Observations of a blizzard refugee

I feel for the health care workers and all emergency workers too! I've only been stuck one extra shift at work due to snow so I have been lucky. I keep a complete change of clothing, shoes, toiletries in my locker just in case.

i've skiied to work and back a few times in snow storms. it was great -- people were out shoveling their driveways and called out greetings as i skiied past. also been to work on a snowmobile (colder and not nearly as much fun!) and a snowplow!

It's not often we get a lot of snow in Colorado but when we do, it's usually a major event. We ended up with about 2 feet overall and the drifts are as high as the house roof in some areas. The 60 mph winds didn't help! I was supposed to work but ended up stranded and holed up in a hotel for 2 days. In past storms I've actually transported patients to the hospital in a snowcat or snowmobile because of the impassable roads. It's weird when your in a snowcat driving over the top of cars because the snow is so deep and you have no idea what your driving over until your on top of it. Oops....it happens. CO actually has a decent disaster system in place for the big storms and like everywhere else not everything goes as plans and better chgs could probably be made. I think this time around everything went right because there were no major injuries and no deaths related to the storm (last I heard). Most major hospitals here in CO have a system in place where they will pick-up their employees so they don't have to drive in the elements and the employees that are already at work have a quiet place to rest until their next scheduled shift. It also helps that the County and City work together side by side.

we used to have a storm plan - so if a storm was declared, then the nurses, contacted by supervisors, by telephone, would be given the names of patients who lived in their neighbourhood, so that they could walk over to those nearby to provide home health care.

nrcnurse,

Your writing is witty and engaging, you should write professionally, I don't know maybe you do already.

I once lived in Colorado, so I totally relate to your experience with the snow there. It's a beautiful state to live in, so don't let the snow stop you from relocating there. :Santa1:

picture this:

my first full time job as a new nurse.

i had been there under a week when we got a major nor'easter.

my car wouldn't even begin to move from it's buried parking space.

with nsg school and all of its' cemented echoings, i was hearing "a nurse NEVER calls in"....

so i started my 2 mile trek to work, snow up to my thighs.

around halfway there, i started feeling light-headed and a feeling of floating/weightlessness.

i eventually made it to work and didn't leave until 2 days later.

the DON was THRILLED to see me, since 90% of nsg had called in.

truly it was drilled into my head, never call into work.

i should have stayed home. :)

leslie