No call No show but

Nurses LPN/LVN

Published

I placed a call to the Director of Nursing s phone, 2 hours, before my shift started. .. to let her know that i could not make it in for my shift , because i was sick ,

The bottom line is she said, she did not get call, I was a no call no show and I was let go

(As I ponder could I make Thur these 8 hrs. I was really sick) as i waited for the call back from ,the Don two hours before the shift started, to say she got the call

I fell asleep

I woke up the next day (feeling better then i did the night before) thinking everything was o k..when i returned to work the next shift I was allowed to clock in but then 2 hours after the shift started i was told by the supervisor i'm not to clock in again until i spoke with the don, as i sat there and told her what had happened and that I called. she said, she did not get a call (well, I did not realize that until after the fact,- that i dialed the wrong number), and that I was a no call no show and I was let go

I didn't say this but..

there are many employees there who were repeated "no show/no call" and was not terminated this was my 1st offense

one person in particular...who was a repeated "no show/no call" and was not terminated,, the boss told me, one day the reason , she would not fired her was because she was young and had a child. she actually got fired for threaten to do physically harm a new nurse , (being loud and abrasive about it and every one heard her say this) and this how she lost the job, not for the repeated "no show/no call, while i only missed once (no call no show) and were immediately terminated

also

..this guy just left the job at end of this summer there were many instances were this guy was a no call no show on our job

the way he finally lost the job was one day they facility admin called for a random drug test. and he admitted he was doing drugs and that s how he lost his job

this was my 1st offense and immediately terminated? I had 2 other write ups for documentation

St Louis Mo

at will state (but still unfair)

please tell me what you think I can do thxs

Clovery

549 Posts

I don't think there's anything you can do about this but move on. You made a mistake, and although I agree it's not really fair if they didn't terminate other employees for no call no show, that doesn't really matter. They're not going to change their minds after they already terminated you. Maybe they were looking to make staff cuts and this was the perfect opportunity for them. Try to find your employee handbook and look up their policies for discipline. File for unemployment, start applying for new jobs.

klone, MSN, RN

14,786 Posts

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

I don't think there's anything you can do except look for a new job. When something looks unfair or inequitable on the surface, usually there is a reason behind it (such as the employee who was let go was not performing up to expectations, or there were interpersonal conflicts with other staff). You say you have been written up two other times. They probably decided that you were too much of a liability, and wanted you gone. Good luck with the job search.

OrganizedChaos, LVN

1 Article; 6,883 Posts

Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

I have felt bad before & if I had not been able to get ahold of my boss I would set an alarm. So that way if I do go back to sleep I would wake up & try to contact my boss to let him/her know I wasn't coming in. Or call as soon as I knew I wasn't feeling well. If that meant call the night supervisor, then I did.

If you had two write ups, this was probably your third strike. So other people get away with it, that doesn't mean you were able to.

Now you just need to learn from this & move forward.

Editorial Team / Admin

Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN

6 Articles; 11,658 Posts

Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

At this point, there is nothing to d but brush yourself off and move on. However, take away from the situation that leaving a message isn't the best way to go- you never know if the person you're calling is there or that you've dialed the right number. Always speak to a person. And as for the other no call no show without being fired, all that will matter is if the facility followed the employee handbook in regards to you- the others aren't going to be viewed as relevant, plus you have no way of knowing anything about their disciplinary history as it is supposed to be kept confidential.

nurse4ever08

188 Posts

Always make sure you listen to voicemail for the person's name or correct number. Also call the facility and let staff on duty know.

SionainnRN

914 Posts

Specializes in Emergency Room, Trauma ICU.

It doesn't count as a call in unless you actually talk to someone. And you have no idea the circumstances of the other employees. Take this as a lesson learned.

Wave Watcher

751 Posts

Specializes in Community Health/School Nursing.

The floor I use to work on had a policy that we had to actually speak to someone. If we could not get a hold of our Supervisor then we needed to talk with the charge nurse on duty so she/he could pass along the information. I made the mistake of leaving a message for my supervisor telling her I was sick and was going to be out. She did not get it because she was out of the office all day (I worked nights). I was not fired but she did call me about 45min after my shift was suppose to start and asked where I was at.....she also made it really clear that I had to talk to an actual person when calling out. I get it. I was a new nurse....bad judgment. Live and learn. I would want the same courtesy handed to me if I had to find a replacement.

caliotter3

38,333 Posts

Just because others do something wrong, does not mean that you can do the same thing and expect to get away with it. That is true throughout life and will always remain a fact of life. No call, no show is a typical immediate termination offense in almost every facility. This is a given. It is somewhat sad that the DON will not allow for your mistake, especially if you were to show her the mistaken phone number on your phone, but she does not have to show you mercy.

mtngrl, ASN, RN

312 Posts

I would think a DON would have to have an actual voicemail message so how did you not realize you dialed the wrong person?

I have been told that everyone needs to talk to an actual person, don't just leave a message on nursing services answering machine. I have also gone as far as calling the floor that I work on to tell them.

cowboy up

39 Posts

Specializes in geriatric/long term care.

In the future you need to speak to someone a staffing coordinator, a unit manager,an ADON

but you need to speak to someone if you're calling off. NEVER JUST LEAVE A MESSAGE AND THINK THATS ALL YOU HAVE TO DO. Be proactive and take responsibility for your own job. Learn from this and don't ever lea v e your future in a cell phone message

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