Students (and others) using staff parking

[psu_213]

I don't want this to be viewed as sour grapes, and I don't want to be viewed as a nurse that doesn't like students; however, I have to get this off my chest...

My shift starts late morning. One day there was no parking in the staff lot, and I had to park in a visitor lot (and pay for that privilege). When I got in, I apologized to the secretary for being a few minutes late and mentioned my parking issues. She told me there were no spots today because there were "a ton" of students that were parked in the lot.

Again, I don't want to appear a whiner about this, but I pay a monthly rate to park in that lot. I've also seen drug reps, medical equipment vendors, etc. park in the staff lot. No idea if these individuals or the students pay to park there. When I was in school, one hospital where we did clinicals had ample free parking, so it was not an issue. Another did not. As students we could park on the *top* level of the visitor parking garage (and pay the daily fee for the lot...and get in trouble if we parked lower than the top level). Otherwise, you had to find parking on the street, pay the rate in the meter, and possibly have a fairly long walk to the hospital.

I like students, I like mentoring them, I want them to have a good experience in our hospital. I don't hold these views because I want students today to go through the struggles I went through. However, I'm not too crazy about the students using staff parking.

Thoughts?

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

I remember being a student at a teaching hospital, where we parked somewhere out in the south 40 because that's where the students parked. Staff had their own parking garage and we were not to use it. It was simply a given---you parked where you were told and hiked in whether it was dark, or wet, or hotter than the hinges of Hell. We never questioned it.

[ArceusAlpha]

If you confronted me as a student, I would say "BITE ME!"

But now that I'm a staff, I've turned a complete 180 and now will bite any students who dare park in our staff parking.

[picklerick]

I am a student and we never park in the parking lots, we are told before clinicals even start that we will have to find street parking at most hospitals. The only one that we can park in the lot for is at one of our UC affiliations with a massive lot, even then we take the very back spots just to be safe. You have every right to be annoyed. We are students and are visitors at your hospital, there should never be a situation in which we are making things more difficult for staff members. It's crazy that the professor is allowing them to park in the lot... I hope this changes for you!

[Fiona59]

If you confronted me as a student, I would say "BITE ME!"

But now that I'm a staff, I've turned a complete 180 and now will bite any students who dare park in our staff parking.

Hah. The parkade I use was specifically built for staff. Then, the powers that be said ER visitors could use it, then suddenly it became a free for all. Public and staff. Staff are supposed to park on the perimeter of the second and third floors and then have free run of fourth to the roof.

Nice plan but unenforceable. Student's now purchase weekly passes. Families purchase weekly passes. If you do evenings, you are hooped. Fifth floor or the roof. Awesome when it's -30 and blowing snow.

Thank you AHS.

[NewEnglandRN16]

I know you said you don't want to take it further but I would complain the nursing office at your hospital. For us our nursing office gets the students computer access and rules/expectations for being a GUEST at the hospital (something I was told when I was a student).

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

The parking garage where I work is locked down- you have to either have a transponder that opens the gate or swipe your badge. The only students who can get into the staff garage to park are also employees in another role.

When I was a student, the vast majority of our clinicals took place a short distance from the school- and we were expected to utilize two options. Park at the satellite staff parking lot that was a mile from the hospital and ride the employee shuttle or park at the school and ride the school shuttle. We were not to be using the staff garage- especially as it was too small to even handle the actual employees. The only exception was when we did evening shift clinicals and no shuttles were running. We were each given a specialty sign by the hospital that had to be prominently displayed on the windshield that specified day of the week and hours we were permitted to be in the garage. There were quite a few students who ended up on probation with the program for not following the parking rules.

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

Our parking is at a premium and I pay fortune for my parking pass. We have to swipe in and out. They will tow people out. Staff has access to top 4 floors, there is a mix of both in the middle and mostly visitor/student/vendor on the bottom floor. One of the garages is for visitors only-still have to pay. We have valet too, but staff are not allowed to use.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

Disciplinary action including a clinical fail was the result of parking in staff lots of anywhere other than told. The one hospital shared large lots with an LTC/rehab and a medical arts building It was confusing so on facility orientation day the security guards marked out the student spots with cones and caution tape. They would tow student cars during clinical hours.

The one group parked in the wrong lot during clinical at inpatient physical rehab. Their cars were booted. Fee was $500+ the school didn't help. One student was a former tow truck driver and noticed proper signage wasn't adequately posted (it was there)so they negotiated the rate down to

$300. Right before the holidays. As the students missed part of clinical trying to secure funds/negotiate they received a max 70% (technical failure for clinical). They risked being blocked from returning by the facility which would have been a clinical failure and and program dismissal.

Send an anonymous note to nursing administration and the clinical liaison for your hospital

[Davey Do]

there were no spots today because there were "a ton" of students that were parked in the lot.

Everywhere I did clinicals at assigned us to the furthest and least convenient parking lot and we knew simply because we were students that it would be par for the course.

I tell ya, students today...

Now, back when I was a student...

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[Wuzzie]

Heck Dave, that's what it's like for us regular employees. The students best get used to it.

[verene, MSN]

As a recent grad - wow! Parking in the staff lot would have never flown in my program. We were always given a list of areas we could park and the hours & fees for parking in those areas. Parking elsewhere was not allowed. Our program also stressed the importance of carpooling, taking public transit, biking, etc. if at all possible to reduce congestion in our clinical locations (and even offered some decent incentives to take these options).

[chacha82, ADN, BSN]

Not sour grapes at all. I graduated a few years ago and NEVER would have parked in a staff lot. We were permitted to park at certain facilities with garages on approved levels OR across the street from the hospital in an downhill "overflow" lot.

It's not surprising considering that where I live, the college continues to erect luxury "student housing" in areas of the city where college employees and locals can only dream of affording. I understand they bring money to the college but why not invest in your community employees? Add this to the long-simmering problem of hospital employees not being allowed to use the parking garages and I expect the fur to fly.

There are two types of people: people who return the shopping cart to the little gated area and people who just leave it in the middle of the parking lot.