Guilt about using sick time

Roy Fokker, BSN, RN · Jun 5, 2009

You're sick. Means you're sick.

Please don't berate yourself - it's not like you went out, got drunk and then got into a car accident or something.

Sick leave was invented so that when workers got sick, they use the time off to get better. Nothing worse than working with an impaired or sick (or both!) co-worker - half the work doesn't get done right, plus you have the chance of spreading your sickness (or getting something new from) to your co-workers.

Stay home. Rest up. Recharge.

My first pre-ceptor (bless her) curtly told me one day when I dragged my butt in, looking sicker than a dog: "Go home Roy. We've survived all these years without you, we can certainly do without you for a couple days". I know it 'sounds cruel' but she's right on the money.

[As if to reinforce her point, despite my bending over backwards to accomodate the wishes of unit management to seem like a 'good employee', during yearly evals, they shorted my raise due to trivial BS over charting. No pt./co-worker complaints, no med errors, none of that stuff. Charting! That was the last day I let my dignity be held hostage to serve the 'model employee' ideal].

So yes, it sucks for us to work when we're short.

But stop feeling guilty about it - it's not "your fault". Staffing isn't your responsibility.

I never knew Vicodin can get you that impaired!

*snort* Last year, when I had to have a root canal re-done on a tooth, the endo-dontist was very kind and prescribed both Motrin and some Percocets ("just in case", she put it). I was doing fine on the Motrin when the local anesthetic began to really wear off.

Boy did that sucker HURT :sniff: In agony and desperation, I popped HALF a Percocet (I've never taken opiates in my life). I had food in my belly, I was well hydrated. Should be a closed case, right?

Yeah right! Within half an hour, I started getting 'weird feelings'. I felt a little 'dopey' (like being drunk but without that warm feeling you get at the same time). Then I started seeing pink elephants, talking daffodils and hamsters on the ceiling running in circles!!! :eek: :chuckle

All this, from half a percocet! I think I would've passed out if I'd taken the full dose

cheers,

JomoNurse · Jun 5, 2009

i dont understand why nurses feel guilty about calling in sick. when i'm sick, i call off for as long as i need to recover. i don't feel guilty at all. i sip my soup and watch soap operas all day and i don't think twice about work.

pawsomepooch47 · Jun 8, 2009

Thankfully Vicodin makes me extremely nauseous. But anyway, i used to agonize over using sick time. Would go to work sick. But now i realize i wouldn't want a sick or impaired nurse taking care of me or my loved ones. So enjoy your time on the couch. Besides that where i work if you don't use it you will lose most of it in the end.