Would you accept this call out excuse?

Specialties Geriatric

Published

Thursday night I got a call at 7pm from a night shift CNA saying she was tired and didn't sleep that day and couldn't come in for her shift 11-7.

I told her that I that I would write up the call-out slip, but I didn't think being tired was an acceptable excuse. I got a string of profanities and then "fine, I'll come in"

I called my DON and double checked with her and she backed me up....but wow....if you are going to call out, come up with a better excuse, please!

Specializes in kids.

Ain't that the truth!!!!! And they scream the loudest!!!

It amazes me the number of times (I work 2 jobs) that people call in....at my primary job, there are 15 days per year and some people use all of them, every year....

"What do they have?" " 15 days!"

I am sitting on the max number of days avail. (and, in fact, losing days).....I am fortunate to not get sick often and am glad to have them if I have a big illness. Of course I won't come in with a fever or vomiting, but I will come in when I am tired, stressed, have a headache.......

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The cna's mistake was giving any excuse at all.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
The cna's mistake was giving any excuse at all.

True. Yeah it sucks to work short staffed but it is no one's business why you are calling in. Working nights sucks & it is difficult on the body. Maybe she was tired or maybe she wanted to party, what difference does it make? I have called in before just to have a day off. I just said I wouldn't be in.

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I more appalled by the "cussing". Although not directed towards you, who does that for a manager/supervisor to hear?!

However, as long as she called within the window, the reason shouldn't matter. Also, some people can't nap. Then, it depends on her commute time. For instance, when my commute time was an hour, I would have started getting ready at 8:30 to arrive at 10pm. I like to arrive a lil' bit early.

Better for her to stay at home, than arrive at work with a lousy attitude and mistreat the residents. Plus, some people need a mental health day. As long as she gives 100 % when she returns............. "forget about it" (said in my best Robert de Niro voice). :-)

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Specializes in LTC.

Our policy is that there needs to be a valid excuse. I was willing to accept the excuse but warned her that the excuse may not be valid...that is when she started swearing. I was more put off by the swearing than anything.

We have no extra coverage for nights at this point....so instead of 4 CNA's there would have been 3. Just no good solution anyway you put it.

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Mental health is important. People make mistakes due to fatigue and are impatient and testy. Sleep is very, very important.

We think nothing of someone calling out because they have diarrhea but if the person says "you know I'm very stressed with life lately and I don't think I can provide good care" we all get mad about it.

There was a thread a while back about a nurse who couldn't find her anxiety medication and instead of calling in and saying "I haven't taken my meds yet, so I can't work" QUIT. That is wrong. We should view mental health conditions the same way we view physical conditions.

Mental health should be a valid excuse.

Granted if the person does this all the time it's not right and they need to seek medical help, but if a person does this once in a blue moon it's not a big deal.

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I more appalled by the "cussing". Although not directed towards you, who does that for a manager/supervisor to hear?!

However, as long as she called within the window, the reason shouldn't matter. Also, some people can't nap. Then, it depends on her commute time. For instance, when my commute time was an hour, I would have started getting ready at 8:30 to arrive at 10pm. I like to arrive a lil' bit early.

Better for her to stay at home, than arrive at work with a lousy attitude and mistreat the residents. Plus, some people need a mental health day. As long as she gives 100 % when she returns............. "forget about it" (said in my best Robert de Niro voice). :-)

Perfectly worded!

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If you are insisting on an excuse, you are probably getting a lot of lies.

Our policy is that there neseeds to be a valid excuse. I was willing to accept the excuse but warned her that the excuse may not be valid...that is when she started swearing. I was more put off by the swearing than anything.

We have no extra coverage for nights at this point....so instead of 4 CNA's there would have been 3. Just no good solution anyway you put it.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Requiring a reason for calling out just teaches people to lie to you. "Lying to me" is not something I want to encourage.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
Mental health is important. People make mistakes due to fatigue and are impatient and testy. Sleep is very, very important.

We think nothing of someone calling out because they have diarrhea but if the person says "you know I'm very stressed with life lately and I don't think I can provide good care" we all get mad about it.

There was a thread a while back about a nurse who couldn't find her anxiety medication and instead of calling in and saying "I haven't taken my meds yet, so I can't work" QUIT. That is wrong. We should view mental health conditions the same way we view physical conditions.

Mental health should be a valid excuse.

Granted if the person does this all the time it's not right and they need to seek medical help, but if a person does this once in a blue moon it's not a big deal.

THIS! People think mental health disorders are freaks & weird but yet nurses are no different & suffer from them too!

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Specializes in FNP/FPMHNP-BC.

Why should it be an excuse if she is telling the truth. Look at it this way, what if i was drunk and I call U and tell U," boss I can't make it tonight because I had a little to much to drink" would U tell me to come in? In this age and time, we want people to be up front with us but can we really handle or even appreciate the truth. Patient safety comes first. Staff is so over work. If a patient got hurt under her watch U would of been singing a different tone . Like, " if she knew she was not a 100% she should of call out" or better yet, she should of call out with a good lie. Well, I would love to have that CNA on my team.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

When I did charge in the hospital I would only ask if they were calling in "ill", "absent", or "FMLA" for those who we knew had it. That was it. It was none of my business if they were really sick or were playing hookey.

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