving in poor weather conditions will give rides to those of you who don't like to drive in snow and/or ice.

Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

I grew up in Ohio and also lived in Kansas. Ice and snow in the winter are just part of life. My different employer's view on this. . .if you're scheduled to work, you better be here. That's the joy of working in a health profession whose doors are open 24 hours a day. The worst of the conditions is when the temperature is in the mid 30's and you have ice and slush, or you have icy conditions that develop during the night after all the melting snow, now water, freezes into ice.

My brother gave me some great advice years ago. . .learn the routes that the city busses take. Why? Because those routes will often be the first streets that will get plowed when the plows get going. Freeways will often get shut down when the state department of transportation can't keep up with a snow shower. So, even if you take a freeway to work all the time, you should also know how to get to work without going by freeway.

The other advice is to leave early and go slow. If the roads were snow covered and really bad I would put my car into 1st gear and go 15 or 20mph with my radio and heater on until I got to work. Driving in first gear is an awesome experience, but you can't go very fast. You are allowed to drive slower than the speed limit, and Ohio has a law that says you cannot drive faster than what the road conditions will allow. Translated: when the road is snow covered, you better go slower. I would leave an hour earlier to be sure I got there on time. I only had 9 miles to go. You will have problems going up hills. Hopefully, the city will have the more difficult hills salted really well as part of the first streets they plow. Brake slowly with a slight on and off pumping so you keep wheel traction on the snowy surface you are driving on. If you slam on the brakes you are going to go into a slide which you cannot control. There are times when you just can't go fast and bad driving conditions like this are one of them. Don't be bothered by those who want to pass you when you are chugging along at 15 or 20mph. Your goal is to get to where you are going in one piece.

There is new technology that is only available as an extra feature you have to order on a new car that allows the vehicle to stabilize when it goes into a skid or slide on a wet road or ice. My brother was part of a team project with GM and Ford that developed Roll Control (they may have re-named it). All the members of the team went to a testing ground to see it in action. They were all given a chance to try to put the SUV's into skids and attempt to have them turn onto their sides and roll over. They couldn't do it. These systems are computer guided and are able to apply the brake at each wheel individually in order to correct the stability of the car. CBS's morning show did a segment on this last winter and it was another car manufacturer they were spotlighting, so this technology is probably available on most major brands of cars. Since I'm out here in sunny southern California I don't need snow tires or Roll Control (except perhaps when we have all that rain in January and February), but I sure would want this feature on my car if I were living back in Ohio or Kansas.

Something you could do ahead of time is to contact the city offices of the cities you will be driving through in order to get to work and ask them or someone in the department responsible for salting the roads to tell you which roads get priority salting and plowing. That can help you figure out a driving route before a snow storm hits. Also, during the winter, never let your gas tank get below 1/2 full in case you get stuck in a jam during a snow storm. The worst one I was ever stuck in was for 2 hours--no one could move, period. You need that gas to keep your heater running.

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