Is it ok for your work to call you after you called in sick?

[RNforLongTime]

I called in sick last night at 2:25pm for my 7p-7a shift last night. Now, I just checked my cell phone and there's a message from the shift supervisor saying it's imperative that I call her back. She left the message on my cell phone at around 4pm yesterday. I was home and sleeping and as far as I know she did not attempt to call my house since I still do have a land line because my husband would've woken me to tell me. She made no further attempt to contact me last night so I have to guess she probably wanted me to reconsider my sick call as they probably had NO ONE to fill my spot since I work in ICU and you can't just put anyone in ICU. Really, though, that isn't my problem.

Who gave her my cellphone number is beyond me. Must've been one of my coworkers because as far as I know, they do not have it. If they do, then I will have to change it (AGAIN). And as far as I also know, I am not in trouble for anything.

So, do you think it's appropriate for them to call me after I called in sick, within the guidelines of having to call off(for 7pm-it has to be before 3pm) to try to get me to "un-call" off sick?

I mentioned to another coworker that I have an interview at another facility next week. Apparently someone can't keep their mouth shut because one of my friends tells me that I'm in trouble since I called in last night. Guess it goes to show that I'm better off keeping my mouth shut.

[dream'n, BSN, RN]

Years ago my spouse called me in once because I was admitted to the hospital. I'm hooked up to a Morphine drip and my employers attendence clerk called me in the hospital to "check up on me" and it sure wasn't out of worry or compassion, that I know. Don't remember much of the conversion, but it still ticks me off to this day.

[RNforLongTime]

Years ago my spouse called me in once because I was admitted to the hospital. I'm hooked up to a Morphine drip and my employers attendence clerk called me in the hospital to "check up on me" and it sure wasn't out of worry or compassion that I know. Don't remember much of the conversion, but it still ticks me off to this day.[/quote']

See, I would've been reprimanded for my spouse calling me in. I have to call MYSELF in! How's THAT for RIDICULOUS!! Whenever I enter the hospital as a patient, I make myself a no publicity, so that the hospital would'nt even be allowed to ACKNOWLEDGE I was there.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

in 1998, my dad had a major heart attack and landed in the icu back home, about 2000 miles from where i was living. i packed my bags and headed for the airport on the first available flight, calling my work from the taxi. my boss said "we're already understaffed this weekend. i don't know if i can let you go."

"i'm already gone," i said. "i'll come back when dad is stable."

they called my husband to get the name of the hospital where dad was, and then called the icu every day to make sure he was still there and to ask for me. at the time, i thought they were being compassionate. later, i found out they were just checking up. i'm glad i didn't know that at the time!

[RNforLongTime]

See, that's just ridiculous Ruby!

[caliotter3]

Ruby is not the only one who has mistaken an employer's inquiries to be concern, instead of what they really are. Some of them, if you speak to them yourself, can not disguise their condescending attitudes, as if all of us were making up excuses not to earn our living.

[LatanyaMay2006]

I called in once last year because my mothers sister passed away and I did not feel emotionally ready to go back to work after the funeral, also wanted to keep an eye on my mom because she had recently lost her mother also. I called in, giving the staffing officer plenty of time to find someone to fill my spot. Instead of a "oh I'm so sorry for your loss", I got "are you sure you did not just wake up and not want to come to work?"

If he even dare act in the same manner towards me again, I will not hesitate to report him! Talk about no

compassion...

[LatanyaMay2006]

I called in once last year because my mothers sister passed away and I did not feel emotionally ready to go back to work after the funeral, also wanted to keep an eye on my mom because she had recently lost her mother also. I called in, giving the staffing officer plenty of time to find someone to fill my spot. Instead of a "oh I'm so sorry for your loss", I got "are you sure you did not just wake up and not want to come to work?"

If he even dare act in the same manner towards me again, I will not hesitate to report him! Talk about no

compassion...

[DirtyBlackSocks]

Don't over worry the situation until you know what's going on. Seems like a lot of fuss over a phone call, see what happens Tuesday. :)

[RNforLongTime]

UPDATE!!

I found out from another nursing supervisor that she wanted me to come in at 11pm instead of calling off for the whole 12 hr shift. The nursing supervisor who told me this told the one who called me that it was inappropriate for her to call me after I already called in sick. Not in trouble. So while I may have over reacted, my feelings about being bothered were justified by another supervisor.

[ghillbert, MSN, NP]

This thread makes me feel very lucky - I've been off work for 3 months so far to care for my terminally ill mother in another country. I check in with my boss and say I feel bad being off so long, and he just says "Take care of your family and don't worry about work". Such a relief.

[AngelfireRN, MSN, RN, APRN]

Grrrrr. This thread makes me so ill. Reminded me, though, of a LTC facility that I worked PRN for twice upon a time. First time I left, the sup threatened me with harm on my way home. Went back after the facility was bought out by another company and she was fired.

I was not on the schedule, they just called if they needed me. So, you can imagine my surprise when, one morning as DH and I are getting ready to attend the funeral of one of his family (who crumped suddenly of an SA hemmorhage) I get a call from the LTC wanting to know where I was. I explained that I was not scheduled to work. The rest of the convo went like this:

"Yes, you are. Sally talked to you. You agreed to come in today for Julie."

"Um, no, Sally has not called, I have not spoken to her, there are no messages or missed calls on the phone, and I think I'd know if I HAD talked to her and said I'd come in. I'm on my way to a funeral."

"Yes, you DID agree. You talked to Sally."

"No, I didn't. I haven't spoken to anyone there about working today."

"So, you're refusing to come in, is that it?"

By this time, I'm steamed.

"No, I'm not refusing to do anything. I never agreed to come in in the first place. I can't refuse to do something I never said I'd do to start with."

She slammed down the phone.

Couple days later, when I WAS asked to work, and DID agree, I went in, and found out that in fact there was someone else that had agreed to work, and the caller had mixed she and I up. The other nurse was running late, hence the phone call to who (she thought) was supposed to be there.

I ran into the caller, who kind of back-handedly said, "Hey, sorry about the other day. I was ready to go home, and I thought you were supposed to be here"

I wasn't having any of it, and replied, "Yeah, well you should be sorry."

Sorry, but staffing issues in the face of illness, death, or not even being scheduled and refusing to drop your plans to save their butt is no excuse for acting the northbound end of a southbound donkey.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

UPDATE!!

I found out from another nursing supervisor that she wanted me to come in at 11pm instead of calling off for the whole 12 hr shift. The nursing supervisor who told me this told the one who called me that it was inappropriate for her to call me after I already called in sick. Not in trouble. So while I may have over reacted, my feelings about being bothered were justified by another supervisor.

So ... you still have not had any resolution with this by following up with the person who called you.

You sound very unhappy in this job. Most of us have been there at some point. Hope that it gets better.