My heart really goes out to the children and families of all those caregivers who are bullied into driving during this time of dangerous driving weather.
Their patients who sometimes do not really need help during the storm are strangely enough on a list of the ones they're coerced into driving to. These patients are afraid for their caregivers.
If you have to work during this time, may I suggest leaving before the bad weather starts and arranging a double shift so your relief nurses do not have to go out.
May I also suggest that nurse managers think about what they would want if these nurses were their own children or parents and find alternatives that do not involve threatening them into driving on a dangerous road.
Knowing how to drive on ice does not make anyone more safe.
What would you think of a building manager who is denying someone the right to a dignified place to sleep after they have worked a double shift, have to work again the next morning, and are stuck in the building?
In this case, that someone was me. There was an extra bed in a private, unoccupied room and they said I could not sleep there and why?? If they were expecting an admit I would have understood. Why do they abuse people this way and then complain about the ones who won't work during the storms?
Here is another thing. All through this thread I see people saying, "That's your problem." I have made it clear that I was on my shift during the storms and that I called to say that the next girl did not have to comein and that I would work her shift.
I have also seen some posts from people who were in accidents. Do you really think it's
"their problem?" If they were on the same staff as I was I would be thinking of what I could do to keep them out of crisis.
Not once have I ever told my coworkers that it's "their problem," if they were afraid of coming to work. I have kept them from being out on a dangerous road more times than I can count.
Admissions are not always expected- they can show up at any time. Patient rooms are for patients- one could arrive any minute and if you were sleeping in that room, then what? Then they need to wake you up, find the one housekeeper in house at 2am to come clean the room, set up for the admission and then find somewhere to put you. It's not practical to allow staff to sleep in patients' rooms.
In my area, staff who "won't" work during storms will soon become staff who won't work at all. If you want to work as an essential employee in an area of the country with bad weather, tough luck you go to work when you're scheduled. Perhaps you should consider moving to an area of the country that doesn't get snow or taking a job where you are not considered essential.
I agree. It takes a lot of gall to suggest your co-workers not only come in early, but work doubles just so you can stay warm and snug like a bug in a rug.
What I actually did say is that I have gone out of my way to come in early and work doubles so my co workers can stay safe.
I also said that I was treated with rudeness and indifference by the building managers during these times.
I guess your co-worker could say....how could you be so indifferent to your co-workers as to not care if they go home to their family or pets.
When I am at work during a storm it is me that offers my co-workers the chance to stay home with their family and pets. Not only do I show up before the snow starts but also stay until it ends.
a PT not a nurse) had to abandon his car on a highway because they forced him to come in during that blizzard. Apparently the major highways were littered with abandoned cars from people forced to try to go into work during the blizzard, and id imagine many of them were rescue workers or healthcare workers
This is a situation of great enormity. This is one reason I included the word sociopathy.
Why do building managers and DoNs not have any plans in place to keep their staff out of these situations? Instead they just go with the idea that it's "their problem."
I have gone into work during storms because there is someone at home to take care of the pets and because I did not have small children at home. There must be others like this who could plan to come in early and stay in the building until the roads are safe.
All I can say is I am glad law enforcement officers, paramedics, firefighters, doctors, and many, many others don't gripe about having to come to work during an ice/snow storm, hurricane, or other inclement weather. They just do their job. Yes, I would LOVE to stay home, but I knew when I went into nursing, that would not be the case.
The difference with emergency services and snowplow drivers is that their cars are solid and in this way they are more safe out on the roads. Also, no one chooses to have them go to work in dangerous weather, it just happens that way. With nursing staff however, they do not make any plan to protect their workers by having them remain in the building even though they do have the option to do this and even if some sfaff members would be able to stay.
I can't fathom just calling out and expecting the poor souls at the hospital to just pick up the slack. What about moms of young children? Breastfeeding moms? Pet owners who need to care for their pets? Nurses who have family and other obligations who can't just be away for days at a time? Nurses with medical conditions who can't work for hours on end?
In the past I have been the one working doubles and being abused by the building staff who are indifferent to the needs of people who are sequestered in their building during the storms and who live too far to drive home.
Admissions are not always expected- they can show up at any time. Patient rooms are for patients- one could arrive any minute and if you were sleeping in that room, then what? Then they need to wake you up, find the one housekeeper in house at 2am to come clean the room, set up for the admission and then find somewhere to put you. It's not practical to allow staff to sleep in patients' rooms.
In my area, staff who "won't" work during storms will soon become staff who won't work at all. If you want to work as an essential employee in an area of the country with bad weather, tough luck you go to work when you're scheduled. Perhaps you should consider moving to an area of the country that doesn't get snow or taking a job where you are not considered essential.
In my own case, places who abuse me when I come to work during storms will be places I stay away from. If there had been an admit in the middle of the night, I would have readily vacated the unit and cleaned it up myself.
If the patient beds are out of the question they should plan a place for their help to sleep and offer them some dignity.
Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Well I am going to have fun on Sunday. We have a major storm forecasted with anything up to 30cms of snow starting sometime in the morning and lasting all day. I am on 12 hour nights and expect to leave my house anywhere between 1-2 hours before due to start. Already trying to decide who will or not turn up and who may have to be mandated to stay. I will be the only trained nurse there and plan on being there.
I agree. It takes a lot of gall to suggest your co-workers not only come in early, but work doubles just so you can stay warm and snug like a bug in a rug.
It takes a lot of gall for the staff to abuse me when the fact is that I have come to work early during storms, worked double shifts to protect people from coming in and arrange my schedule so they can stay home.
Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
The difference with emergency services and snowplow drivers is that their cars are solid and in this way they are more safe out on the roads. Also no one chooses to have them go to work in dangerous weather, it just happens that way. With nursing staff however, they do not make any plan to protect their workers by having them remain in the building even though they do have the option to do this and even if some sfaff members would be able to stay. [/quote']
How exactly do you think emergency workers get to work? EMS in many areas are volunteers. They are NOT paid. Police, fire & EMS work shifts just like nurses. They have to make the choice whether it is safe to get to their duty station in inclement weather just like nurses need to get to the hospital. Fire departments often work 24 hrs on, 24hrs off but police and many EMS departments do not. They work 8 or 12 hour shifts. Their private vehicles are no different than nurses's vehicles to get to work. Police & EMS often do not have showers or call rooms. The situation for emergency services workers is not that different except that they often work outside in more dangerous conditions whereas nurses 99.9% of the time work inside. Nurses just like EMS just happen to be scheduled when bad weather hits. There is not much of a distinction as you seem to think there is.
In this thread I've seen that some people were in accidents when this could have been avoided.
I do not think building managers offering staff a meal, shower or a place to sleep between shifts is too much to ask.
If dedicated nurses get into accidents and have to abandon their cars, do you really think this is "their problem?"
If one of them dies or becomes incapacitated going to work (out of their concern for patients and coworkers) (or out of fear for their jobs) this might end up being your problem too.
Not everyone can afford a safe vehicle for snow and ice.
Not everyone lives near enough to their place of work to "come slipping and sliding in."
Not everyone lives in the kind of home where they really should leave during a storm.
Not everyone does come in "on the same roads" as was suggested by one poster.
If I knew a "breastfeeding mom" was on the staff with me I would help them to stay home by working their shift. I hope I'm not the only one.
Some people have more handicaps than some others so just coming in "when you're scheduled" is a heartless and unrealistic plan.
I noticed also some outrageous accusations claiming that I intend to stay at home and let my coworkers endanger themselves out on the road and get exhausted working doubles (which needs another thread) and shame on you for insisting that I've never helped out when they need me.
I hope not too many caregivers get hurt during these storms coming up and that their children, pets, and others who need them won't be losing them this winter.
Planning ahead and protecting your staff and co workers could not be impossible like some of you here are suggesting.
It takes a lot of gall for the staff to abuse me when the fact is that I have come to work early during storms, worked double shifts to protect people from coming in and arrange my schedule so they can stay home.
Then STOP volunteering to do the doubles and arranging YOUR schedule so that your co-workers can stay home. Is it really safer for the patient to be cared for by an RN working a double shift and the scheduled RN being told to stay home on the off chance they might be in an accident on their way to work?
You chose to take on the extra workload and inconvenience, so you shouldn't be surprised that special allowances weren't made to provide you with a bed.
KelRN215, BSN, RN
1 Article; 7,349 Posts
Admissions are not always expected- they can show up at any time. Patient rooms are for patients- one could arrive any minute and if you were sleeping in that room, then what? Then they need to wake you up, find the one housekeeper in house at 2am to come clean the room, set up for the admission and then find somewhere to put you. It's not practical to allow staff to sleep in patients' rooms.
In my area, staff who "won't" work during storms will soon become staff who won't work at all. If you want to work as an essential employee in an area of the country with bad weather, tough luck you go to work when you're scheduled. Perhaps you should consider moving to an area of the country that doesn't get snow or taking a job where you are not considered essential.