Questions about bad weather/ affects on patients

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Specializes in NICU, Peds, Med-Surg.

With all the snow and ice, it's gotten me wondering----what happens when Dialysis patients can't get to the facility? (I know some do their own at home, but I'm talking about patients that must go to a facility on a strict schedule).. I also wonder, even with other issues such as their ride fell through, or they're very sick with flu (or something else) , and absolutely can NOT make it to their appt?

What about a home health patient who MUST have some IV infusions/ a dressing change,/ needs hospice care, etc....What happens in places like Boston where it seems as though it would be impossible for nurses to drive to them? I'm sure they do ALL they can, but aren't there times when absolutely no one can make it to a patient's home?

Also, what is the policy where you work if you absolutely cannot drive, and there's no one to come and get you? Is your absence unexcused? One place I worked where the bosses said if no one can come and get you, they'd pay for you to take a taxi.....Ummm......if the roads were slick and hazardous and there's a 30-car pileup on the interestate, how does a TAXI help me? Also, I lived quite far from the facility, and had many slick, unsalted back roads that were treacherous! Luckily, I WAS able to get to work---I just drove verrrry slowly and prayed! I was also ready with a suitcase (and snacks!) to stay a couple days if need be....

Do some facilities refuse new admissions if they know they're going to be dangerously understaffed? And what about staff that really can NOT stay? For example, they have an elderly parent / children at home?

I once asked a Paramedic friend similar questions----what if you just CAN NOT make it to someone's house out in the boonies because of ice and snow?? (I still wonder about that!)....their answer was glib "well, then it was their time to die".....NOT the answer I was looking for..... :(

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

a cab, a friend, or an ambulance --- if those are not available then it is their time to die. We are not in control of everything.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Many patients will call 911. The fire department..God Bless them...get through somehow (most of the time). Many facilities out here is Boston have snow plans where they will call in staff the night before a storm, pay call time (a few dollars ) so they are there is the morning for the next shift. Police departments are very good at transporting nurses. Many nurses I know in Boston stayed in Hotels...sadly on their own dime of course.

Me, I have a nice 4 wheel drive sports utility and tire chains. I pack my car with snacks water, a flare or two, and extra phone battery, a sleeping bag gloves hat and always have a full tank of gas.

I have always made it into work and made it home once relieved. I was once stuck at a hospital for 2 days due to an ICE storm in NW Indiana (about 30 years ago). You couldn't even chip into your vehicle. I still lived at home (thank goodness). We cooked in the kitchen for the patients and staff. We showered and wore scrubs. It was actually fun.

My worst travel work story was 2005 another "Blizzard". It took me about 6 hours to travel what was usually a 40-50 min drive. Once I realized it intensified I was half way to the hospital and I was the administrator on call that day and they were evacuating the coast and we were on the coast. My little SVU (Kia Sorrento) 4 wheel drive and tire chains and I slowly plowed right through.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

NO....hospitals will not turn away admissions although they will cancel any elective procedures. You work with less and make due patients are understanding and the staff pulls together. It is what we do.

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When I did home care and the snow was too high for me to drive through I checked on my patients by telephone. I always made sure my oxygen dependent patients had their extra tanks filled way before any storms were coming our direction. Our acute care facility does not turn patients away during storms, and to me it seems like more people come through the ER at these times, perhaps for a good meal and a warm bed?? As far as dialysis patients they are usually re-scheduled an extra dialysis day and then get back on their normal schedule. They may have a lot of electrolyte imbalances and possibly CHF issues, so they do need to be monitored carefully.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

Only if 50% of employees can't make it in is the call off excused. They won't give us points for being late. If the weather is going to be blizzard like and we have warning they will tell you to pack a bag in case you have to stay or you can come in the night before and sleep there. We have done this twice in all the years I have been there. We worked 12 hour shifts and we slept in empty rooms. It wasn't awful. We went to other floors to

help out (our unit functioned as CNAs since adults are kind of off our radar) and the adult floors came and rocked and fed babies if they had down time. It's what we do...pull together and help! The cafeteria sent trays of sandwiches, salad and fruit along with drinks to each floor each shift.

All outpatient clinics and surgeries were cancelled. ER and OB busy as ever....babies love to come when the barometric pressure drops!

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
NO....hospitals will not turn away admissions although they will cancel any elective procedures. You work with less and make due patients are understanding and the staff pulls together. It is what we do.

Some facilities will cancel elective procedures. Mine, however, does not. As long as the patient gets there and the surgeon gets there, we will do the surgeries as scheduled. I can remember a day (not sure if it was weather related or not) that we didn't cancel a single case- if one patient left PACU, another patient could enter the OR. We started our last scheduled case of the day at 2300. Come snow, high water, or whatever else mother nature throws at us, it seems like every single patient has made it in from home for their elective procedure. I say, bring it on- at least then my effort of getting into work means I'll do some meaningful work!

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Specializes in NICU, Peds, Med-Surg.

Thanks everyone for all your replies--- :)

Rose Queen....that's pretty amazing that people make it in no matter what the weather!!!

Esme---Wow on all your SNOW stories, anddd, is that your doggie in your avatar? CUTE!!! My furbabies are ready for their St. Patrick's Day hats in a few days!

firstinfamily---thank you for explaining things, especially what dialysis patients do when they absolutely cannot make it to their appointments--I've always been so curious about that!

Also wondered about people stuck at home who are on oxygen / IV therapy, etc! ---hopefully their home health staff is well prepared ahead of time, too! :)

Nicugal......awww, I have great memories of working NICU a million years ago! Sometimes the L & D nurses would come to help us feed babies when we were swamped, and several of them would ask us HOW we could work NICU, and I'd always give them kudos and say "HOW do you work L & D???? (because it terrified me to think of caring for a Mom AND baby that were under distress-.....anyhoo, we had great teamwork between the two units..... The only thing that was a bummer was when they'd send someone from one of the adult med-surg floors who did NOT want to be there, did NOT want to feed babies, and had a horrible 'tude about it.....Hey, when our baby census was low, I didn't LOVE being floated to THEIR floor either, but at least I had a positive 'tude and did my best!

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