called in sick

Nurses General Nursing

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to keep a long story short...I transferred about a month ago to a new unit from a hospital I have worked at for two years. I am still on orientation and I called in sick today because I know I have a UTI. I tried taking azo to help relive the pain, drank lots of water and cranberry juice to try to hold me over without pain until the end of the shift but it didn't work and I ended up calling in. I just feel really bad for calling in and that it could be held against me....i'm going to the doctor today so maybe I will present a doctor's note voluntarily.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

Sorry your in pain, but what is the purpose of the thread?

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Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.

ahh I think I get it... new on orientation and had to call in... yep. Sure does look bad. Unfortunately because we pee so rarely and don't dare drink fluids to encourage that type of behavior:D UTI's are very common in nurses.

Live on cranberry juice if you can, push fluids even though you don't want to and know that many of us work routinely with those painful UTI's. I get several a year and would be terminated if I called in for each one. This doesn't mean that I don't hope you feel better and recover quickly.:redbeathe

It really does look bad in orientation though, me... would have dragged my bladder spasming self in... but my facility is not that forgiving, so I have little choice.

Just food for thought, while on probation, they can fire you for little to no reason... food for thought.

Feel better soon!

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Specializes in NICU.

You did the right thing, if that's any comfort!! An untreated UTI is not only impossible to work with but can lead to other problems. I'm glad you're getting in to the doctor.

Nurses can and do get sick on orientation and most work places aren't going to make that a deal breaker--unless sick call always happens on a Saturday night....The pain and urgency of a UTI is not going to put you in a good place to learn and orient. Feel better soon!

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You have to take care of you. I understand you feel guilty, and hope you feel better soon.

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Specializes in Surgical ICU, Pospartum/Well Baby.

At my hospital we have to find someone to cover our shift and basically CANNOT call in during our orientation period. They made this clear to me so I gathered a bunch of fellow nurses contact info just in case I needed it. Other than that, you just have to call in at least 2 hours before shift start so staffing adjustments can be made. If its less than 2 hours, we're given an "attendance occurence." These even occur if you leave for your shift and get stuck in the snow, get in an accident, etc. Ya know, stuff happens to nurses too. We're not invincible. Hope your employer understands that and you get to feeling better soon.

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Specializes in Hospice.
At my hospital we have to find someone to cover our shift and basically CANNOT call in during our orientation period. They made this clear to me so I gathered a bunch of fellow nurses contact info just in case I needed it. Other than that, you just have to call in at least 2 hours before shift start so staffing adjustments can be made. If its less than 2 hours, we're given an "attendance occurence." These even occur if you leave for your shift and get stuck in the snow, get in an accident, etc. Ya know, stuff happens to nurses too. We're not invincible. Hope your employer understands that and you get to feeling better soon.

yikes as a policy i will not work at a place that does not let you call in or makes you find your own replacement for earned vacation time(although we have to find our own for our weekend but that is mostly fair)

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Specializes in Newborns, Adolescents, and Burns.

Am I bad nurse for thinking that if you've gotta be (genuinely) sick, orientation is the time to do it? Could you just find someone willing to take you on as a temporary preceptor and work an extra shift this week? That way you don't extend your orientation time beyond your current schedule.

Since orientees have to learn, and not just scut, in a way they're even less useful than techs (I say this as someone who just came off orientation at a new hospital myself). Work-wise you'll never be less missed by the other floor nurses and charge than during orientation -- though I'm sure that emotionally it feels much worse. Of course, they still can't tell if you're a hard worker who made a reasonable choice for important self-care or a malingerer who doesn't even respect the sanctity of orientation. Showing up with a doctor's note and ready to work a make-up shift will probably go a long way, though. So will giving the strongest first impression you can on subsequent shifts. Good luck, and hope you feel better soon!

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Specializes in NICU.

I got sick during orientation, went to work anyway and was sent home because I also developed allergic reaction to medication that was prescribed. They totally understood-sick is sick! volunteering a doc's note will be helpful! But get back to work ASAP. For a UTI the most you'd miss is one day. AZO, cranberry juice and a couple of doses of ABX and you should be feeing better.

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Thank you all. You helped me feel better about missing a day to take care of myself first. I will most definitely bring in a doctor's note and ask to make up this missed orientation day later this week.

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Specializes in Women's Health.

Unfortunately because we pee so rarely and don't dare drink fluids to encourage that type of behavior:D UTI's are very common in nurses.

I have had no UTI'S , BUT I do drink. :redbeathe I once shadowed a nurse for a job and she said "because we don't drink all day out urine looks like gravel". I immedialety lost interest in that job. We need to take care of ourselves!!!!! Eat, drink, rest. Be sure to take a break. The work will always be there. If you don't take care of yourself, you cannot take care of others. :heartbeat

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Specializes in ER/Ortho.

I am lucky...I work the night shift so we are able to drink throughout the night. When I orientated on days I was against policy to have food or drinks at the nurses station even in the back away from public view where we sometimes chart. I would go 14 hours with only one drink during my 30 minutes for lunch, and sometimes I didn't even get that. During nights I keep a bottle of water at the desk where I chart, and sip on it through the night.

Unfortunately because we pee so rarely and don't dare drink fluids to encourage that type of behavior:D UTI's are very common in nurses.

I have had no UTI'S , BUT I do drink. :redbeathe I once shadowed a nurse for a job and she said "because we don't drink all day out urine looks like gravel". I immedialety lost interest in that job. We need to take care of ourselves!!!!! Eat, drink, rest. Be sure to take a break. The work will always be there. If you don't take care of yourself, you cannot take care of others. :heartbeat

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