Hospital lowers the boom on staff who refused to work or didn't call in during deadly storm
A Florida hospital has fired or suspended about 25 nurses who didn’t show up for work during Hurricane Frances, according to an Associated Press (AP) report.
The nurses, who work at Florida Hospital-Ormond Memorial in Ormond Beach, Fla., were fired for not calling in, not showing up or refusing to work. Others were suspended for not completing their shifts or coming in late, according to Desiree Paradis-Warner, a spokeswoman for the hospital.
Paradis-Warner told the AP that critical care employees are required to work during a disaster as per hospital policy.
“It’s in each employee’s job description,” she said. “We have to have caregivers here… patient safety is our number one priority.”
The hurricane hit the state in the early morning hours of Sept. 4, making landfall nearly 250 kilometres south of Ormond Beach.
Other Florida hospitals contacted by the AP said none of their employees had been disciplined for missing work during the storm that left 15 people dead and caused an estimated $2 billion US ($2.57 billion Cdn) in damages.
The nurses, who work at Florida Hospital-Ormond Memorial in Ormond Beach, Fla., were fired for not calling in, not showing up or refusing to work. Others were suspended for not completing their shifts or coming in late, according to Desiree Paradis-Warner, a spokeswoman for the hospital.
Paradis-Warner told the AP that critical care employees are required to work during a disaster as per hospital policy.
“It’s in each employee’s job description,” she said. “We have to have caregivers here… patient safety is our number one priority.”
The hurricane hit the state in the early morning hours of Sept. 4, making landfall nearly 250 kilometres south of Ormond Beach.
Other Florida hospitals contacted by the AP said none of their employees had been disciplined for missing work during the storm that left 15 people dead and caused an estimated $2 billion US ($2.57 billion Cdn) in damages.
