Snow- at what point do you call out?

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I am a new grad, and my first day off of orientation is tomorrow... and we are set to get 2+ feet of snow in an area that only sees that much snow once every 15 or so years. While I've been in the healthcare setting for quite some time, I've never experienced a snow quite like this during my career. I understand my responsibility to work, but I also want to keep in mind my safety out on the roads (I have a 35 mile drive to the hospital). At what point do you decide that you just can't make it into work? Do you always attempt to make it in, or do you look out the window and make that decision?

Disclaimer: I am a team player, and understand that if I call out, that means our unit runs short. I'm interested in hearing when to draw the line.

Specializes in Behavioral Health/Substance Abuse.

For those who say to call the PD for a ride to work...please explain to me how I can expect them to give me a ride to work when there are over 100+ motorists stranded on roadways and SERIOUS MVAs that noone can get to for hours? This was the situation our area found itself in last week.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
I'll only call in if the roads are all closed. I've got a 4WD truck and love driving in snow & ice, though.

HA HA, are you nuts? :jester: Just kidding. I had to learn to drive in snow and ice in Colorado after living for 31yrs in Southern California. Just not into the whole slip and slide experience. But my 4WD (w/hi-lo option) '89 Isuzu Trooper was my best friend. Many times that baby would get traction going uphill leaving all the Saabs and Subarus behind, ahh:up:

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Good questions & answers. How about students and clinicals? I'm getting nervous for this coming semester - clinicals an hour away in Cleveland (lake effect!) and I'm absolutely terrified of driving in unsalted, unplowed snow. If it was coming down like crazy and I knew it was worse an hour north in Cleveland, i'd definitely call off, but then again this is clinicals so it wouldn't make the unit short staffed. I'm going to ask my instructor what she thinks when I meet her in a few weeks. Any thoughts re:students?

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Specializes in Hospice, Rehab.
I am a new grad, and my first day off of orientation is tomorrow... and we are set to get 2+ feet of snow in an area that only sees that much snow once every 15 or so years. While I've been in the healthcare setting for quite some time, I've never experienced a snow quite like this during my career. I understand my responsibility to work, but I also want to keep in mind my safety out on the roads (I have a 35 mile drive to the hospital). At what point do you decide that you just can't make it into work? Do you always attempt to make it in, or do you look out the window and make that decision?

Disclaimer: I am a team player, and understand that if I call out, that means our unit runs short. I'm interested in hearing when to draw the line.

When it comes to being a health care worker, I've always favored death -- my own -- as the only real reason to call out. My only exception to that was the time I was down in the cardiac unit -- it was only pneumonia, but they wouldn't let me out for my shift, even though I promised to come back.

I've just been through this, as we got two feet of snow last week. My boss sent her husband out in a 4 wheel drive vehicle to round up stragglers. Some folks did stay in the building a few days. Others came in hours early and camped as well. Since the patients CANT be flexible, we need to be.

Now it IS my opinion that when you get there, you're on the clock and should be paid for the time that you're available to work. But what do I know?

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Specializes in Hospice, Rehab.
Good questions & answers. How about students and clinicals? I'm getting nervous for this coming semester - clinicals an hour away in Cleveland (lake effect!) and I'm absolutely terrified of driving in unsalted, unplowed snow. If it was coming down like crazy and I knew it was worse an hour north in Cleveland, i'd definitely call off, but then again this is clinicals so it wouldn't make the unit short staffed. I'm going to ask my instructor what she thinks when I meet her in a few weeks. Any thoughts re:students?

Students, being non-essential to patient care shouldn't be forced to come in. When this happened to me in nursing school, any day where the campus closed also was a day they canceled clinicals. We did have one day where the drive (for me) was just fine, but classes were canceled and I got the day off. Of course there was a make up day

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This has happened in our area the last 2 winters, with snow drifting the roads shut, zero visibility and many people stranded in the ditch. When it is really bad, the police sit at the highway on the edge of town and warn people that if they proceed and are stranded, no one is coming to get them or pull them out, ie: the police won't patrol the highway when it is in that condition.

I live 60 km from work, in the country, on one of the worst single lane highways in the area, and drive most of the trip through a reservation. I only call out if I cannot see where I am going, or can't get out of my yard. Both of which have happened and I had to call 3 times last year. Our first big storm this year was on Dec. 4th and I made it in because I was ahead of the weather, but got stranded at work after evening shift. They had a place for me to sleep, but make no provisions for meals or cafeteria vouchers. I work for Alberta Health Services and they didn't even provide a Christmas meal this year, so don't doubt they care if you starve while stuck at work. There were nurses who stayed at the hospital from Friday night to Tuesday because they couldn't go home (live outside of town). There was a young guy taking people to and from work in town on a snowmobile.

To me, my life and my vehicle are both worth more than $200 (my take home pay). Nursing is my job, it is not my life, and I have other responsibilities besides work that don't allow me to spend a week camping there. I have a family, a farmyard full of animals and my sanity to consider. I already spend more time at work than I ever intended, so don't plan to move in because of the weather.

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Specializes in Neuro, Cardiology, ICU, Med/Surg.

As long as the subways keep running, I can make it to work.

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Once when I did drive in through a storm, taking twice as long as usual to get there, I asked the more senior night nurse how she would feel if I were killed on the way to work because I felt pressured or obligated to try to make it and she said 'Then we would think it was your fault for being crazy enough to try to drive in this weather' with a smile on her face. Enough said.

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well ive been in the medical field almost 14 yrs and been on that all nite crazy running of patients that comes from a good storm, and i have also been on your end as well... in my position i took the initiative and went in the nite before.. i was able to do that and the look on the peoples faces that i was releaveing was reward enuf!

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Specializes in L&D, Antepartum, ER obs. telemetry.

Mixed emoptions about this one. I live 40 miles from work. I usually plan on extra driving time when the weather forcast is bad. I have spent 3 hours on the road going to work- and made it there on time because i left early.

I and many other co-workers have stayed over in empty patient rooms so we could work another shift and not have to leave.

I always have had personal hygiene items in my locker for such an event.

I have no sympathy for people who live closer than I do to the hospital and don't make it in, however, like I said. I have mixed emotions. I did those things when I was younger. I have been a nurse for 30 years and I have become a bit jaded toward management/hospital administrators. They know that nurses are caring and duty-minded and self-sacrificing and they use that to manipulate us.

The manager was serious. Yep. There would be no sympathy or understanding if you get killed driving to work in bad weather. It would be your "bad decision"

Elective cases can be cancelled. Patients can be discharged, and if the managers are not coming in and working extra to cover, then they should not expect regular staff to do so.

(The only times I have not made it in because of snow is when I have been stuck myself. Which has only been about 4 times in 30 years.)

Your safety and your family come first.

regarding students. as someone else said, if the campus is closed then clinicals are cancelled.

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If someone wants to make it to work, they can make it to work safely. When my facility hears of a big snow storm prediction, they put up staff of any dept. and provide food, etc. There is a hotel across the street where staff can stay as well. They have sent 4 wheel drive vehicles out to people who have "called in because of snow" and they refused the ride because they weren't going to put "their life on the line."

I've been a nurse for 17 years and have never called off for snow. Was late a few times but NEVER called off. Came in the 5 miles on bad roads on the back of a 4 wheeler a few times too!

However I've been stuck here for 72 hours straight when other staff wouldn't accept the rides that were sent out for them.:angryfire

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I have told them to come on out and get me, but I would challenge them to find my house in a blizzard, when I can't find the highway. I won't change my policy, they don't give a rats ass about me if I get hurt or killed, or work myself into burnout, so why should I risk my vehicle or my life for one shift that they can figure out how to cover. If I got stuck at work because someone else couldn't make it for whatever reason, I am understanding, don't try to guilt them into putting their shift above family or health or safety. That's the way it goes.

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