Feeling so guilty calling off sick

[mclennan]

I have had a good old fashioned flu the last two days, with fever, chest congestion, cough & body aches. I'm pretty miserable. I called off yesterday and had to force myself to call again today. I had enough energy to wobble to the shower this morning but I'm back in bed, shivering and coughing.

My unit is super short staffed! I work in case management and and we are up a creek lately, no clerical support and we recently lost a supervisor, so my supervisor is covering until a new one is hired. Everyone's patient load is 100+. Ridiculous. It's the same old formula of hospitals squeezing as much as they can out of as few staff as possible.....they won't spend the money on more staff.

I feel HORRIBLE calling off! I worked sick Tuesday until my voice ran out. Being gone for 2 days really screws my co-workers and we are not set up to work from home (yet). I HATE this. It's generally a good place to work and I love my boss. So I feel extra guilty. Why do we nurses struggle with this, taking care of ourselves? Why am I feeling a minor state of panic, that everyone will hate me when I get back or I'll be disciplined in some way? I rarely call off or am late, and a good employee, but for some reason I feel doom.

I dunno. Just want to commiserate with anyone who can relate.

[Wile E Coyote, ASN, RN]

+ 2 6:33 pm by Esme12 Asst. Admin

"because we care"

That is the mind set that prevents us from being viewed as professionals.

Do you REALLY think doctors,lawyers, or ANY other credentialed professionals feel guilty for being sick?

I certainly do...I'll go as far as to say it's absurd to think "we"are alone in our selflessness. I've personally worked alongside an ED physician who saw patients while pushing around his own IVF hanging on a pole. He was flushing his kidney stones while working. Another saw pts from his wheelchair, another rounded after his chemo treatments.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

I certainly do...I'll go as far as to say it's absurd to think "we"are alone in our selflessness. I've personally worked alongside an ED physician who saw patients while pushing around his own IVF hanging on a pole. He was flushing his kidney stones while working. Another saw pts from his wheelchair, another rounded after his chemo treatments.

How beautiful.. such dedication.... do YOU want a doctor calling the shots on YOUR treatment while they are incapacitated with their own illness and pain?

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Write up ..schmite up . It's a moot point . If the CAREGIVER is to ill to give CARE ... they need to take CARE of themselves .. and prevent cross contamination. to the patients in their CARE.

THIS.

And if anyone gives you the business or the lassie aggressive "guilt" trip...IGNORE it!

I've stopped giving reasons of being sick, whether flu, or mental health day.

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

Stay home. I had to call out 4 shifts in a row with gastroenteritis. I know my attendance can get me into some trouble, but neither me or my boss wanted that spread around. That is what MD notes are for.

[Wile E Coyote, ASN, RN]

How beautiful.. such dedication.... do YOU want a doctor calling the shots on YOUR treatment while they are incapacitated with their own illness and pain?

You asked, I answered. The above is a separate issue, is it not?

[Stcroix, ASN, PhD, RN]

Where I work, the end of year personal reviews contain several factors, not the least of which is attendance. It doesn't matter why you called out, just the # of times you did- the more you did, the lower your score and the lower your raise (if any of course). In fact, there is some arcane ration of call outs that get you summarily fired- no excuse accepted. So that's what concerns many nurses.

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

I know it is not the most popular opinion of this site but:

Take care of yourself before taking care of others

[vintage_RN, BSN, RN]

I commend your dedication, I really do. But you need to take care of yourself. Think of the risk you could put your patients in by working while sick? You would be doing them more of a disservice, really. You're only human, just like everyone else.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

You asked, I answered. The above is a separate issue, is it not?

Far from a separate issue.. it is THE issue. Caregivers.. cannot provide care.. if they NEED care themselves.

Are we so self -important that we feel the need to report for duty, even when we can't possibly perform to the level our patients need?

[pookyp, LPN]

Curious, did you get the flu shot?

[HeatherGurl84]

I have been out of work for 3 weeks after catching the flu and a severe upper respiratory infection that landed me in the hospital. I am a severe asthmatic and it was very scary and of course I JUST started this new job.....talk about guilt. But then I realized that there is only ONE me and I have to take care of that me. Doctor told me I could not return to work until the wheezing stopped, and my new coworkers definitely didnt want me sharing. I work in a pediatrics office and I am not going to share these germs with the kiddos.....you have to use common sense.

[mclennan, BSN, RN]

I DID get the flu shot! Now, I haven't been swabbed to see if this is actually influenza, but I am pretty darn sure it's no common cold. I'm on day 3 of fever (100+), deep, painful chest congestion, hacking cough, runny nose and some of the worst malaise/fatigue and body ache I've ever experienced. I'm a real type A, hyper energetic, multitasking person and I've been sleeping almost around the clock since Tuesday. Unbelievable.

This year's flu shot was trivalent but obviously didn't cover this strain. I live in L.A. so dog knows what I picked up, some voodoo flu strain that bubbles up from earthquake faults or something.

I called off for a 3rd day. I haven't been this sick in years. Gonna pop by the Urgent Care for a note. I'm so over caring about work. I just want to feel better!!!