[MzSuziQ64]

I have been in HH for almost four months, and despite it being quite stressful at times, I have, for the most part, enjoyed it. Then I got the flu. I had worked last Wednesday and Thursday with a fever of 101, coughing, nauseated, etc. Friday, I just couldn't get out of bed, and aching all over, with chills/fevers, I called in sick. My boss hung up on me, then preceded to call me back 10 minutes later, accusing me of faking, and what was I trying to do to the ONLY other RN by causing her to have to do four SOC in one day. I told her I had worked sick for two days, and was just too sick to get out of bed. Never mind the fact that my boss, the assistant administrator, is an RN with absolutely no HH experience whatsoever, and has never even filled out an OASIS, or done a home visit. She, of course, was unable to provide the other RN with any assistance that day. And that was MY fault? Then Monday came, and after being in bed all weekend, I called my boss and told her I was still sick, now with bronchitis, sinus infection, inner ear infection, but would try to come in the next morning, as I was on meds. She insisted I have a doctor's excuse (since she thought I was faking) before returning, so I went to the urgent care. The doctor there prescribed five more meds and put me off work for three more days. I called my boss to tell her I had my doctor's statement, and when I told her he had excused me from work for three days, she again hit the roof. Well, you can come back before then, right, she says? I said that I had best follow doctor's orders if I wanted to get well anytime soon. Just driving to the urgent care and home was difficult at best. She said something about "our poor girl (the other RN) having to have so much put on her" because of me. I then show up after my sick leave, and my boss and the other RN will not speak to me, and have dumped piles of stuff on my desk, giving me patients that live over an hour away, and will in no way offer me any assistance with anything. I'm still hacking and snotting and feverish, and they still believe I was faking??? I'm so depressed that things have turned out this way. Was so angry, I just wanted to walk out on the spot. Any advice?

[Silverblitzen]

MsSuzieQ,

I feel your pain, literally. I'm just starting my new position in HH, only I got what you had at the start! How's that for a beginning? I think that given the way you were treated I'd dust off my resume and continue looking. I don't know where you live, but there has to be other HH agencies in the area that would be happy to have you and your skills. There's no reason to put up with treatment like that in today's nursing shortage. The "poor girl" may have to work solo again, but you can't fix the system- the manager needs an attitude adjustment. I am one that keeps my bugs at home when I'm sick. We work with a compromised population to begin with and I don't want to make them any sicker than when I started and I certainly don't want to put myself at further risk of ending up in hospital. I'll give you one more bit of advice if you can stand any more - it's taken me over fifty years of living to understand that I have to be #1 when it comes to taking care of me. When it comes to your health, you have to advocate for yourself because no company, manager, or coworker is going to do that for you. You did the right thing staying home.


Hackingly yours,
Sue

[DutchgirlRN]

Originally Posted by MzSuziQ64

I had worked last Wednesday and Thursday with a fever of 101, coughing, nauseated, etc. Friday, I just couldn't get out of bed, and aching all over, with chills/fevers, I called in sick. My boss hung up on me, then preceded to call me back 10 minutes later, accusing me of faking. Then Monday came, and after being in bed all weekend, I called my boss and told her I was still sick, now with bronchitis, sinus infection, inner ear infection, but would try to come in the next morning, as I was on meds. She insisted I have a doctor's excuse before returning, so I went to the urgent care. The doctor there prescribed five more meds and put me off work for three more days. I called my boss to tell her I had my doctor's statement, and when I told her he had excused me from work for three days, she again hit the roof. Well, you can come back before then, right, she says? I said that I had best follow doctor's orders if I wanted to get well anytime soon. Just driving to the urgent care and home was difficult at best. She said something about "our poor girl (the other RN) having to have so much put on her" because of me. I then show up after my sick leave, and my boss and the other RN will not speak to me, and have dumped piles of stuff on my desk, giving me patients that live over an hour away, and will in no way offer me any assistance with anything. I'm so depressed that things have turned out this way. Was so angry, I just wanted to walk out on the spot. Any advice?

You worked sick, with the flu no less, for 2 days. That's not smart. They should have sent you home. Good pt care begins with responsibility and sending a sick nurse out to see an already compromised pt is totally irresponsible.

Whatever the other RN had to do to cover your illness is not your problem. I'm sure she got paid for the hours she worked. Had it been the other way around you would have been stuck. That just happens sometimes. They need to act like mature adults and get over it already.

Acting like that when you returned is absurd. I would leave if it were me. But I would give a two weeks notice. Show them some nurses practice professionally

[jnette]

Originally Posted by MzSuziQ64

I'm so depressed that things have turned out this way. Was so angry, I just wanted to walk out on the spot. Any advice?

OMG.. that's insane. Nurses should NOT be going out to patients' homes (or be around patients in the hospital for that matter) when sick like that. It is only bringing sickness to our patients. We KNOW better.. as does your employer!!!

Granted, we all do it.. with a cold or just feeling "puny". But with that kind of temp and all you had going on, you had NO business being around patients.. they are sick enough ALREADY !!!

I'm so sorry your employer and colleague were so unsupportive. How very rude and self centered.

Advice you say?

Get out of there the sooner the better.


((((((((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))))))

Originally Posted by DutchgirlRN

You worked sick, with the flu no less, for 2 days. That's not smart. They should have sent you home. Good pt care begins with responsibility and sending a sick nurse out to see an already compromised pt is totally irresponsible.

Whatever the other RN had to do to cover your illness is not your problem. I'm sure she got paid for the hours she worked. Had it been the other way around you would have been stuck. That just happens sometimes. They need to act like mature adults and get over it already.

Acting like that when you returned is absurd. I would leave if it were me. But I would give a two weeks notice. Show them some nurses practice professionally

Ditto, ditto, and DITTO !!!

[RNKittyKat]

That's what casual staff is for. Let me guess, the brains of the outfit didn't think a nurse could get sick. Some brains.

[blh3]

I have worked in HH 20yrs with most of that time being in a management position. I am so sorry that your manager treated you in the manner that you report. I understand her staffing frustration but that was her responsibility and not an excuse to treat you like that. A real concern I have reading your post is that she allowed you to see patients while running a fever. That is certainly not in the best interest of the patient, the agency, or you! Sounds like she needs to take a hard look at her management skills and also needs to beef up her prn staffing. My heart goes out to you! Hang in there in the HH field even if you need to look at another agency.

[nurseaboveboard]

Yeah, managers can just be the pits. I don't work in HH, but a few years ago was the only nurse in a family practice office. My sis was dying and lived her last year with my other sis, a couple hours from me. I worked Mon-Fri, and traveled every other weekend to help out, give my sis and bro-in-law a respite, etc. The Sunday she died, my sis called me and told me it was "imminent." Actually, she had just died, but my sis knew I couldn't change that, and that I had our lab profeciency testing hanging over my head, scheduled for next day. Anyhow, long story longer, I went to the office, completed the professiency tests, got them ready for mailing, etc., called my boss and had to leave a message re my sister's situation, and that more than likely, it would be three days bereavment, and also, that I had completed the profeciency testing, so they wouldn't have to worry about that. Well, of course my sis was dead when I got there. My other sis was just a mess. We planned the memorial service, etc., which had to be held in another town, where my sis was originally from, family traveling to make it, etc., all of those things you have to accomplish/arrange for. Turns out, I had to take one additional day, and OMG, the world was coming to an end! Basically I was told to "do what you think you need to do, but be prepared to suffer the consequences." Keep in mind I had never missed a day, nor punched in late, and frequently stayed late. Oh yeah, MY SIS JUST DIED! I cannot imagine WHAT goes on in the minds of certain managers!!!