How to get to work in a snowstorm?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hi. I was wondering what your hospitals policy is on snowdays? Ours doesn't have one and I live 1 1/2 hours from work. The highway was actually closed and I was still expected to come in?

If I knew that if I came into work that I would probably be stuck there for two or three days, I most likely wouldn't come in. If I didn't have someone to care for my animals, poultry, goats, dogs, cats and birds, like a neighbor or friend, I'd have to call in and explain. Also, I used to be a single mother, I would do the same if I had children at home. My priorities are my families safety. This isn't an option if we're already at work because it's called abandoning your patients. If I knew I could have my children, animals covered by a husband, neighbors etc. then I would definitely consider coming in to work.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
If I knew that if I came into work that I would probably be stuck there for two or three days, I most likely wouldn't come in. If I didn't have someone to care for my animals, poultry, goats, dogs, cats and birds, like a neighbor or friend, I'd have to call in and explain. Also, I used to be a single mother, I would do the same if I had children at home. My priorities are my families safety. This isn't an option if we're already at work because it's called abandoning your patients. If I knew I could have my children, animals covered by a husband, neighbors etc. then I would definitely consider coming in to work.

I'm lucky enough to have a husband who can take care of my children, children who are old enough and independent enough that they do fine while their dad is at work, and children who fuss over our cat and dog like a first time mother fusses over her baby. If I didn't have that option, I probably would stay home when the weather is really bad.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
We are required to go in no matter what the weather is like. They recommend that you bring overnight bag and change of clothes with you. Last week I was stuck at work for 3 days r/t hospital calling an internal diaster at 0600. All of the daystaff was present and the night staff had to stay in the event that there was call outs for the night shift. They placed mats on the floor for us to sleep on. Each day they kept the night shift and allowed the day staff to go home. This was the 1st time in the 15 years that I have been here that they had called an internal diaster. Other than practice runs with community fire/EMS .

A 'mat on the floor'?!!! They'd have had to do better than that for me or I'd have been unable to MOVE for 3 days!:o

Up Vote Up Vote ×

The county that I live in considers nurses to be emergency workers so even in a level 3 we have to go to work (well it is not excused I mean). Luckily I work only 7 minutes from my work. But I know some here live a hour away. One day shift nurse said that she could not get here and the night nurse lived down where she lived. So she said if April could not get there then she could not get home. Night nurse et day nurse traded et night nurse worked 24 hours, then day nurse worked the following night. Day nurse still got an occurance. Go figure. She found her own coverage et everything.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I have worked at the same hospital for close to twenty years, I have lived in the same house for about seventeen years. I have always tried to go to work, I know of two occassions I did not make it. Once when we have about two feet of snow and the city I live in had not plowed my road, I live on a dead end. The most recent was the ICE Storm of 2005. We had no electricity for 6 days. The problem was the falling trees and power lines. This past blizzard I packed a bag and stayed all night. I had about 20 hrs of overtime. The thing that upsets me is the people that don't make any attempt to get to work. Yes, I don't have children at home, my husband was in California, so I only had a cat at home. But, these people have no commitment to the job, the patients or their co-workers. Yes, they need to be smart about traveling. The hospital offered to go get a few people, but they had reasons they could not come to work. People called in sick, sick chil, then called and told us how much fun they had sleding. The thing that upsets me is that the absences are going to be excused!! What about the people who showed up?:stone

So your slug coworkers actually had the nerve to tell you they faked calling off and enjoyed the sledding? I hope you told them how you felt about it and made a mental note to yourself that you will no longer risk life and limb to go to work.

If I were the boss and someone called off with sick self or kids under these circumstances, I'd require a doctor's slip for them to return to work. I am just incensed at the disrespect of your coworkers.:angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire

Up Vote Up Vote ×
We are required to go in no matter what the weather is like. They recommend that you bring overnight bag and change of clothes with you. Last week I was stuck at work for 3 days r/t hospital calling an internal diaster at 0600. All of the daystaff was present and the night staff had to stay in the event that there was call outs for the night shift. They placed mats on the floor for us to sleep on. Each day they kept the night shift and allowed the day staff to go home. This was the 1st time in the 15 years that I have been here that they had called an internal diaster. Other than practice runs with community fire/EMS .

I'll tell you what, I'd have been out of there along with the first batch of day crew. What a bunch of bananas! How can you all be so docile????!!!!???? Did Admin stay on a mat for three days? Did they give you free food at least and supply you with hygiene articles and a shower and clean scrubs? :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire :uhoh21: :uhoh21: :uhoh21: :uhoh21: :angryfire :madface: :madface: :madface: :madface: :madface: :madface: :madface: :angryfire :angryfire

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.
We are required to go in no matter what the weather is like. They recommend that you bring overnight bag and change of clothes with you. Last week I was stuck at work for 3 days r/t hospital calling an internal diaster at 0600. All of the daystaff was present and the night staff had to stay in the event that there was call outs for the night shift. They placed mats on the floor for us to sleep on. Each day they kept the night shift and allowed the day staff to go home. This was the 1st time in the 15 years that I have been here that they had called an internal diaster. Other than practice runs with community fire/EMS .

As a fellow night shifter, I have to say I am shocked at how your hospital treated the night staff!!! How can they possibly make you stay for three days straight, yet day shift gets to come and go? I'm surprised they didn't have a walk-out. I can understand making EVERYONE stay over, but to let certain shifts go home while others are forced to stay and sleep on the floor (mats or no mats, it's still the floor) isn't right at all.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
We are required to go in no matter what the weather is like. They recommend that you bring overnight bag and change of clothes with you. Last week I was stuck at work for 3 days r/t hospital calling an internal diaster at 0600. All of the daystaff was present and the night staff had to stay in the event that there was call outs for the night shift. They placed mats on the floor for us to sleep on. Each day they kept the night shift and allowed the day staff to go home. This was the 1st time in the 15 years that I have been here that they had called an internal diaster. Other than practice runs with community fire/EMS .

I can understand being made to stay that first day, but once they let the day nurses go, I would have questioned the need to keep the nocs nurses over another day since the day nurses proved that people could get home and back.

During the last snowstorm, the hospital had a list of 4WD owners who were willing to pick up employees and take them home. I own a 4WD, but my name isn't on that list. I would give a ride to a few nurses who live out my way, but I do not want to be trying to find houses in unfamiliar areas in the snow.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
We just lost 2 nurses in our community due to weather related car wreck.

It definitely makes you think of life priorities for yourself and your family.

OMG thats awful! so sorry..

Up Vote Up Vote ×
A tad off topic, but this caught my attention: Maybe it's different in different states, but here in NY you CANNOT be accountable for patient abandonment if you have NOT ACCEPTED that patient assignment. If you haven't yet stepped in the door to the hospital, how on earth can you have established a patient-nurse relationship for that shift?? Sounds like a hollow threat, and I've never taken kindly to such from any employer. Ever.

Yeah that!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
We are required to go in no matter what the weather is like. They recommend that you bring overnight bag and change of clothes with you. Last week I was stuck at work for 3 days r/t hospital calling an internal diaster at 0600. All of the daystaff was present and the night staff had to stay in the event that there was call outs for the night shift. They placed mats on the floor for us to sleep on. Each day they kept the night shift and allowed the day staff to go home. This was the 1st time in the 15 years that I have been here that they had called an internal diaster. Other than practice runs with community fire/EMS .

And your response as well as the other night shifters' response to administration's incredibly unreasonable demand is exactly the reason it happens: YOU LET IT! This is just another reason why nurses talk about routinely getting far more patients than they can handle: THEY TAKE IT!

There is no way on G-d's green earth that I'd have stood for (or laid DOWN for) this kind of abuse. It wasn't an "internal disaster" or some type of emergency, it was ABUSE. If the day shift was allowed to come and go like any other day, then it was hardly a true disaster, was it? No...you were kept as though you were prisoners, and your co-workers said "hand me the shackles, sir".

I'd have worked overtime as required for my shift, seen that there was sufficient coverage for the daytime, and LEFT. If *I* felt I couldn't get back in time for my night shift THAT night, I might have stayed. But it sure as heck would have been my choice. And at the end of THAT shift, I'd have been out the door, period. I can't believe you all allowed that....I can only imagine what the dayshift must have thought of you all, laying on mats in another room so that you could work some more later when THEY went home. Unbelievable.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in pediatrics.

I live about 7 miles away from the hospital where I work. As long as I can make it out of my development, I can get to work. I live right off a major highway which is connected to the interstate, and the hospital is right off the interstate. There are 6 hospitals within an hour from my home. When I started searching for jobs 6 years ago, distance to work was a major factor for me. Knowing that hospitals do not close for bad weather, I went with the facility closest to my home.

Depending on the census, our hospital provides beds for the staff members who wish to stay the night. During a snow storm at the beginning of February, my unit provided beds for 3 employees and altogether there were 12 day shift employees that stayed the night throughout the hospital. However there were 31 call-ins the next day!! That many call-ins puts the hospital in limbo and compromises patient care, as nurses are forced to work overtime and other nurses are floated to areas where they don't have experience.

During storms, I usually bring an extra pair of scrubs, just in case I get stuck at work. However, the day shift nurses on my unit pride themselves in never calling in for bad weather.

If you want a job where your facility closes for bad weather, school nursing may be the job for you!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment