Hurricane Irma: Are per diem nurses USUALLY required to work during a hurricane/disaster?

[justSara]

Hey guys!

I'm not a nurse, but I am part of the nursing staff as a PCA. I have only been working in a hospital for a year, so I'm not sure what is usual or custom.

As the title suggests, I am located in South Florida and hurricane Irma may clobber us this weekend. If it is still a category 4 or 5 hurricane by Friday morning I have decided to evacuate my loved ones out of state. However, the hospital I work for is telling ALL per diem workers that we are REQUIRED to come to the hospital to work during the hurricane lock down.

So my question is, is that usual for a hospital? To require the PER DIEM employees to come in? There was a hurricane list made up in advance saying which full time workers would have to come in and who would be part of the "after" team, but I was never aware that per diem workers needed to as well.

I just wanted to know if my director/superiors are pulling one over on me by telling my it's required when it actually may not be what usually happens. My hospital has been known to lie to employees when it suits them.

Sorry for the long post, thank you for any answers in advance.

[suzil]

Well, who cares about PTO and medical benefits? Tell me more about this cafeteria discount!!

Most places require that per diem employees be available for a certain number of hours/shifts. That doesn't mean they'll actually be scheduled ...and if they are scheduled, that doesn't mean they'll actually work. I've been canceled for two of my four last scheduled shifts.

Exactly how it works. When I did a lot of per diem it would tie up my days and it was unknown until the morning of if I got called in. I was just referring to the poster claiming there were NO BENEFITS, there are some. I think I did rack up some pretty significant amounts of $$$ in my 401K with the hospital adding in their portion to it when I was just per diem. That was pretty nice! Families going on vacations to the Water Park or Disney really like the benefit discounts they get also. Plus someone claimed they are not covered if they got hurt at work. That is wrong, they have to have Workers Comp.

[NightDiva2k]

Sorry if this isn't wanted - hope all went well for y'all and family. The facility is responsible for formulating a disaster plan - period. This includes s list of critical staff, by name. It's NOT the staff's job to stay in harms way for 'just in case. Also - it's not a compliment to anyone to not have a plan then tell them 'you're it!' And critical staff has never peen part time, or per diem. Andrew in Louisiana marched up my street. My facility had a plan. No one was surprised to have to stay or threatened if they left. In a business, the bosses plan, we execute. Same in a disaster - poor planning risks the lives of patients and staff. BTW, in Andrew, my facility was high ground. If such a thing exists in southern coastal areas. We were invited to bring our families to high ground for the duration. Bullying isn't always obvious, and sometimes comes from above.

[NightDiva2k]

My current facility in Dallas was preparing for transfers from a sister facility in Houston - hopefully the Houston hospitals all moved as much as possible out storm surge reach. I don't begrudge you wanting adequate, high risk pay - kinda glad they didn't need you though.

[minnierice]

Per Diems are not mandated in our facility according to union contract. If feasible for staff to get to work post hurricane great. But if one is TRULY unable due to trees down, electric wires etc.... One should not be penalized. if one has evidence of the problem of driving to work SAFELY it should be noticed. One day does not define the worker but rather all the worker has proven in the past should define the worker. Remember per diems have NO benefits just the hours worked. Per diem can go if they are able to work but truly not mandated like full timer/part timers with benefits. Also families should come first. If one has a sick family member or an elderly parent and the hospital cannot properly and comfortably accommodate family and pets then it is the loss of the facility.

[minnierice]

Our facility has suspended per diems for 2 weeks for not going to post Irma storm. Truly excessive and per contract with facility not even mandated to be part of the hurricane alpha/bravo teams. Inappropriate to suspend with no pay after a disaster. Goes to show corporations do not care about the employee. There is always a what if or reason it should be asked before HR goes nuts suspending people that are "supposedly" of value to the organization.

[Vayrah]

I believe the hospital does need to inform all employees of their disaster plan, regardless of employment status, however I would think they cannot mandate activation of a PRN employee. A good example occurred where I'm at last year with Hurricane Harvey, we had a PRN RN at our facility who was also FT at a high end nursing home facility, the hospital activated her for the first team, she refused as she was required by her FT position to help evacuate clients on a bus and to stay with them until the storm was over and they could return. This is not an argument about who has more commitments than others, we all have families, etc. but the PRN employee has chosen this employment status for a reason (other job or whatever), for me I have a full time job elsewhere and my husband is out of state frequently for conferences and we have 3 young kids. Sure, it may be rewarding to know your facility is asking you because they value you, but you should not feel or be required to do so. It just doesn't make sense, I stay as PRN just to maintain skill and because we are usually short staffed. And it's difficult because I could not find any kind of policy on PRN and disasters, maybe it should be an HR question?