Weather Policy

Published

Does your hospital have a weather policy? If so, is it lenient? Do you ever feel like you have really sacrificed your safety to make it into work out of guilt?

Specializes in Cardiac Care.
1. If I had tickets to a concert *and* it was a snow storm that I thought I couldn't feasibly drive safety to see said concert then I'd elect not to go and take the consequences of not having my money refunded and/or missing a concert I wanted to see. I would not pay extra money for a hotel room if I didn't have it. However, this example doesn't make much sense, and I'll tell you why. Asking an employee to pay out of their pocket for a hotel room simply so they can work their shift is ridiculous. First of all, the hotel room that I'd pay for far exceeds what I'd make in that shift. Let me repeat it: FAR EXCEEDS. I don't have a job because I can afford to have a job. I have a job because I cannot afford to not have a job. If I choose to go to a concert, I obviously could afford the ticket. This means I likely could afford a hotel room too if I decided to brave the drive. Your example isn't lateral at all. 2. I'd likely say, "let's make plans to meet on a different day. The holiday will be the holiday, but this year, we can make a new tradition. No one's safety is worth traveling in the snow simply for this day!" Again, your example is invalid. 3. Now *this* is an example that has some validity, and so I'll address it as such. If my father had a heart attack and wasn't expected to live, this is an extenuating circumstance. Yes, of course I'd travel, but likely not alone. I'd ask someone to either a) transport me or b) travel with me. Would I be glad the nurses made an effort to get in? Sure, except … let's consider that. If 1-2 nurses living over an hour away call out, am I to understand that you think those positions wouldn't be filled and the NM would allow the floor to go dangerously understaffed? That doesn't happen. There's a float pool, per diem, and call system in place for a reason. No NM in her right mind is going to allow a patient ratio of 1:8. No house supervisor would allow it. The hospital would NOT STOP just because a nurse, living > 90 minutes away, called out because of weather. There are precautions in place (in most acute care hospitals) for a reason.[/quote']

You're right maybe my examples weren't right on target but it was the best my post night shift brain could come up with lol. Maybe the first one should've been my sisters wedding 3 hours away no way to reschedule and certainly didn't want to miss it. With the second example I thought that listing all the relatives made the point it was a big deal but I should've said that there were people there from the other side of the country and from the other side of the world. Missing that day meant missing them for a year or two so I was definitely motivated to make it there.

If you can't afford a hotel room I certainly get it but my point was that if you're motivated enough you can usually find a way. Stay with a friend who lives closer, a relative, a coworker? Ask the hotel about a discount for weather. Share a hotel room with another coworker from out of town.

As for floors not being dangerously understaffed lol. Last weekend my unit had 4-5 pts per nurse in a critical care unit that is usually 1:2 because of sick calls. ER was 8 nurses short. Not float RNs available. Supervisor said the whole hospital was short staffed and over census just do the best you can and this was good weather! It doesn't take that many weather call outs or sick calls to make a unit unsafe and there is a lot more than just one nurse living >90 min away.

I really don't want anyone to get hurt or killed getting to work everyone has to make the decision for themselves but we all know that that means there are nurses who will call out once on 10 years and nurses who will call out 10 times a year. Like one of the other posters said it just sucks when you've worked for years and you're always the one who's expected to cover usually for the same people.

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
I think I was a little surprised when I read that staff would call out becauase of not having power at home....probably because when this has happened to me, I'm MORE likely to WANT to go to work at that point, since I can take a hot shower and do my makeup and hair with lighting! I don't think I can remember anyone calling out because he/she didn't have power....why would you want to STAY there?

Recently had a power outage. I packed up my stuff (by the light of a flashlight) and headed in early. No sense in sitting in the dark....?

Exactly-I don't know what she was thinking but she is a newer nurse and this is her first winter with us.. She was counseled and is now aware of the accomodations available to us at the facility and will likely not repeat that behavior.

I will say that in my almost 25 years (as a can then LPN) I have NEVER called off due to weather.I was almost 7 hours late for my shift once (an ice storm) but I arrived and was ready to work a double and had a bag packed.

I will NEVER forget the hospice cna who lived across town and walked to my mother's house in a blizzard shortly before she died. I'll never forget the hug she gave me that day-I really needed it.

I will NEVER forget the look on my homecare hospice patient's mother face the morning I showed up in a blizzard. With a bag packed.

I will always remember the phone calls I have received through the years from family members thanking us for caring for their loved ones during blizzards, hurricanes and even a little earthquake.

No thanks are really necessary-it's what we do.

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

And if you don't have the money up front for a hotel room you have bigger issues. No credit card? No cash stash for emergency use? Our local gas stations were all " cash only" last week due to power outages from the ice storm and many ran out of gas. Good critical thinking on my part-I always keep my car 3/4 full , top off when bad weather is predicted and have a little cash stash in the house. And in a hidden compartment of my wallet.

There was a massive pile up on the Pa turnpike this morning-imagine running out of gas in the middle of that mess. Critical thinking = common sense, IMHO.

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Specializes in Med/Surg/ICU/Stepdown.
And if you don't have the money up front for a hotel room you have bigger issues. No credit card? No cash stash for emergency use? Our local gas stations were all " cash only" last week due to power outages from the ice storm and many ran out of gas. Good critical thinking on my part-I always keep my car 3/4 full , top off when bad weather is predicted and have a little cash stash in the house. And in a hidden compartment of my wallet.

There was a massive pile up on the Pa turnpike this morning-imagine running out of gas in the middle of that mess. Critical thinking = common sense, IMHO.

I have bigger issues if I don't have the money up front for a hotel room? Man, … I don't even know where to begin with that. Cash on hand or extra funds isn't always a luxury people have, even with the best planning. Financial emergencies arise. We're not all equipped for them. Especially when they happen one right on top of the other. Come on, now.

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Specializes in Palliative, Onc, Med-Surg, Home Hospice.
1. If I had tickets to a concert *and* it was a snow storm that I thought I couldn't feasibly drive safety to see said concert, then I'd elect not to go and take the consequences of not having my money refunded and/or missing a concert I wanted to see. I would not pay extra money for a hotel room if I didn't have it. However, this example doesn't make much sense, and I'll tell you why. Asking an employee to pay out of their pocket for a hotel room simply so they can work their shift is ridiculous. First of all, the hotel room that I'd pay for far exceeds what I'd make in that shift. Let me repeat it: FAR EXCEEDS. I don't have a job because I can afford to have a job. I have a job because I cannot afford to not have a job. If I choose to go to a concert, I obviously could afford the ticket. This means I likely could afford a hotel room too if I decided to brave the drive. Your example isn't lateral at all.

2. I'd likely say, "let's make plans to meet on a different day. The holiday will be the holiday, but this year, we can make a new tradition. No one's safety is worth traveling in the snow simply for this day!" Again, your example is invalid.

3. Now *this* is an example that has some validity, and so I'll address it as such. If my father had a heart attack and wasn't expected to live, this is an extenuating circumstance. Yes, of course I'd travel, but likely not alone. I'd ask someone to either a) transport me or b) travel with me. Would I be glad the nurses made an effort to get in? Sure, except ... let's consider that. If 1-2 nurses living over an hour away call out, am I to understand that you think those positions wouldn't be filled and the NM would allow the floor to go dangerously understaffed? That doesn't happen. There's a float pool, per diem, and call system in place for a reason. No NM in her right mind is going to allow a patient ratio of 1:8. No house supervisor would allow it. The hospital would NOT STOP just because a nurse, living > 90 minutes away, called out because of weather. There are precautions in place (in most acute care hospitals) for a reason.

Yes, these positions won't necessarily be filled. The nurse manager might not have a choice but to let the staffing go to 1:8 or 1:9. And the house supervisor might not have a choice. You're right about one thing, the hospital doesn't stop. The staff that does make it in, gets stuck with an assignment that is outrageous because they have no choice. It's all well and good to have per diem, or float pool, but if the don't come in. Not every hospital is HUGE, btw. It DOES happen, and apparently more than you think. It's naive to think it doesn't.

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Specializes in Oncology.
I have bigger issues if I don't have the money up front for a hotel room? Man … I don't even know where to begin with that. Cash on hand or extra funds isn't always a luxury people have, even with the best planning. Financial emergencies arise. We're not all equipped for them. Especially when they happen one right on top of the other. Come on, now.[/quote']

Which is why you get a credit card to use for emergencies only.

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Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.
I have bigger issues if I don't have the money up front for a hotel room? Man, … I don't even know where to begin with that. Cash on hand or extra funds isn't always a luxury people have, even with the best planning. Financial emergencies arise. We're not all equipped for them. Especially when they happen one right on top of the other. Come on, now.

Excellent credit gives me a "get out of jail free" card by Master. If a pet needs expensive treatment or my car needs expensive repair or I loose a major appliance I am good to go.

There is ALWAYS room in the budget to set aside some savings-even if it's ten dollars a week and it adds up. You stop buying coffee on the road, you start bringing in your lunch. You go to dollar stores, cut coupons ,write menus for the week and shop accordingly, stick to a list. You have meatless Mondays and add another day or two in the week to skip expensive protein. You cut expensive cell phone service, Turn down the thermostat, cut back on gas usage in the car by consolidating trips. You borrow DVD's from the library and you make pizza at home. You pick up extra shifts or a side job so you can have a cushion. In this economy you are a fool if you don't have a safety net,IMHO.

Listen-I was young and poor once. I really do have an answer for everything. My parents taught me my strong work ethic, the importance of saving and not spending more then you can afford and preparing for an emergency. I bet I have enough change in my jar to pay for one night in the Hilton down the road.It's NOT that expensive. And I have co-workers who would kick in.

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Why should i go above and beyond for an employer who isn't willing to do the same for me? If i am at work i expect to be paid, no exceptions. go in hours-sometimes over half a day- early in anticipation of an ice storm?i'm willing to do that IF they're willing to compensate me for that time. Too many people confuse work ethic with letting your employer take advantage of you. There is nothing noble about jumping through hoops for an employer for free. Going the extra mile is a two way street, and selfish employers create selfish workers.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

I don't think of it as doing it for my employer...I am doing it for little patients and their family. I am not a martyr in any way shape or form, but this is my job.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
What do you people do with your kids and pets?

I LITERALLY do not have a single friend or family member within 1,000 miles of where I live right now.

Can't answer for the kids, but I do have pets, and no one close enough to take care of them if I'm stuck at work. This is why I have a water fountain and automatic feeder for all of them. No, it's not a long term solution (such as a vacation) but it works fine for those days where I can't get home from work. Granted, my dog is smaller than my cats and litter trained, so I don't have to worry about letting a dog out, but I am prepared to have my pets fed, watered, and able to do their business.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
I have bigger issues if I don't have the money up front for a hotel room? Man, … I don't even know where to begin with that. Cash on hand or extra funds isn't always a luxury people have, even with the best planning. Financial emergencies arise. We're not all equipped for them. Especially when they happen one right on top of the other. Come on, now.

​To quote Tim Gunn: "Make it work."

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
Which is why you get a credit card to use for emergencies only.

There are cards for people with no credit or really crappy credit. It can be done; it sometimes requires more effort than some people are willing to exert.

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