Your employer's policy re: *snow and ice*?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi, I would really appreciate hearing from lots of people about what you do when you have to work but the roads are covered in snow and ice. I get many sarcastic or unrealistic responses from people I've asked. I should explain that snow and ice are still somewhat new to me, AND I have driven in a HORRIBLE ice storm and am still somewhat traumatized! :o

Once when I wasn't scheduled to work, the roads were treacherous and I was SO grateful to be off! When I asked my coworkers about it the next day, they said "they weren't that bad, I just drove slowly!" I'm happy for them, but I have slipped all over roads, even when I went slowly, and even slid through stop signs.....and it is SCARY!

I asked a paramedic what they do when there is an emergency out on rural roads that haven't been salted, and she said there's not much they can do, and maybe it's just that person's time to die......gee, what a great answer! (NOT!) :angryfire

I applied for a new job and asked the manager about snow and ice, and she said: "I *ALWAYS* make it into work, NO MATTER how bad the roads are, and I live a lot further than you!" :uhoh3: The thing is, I am dedicated to my job, but I am *NOT* willing to slip and slide on icy roads and risk my life......

So please tell me......what is your employer's view on this, and what do YOU do when the roads are just terrible?

Specializes in LDRP; Education.

I pretty much agree the posters who said it's probably more regional than anything.

I live in southeastern Wisconsin and you are expected to come in to work, regardless of the weather, UNLESS it is so bad that half the city is shut down, which doesn't happen.

Pretty much if the UW-Milwaukee shuts down, then it's bad. UWM doesn't close for nothing. :rolleyes:

So, I just leave in plenty of time, make sure I have good tires and plenty of gas.

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Specializes in ER.

So please tell me......what is your employer's view on this, and what do YOU do when the roads are just terrible?

As others have said, it comes with territory. We have snow covered roads for almost six month a year, and midwinter the snow can be up to 6 ft deep. We are expected to get to work in all conditions, but everybody is understanding if those with long commutes are late now and then. We have a excellent organization that plows the roads, highways "never" get shut down.

I am understanding that someone not used to iwinter conditions are worried about driving.

My advice is to drive careful, and use steel studded tyres, everybody uses them in the winter. 4WD, ABS breaking and antispin helps, but quality studded tires are the most important.

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I'm from Canada and it was expected you show up unless the roads were actually closed and I can't recall that happening. I can't tell you how annoyed I got if someone showed up late to relieve me and blamed it on the weather. Have good tires, chains if need be, leave early and drive slowly.

OT, but it drives me INSANE when people blame the weather for showing up late now that I live in California. 2 inches of rain and they act like it's a new ice age or something.

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Specializes in Utilization Management.

OT, but it drives me INSANE when people blame the weather for showing up late now that I live in California. 2 inches of rain and they act like it's a new ice age or something.

Here in Florida, we have lots of great weather. Then when we do get rain, we can really have a problem with the oil and water slicking the road surfaces. We call it "Florida Black Ice" because you can't see it coming. All of a sudden you're in this freaky uncontrollable skid. Happened to me a couple of years ago coming off an exit ramp into a major intersection. I was doing about 35, which was under the speed limit.

Happily, the car landed in the median of a very busy intersection and the damage to my car was minimal.

But I'm sure it happens in CA too, so please be careful even when it's raining.

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OT, but it drives me INSANE when people blame the weather for showing up late now that I live in California. 2 inches of rain and they act like it's a new ice age or something.

I hear ya on that one. You'd think Dallas sat right in the middle of the desert and hadn't rained in 40 years the way the natives would act whenever it would rain.

Rain, in warm weather, for crying out loud.

Now that I live on the gulf the people here are more used to the rain and deal with it.

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My brother gave me some great advice years ago. . .learn the routes that the city busses take. Why? Because those routes will often be the first streets that will get plowed when the plows get going. Freeways will often get shut down when the state department of transportation can't keep up with a snow shower. So, even if you take a freeway to work all the time, you should also know how to get to work without going by freeway.

Excellent advice. I never thought of that. I wish someone would have told me the bus route thing back when I lived up north!

The other advice you gave was also good for people like Texans who get taken off guard by it but pretty much common sense to anyone in the northern states who deal with it on a regular basis.

Never thought of that.

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Specializes in Home Care.

I work in home health, in a rural part of Missouri. All of the nurses try to come in when weather is bad. If the roads become too icy, or too much snow, we look at the schedule, and see the "absolutely have to's"....those patients who are daily, have dressings they are unable to change, or IV's that need to be done. We always tell patients when we open the case about contingency plans during the winter.....we may not be there if roads are dangerous. We are never forced to put ourselves in a dangerous situation as far as roads go, but each nurse is different. I've been doing home care for so long....I know my limits as far as back country roads.

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We are pretty much expected to be at work as scheduled...weather is no excuse even for the people who commute from 60 miles away. Our manager's logic is that we all have access to news sources and we should pay attention to weather reports...if it looks like it is going to be bad, we need to leave early, arrange a trade, or somehow make sure we are able to safely show up for our shift.

I live about 5 miles out of town and have spent more than one night (actually day, since I work nights) either at the hospital or with my parents in town. I don't think that because someone lives closer to the hospital that they should have to cover because of weather.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

We try to make arrangements to carpool. We have a list of everyone's address and phone number, and we had a big meeting to determine the "chain" of the carpool. The idea is whoever is heading towards the hospital picks up co-workers that are on their way.

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I live in a rural state, and about 5-6 miles from my job.

I've always been able to get there.

All the other nurses on my shift live at least 35 to 40 miles away.

One in particular likes to moan and groan about how hard it is for her to get there, but who do nurses think will do the work if they don't come in?

Just because I live the closest and am always able to get there, does not mean I can work the shift by myself.

I know it is hard to drive 35, 40, miles on ice, because even just 5 miles in treacherous, but I suppose preparations would be in order. Like reserving a motel room.

We're nurses.....we have to be there. It goes with the job.

If we didn't want to work holidays, undesirable shifts, long hours, or have to be there during snow and ice....then I think we should have been a secretary.

I guess I'll get flamed for my opinion.:zzzzz

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What always aggravates me is the manager that won't drive in (after all, they aren't "critical staff") but expects her staff to come in. (Of course, this was the same manager that said you couldn't take off more than 3 days in December because of the high census but herself took of 3 weeks of the month. She was always a "Do as I say" kind of manager.)

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Specializes in ER/Trauma.

Lived in Indiana most of my life, was in Iowa for a short time, in the winter no less. Only one time that I ever recall being called and told not to come to work and that was a non nursing job. The thing about winter driving, it just takes practice. Don't let having a 4WD or FWD vehicle fool you into thinking you drive like normal. You still need to be cautious. My dad took me out when I was 16 in snow and made me drive in a parking lot until I got a feel for it. He even made me do put the car in a spin so I could learn how to recover. Every year beginning around November, he would start putting together emergency kits for the trunk, even did it for me when I got my first car. Check out RedCross.org for winter driving checklists and other info.

My advise.... keep a bag in the car with emergency supplies, never have less than 1/2 tank gas, and always take it slow.

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