I'm a paramedic in a medium city. Today we were notified no time of last two weeks of the year! The police depts across the state (KY) Have pretty much adapted this policy already. But now it hits us my ??? is what are "they" expecting ? The last two weeks of the year? This seems about 3 or 4 weeks to early to me. Are there any other medical people out there with similar situations? Does anybody have a good theory on why the last two weeks of the year? Thanks!

-- R A (R A @wildcats.com), April 13, 1999

Answers

YES ! My wife is a pediatric nurse practitioner at our local children's hospital, staff has been told all vacations cancelled, extra mandatory hours have been added, and my wife is scheduled to work through the rollover itself.

-- Ct Vronsky (vronsky@anna.com), April 13, 1999.

No vacation is being granted Dec. 27, 1999 - January 10, 2000. (hospital)

-- quietly lurking (quietlylurking@preparing.com), April 13, 1999.

My wife, an RN at a hospital in Florida has been notified she will be on 24 hr. call for the last week of 1999 and the first two weeks of 2000. The hospital is currently accumulating a 30 day supply of meds, etc.

-- Rick (Rick@rick.rick), April 13, 1999.

Our family has three nurses, one ER/Trauma nurse, one pediatrics nurse, one psych ward nurse. As early as before Thanksgiving 1998, end of 1999 vacations were not allowed.

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), April 13, 1999.

What are they expecting to happen befor the end of the year?

-- R A (R A @ wildcats.com), April 13, 1999.

Probably need time to drill on contingency/continuity of ops plans...

DT

-- Doubting Thomas (IMHO@sooth.sayer), April 13, 1999.

best friend Kat - EMT
She is scheduled for 24hr on call starting one week before Christmas through Jan 6, 2000.

-- karen (karen@karen.kar), April 13, 1999.

If nothing else (not implying that there wont be something else, of course), there will be an extra demand for ob-gyn and pediatric care at the end of the year due to all of the fools who tried so hard last week to conceive the first millennium baby (Thursday or Friday was supposed to be the "best" day). I suppose a significant increase in pregnancies could lead to additional emergency calls as well, as could other millennium-inspired lapses in judgement.

-- Robert Neely (robert_neely@ncsu.edu), April 13, 1999.

I work at medium canadian hospital lab no vacation for 1st 2 wks of 2000. Our system is fixed?? but no $$ to test not filled with much confidence as this system took 2 yrs longer than originally stated to get online

-- lkb (lkb@hot.com), April 13, 1999.

Leaves are being cancelled as part of contingency planning. All of us are preparing for the big "what if" so why do we get so alarmed when, agencies, or businesses or organizations do. It just makes prudent sense.

-- mr. man (ianchloe@columbusrr.com), April 14, 1999.

Maybe TPTB are concerned about panicking leading to rioting? Could be one reason for end of year leaves being cancelled. Hubby is not allowed leave from mid Dec to mid Jan, working for telco.

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), April 15, 1999.