Snow Days....

retiredlady · Jan 10, 2011

It seemed when i worked, the people who always made it were the ones who lived several miles away and the ones who lived a mile away could never make it out of their driveways, lol. They never seemed to get in trouble either. Then they made it where they would come to get you with a 4 wheel drive and then the employee didn't have an excuse. Your boss was probably mad because she had to come in to cover and they didn't want to work either, lol. Take pictures where you live to show her how bad your situation is, that's what I would do. We always knew that sometimes the people who lived 45-60 minutes might not make it, they sometimes traded days with someone who had worked.

smkiya, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2011

When the governor issues a weather related State of Emergency, you are NOT allowed to call out at my hospital. But, they will make arrangements to have someone pick you up if needed.

symphie · Jan 10, 2011

OP, I feel your pain. I live in AL as well and all of our roads are still closed. One of our cars is stuck halfway down our driveway right now with no way to get up or down.

I don't think you should be penalized, especially in a state like AL that is completely unequipped to deal with icy roads. Also, if the roads are closed and you are in an accident, your insurance won't pay. No job is worth risking your safety or your family. If the roads are still closed, call your manager and explain the situation. It's all you can do.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Jan 10, 2011

It's our facility's policy that if you are scheduled to work, you are expected to be there regardless of the weather...and where I live, that's as much hurricanes as it is blizzards. If that means planning to leave early or even stay at the hospital the night before, then that's what I have to do. If I can't or won't drive, they will come and get me. The only way I can get off the hook is if I (not them, but me) can find someone to switch shifts and go in for me. Otherwise I have to go in.

I've been pretty lucky in that a lot of bad weather has hit on my days off. The times I have had to drive through the snow/hurricane, I take the pickup truck, leave extra early, and pray as I go.

SBarn · Jan 11, 2011

I am also in Alabama and understand how impossible it is to get anywhere once there is ice on the roads. Several of our interstates are closed and there are many cities that have simply closed all of the roads in their jurisdiction. There literally is no way to get out. Many of my friends from northern states are amazed at how everything shuts down (banks, schools, etc are all closed today and tomorrow and possibly Wednesday) when snow hits here.

symphie · Jan 11, 2011

I am also in Alabama and understand how impossible it is to get anywhere once there is ice on the roads. Several of our interstates are closed and there are many cities that have simply closed all of the roads in their jurisdiction. There literally is no way to get out. Many of my friends from northern states are amazed at how everything shuts down (banks, schools, etc are all closed today and tomorrow and possibly Wednesday) when snow hits here.

Haha. Exactly! I talk to people up north who are just at a loss for words when I try to explain that even an inch of snow down here shuts down everything completely, because we just aren't equipped to deal with it.

Kareylea · Jan 11, 2011

I'm in one of the cities that shut down completely and have to either go up a mountain (It's closed for obvious reasons) or over a bridge (It's also closed) to get out of town. All the roads in town are closed and so is the Interstate. I do not have a luxury of a 4 wheel drive. I did check road conditions before I called in extensively, checked the roads myself (walked a mile along the road to see how the bridge was doing) and did everything I could once I realized that I was snowed in to find a way out. Nothing is moving out there. I can see the Interstate I have to drive on from my front door and I see a car moving slowly about once every 10 minutes. The hospital will not send someone to pick me up (no one can get here) and the Fire and Police dept have totally refused to help. Not that I blame them.

So. Well hopefully I won't lose my job on this one since it looks like I should have gone in yesterday far more than 24 hours before my shift had started. I will check if I don't to see how far in advance its my responsibility to plan for and get numbers to call other nurses to cover for me if this happens again. I guess this is the penalty to chosing to live so far from work. Just can't help but feel bitter that after 3 years of a clean slate I might get fired because of 1/2 foot of snow. :crying2:

Thanks for all the replies. It was really helpful.

flashpoint · Jan 11, 2011

I live about forty miles from where I work. We were expecting a huge snow storm starting last Thursday afternoon through Saturday. I wasn't scheduled until Friday night, but I went to work Thursday afternoon. I don't think everyone could be expected to go in that early, but I am lucky enough to have a husband and kids who can function without me, so it works.

I don't think you should have to risk your life to get to work. I don't think you should drive on closed roads or ignore road advisories. But, I think you should make a reasonable effort to get to work. I also think you should make a reasonable effort to cover for one another and trade shifts or whatever to get shifts covered. And I think when someone cancels their plans at the last second for you, you should be willing to do the same for them.

DayDreamin ER CRNP · Jan 11, 2011

Are you in Huntsville by chance?

If so, I can totally feel your pain. I live only about 3-4 miles from the hospital and it would have been difficult for me to get even that far today. If I had been on the schedule I probably would have walked to the women's and children's part of the hospital campus and taken the tram the rest of the way to the main bldg but that would have still taken me a while. I cannot imagine what the poor folks had to do that live over the mtn or across the river. All that was close and no way around it either.

For those that live in snowy areas, we are just not equipped for snow conditions here and we are a little untrusting of our weather people sometimes. They have predicted the snopocalypse in the past and we didn't get so much as a flake. It has been difficult to know what to believe sometimes.

And we don't just get snow. We are very prone to getting that wonderful black ice around here and there is no job worth taking the risk of driving on that.

I understand the hospital asked employees to be prepared and make arrangements but if you are a single parent or whatever it is not always easy to make arrangements that you can rely on either.

stay warm and try not to worry.

m

BrookeeLou_RN · Jan 11, 2011

Having been the nurse that lived in the country/mountains and the facility was in a level area, I ran into this problems multiple times. At first they just laughed as my car was covered with snow even after driving there, then they got not so nice. Now this is homehealth agency not hospital. I always called my patients and rescheduled them. Patients/families did not want me to have accident coming to them. Then years later worked in agency where they closed the office so the bosses got to get off the roads and would call the fiels staff to tell them to head home AFTER they finished they current patient. I was doing an admission, complicated and by the time I was done the storm was over!!

So my opinion is you can not win! In Florida I stayed 72 hrs for hurricane, worked 12 then slept/off for 12...but got all paid. The next hurricane nurses were offered chances to be on hurricane team, more seniority got first offer. Anyhow the hospital could not spend all that money a 2nd time, and that was the yr of 4 hurricanes.

I suggest you take photos of your drive, your street, maybe even the bridge and see if you can find a bulletin online about roads being closed and print it out. As this is your first time, I doubt they would fire you but have some photos for your side and in future you need to plan. Yeah it does not snow in AL, I live north of Chattanooga, we have plows but it does not snow more than 1-3 inches a yr but that will shut everything down so the foot we got last night is like we may not get out for days. Schools here close on predicted weather and many times it does not even snow but they close so far in advance..it is funny as I grew up up north and those kids would have to go year-round if they closed so easily.

I think hospitals should have snow teams just like FL had hurricane teams. Members of the team come in at specific time before storm and stay till all clear. Regularly scheduled nurses do not come in once the TEAM is called, we could use PTO time, or offer to work for someone on team after the all clear! It's alot to set up but it works and gives hospitals the assurance they will have staff.

And the hospital knew where you lived when they hired you and you knew where you lived so it is not just your fault. Hospitals have the means to make a plan and enforce it! And if you can not get in and they will not get you transportation then it is not your fault. They certainly are not going to want to pay your for coming in 24 hrs early.

Good luck.

SBarn · Jan 11, 2011

Keeper,

lol at snopocalypse - we have been calling it that too here in Birmingham.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jan 11, 2011

op, i feel your pain. i live in al as well and all of our roads are still closed. one of our cars is stuck halfway down our driveway right now with no way to get up or down.
i don't think you should be penalized, especially in a state like al that is completely unequipped to deal with icy roads. also, if the roads are closed and you are in an accident, your insurance won't pay. no job is worth risking your safety or your family. if the roads are still closed, call your manager and explain the situation. it's all you can do.

i guess i'm wondering who is supposed to be taking care of the patients while you're sitting at home with your family being safe.