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.
My hospital has a small cottage on the grounds that has 4 beds and a few couches. I haven't had to take advantage of this yet, but I'm glad it's there. Likely I wouldn't anyway, DHs aunt lives just down Tue street.
It's lucky we have this, but I wouldn't expect any facility to supply it. I am with others, when you get into acute care nursing, coming to work in the snow comes with the territory. If it were that big a deal to me, I would have stayed in the community.
I was about to post about this. I was wondering what happens if a State of Emergency is declared because that is expected with the snowstorm that started in my area this morning(and I'm scheduled for an overnight tonight.) In that case, you can be stopped for even being on the road. I have never had an accident but have had some harrowing drives that took hours and included nearly coming off the road despite going VERY slowly. My wipers have frozen over rendering my windshield opaque, forcing me to stop. I have cried with relief at the end of my drives. And usually I end up with an abusive patient after risking my life to get there. My hospital has no official policy but I've always been told we are expected to be there.
I was stuck in the building once for about 32 hours because of a storm and other factors. I got NO consideration from the building managers. They should not be wondering why they can't find anyone to work during these times.
I do know that some nursing homes offer people a shower if they work a double and if this is not legal they need to think about a coin operated shower for their staff members.
I have also been told, "I'm not supposed to share my meal with agency staff so don't tell anyone I gave you this, I'm not hungry," really flips me out.
Planning is not impossible but you are oversimplifying. Sometimes showers and extra beds are not as simple to provide as you think.
It is not realistic (and in some cases not permitted either by contract or law) to request or insist staff work double shifts so that another staff member may stay home. Planning may be as others stated, making alternate transportation arrangements, perhaps having an area where family can stay safely with supervision while the nurse works (more for situations necessitating evacuation like fire, flood, tornado, hurricane than winter storm), an area suitable for sleeping bags such as a carpeted conference room. Showers are not necessarily an amenity that can be provided but at least a quiet place to relax between shifts if leaving is not an option. Extended stays more than 36 hours are not common in winter storms but more likely in hurricane, tornados or similar destructive weather event where a nurse going to work may not have a home to return to at the end of the day. Areas prone to these type of weather events are more likely to have contingency plans for staffing than an area with an occasional winter storm.
If a nurse consistently cannot find a way to get into work during inclement weather ( and most of us have encountered the staff member who magically has an illness or excuse why they cannot work with one flake falling of an occasional downpour) then that nurse needs to reconsider working in an acute or LTC setting where their role is that of an essential personnel. (***note: I am NOT referring to the nurse that cannot make it in because a storm was worse than predicted and the route in is not safe to travel on a rare occasion.***) the nurse incapable of planning for weather emergencies may want to consider switching to a nonessential personnel role such as a medical office or elective outpatient surgery center.
I'm getting the impression we just spinning our tires (no pun intended) with this discussion. Basically the OP is entrenched in the belief that people should not have to drive to work on bad roads and those that are at work should have food/board accommodations made for them (while not recognizing the impracticality of each idea).
At the same time, the vast majority of other posters realize that nurses have to be at work, even when the roads are bad.
I seems like this discussion is going nowhere fast...much like driving in the snow.
In an old thread I did notice at least one poster who said their work place did offer them a place to sleep during storms even if it's just a carpeted room.
I am a witness to a coworker who was 10 minutes out of the shower with her hair still drying because she worked a double. So I want to know, did the facility violate laws by letting their staff use the patient shower?
At this same place, I was served a free meal on request because I was staying at work after my shift was done.
I'm not just here trying to invent new rules, I have actually seen managers go out of their way to make their staff comfortable.
I was about to post about this. I was wondering what happens if a State of Emergency is declared because that is expected with the snowstorm that started in my area this morning(and I'm scheduled for an overnight tonight.) In that case, you can be stopped for even being on the road. I have never had an accident but have had some harrowing drives that took hours and included nearly coming off the road despite going VERY slowly. My wipers have frozen over rendering my windshield opaque, forcing me to stop. I have cried with relief at the end of my drives. And usually I end up with an abusive patient after risking my life to get there. My hospital has no official policy but I've always been told we are expected to be there.
Can you call the Sheriff's Dept. and see if they have volunteers that offer rides in the place where you live. Your supervisors will not always tell you about this option. I did ride with them once and this is not always unrealistic as one poster suggested. My little tiny car with front-wheel drive that I had no business taking out in a storm was no match for the trucks they drive that have good accident security.
If they can't take you I think you should be leaving way before the roads get dangerous. I think whoever you're working for should go out of their way to make you comfortable.
I do understand about the abusive patients though, especially if you're in their house and I know this is notsimple. Sometimes they're put into the nursing home for the winter just on account of the weather and this is where planning comes in.
In one case it took me about two hours to get to my private duty case with an abusive patient, with no plows anywhere in sight, only to be told, "Oh, I didn't think you would show up tonight, I could have taken care of J. it's no big deal..." This client needed to call the office and cancel the shift and again, this is where planning ahead helps.
If you have to be a few hours early and hang out in the facility break room (or sit in someone's house) I think this would be better than being stuck out on a slippery road that makes you feel like you're driving across a tight rope with tailgaiting trucks.
My hospital has a small cottage on the grounds that has 4 beds and a few couches. I haven't had to take advantage of this yet, but I'm glad it's there. Likely I wouldn't anyway, DHs aunt lives just down Tue street.
It's lucky we have this, but I wouldn't expect any facility to supply it. I am with others, when you get into acute care nursing, coming to work in the snow comes with the territory. If it were that big a deal to me, I would have stayed in the community.
If one facility can swing this then more of them should follow.
"Sorry, I know you are very ill, but you have to stay lying on this ED stretcher while the staff gets beds and a shower." Uhh, no, that's not going to fly.
You don't have to should steal the patients' beds to be given a dignified and comfortable place to sleep.
What would be wrong with bringing in a mattress pad, pillow and sleeping bag and using any carpeted room between shifts.
When a facility brings in their day room couches I think they should choose some that are comfortable to sleep on so their staff members are not being treated like animals.
I think it fits with some of the folks who display overconfidence on the road...but certainly not employers (as it seems may have been the implication).
What if they're demanding that you drive in while they're sitting in the warmth and safety of their office.
If they care about the staff they will TRY to do some planning.
I've been told by an authority that I trust, "You do not ever want to assume that they have your best interest at heart."
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.
An EMT teacher informed our class "You always want to think of your own safety first because otherwise you're no good to anyone."
While I was at their places of work, I also saw that they do have a place to sleep.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
An EMT teacher informed our class "You always want to think of your own safety first because otherwise you're no good to anyone."
While I was at their places of work, I also saw that they do have a place to sleep.
Yes, of course, they do because they work 24 hours shifts. I'm sorry you feel your employer was bad to you but they are under no obligation to provide you a place to sleep after working a double. It was good of you to stay but they are not under any obligation to feed you nor give a place to sleep.
They are under no obligation by law to be nice nor care. They must pay you and treat everyone equally. There are no laws that say they must care and be nice. Yes they are in their office but they had to drive there and will have to drive home.
One winter it froze & I wasn't about to drive to work on the ice.
I had no one to take me & they didn't have a car service. It was in town & I live out in the country.
No job I have ever had was worth me getting in an accident/hurt, especially now since I'm pregnant. I work over an hour away from home (at a detention center) & work 12 hour shifts.
- I have epilepsy. If there was bad weather there is enough staff that live closer that can take care of the detainees.
This is what I've been trying to get across about some people having more handicaps than some others.
The employees with less handicaps could help out in times like this. I hope I'm not really the only one who can work extra hours to protect my coworkers, especially if the roads they drive on are more dangerous than the ones I came in on.
I don't think anyone should feel entitled to tell you that being pregnant and living too far away is "your problem." I think they should all work together as a team to protect people like you and that you can just make it up to them later in some way that does not involve being in a life-threatening situation.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
I was about to post about this. I was wondering what happens if a State of Emergency is declared because that is expected with the snowstorm that started in my area this morning(and I'm scheduled for an overnight tonight.) In that case, you can be stopped for even being on the road. I have never had an accident but have had some harrowing drives that took hours and included nearly coming off the road despite going VERY slowly. My wipers have frozen over rendering my windshield opaque, forcing me to stop. I have cried with relief at the end of my drives. And usually I end up with an abusive patient after risking my life to get there. My hospital has no official policy but I've always been told we are expected to be there.
If a state of emergency is declared...as I stated earlier...your badge designates you as essential personnel and you are legally allowed on the road. Get a couple of cans of windshield deicer from the gas station. Have water in your car a blanket some granola bars or cookies in your car. Gloves a hat boots and a shovel with some rock salt all from the local gas station . A full tank of gas before you hit the road and a fully charged cell phone with a charger in your car.
You will have ugly people every where you go. I don't let them influence the way I feel. It is your scheduled shift and yes you are expected to get there....but each person needs to make this decision themselves.
TerpGal02, ASN
540 Posts
My hospital has a small cottage on the grounds that has 4 beds and a few couches. I haven't had to take advantage of this yet, but I'm glad it's there. Likely I wouldn't anyway, DHs aunt lives just down Tue street.
It's lucky we have this, but I wouldn't expect any facility to supply it. I am with others, when you get into acute care nursing, coming to work in the snow comes with the territory. If it were that big a deal to me, I would have stayed in the community.