Hurricane coming: evacuate or stay and work?

labcat01, BSN, RN · Aug 31, 2008

I honestly don't know what I would do. I think I would stay. The hurricane Rita evacuation out of Houston was a NIGHTMARE and the weatherman would have to be pretty darn certain that it was going to hit us dead on for me to evacuate.

Know what I mean?

lyceeboo · Aug 31, 2008

And some places don't pay you to be there the whole time either.

In the 9 times that I've been mandated to sleep at various hospital and medical facilities due to snow, hurricanes, floods etc, I've never heard of anyone being paid for more than the shifts they work.

I wish they would pay for the whole time we are there. If you have to do the night shift it can be rough because it's often impossible to get any sleep during the day..in a room with people coming in an out.

I pray that this isn't another Katrina. Good luck to us all.

GadgetRN71, ASN, RN · Aug 31, 2008

Given the fact that the mayor of New Orleans said that anyone who stayed would be on their own(like they weren't for Katrina?! :rolleyes: ) and the fact that I feel I do not owe the hospital my life, I'd leave. If I get fired, so be it.They are really pushing people to leave...not sure what the hospitals are doing at this point.

I also work in the OR, so I'd think the elective stuff would be canceled. And as much as I think New Orleans is a great city...you couldn't pay me to live there, what with the levee situation being as ridiculous as it is.

I really hope people down there take this seriously and head for safety.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Aug 31, 2008

As to what admin does, I do not now nor have I ever predicated what is right by what others do or do not do.

My last blizzard ended up with my facility being turned into an emergency shelter, with stranded travelers camped out on cots in the cafeteria. I worked a double, slept, then worked my next scheduled shift. I didn't imagine that I'd be paid for the time I slept, nor did I care about that. I had residents I care about and I needed, for my own sense of decency and conscience, to be there to care for them. We obviously let a lot of people stay in bed but everyone got their meds, meals, treatments, changed, and at least a good washing up.

No, this isn't a religious calling. But it is special. There's a reason the State Troopers don't arrest me on my way to work when the county is in a state of emergency and driving is banned.

Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN · Aug 31, 2008

given the fact that the mayor of new orleans said that anyone who stayed would be on their own

ray nagin hasn't the sense god gave a rock. he also has the manners of a camel. if he ran for president on a major ticket, and he was running against the team of paris hilton and charles manson...i'm voting for the heiress and mr. helter skelter!

but i digress. (i could go on and on and on about nagin...clearly...)

i am single and childless, but i know that i would ensure that my parents and pets were safe, then most likely take my chances at work. i do believe that god protects those who help others. and, like marla said, if something should happen...well, i'm glad i died helping others!

i know that when i have children, this view may change.

prayers are with my beloved nola!

~jess

GadgetRN71, ASN, RN · Aug 31, 2008

ray nagin hasn't the sense god gave a rock. he also has the manners of a camel. if he ran for president on a major ticket, and he was running against the team of paris hilton and charles manson...i'm voting for the heiress and mr. helter skelter!
but i digress. (i could go on and on and on about nagin...clearly...)
i am single and childless, but i know that i would ensure that my parents and pets were safe, then most likely take my chances at work. i do believe that god protects those who help others. and, like marla said, if something should happen...well, i'm glad i died helping others!
i know that when i have children, this view may change.
prayers are with my beloved nola!
~jess

i am single and childless but do not feel as if that means i should lay down my life. my life is just as valuable as anyone with kids..i have a handicapped sister that depends on me, but even if she weren't in the picture, that does not mean that my life is any more expendable.

and, my personal belief is that god gave us brains and a sense of self preservation for a reason. yes, i believe to an extent that it is noble to die for others. i believe it is stupid to die because of the lack of planning on the part of the more corrupt members of new orleans government(ie that money that was meant to go to fortifying the levees ended lining the pockets of certain people) and the stubborness of people that just refuse to leave. they interviewed one man that said he's not going anywhere-he has the means and the resources to leave, he just doesn't want to. i do not believe anyone should risk their life for a dingbat like this. :banghead:

ilstu99 · Aug 31, 2008

Since I can't do polls, I just wondered: Imagine you live in the area where a major hurricane is predicted to hit soon. Do you evacuate, or stay and work? I know this is NOT hypothetical for some of you right now with Gustav, and my prayers are with you all! But I just wondered what the general consensus would be.
Me: I run. I am NOT leaving my children in that kind of danger after seeing what happened with Katrina, and I don't care if they fire me. You?

I send my family to stay with other family out of town, and I stay. Honestly, I can't imagine not staying. Should something happen to me, my family would be well provided for, and would always know that their mom put everything out there for the tiniest patients...and for what she thought was the right thing to do.

RN1982 · Aug 31, 2008

Hurricanes suck. This is why every single person and family need to have a backup plan in case things like this happen. Katrina was bad enough and we don't need another one. It's a hard decision to stay or leave. Did anyone speak with their employers about what do to in these type of events? If I didn't have any cats, I'd leave, otherwise I would stay.

Dalzac, LPN, LVN, RN · Aug 31, 2008

Sorry, self-preservation along with family love will get me out of the line of fire every time.

lpnflorida, LPN · Aug 31, 2008

Our hospital system has A & B teams. They allow us to choose which team we are to be on based on what our needs might be. A lot of people choose to be on the A team, meaning they are at the hospital during the storm as they live in areas either too close to the Gulf or live in trailer homes and would have to mandatory evacuate otherwise. They are able to bring their family members with them and the hospital has an area for pets. The System has a good plan in place and it is not just those lowly people who stick around many management people are their also. I have always been on B team. Last huge storm to hit our area, my beloved was calling the airline to book us tickets to anywhere out of the area. I looked at him and said you can go, as I am on the B team it is expected when the all clear comes I am to report and relieve the ones who have been their for hours and it is important for them to be able to go home assess any damage they might have. He ended up staying at home along side me once he understood I was going no where, my obligation was clear to me and to him.

NurseExec · Aug 31, 2008

As a DON, I stay. In fact, I live in the facility, along with the rest of the management team. We've been very blessed--our last evacuation was for the wildfires we had in '98 (the whole county got evacuated), and for Floyd. I sat in the facility through the tail end of Charlie, and so did my wonderful staff. We allow them to bring their families, and pets if in a crate. We assign a CNA to the kids, and provide sleeping quarters and meals. It isn't the Hilton, but everyone has a mattress to sleep on, even if it's on the floor in the dining room.

Our residents need the familiarity of their regular aides and nurses to make THEM feel safe, and my staff pulls through every time. We also do the team a/team b thing, and it has worked well. Our building is fairly new, and built with hurricanes in mind, so we can withstand up to 100 mph winds.

My heart goes out to the nurses in New Orleans, who are evacuating again. All of you in the path of Gustav are in my prayers.

emnicams · Aug 31, 2008

I wouldn't stay...

I am a single mom to a 4 year old... he comes first.

Luckily, I don't live in a hurricane risk zone.