RN never feels guilty when calling out

Nurses Professionalism

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Why in the world would anyone feel bad about calling out sick?? Management does't feel bad when they allow u to work short, dump extra work on you and do not mind writting you up when you call out sick. The CEO doesn't feel guilty when he brings home 200k/yr and ******* & moans about giving us a 25 cent raise. Its sickening when I hear people say that. Give me a break! They tell us to stay home when we are sick but when we do they write us up. Its a job people and we work to live, we do not live to work.

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I work per diem, and so if I'm working, it's either because someone is out on vacation or FMLA or called out sick. If I call out sick, there is not likely to be anyone who can cover my shift. I work in a small department with high volumes, and so one nurse being out sick makes a huge difference. So yes, I feel guilty if I have to call in, because I know my team mates are going to have a rough day.

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Well that's mighty kind of u but I'm from NJ and no one here gives a heck how u feel as long as u come in. What they say and what they expect are 2 different things. I am NOT a per diem. I am a full timer on 12 hour shifts and find myself coming to work sick as a dog to a floor that was short staffed to begin with. So no guilt here, EVER

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Don't confuse my feeling empathy for my team mates who will have to work short if I call in with going to work sick. I will not go to work sick- I call in, and you should, too. I simply feel a certain level of guilt because I know that most likely I will not be replaced. My empathy does not lie with administration- it is with my co-workers that I work shoulder to shoulder with nearly every day (while I am per diem status, I typically work more than the scheduled full timers- 12 hour shifts- days, swings, nights, whatever is needed). I'm not saying *you* should feel guilty. You are entitled to feel however you like. I was just sharing my experience because I thought that by posting, you wanted feedback. Apparently you just wanted to vent. My apologies.

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Specializes in ICU.

I only feel guilty for myself. We only get three call outs a year before disciplinary action starts. I am terrified of using mine... what if I used one for something only a little horrible and then got laid out with a bad case of norovirus a week later?

That's my guilt. I never feel like I am sick "enough" to take a sick day because I get so few of them. Took one last October when I had projectile vomiting/diarrhea, now I only have two sick days left until that one falls off this October. You better believe if I am not actively dying, I am showing up to work.

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I only feel guilty for myself. We only get three call outs a year before disciplinary action starts. I am terrified of using mine... what if I used one for something only a little horrible and then got laid out with a bad case of norovirus a week later?

Well, we can't give legal advice on this forum, but I will say that because you are in healthcare, OSHA would rather you didn't go to work with a contagious illness like Norovirus, and additionally, you may qualify for FMLA. It's true that in most places, employers can fire you for any reason including calling in sick to work, although there are exceptions covered by OSHA and FMLA.

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Specializes in CCRN.

I feel guilty about leaving my co-workers short. I do not feel guilty about staying home when I'm sick (and I do).

That being said, it sounds like you leadership team has some issues if that is really how they feel about things. I was a nurse manager and I hated leaving my team short. I worked on the floor many times so they wouldn't be short. Our CEO would come in and help with whatever he could (as he was not clinical, it usually meant running to get things or just being an extra set of hands on the floor).

I hated writing people up for attendance. Unfortunately, that is part of the policy and procedures we had to follow. That being said, we would refer people to FLMA if we could to help get them protection when we noticed ongoing medical issues, such as the employee that would call out for migraines. We made sure she knew she would be eligible for intermittent FMLA if her doctor filled out the paperwork. Her doctor filled it out and she was protected when she had to call out for her migraine. Not all employers are cold hearted. There are some things we can't avoid and we have to follow policy just as much as the next person.

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Specializes in Oncology.

Your CEO only makes $200k?

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Specializes in ER.

OP, you sound overwrought. Why in the world would you be so upset that your co-workers feel badly when they have to call in sick? I don't like leaving my unit short, but if I'm really sick, I call in. A lot of us feel we are part of a team and have a sense of loyalty.

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

Well, she's from New Jersey, so...

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Specializes in Management, Med/Surg, Clinical Trainer.
Well, she's from New Jersey, so...

And that means what? I am not sure what you are eluding to.

As to calling out, if I am sick I call out. No guilt.

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Specializes in Mental Health Nursing.

If I'm sick, I call out. But let's be clear, I don't call out because I have a headache or bad heartburn. I have to really be sick. I don't feel guilty or even think about my unit when I'm at work. I'm home, so why stress my sick self thinking about how things are going at work?

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