Hardship: none of my business or a problem?

[Beldar_the_Cenobite, CNA]

So, it’s been awhile since I’ve ever posted. I finished Pathophysiology with a B. Very hard class, but it was interesting.

In previous posts I might have mentioned I was on section 8 while doing pre-reqs. Just recently, I lost my section 8 support because I was considered making too much money as a CNA. Yes, I bought a white cargo van because if I got a room for rent, that would only inflate my responsibilities from nursing school and I have financial problems I’m trying to responsibly take care of. I’ve got no kids and no spouse responsibility, so I am, as Filipino nurses call me, a cowboy. I can pull it off.

Well, today I was told by maintenance at my facility that I have to move my vehicles out of the parking lot within 24 hours because of the owner of the facility. She’s Korean and stupid wealthy. She has a 10 bed mansion that she never stays at that she would never know you were there if you stayed according to an RN. The DON who has poor English speaking skills says I cannot be there when I’m not scheduled. Say something about it being against the law or something. It’s not against company policy because no one ever mentioned it during orientation. I respect the property, but apparently that isn’t enough. I went to my HR and she said, “I can ask the owner to see if you can pay her $100 a month in rent to park both vehicles here at the facility like she pays the church down the road for extra parking since she only listens to the sound of money”. I said ok. HR called me and said the owner said no.

Is it petty the owner doesn’t want me taking up two spots in the very back of a facility where I’m not parked at a red curb and I’m not parked in a handicapped spot and I’m not bothering or hurting anybody? The facility pays the church down the road $100 a month I guess for employees to park that I towed my daily driver car and cargo van to and Thursday I speak with a pastor about parking there and see what he says.

Im sure most responses on here will be very unsympathetic so I hope some will understand what I’m trying to do. I take the nursing entrance exam May 6th. I passed the HESI for UNLV last year but didn’t make the cutoff. So I changed schools and had to take Patho as a pre-req requirement.

Just to get an idea of what it’s like living in a van: I don’t make a mess living in a van, I shower at a gym down the road, I keep myself clean and presentable. People have told me the way I pull it off, I don’t even look like a van dweller. We have a locker room in a bathroom for employees in the back away from the nurses station where I keep dental hygiene stuff to brush my teeth and use the restroom if I need to. I keep all my waste contained in clean trash bags. Always. I never leave trash on the ground and I never dump liquids. I always use receptacles.

I’m trying to handle my problems like a responsible adult, yet I can’t. I thought buying a van would help me tackle my problems. Of any kind. Also, my van I recently bought has a temporary moving permit that expired because I had a check engine light come on. My other car, my daily driver, had a check engine light since last October but I never got around to diagnosing it because I didn’t know about financing for tows and engine diagnosis fees. Both vehicles have expired registration and automatically fail smog because of check engine light. I can’t move them very far or risk $1,000 fine by metro police.

My facility implies my car can be towed out of their hands by another tow company without saying the tow would give me a warning first. Isn’t that considered grand theft auto? What’s funny is they can see the temporary moving permit on the van windshield has an expiration date and they use that as an example against me, but the other car that has expired tags, they can’t tell.

If if you were high up in the food chain, would you have a problem with an employee who comes to work clean and decent, but lives in a vehicle due to financial problems? Showing up to work on time and clean?

My DON currently does not help nurses or anybody for that matter. The only thing she looks at is call lights when she slowly walks down the hall with her cankles and her iPhone in her hand with her hand leaned back as if she were lazily strolling through the park and doesn’t even answer the call lights. Just says in her thick Filipino voice while pointing at them, “answer the call lights”. The DON before her kept nurses and CNAs in line and even helped CNAs with their runs as if she were a CNA. I never got to work with her, but I’d love to be a fly on the wall to see what she was like.

[Daisy4RN]

While this would not be a lifestyle I would want I have also read that travel nurses do live as you do also by choice. So, the owner probably doesn't want you living there bc of liability reasons, maybe bc she doesnt consider it professional when residents/families/other staff etc see you there, or she is worried about the relationship you might have with residents if they are able to be out and about (sounds like a SNF?). I wouldnt expect the DON to get involved, she would not have a say in the matter. I understand the situation is frustrating for you. If it was me i would ask the Church as you stated, look for a mobile home park with a space, or look for a room to rent and sell the van. Any of these should keep you costs down. Also search the travel nurse threads here for more helpful info if you want to continue living in the van, (maybe sell the car instead and drive the van). I wish you well and hope you can continue your journey to becoming a nurse. And dont let the politics of the workplace get to you, they all have them! Good luck!

[TriciaJ, RN]

I was going to suggest a Walmart parking lot, but apparently they have pulled up the welcome mat for overnight parking. At least, a lot of them have but the article I read wasn't clear about all of them. It apparently depends on individual store management.

I think Daisy gave you good advice to check out the travel nurse site. Hope you find a good solution soon.

[Nunya, BSN]

You might be able to find a room on Craigslist for a couple hundred a month.

[Jory, MSN, APRN, CNM]

Yes, try Walmart. They allow overnight parking. I would also call the Forest Service and see if there are any free places where you can park your van. I'm sure there are several.

If you are friends with someone, they may have a property where you can park. However, it would have been much cheaper not to let the permits expire.

TOW TRUCK COMPANIES ARE NOT REQUIRED to give you a notice of a tow in any state. You simply discover your vehicle is gone. A tow can cost anywhere from $150 to 300 AND they charge BY THE DAY for storage. If you don't have the money to get it out, after so many days, they can sell your vehicle.

All of it is 100% legal. So don't park where you are not supposed to or with expired permits.

Check to see if there is a hardship waiver you may be able to get...you can't be the only one in your situation.

Good luck, you will get there.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

I am not unsympathetic at all and applaud your efforts. This is obviously upsetting you and making you pretty anxious.

Forget about what the nationality of the woman who owns the facility is. Forget about what kind of money you think she does or doesn't have. Neither of those have anything to do with this. Read that again.

I understand why she doesn't want you parking there. Yes, you work there. Others who see you doing it may not know that. From the outside it looks like squatting or a homeless situation. I am sure she fears liabilities. She also may have had complaints from the families of residents or fears that she will have, so why not take care of the problem now. If she is parking the vehicles that belong to the business elsewhere (and paying to do it), why would she then allow YOU to park there?

Find a good spot. There are campgrounds or perhaps other places that will allow you to park without it being a problem. Sure, it won't be as convenient, but you didn't choose this lifestyle for the convenience aspect. Own your choice and make it work. Nobody owes you a spot to live on, with or without rental costs, no matter how wealthy or Korean they are reputed to be.

You are doing well for yourself getting out of a pickle. This is just another hurdle. Let it form your life in a way that doesn't make you bitter and some day you may have the opportunity to be the person extending someone else grace. Would it be nice if she would extend you some? Sure. But she doesn't owe it to you and to engage in the thinking you outlined above shows you are having trouble with that concept. Hang in there.

[FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP]

I sympathize with your plight. Unfortunately, the owner of a property can decide who does and does not get to park there. You've received a lot of good suggestions. Another thought - perhaps you can post on craigslist, facebook, bulletin boards at school/work that you are looking for a place to park for a nominal fee. A kind soul might even offer you a place for free. Good luck!

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

Best of luck with your situation; it seems like you're doing your best to not let circumstances get you down.

I gotta ask, though-

Why the focus on the ethnicity of people? If they were white, would you feel it necessary to mention that fact?

[Guest219794]

Nothing in the world wrong with living the way you are living. I have done it, and was just outside working on my van before reading your post.

But, it shouldn't be a big surprise that the owner of a facility doesn't want you living there.

No point in focusing on that- it's wasted energy.

Maybe you could find a barter arrangement, Parking for labor- light housework?

Good luck.

[verene, MSN]

Unfortunately you are running into one of the huge hurdles of van life – where to park!

Many, many places do not allow overnight parking or parking for more than a certain number of day/hours. (My city will tow for cars parked on the street – even in free parking—for more than 72 hours unless the owner has a permit to park on the street as demand for parking can be high). Many apartment complexes will even charge for parking if in a big city with limited parking spaces – one of my friend’s pays $150/month in addition to rent for the ability to park in the garage under her building! So even with housing, free parking is not a guarantee.

I don’t know why the owner doesn’t want you to park at work – could be because of liabilities, could be because parking is already tight (quite possible if she is paying for parking down the street) and she needs spaces available for residents, guests, and employees on other shifts, could be that residents or guests have complained, I don’t know. I would guess that being angry and classist/racist towards her will not help your case for obtaining parking through your employer.

Those I know who’ve lived the van life had either bought parking (e.g. monthly permits at hospitals for use of parking lot if traveling), paid to park at camp grounds (sometimes with monthly discount rate), parked at Walmart lots, or parked at rest areas and parks and residential streets for free and hoped they weren’t awoken by police asking them to move on to a new location.

You might try looking into campgrounds, RV parks, and tiny-home compounds and see if anyone will rent you space for cheap to park your van. Your idea of speaking to the church pastor to see if they will rent you a space is a good one.

Also ask around and see if you know anyone with property who would be willing to let you live on their land (perhaps for minimal fee) and keep your van parked there when you are not at work.

[BSNbound21, BSN, RN]

Stop living in a van. Sell it, get a small car, and rent a room. I think it is totally reasonable for a property owner to not want someone living in a parked vehicle on their property- commercial or not. I'm not even sure if it's legal to live in a van. I don't personally care where people live, but since you are here asking for advice, I figured I would give it to you straight. Stop living in a van.

[LovingLife123]

I guess I’m not understanding why you are so surprised that you can’t park your van that you live in on the parking lot where you work. You can’t do that.

You need to find a place where you can park legally. Private parking lots are not the place. You may have to go to a campground or something and pay a rental fee.

You are not even in nursing school yet. It’s another 2 years until graduation once you start. Do you have a membership to the gym you are showering at? I would sell the van and rent a room. I don’t see van living as sustainable for the next 2 years. How will you study with no light? You should he able to rent a room for fairly cheap and use the money you get from selling the van. Plus, you will have heat and it will be safer.