How do you manage to get to work in snow storms ?

[NurseLoveJoy88]

I'm just curious. Currently in my area we just had a huge snow/ice storm. Its unsafe to drive in this weather. Since I work for the school system so for the last two days I've been off from work, due to inclement weather. However, what is the policy for nurses at the hospitals or other facilities ?

My mom is a nurse, and today she was scheduled 7a-3p. I was worried for her. She told me that she ended up being 2 hours late due to the weather. Of course there was nothing her boss could say, because saftey is first.

So what is your hospitals policy for inclement weather ?

[tryingtohaveitall]

I'm with those who say leave early and go slow. Some of my most annoying remembrances are those shifts where we were horribly staffed because people drove home in a snowstorm, knowing they were due back in 10 hours and then somehow couldn't make it back in. Should have stayed at the hospital.

[Flare, ASN, BSN]

I'm a school nurse now - so I am lucky enough to have snow days (like yesterday ) but when i was on a unit, I would just leave early, take my time and try to stick to main streets.

I had a few occasions where I had to stay overnight because the next shift could not get in. One time was great, because there weren't too many people on the unit and we reserved a few beds to hot cot, other times the nursing staff would have to go to different units to catch a few hours sleep.

[stressgal, RN]

My way of thinking is you chose your profession, you choose where you live, you choose where you work and you choose your transportation, suck it up and deal with it. I have never missed a day due to snow, ice, rain, whatever. If you work in a hospital people are sick and in need of someone to care for them, find a way to do your job.

[teeniebert, LPN]

the joys of living in sunny southern california....no snow, no blizzards, no sybil weather (hot/cold/hot/cold). Move down here....the southwest is wonderful....so is Phoenix

No snow, no blizzards...just earthquakes, mudslides, wildfires...

[NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN]

My way of thinking is you chose your profession, you choose where you live, you choose where you work and you choose your transportation, suck it up and deal with it. I have never missed a day due to snow, ice, rain, whatever. If you work in a hospital people are sick and in need of someone to care for them, find a way to do your job.

Yes Maam !

[kcochrane]

In the last 4 years I have only called off once due to the snow. They did not plow our roads and my car got stuck twice on my own road. I live 20 miles out and it always amuses me when I can make it in to work, on time, and those just down the street can't.

Our work does not penalize you for being late if there is a bad storm going on.

[Pierrette]

Some people are always going to find a way to make it. You know who they are and you can count on them being there. Others, you can't.

[marilynmom, LPN, NP]

Here in the south we really don't get much snow, we get a lot of ice---ice and snow are totally different. *I still make it to work though*. I have a midsized SUV and I just drive really slow. They are pretty good about getting the emergency snow routes and highways sanded and salted which I appreciate very much. My husband is a police officer and he has to drive 30 miles in ANY weather to get to work and sometimes it takes him 2 hours to drive to/from work. He is out all day in that crap, nurses have it pretty easy compared to police and EMSA and fireworkers.

IF I found myself in a dangerous situation though I felt I was being totally unsafe I would not go in....that hasn't happened before, but I wouldn't put myself in any unsafe situation.

[truern]

http://raleighskyline.com/content/2006/11/21/the-half-inch-of-snow-that-paralyzed-raleigh/

This is what happens to us southerners....sigh.

It took me about 6 hours to make a 45 minute trip

[mama_d, BSN, RN]

I just leave early and pray.

We actually had a situation a few years ago where the main highway from our county (sub-urbs) to the county our hospital is in was shut down due to snow/ice. No excuse per our administration, those nurses were expected to find alternate roads in. Which was ridiculous b/c the only "alternate" is a smaller highway off of the main one and therefore impossible at that time to get to; those are the only two bridges across the river.

When we just had that storm come through a few days ago, I let the day nurse I was relieving know to not worry if she took extra time to come in the next day, since my kids were off of school it wouldn't bother me to stay over some. The floor nurses are pretty understanding if you're a little late, it's management we have to worry about.

[barefootlady, ADN, RN]

I make sure my vehicle is in good condition.

I have a full tank of gas.

I pack an extra supply of water, undies, socks, and have a few extra dollars in case of whatever.

I drive slow.

I pray.

[FLmomof5]

My way of thinking is you chose your profession, you choose where you live, you choose where you work and you choose your transportation, suck it up and deal with it. I have never missed a day due to snow, ice, rain, whatever. If you work in a hospital people are sick and in need of someone to care for them, find a way to do your job.

Hmmm, I wonder how well you will sleep that day in your future....

YOU are the NM. Your staff *knows* this about you. Your nurses do arrive....one at a time, in pieces and dead. The nurses who didn't want to stay any longer come back.....in pieces and dead. How would you live with yourself then?

OR that day your arrogance gets you in that accident with your child(ren) dead in the back seat!

There *ARE* times where it is absolutely TOO dangerous. I remember that 5' deep snow on my driveway and the radio announcements that ANYONE on the road would be ARRESTED.

Physicians routinely do 24+hr shifts in a hospital. There are times when the BEST decision to make is to keep the nurses on shift THERE safe and caring for patients and tell the other nurses to stay a home where they will live to care for patients another day!