Never driving to work in snow again

Published

Long story short: I live in Md and we go hit with some snow. I attempt to drive to work. I got stuck twice had , nearly drove myself into a ditch in the woods, and had to sit in my car for 2 hours with NO heat while waiting for a ride. I thank GOD and his angels for protecting me against seen and unseen car accidents. However, I will never risk my life like that again. BTW- I just brought brand new tires. No help. Until I get a 4 wheel drive I will be calling out.

The shift that is at work, they are safe. I am not going to get on the road and die just so Nancy the Nurse can have relief. All the nurses running around to meeting all week, they should fill in. Opportunity for management and supervisors to truly earn their pay checks.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Gerontology.

The shift that is at work, they are safe. I am not going to get on the road and die just so Nancy the Nurse can have relief. All the nurses running around to meeting all week, they should fill in. Opportunity for management and supervisors to truly earn their pay checks.

Wow. That's a nasty attitutude. Hope you feel the same when its your relief that doesn't show up and you have to work the double or triple shift.

And you seem to think its OK for you not to drive in the snow, but you think its OK for the managers and supervisors to drive in the snow?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in cardiothoracic surgery.

I live 45 minutes from work and drive a small car, nothing fancy. I have never had to call in for snow in the last 7 years. I stay up to date with the weather and road conditions. We shovel ourselves out, even shoveling part of the street once so we could get out. I leave early and drive 20 mph if I have to and I have never been in the ditch. The way I feel about it, I chose to live farther away and I feel I have a responsibility to my coworkers and my patients to be at work. Now I know there are going to be situations where people can't come in, and I don't get upset when people call in because they have tried and can't make it. But it is the people that don't even try or the people that live in town 10 minutes away from the hospital that irritate me.

I worry more about dying at the hands of a drunk driver and some of those maniac, tailgating semi drivers than dying in a snow related accident.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
The shift that is at work, they are safe. I am not going to get on the road and die just so Nancy the Nurse can have relief. All the nurses running around to meeting all week, they should fill in. Opportunity for management and supervisors to truly earn their pay checks.

Agree with above about the nasty attitude. If my child is a patient in the hospital, you can bet I'm worried about Nancy the nurse getting her relief-someone working double or triple shifts is NOT safe to give care, and that means my loved one is especially not safe.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in cardiac.

nursing is different from other jobs. its one of those unwritten rules, you don't call off for sickness or weather.

you can't just call off because you want a personal day or it looks pretty difficult to drive out there. you need to give it an honest effort. get an early start, allow yourself at least double the normal time it take you to drive to work. if you don't have traction put one tire on the gravel shoulder, that will give your tires something to grip. 4wheel drive helps, but it doesn't make you invincable and it doesn't do you any good on ice.

i've never missed a day of work because of snow and i don't plan on it. i agree with getting to work before the storm starts. if there doesn't happen to be a storm then oh well, your early!

i bet people would give it a better try if they were stuck at work trying to get home. if you'd do it then you better do it to get to work too.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg, Psych, Tele, ICU.

I live in the South, and snow isn't an issue...but from June through November we suffer through hurricane season. Part of the emergency management of the hospital is to put together teams of employees for ride out and relief. Daycare is provided on site as well. For Hurricane Andrew, I was called the night before landfall and informed to report to the hospital immediately so that I would be available for my shift the next night.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Telemetry, Case Management.
Agree with above about the nasty attitude. If my child is a patient in the hospital, you can bet I'm worried about Nancy the nurse getting her relief-someone working double or triple shifts is NOT safe to give care, and that means my loved one is especially not safe.

I understand about wanting a rested nurse :nurse: to care for your loved ones.

That said, however, I think the OP was coming from my personal point of view, which is:

Once you've risked your own life & expensive (or even inexpensive) vehicle in dreadful weather, wrecked and sat in the cold and the wet, OR even if the facility sends a big truck to get you, then won't give you food/sleeping quarters :eek: or a ride home, THEN one begins to say, "Hmmmm. I see just how they are."

And then you DON'T want to risk your life/health/vehicle for a greedy :twocents: corporation. THEN it becomes personal to you, and not in a good way.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+1 on the AWD comment-Tires are the key - I've never had an AWD vehicle, don't need one.

If you have an AWD car/truck, it's still only as good as those contact patches, and cheap, quiet all season tires won't get you through big snow or ice.

Get a set of real snow tires, have them put on in November & swapped out in April - your car will keep going until it can't drag itself anymore. (Plus if you're leasing, you'll have half the wear on the summer tires & can then either sell or keep the winter rubber for your next car)

Here's an interesting anecdote - a few years back when I worked in the OR, we had one of the monster storms come over. About a third of the OR staff called off, but ALL the patients were on time.

That is very interesting.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Oncology.

I got stuck on the high way for 5 hours once because my school didn't cancel finals. The primary route to school from my house was closed. The high way got closed after I was on it. Luckily, haven't had too many bad days when I've had to work.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
If it starts snowing at noon, leave at ten.

Which works well for the psychic nurses, but not so much for those of us who don't have precognitive abilities.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
nursing is different from other jobs. its one of those unwritten rules, you don't call off for sickness or weather.

you don't call off when you're sick? i pity your coworkers, if that's the case.

sniffles or a head cold, no. if you've got a fever or diarrhea or strep throat, i don't want you around me or the patients, thankyouverymuch.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Well, up here in the Great White North (aka CANADA), we just factor in travelling time. Snow tyres are a given.

This winter we've only had two nurses stranded due to the weather and they were out of province and their flights back to town couldn't make it in.

No lates, a few called in sick but the casuals somehow made it in.

Snow tyres, leave a bit earlier, blanket and shovel in the car. Good to go.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion