Is leaving before hurricane abandonment?

Nurses General Nursing

Updated:   Published

Hello all, so I am located at the very end of south Florida near the keys! My question is simply this, I'm supposed to work weekend during this hurricane which some are saying could be deadly. I have a small child and his safety is my priority. I want to evacuate but my job is saying that they could report me for abandonment. I really don't understand how because if I leave from my house, how have I abandoned their residents?? I am an LPN btw

I'm not sure if everyone saying you "have to stay or you'll lose your liscence", or those advocating to stay because you said you would, are aware that some parts of the Keys are potentially going to be UNDER WATER for a few days? I'm sure a lot of people have wished they were Mermaids (me me!) but we're not, and a hospital without power is a bad situation. Check out what happened at Memorial Hospital in New Orleans after Katrina (it's really scary and sad though so be warned). OP stated she lives close to the Keys, and has a small child. The facility she works for is saying she'll be "reported for abandonment" if she doesn't come to work? Reported to whom? That makes no sense.

OP if you don't take an assignment (clock in, get report) you're not "abandoning" any patient, just your job. If you truly feel like you or your child will be in harms way due to this hurricane, leave. Just know that when you leave you may just wanna consider it quitting because you very likely may be fired. Is you and your child's safety worth getting fired? Mine would be.

However, if you feel like you will be safe at your facility and can make arrangements for your child to be out of harms way (maybe baby goes north with dad, grandparents, friends, etc.) you could stay and help. That may make you feel like you are doing what is "right", and you will certainly have something awesome to put on your resume and feel like you helped your patients in a time of an even larger crisis than the one that put them in the hospital. This is also an option for you.

Do not let anyone make you feel like you have to stay, just know the consequences if you leave and be prepared. To suggest that you should somehow put your duties as a nurse over you or your family's safety is ludicrous.

*Sorry for the rant, I'm just sick of this norm perpetuated by so many that we should just silently keep going even if it's dangerous, even if patients and doctors and families abuse us, even if we hate it, even if your town is SUBMERGED IN WATER. I signed up to be a nurse, not a soldier or sacrificial lamb.

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dla1618 said:
I thought southern Florida hospitals moved their patients to other hospitals.....unless this isn't a hospital. Screw them.....your child's safety is more important to you...but I'd quit before getting fired. As far as it being the employees responsibility to show up and do their job.....that was an ignorant thing to say because this isn't a normal circumstance. People going to their job in this can get killed. What kind of job would she do and safely at that, if she is always worried about her child. It sounds like you don't have local family like many others don't have. Remember, get it straight.....your family is first, regardless of your job.

Preach!

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By now, residents in south Florida have a mandatory evacuation. This is a catastrophic weather event. There will be many jobs , and Florida will suffer greatly ... and hospitals , etc will be needing any and all help after this storm is over. I hope you evacuated. A mandatory evacuation is just that... the government and local authorities demand that you leave asap. We live in Louisiana- our daughter, her husband and their pets had a mandatory evacuation which they heeded. They lost all of their possessions( their home got 4 ft of water during Katrina , in the New Orleans levee breach in 2005 ) ... but their lives were saved by evacuating. As I type this, Irma winds are 155mph.

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dstee009 said:
If you are a HEALTH CARE worker then you know the dangers going in. Do what you want but you are not very good at your job if you want to flee when there could be danger. We are there to help those in need, imo, you are selfish and need not be in health care if your first instinct isn't to stay. get your family out or bring them to the hospital with you. People like OP are in it for the money, plain and simple. If you truly care about what you do as an RN, Dr. etc. then you wouldnt be TRYING to run. you would be trying to stay. I say all this as someone that sent my wife north a few days ago and without hesitation stayed to work through the storm here in Florida. if the medical field in the worst of times isn't for you, then you need to find another career.

Good for you! Want a cookie? I'm not sure I could reach you on that high high horse though.

OP knows what she can handle and doesn't need you to say what her limits are, or decide she's "selfish" and "just in it for the money" for prioritizing her family over her patients.

Nurses are humans, not robots. Some will leave, some will stay and quietly care for their patients, some will loudly proclaim that they stayed and condemn anyone who doesn't. We aren't all going to make the choice you would have made and that does not make anyone a selfish or bad nurse. Ease up on the judgement.

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I'm hoping you got paid for all that time as well.

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dstee009 said:
If you are a HEALTH CARE worker then you know the dangers going in. Do what you want but you are not very good at your job if you want to flee when there could be danger. We are there to help those in need, imo, you are selfish and need not be in health care if your first instinct isn't to stay. get your family out or bring them to the hospital with you. People like OP are in it for the money, plain and simple. If you truly care about what you do as an RN, Dr. etc. then you wouldnt be TRYING to run. you would be trying to stay. I say all this as someone that sent my wife north a few days ago and without hesitation stayed to work through the storm here in Florida. if the medical field in the worst of times isn't for you, then you need to find another career.

I disagree with this statement. Everyone has different priorities and you can't judge someone or say that "they are only in the profession for the money" if they have a different priority than you.

I am very dedicated to my job, not in it for the money, but I'm not willing to put myself or my family at risk for it. I prioritize differently. In case of a fire, you are only supposed to evacuate patients if it is safe to do so. Yes the op could have planned better and not have had to be in this situation, but the fact that she is closing safety over her job does not make her a bad nurse or selfish

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
dstee009 said:
If you are a HEALTH CARE worker then you know the dangers going in. Do what you want but you are not very good at your job if you want to flee when there could be danger. We are there to help those in need, imo, you are selfish and need not be in health care if your first instinct isn't to stay. get your family out or bring them to the hospital with you. People like OP are in it for the money, plain and simple. If you truly care about what you do as an RN, Dr. etc. then you wouldnt be TRYING to run. you would be trying to stay. I say all this as someone that sent my wife north a few days ago and without hesitation stayed to work through the storm here in Florida. if the medical field in the worst of times isn't for you, then you need to find another career.

For not being willing to martyr yourself? Really?

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
CNAbutLPN2be2017 said:
You must be! Like I said, had I known, I would have preparations!

For the love of heaven, how could you possibly have NOT known it was coming? Waiting until the night before and then claiming it's all news to you is disingenuous.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
mccaje08 said:
I agree with Pghfoxfan1 - if it's a hospital all of these patients need to be discharged unless the sickest of sick and there will be nurses that will still be there to take care of them. If it's a LTC/Skilled Nursing Home, then they should be getting evacuated. The sick and elderly in these places need to get out of there now versus later. I wouldn't worry about it and do what is right for your family. Then be straight when looking for a new job later. Anyone with a heart will understand why you made the decision you did.

We all have hearts. Some of us think that the OP should have planned ahead as she probably was told when she was hired. If you wait until the last moment and then claim ignorance, people will think you are either incredibly stupid or incredibly dishonest.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
remotefuse said:
So nurses, techs, lab, radiology all get together and plan out the best emergency strategy?

You obviously have no one in your life that relies on you. There are a ton a reasons why someone would not be able to come in. Breastfeeding? Dependent relative? Multiple children at home that no one can watch? This hurricane is hitting my area on Saturday. I NEVER work Fri/Sat. I NEVER work friday say. Now all of a sudden I have to make arrangements for my kids, pets?

I'm sorry (not sorry), but this is just an incredibly ignorant way of thinking .

WOW!. Just WOW!. You never work Friday or Saturday, so I take it you're willing to go to work on Sunday?? No, wait. That really would be risking your life. So someone else should work for you??

Hurricanes blizzards tornadoes, earthquakes, terrorist attacks and volcanic eruptions do. Abuse people to change their plans. Even people who never work Friday or Saturday.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
dstee009 said:
If you are a HEALTH CARE worker then you know the dangers going in. Do what you want but you are not very good at your job if you want to flee when there could be danger. We are there to help those in need, imo, you are selfish and need not be in health care if your first instinct isn't to stay. get your family out or bring them to the hospital with you. People like OP are in it for the money, plain and simple. If you truly care about what you do as an RN, Dr. etc. then you wouldnt be TRYING to run. you would be trying to stay. I say all this as someone that sent my wife north a few days ago and without hesitation stayed to work through the storm here in Florida. if the medical field in the worst of times isn't for you, then you need to find another career.

Even folks who are in nursing "for the money" have the personal integrity to show up when we are needed -- just like we said we would when we accepted the job.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
GLORIAmunchkin72 said:
And the hospital should evacuate too so we don't find the patients in the news waist deep in water.

The thing is, even if patients are Evacuted, someone has to get them prepared, get the paperwork in order, call the accepting facility for bed assignment and with report, answer the phones, notify families . . . .

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