Hazard pay for treking to work in a snowstorm.

[susanmary]

Happy New Year! Hope this is a safe, happy, and healthy year for you. We've had a snowstorm over the New Year's holidays, which always presents challenges for hospitals. Just wondering:

1. Does your hospital offer incentives/bonuses (don't laugh!!!) for coming to work during a significant storm -- prescheduled and last-minute call-ins?

2. Does your facility float RNs to "unchartered territories" that are short-staffed? Can you decline such a float, or would you face disciplinary action?

3. How does your manager deal with nurses who "just can't come in" during a storm? Do you have difficulties with "repeat offenders?" How does staff cope?

4. What is the # of hours you can work during an "emergency situation?"

Love, love, love the snow -- but it certainly presents some challenges. Once again, Happy New Year!

[Jacci59]

I admit that we don't have the snow that the north has, but we did have some significant snow storms during the 25 yrs I worked in a hospital in this state. they never offered anything for getting to work, but if you lived in town and said you couldn't make it in, they sent a 4 wheel drive out to get you!! so you had no excuse if you lived in town. I lived 22 miles away, but never missed a day getting to work.......I was always the adventurous type, so didn't mind challenging the snow. Some would call me foolish, but I had to try.

I do think that the hospitals should offer some incentive to get you to at least try to get there. It is not fair, particularly in your area, to expect you to drive in when it is dangerous.

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[snickers]

I think that hazard pay would be an awesome idea!!!

However, when one lives in Canada, it goes with the territory. I live 30 miles from where I work, many has been the time that I have made it to work and people in town are snowed in!

Canadian nurses would all be gazillionaaires if we got hazard pay, every time we ventured to work in the snow.We get snow here where I live, from October until mid-April!!!

sj.