What's the worst weather you've gone out in?

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Specializes in oncology, trauma, home health.

OK, I know that most of you live in always-snowy areas, and we sound like wimps here in the NW. But on the heels of a snowstorm and today the promise of an ice-storm, what's the worst weather you've driven to see patients in?

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Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.

30 inches snow.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blizzard_of_1996

Was WE Supervisor when the Blizzard hit on Sunday AM and instituted agency disaster plan. I had staff that did not want to go home with 8 inches on the ground. Monday state declared emergency to plow Philadelphia main streets. Tuedsay DH took me in to see 4 patients with wounds IVAB. He parked in KMART Lot --would drop me off on main street and I hoofed it in several blocks through drifts. Took me 6 hours to complete visits with patients within 2 miles each other.

He STILL talks about it today: "NEVER AGAIN". I tagged team with Psych RN after that as no place to park for 2 weeks in many neighborhoods. Med Surg seen MWF + Psych Tue/Th.

Usually have 12 inches 1-2 x yr along with ice storm when I try to get home ASAP --black ice not fun.

Waiting others adventures....

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Specializes in Med/Surg, OB, Home Health/Hospice.

Last Spring I drove my Toyota Corolla through flood waters over a bridge becasue a pt needed critical bloodwork and was land locked in from the water. I made it TWICE, but about got fired. LOL! Sad part about it was, he was a terrible stick and I didn't get the blood!!

Rain, Floods,Hail, Sleet, Snow, the HH Nurse is on the GO!!!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, OB, Home Health/Hospice.

PS. Last year I was in Rural Missouri where snow drifted driveways can be 1/2 mile long. The Toyota got stuck and I had to walk in... an old lady carrying that CPU and supplies is NOT FUN through snow drifts! But to my rescue came the owner with his tractor and we rode to the house just fine! I have seriously though about getting a HORSE and playing Doc Baker on Little House on the Prairie! LOL! I LOVE THIS JOB!!!!

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Yikes, closed the office today at 3:00pm and agency cancelled all visits for tomorrow with al pt's, MD's, CG's, and families informed. Drove 55 miles home in blowing snow barely making up my hill into my driveway at 5:00pm. Nobody here is working tomorrow at least in the field. I will take the pager from home!!! Baby it's cold outside!!!

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Was driving home one time in heavy rain and wind and thought car would be involved in bad accident or off the road and into the bay or over an embankment. Car was bad handling in wind and rain and everyone else in their SUVs and such were barreling around me while I clung to wheel 'til my knuckles turned white. There was no place to pull off and I could only travel so slow or so fast. Contemplating all the while how I would call off next shift as I didn't want to put myself in that again. Yes, it was only rain and only wind, but I couldn't drive safely in it.

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Hurricane Jeanne in 2004. Windy.

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Blizzard of 1993. Had a police cruiser pick me up and take me to work. Absolutely no cars on the roads, everything was at a standstill. I had had a bone marrow biopsy the day before which added to the fun. Can't believe some of the stuff I have agreed to over the years.

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I used to live and work in the Florida Panhandle. and we had a vent patient in a trailer in the area of town that usually floods real bad..and so I had to go out into that during a hurricane...

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Specializes in Long-term care, home health.

The Blizzard of 1996 in the northeast........I actually got my visits done in the morning before the brunt of the storm hit, and made it home in a foot of snow. Shortly after that, we had freaky warm 70 degree weather. All that snow melted overnight, no exaggeration, followed by 4" of rain, so then there was terrible flooding everywhere. Several nurses out in the field had to stay overnight at patients' homes, because no matter where they tried to drive, roads were flooded. I had my husband's big pickup that day, and drove through an overflowing creek (I know, RISKY!) to get home. Then we had to deal with flooding in our street and basement. That was NOT a fun winter!

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Specializes in med-surg, MICU/SICU, Csurg ICU, HH.

This is my first winter in home care, and so far I have worked in 5 snowstorms this winter. Luckily I have a small SUV. But the worst was New Year's Eve...1'20" to go 12 miles on main roads.:uhoh3: But I'd still rather be doing home care than the hospital/ICU. I don't miss it!:smiletea:

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