25 Nurses fired for not working Frances

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FL. Hospital fired 25 nurses for not showing up or refusing to work during hurricane Frances. Others were suspended for not working OT or coming in late. My friend's sister was one of the 25 nurses who was fired. She was on vacation when they called her to come in! I'll be damned if I am on a much needed vacation and I have to break my vacation to drive through 70 miles per hour winds(5 people,different times during frances, were killed when the vehicles they were driving was pushed off the road by strong winds into a ditch or lake) and heavy rain to get to the hospital!! I am not the one. I know nursing is a caring profession but Personal safety comes first. Also, doesn't firing those nurse add to the shortage, DUH!!

Not only were the nurses not allowed to sleep in empty beds or even use a sheet, several of the 7p-7a shift were woken up 3 times and asked to move to another place. One of the nurses fired was because she didn't come in the day after the storm because her home was just about destroyed. They said that is no excuse. In addition, we are now in mandatory overtime. If we refuse, we will be fired. This includes all part-time, PRN and full time staff, and nurses in late pregnancy. Children, damage to homes nor anything else is accepted as an excuse for the two days on and two days off mandatory schedule. If we don't follow the mandatory 2 days on and 2 days off schedule, we will be fired. One employee was written up for complaining. We are not allowed to discuss our disagreement of this schedule or we will be in trouble for that.

The way you are being treated is horrible. I'm sure nursing morale is in the toilet. This really makes me think of the animated film version of "Animal Farm" that we watched in soc class. Remeber the work horse and what happened to him? NURSES are the work horse, and what happened to him is happening to nurses.

Your post illustrates perfectly why we need unions.

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I didn't work at the facility at the time, however, the hospital sent out 4x4's to pick up nurses after a snow storm left a foot and a half snow fall. Some nurses were even able to bring the kids with 'em! The hospital set up an area for the kids. During the recent black out the hospital had a daycare area too.

I can hardly believe Florida hospitals treating their nurses so horrible. One would think they'd go out of the way to help. We have lots of loyal, happy nurses, because our hospital treats us right (ok so most of the times they treat us right).

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Most of the nurses are really depressed over our situation, and although many would like to just quit, are trying to cooperate because we need insurance. I love taking care of the elderly, but am getting to the point that I almost wish I wasn't a nurse anymore. It's very depressing to know if you don't do everything you are instructed to without comment, you will be fired. They made a good example of how quick they will fire a nurse by firing so many last week. I just want to add, the management, office people and administration, you know the people who don't go into patient care areas, had their private offices to get their rest. The saddest part is that many patients were being taken care of nurses who lacked sleep and of course weren't very alert. I was there for Charlie, and the nurses were given beds to sleep in and treated very well with no question about pay. I don't understand what happened with this last storm or what is going on or why we are in mandatory overtime and why all of the sudden we are constantly being threatened with being fired.

The way you are being treated is horrible. I'm sure nursing morale is in the toilet. This really makes me think of the animated film version of "Animal Farm" that we watched in soc class. Remeber the work horse and what happened to him? NURSES are the work horse, and what happened to him is happening to nurses.

Your post illustrates perfectly why we need unions.

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma.

Okay, I swear not all FL hospitals are like this! I worked during Charlie- most of the night shift came in hours early to relieve dayshift. Those of us who were just getting off duty when the storm was at its worst were allowed to stay on the clock (not working) until it was safe to go home. The hospital also had enough sense to open a daycare during and immediately after the storm, providing all meals as well as sleeping arrangements for the kids, so that you knew your kids were safe and nearby. When the schools shut down for the week after Charlie, the hospital kept the daycare open for the entire week. Various areas of the hospital were shut down to accomodate staff who had to stay over-on beds, not the floor. With Frances, staff were offered a monetary incentive to stay the night, but were not forced to do so. In our unit, we had a staff member with severe damage to her home that was excused for the entire week. Again, with Ivan, plans were already made last week trying to overstaff-offering overtime, but no mandatory call in. Daycare was again set up. Thankfully, doesn't look like we'll need it this time....But things went very smoothly during the last two storms. I can't imagine how it would be to be forced to come in and treated the way these nurses were that got fired.

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Specializes in critical care; community health; psych.
Okay, I swear not all FL hospitals are like this! I worked during Charlie- most of the night shift came in hours early to relieve dayshift. Those of us who were just getting off duty when the storm was at its worst were allowed to stay on the clock (not working) until it was safe to go home. The hospital also had enough sense to open a daycare during and immediately after the storm, providing all meals as well as sleeping arrangements for the kids, so that you knew your kids were safe and nearby. When the schools shut down for the week after Charlie, the hospital kept the daycare open for the entire week. Various areas of the hospital were shut down to accomodate staff who had to stay over-on beds, not the floor. With Frances, staff were offered a monetary incentive to stay the night, but were not forced to do so. In our unit, we had a staff member with severe damage to her home that was excused for the entire week. Again, with Ivan, plans were already made last week trying to overstaff-offering overtime, but no mandatory call in. Daycare was again set up. Thankfully, doesn't look like we'll need it this time....But things went very smoothly during the last two storms. I can't imagine how it would be to be forced to come in and treated the way these nurses were that got fired.

The only places available to take a hot shower were PICU and down in the ER. Neither one of those charges would allow me to take a hot shower there, even though I was on back to back 12's. These were the decisions of NURSES! I know they had power at home.

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Sounds as if some hospitals are more accomodating than others. Those of you in the bad places shjuld just go looking for jobs in the better hospitals. There are a lot of jobs out there.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

What's funny is a lot of nurses where I work said "I wouldn't dare sleep in those beds, they are nasty, people poop in those beds." LOL

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This was reported on a local talk radio station in Fort Wayne indiana last week. People were asked to call in with their opinions. Guess what?? Everyone said "it was their job to care for patients and there was no excuse for not coming in":angryfire

I tried to get through but of course, no luck. No wonder nurses are leaving the profession in droves, if this is what is expected of us.

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I just wonder what the hospital that fired the 25 nurses last week will do when Jeanne hits this weekend...IF THEY HAVE ANY NURSES LEFT. After that kind of abuse, they may have to come down out of their ivory tower. I personally consider their actions a slap in the face to our profession. :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire

Nurses are people who have the same problems as everybody else.

UnchainedFever

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The only places available to take a hot shower were PICU and down in the ER. Neither one of those charges would allow me to take a hot shower there, even though I was on back to back 12's. These were the decisions of NURSES! I know they had power.

Ya know, if I was your nursing supervisor I would be bending over backwards to help out the nurses who were working during an emergency. Sounds like a lack of caring in your management team and I'd probably look elsewhere for work. :o

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I had this conversation recently with a Correctional Officer at a Prison. She felt they shouldn't have to work. Huh? Well if the job is good enough to do in the sunshine, it needs to be good enough when it rains too. I am aghast at nurses thinking they shouldn't have to work. I remember the night Frances (tropical storm) came to visit clearly my relief called and said she didn't think she could make it in. (Very small place) I plainly told her oh no U need to come, cause I have done my 8 and it is time for me to go home. I have family I need to get too! Was I wrong? Heck No, I did what I was suppose to do, though I wouldn't come in when I was on vacation (my time.) :chuckle

Are we sure that this was the case? I lived and worked in Florida for more than 20 years. When I was hired a my 2 jobs there, I was asked to sign a paper about what team I wanted to work ... during the storm or after the storm? As a single father, I needed to be home for my kids (plenty of times we evacuated to the hospital) but for the most part, I would sign up to work after the storm.

I think nurses have a responsibility to the public. I do not advocate for a nurse to risk his or her life, but if it is possible for a nurse to get to work, I think that perosn has a responsibility to serve the public. That is what I signed on to do when I became a nurse. I am ashamed of nurses that feel they can just kick the hospital to the curb when there is a storm coming. It is not for the hospital that I do my best to get into work ... it is for my patients. I think some nurses need to take a look at why they became nurses.

As far as the hospital firing nurses for not showing up .... I do not have enough information available to have a reasonable opinion. But, in this day and age of nursing shortages, I can not imagine a hospital firing these nurses for minor reasons. I am sure there is much more to the story than what we know. Perhaps someone can find a link about what happened and post it here.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, DD, Peri-op.

I worked/got paid for 35 hours with Ivan, even though I slept for about 6 of those hours. I, also, got to bring my child.

One of the nurses that I work with lost her house and almost died in Ivan. My bosses bent over backwards getting the rest of us to pull those initial hours so she could be off and tend to her business.,,which was no problem with us. But, we were asked and not told. Our CCC will push the cart...why wouldn't we help her out? :)

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. My job gets kudos.

I just feel bad for some of you and can understand a little better now why some of those nurses didn't show up. :o

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