Snow & calling out of work

[CrazyGoonRN]

So I've been a nurse for 4 years now. I live in the south where snow is not common. As of today every school system in the area is closed due to the snow. I have no kids, but this tells you how bad it is in the area. I live in the country and it's a 35 minute interstate drive to the hospital where I work. I am not sure if I should attempt to get to work or simply call out. I feel like I should at least try, but I've never had this problem before because I haven't been scheduled to work during a snow event before. I have very little experience driving in snow and the roads aren't plowed out here in the country.

So what would you do in this situation? Or what have you done in the past?

I am posting this because I really want opinions of nurses, not just my family/friends who advise me to stay home.

Thanks!!

[melizerd, ASN, RN]

So what is the feeling on the nurses in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina? Surely dozens of patients were left behind as hospital personnel fled for their lives. It's a horrifying reality.

Should they have planned ahead for this inevitable situation? How accountable should they be held? Abandonment? Manslaughter? Premeditated murder? After all, they had chosen to live and work in a city built below sea level.

Many nurses and and doctors did stay during the hurricane. I would have stayed, and sent my husband and child to safety. I couldn't have left knowing that I was sentencing patients to certain death.

[Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP]

I live 48mi from work. I have driven to work in hurricanes and while our entire half of the state was under tornado warning from supercell tornadoes. If there is really bad snow/ice, I stay over at work. They put us up - empty patient rooms, managers' offices, whatever. Once or twice I have stayed in a hotel just down the street. No one really enjoys it, but for a day or two we put on our big-girl panties and deal. Everyone is in the same boat, so we make the best of it. I will say this was much harder for me personally to do working nights, because I had a horrible time sleeping in the day, and hospitals/hotels are very noisy during the day.

If I know I might have to drive on less-than-ideal roads, I toss a couple sandbags in the back of my car, put it in 2nd gear, and drive with my hazards on. It's not fun, it's very mentally challenging, but it's usually possible. For the record, I live in the South and completely understand how it can be when they're not sure what's going to happen or when. My area is usually right on the rain/sleet/snow line and they're never really sure what type of precip we'll be getting.

[cardiacfreak, ADN]

Oh, the anticipation! OP did you or did you not go? I'm betting he at least tried!

[Palliative Care, DNP]

I enjoy your posts, so don't take this the wrong way but.... You would be fired if you did this where I work.

I'm fortunate enough to not have to work but do because I want to do something for myself. If I was fired because I wasn't willing to risk my safety going in during a snow storm too bad. While people may say it's not that easy finding jobs that's not entirely true either. It's all in who you know sometimes.....so next

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I'm fortunate enough to not have to work but do because I want to do something for myself. If I was fired because I wasn't willing to risk my safety going in during a snow storm too bad. While people may say it's not that easy finding jobs that's not entirely true either. It's all in who you know sometimes.....so next

I guess the whole point, really, is knowing that this is a distinct possibility. If someone does not hold up their end of the employment agreement (show up, get paid, don't show up, get fired), then there should be no complaints.

To each his own.

[PMFB-RN, RN]

I live on a dirt road in a very rural area. It's hilly here and far from work. The dirt road does indeed become glare ice. Usually several times each winter. It's no problem. It why they make these these things call tire chains.

In winter I drive an old toyota 4x4 truck with snow tires. I have chains, kitty litter, a shovel and other tools with me in the truck. I am also prepared with food water sleeping bags and other gear to spend the night, or several nights in the truck should I end up in a snow bank I can't get out of for a while. I keep a packed overnight bag in case I have to sleep at the hospital. My camping cot included. I make myself quite comfortable wherever the hospital gives us to sleep.

I live in an area where ice and snow storms are a weekly event. I work at a great hospital with good pay, great benifit and fair treatment of nursing by management. However snow storms, ice storms, blizzards and other "normal" for the area weather events are not considered a legitimate reason to not show up for a shift.

Our security department has a couple 4x4 suburbans equiped with snow plows and snow tires that will come and get staff who live in town during very severe snow storms. They work with the local sheriff who will also come and get staff located further out of town. Since I choose to live in a rural area getting to work is my responsibility.

The Toyota 4x4 was less than $5K. Another $1500 to get it set up to be a snow & ice conquering machine. This is far less than what many people spend on a single vacation to Mexico and is pretty much a one times expence. Also cheap insurance to keep my well paying job. It also makes it possible for me to live where I wish to live in a rural area and still make it to work.

I firmly believe that all nurses should make plans and arrangment to get to work under any weather conditions that can reasonably be expected in the area you have chosen to live in.

[BiotoBSNtoFNP]

I called out today because I didn't feel that it was safe! The road on my street was horrible and I witnessed my neighbor struggling trying to get out of the neighborhood and he was in a big truck so I can imagine what it would have been for my car. I can always find another job, but I only have one life and I am not risking it. I watch the news and if I am told to please stay off the road because of hazardous conditions, I am listening. There has been a few times that I stayed two days on the job during snow storms. I didn't like it, but I was already there and didn't want my coworkers to risk their lives trying to get to work.

When the news says to stay off the roads they are talking about nonessential personnel....not nurses.

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

Its more difficult down south in the north we are more used to it and I would guess in most cases have vehicles that are fairly snow friendly. Go, drive slow and good luck.

But in the north when we say there's a snow storm we get 5 feet in a day and 0 degree temps with 40 mph winds. The south gets worried over 2 inches. Just go slow and give yourself time.

[VANurse2010]

But in the north when we say there's a snow storm we get 5 feet in a day and 0 degree temps with 40 mph winds. The south gets worried over 2 inches. Just go slow and give yourself time.

Yep. Some of this "I live in the south" stuff is just BS.

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

I live in an area that this year got 8 feet of snow in 72 hours. The first 24 hours of the storm we got 5 feet at my house. A bad storm was predicted, but no one knew it would be that bad. I worked three 13 night shifts in a row. The night of the third shift was when the storm was predicted to begin. Going into that night I woke up early, packed a bad with toiletries, clean clothes, and three days of my medications. I drove to a store and packed three days worth of food. I got a full tank of gas. I loaded my car with blankets, flash lights, snow clothes, and two pairs of boots. I even brought my snow shoes. Then I poured two huge bowels of food and an entire pitcher of water for my cat, and brought my dog to my friends house with her bag of food. Then I headed into work. The next morning things were way worse than predicted. A state of emergency was declared. The whole area was under a driving ban.

Our entire dayshift called in except three people- our secretary, an orientee, and one nurse. Our day shift is normally staffed with 7 nurses, two aids, and a secretary. The secretary lives extremely close. The nurse who made is stayed in a hotel. The orientee lived in an area not as badly effected and gave herself plenty of time and drove slowly.

I, along with everyone else, got mandated to stay for an additional 4 hours while they desperately scrambled staff. Our unit manager took an assignment nearly double the load of what our nurses normally take. We had 4 scheduled admits. Three of them still came. Because they stayed in a hotel the night before.

All in in all I ended up stuck at work for 6 days during that storm. I was doing laundry at work and the pharmacy was supplying my meds by the end. We were all living off food from the next door pizzeria. My poor cat was nearly passed out when I got home. I had to put a can of tuna right in front of him. My friend had to keep my dog another week because I was literally having to snow shoe to my house and there's no way my little dog could have walked it.

It was a nightmare, but we made it. I can understand not being able to make it in if there's 8 feet of snow on all the roads. Even our plows couldn't keep up. The county had to hire pay loaders.

I also understand if the roads are coated with 4 inches of ice and the only way to work is down steep mountain roads and you live in the south with no salt.

[No Stars In My Eyes]

Yep. Some of this "I live in the south" stuff is just BS.

Come on down and witness it.

As a yankee new to the south I was open-mouthed and flabbergasted by the panic a little snow brought. Then I saw the results (of the what I would call a light snow)....cars all over everywhere EXCEPT on the roads.

If it wasn't so dangerous (mostly from other drivers, IMHO) it would be funny. It IS ridiculous, but it is very real. And seriously, I wouldn't have believed it either, had I not seen it with my own eyes. No B-S!

I listen to the scanner (police, SHP, first responders, fire, and road crews) to know what areas to avoid on my commute. (20 miles, by the way).

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

Come on down and witness it.

As a yankee new to the south I was open-mouthed and flabbergasted by the panic a little snow brought. Then I saw the results (of the what I would call a light snow)....cars all over everywhere EXCEPT on the roads.

If it wasn't so dangerous (mostly from other drivers, IMHO) it would be funny. It IS ridiculous, but it is very real. And seriously, I wouldn't have believed it either, had I not seen it with my own eyes. No B-S!

I listen to the scanner (police, SHP, first responders, fire, and road crews) to know what areas to avoid on my commute. (20 miles, by the way).

Do you personally find it difficult to drive in ( if it wasn't for the other drivers)?