Snowed in ER's, what do you guys do?

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I work in California where I don't see any snow where I'm at.

When there is heavy snow and you're on shift; do you guys camp out in the ER if the roads are closed?

And do you keep working since the other shift can't come in?

I've always been curious about that

Specializes in ED.

Luckily, we don't get a lot of snow that keeps us off the roads. We did have a pretty good storm about 2 years ago and the local sheriff's office was tasked to bring the ER staff into work. The hospital also secured hotel rooms at the nearby hotel for a very reduced rate and provided safe transport back and forth. I know a lot of nurses split those rooms and some stayed in the closed rooms we had. The hospital provided clean scrubs to those that agreed to stay and work.

I live less than 2 miles from the ED so I could walk if I had to but I have also stayed over tip the evening shift arrived. We get more torrential rains to worry about sometimes and have had a co-worker or two stay with me so they didn't have to drive.

We just have to make it work I guess.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

We are expected to do our best to get in but if it's too bad then we don't come in.This rarely happens.If we know it's going to be bad you leave early and drive as slow as you need to to get there safely.I've only stayed at work once.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

I think in a state of emergency when roads are closed, we are allowed to legally drive to work. When hurricane sandy hit they implemented a law which limited which days you could fill up gas. RNs, docs, cops, etc. didn't have to follow the same restrictions (atleast by me)... because they know the hospital is a 365 24-7 gig. Not to mention the influx of patients from hurricane sandy itself!!!

Snow, we're usually okay, but the policy where I work is they can MANDATE us to stay. At this point, everyone must stay and it "is supposed to" switch to 8 hour shifts. 8 hours work, 8 hours sleep (in the hospital whereever they have room), until the disaster/crisis is over. I've never seen this happen but I know some people have slept at the hospital voluntarily when the weather was bad and they had to be back the next day. They hospital usually accommodates this and provides a private room with shower if available. You're not getting paid though because it's voluntary.

I have AWD and a reliable SUV so I usually make it to and fro no problem.

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