People calling out for the holidays

mindlor · Dec 24, 2012

I don't understand why patients and admin don't think nurses aren't people too? Like we can't get sick. This year, on Valentine's Day I was scheduled to work. My hubby and I don't even try to do anything on Valentines so it's no big deal, his birthday is around that time so we celebrate then and do it all together. But I called off on Valentine's Day (legitimately puking) and they completely acted like I was lying to get the day off. I understand there are fakers out there that want every holiday off.... but when you rack up holiday hours 40+ holiday hours on my checks for the year, not including the ones we aren't paid for like halloween and valentines... they need to be more understanding when it isn't a habit.

Where I work.....all we are, are human resources. They care not on iota about us as individuals. They would have no issue with working us to death, spitting on our graves, hiring new human resources and then repeating the cycle.

I worked yesterday 12/23, I am scheduled off today, then I work 12/25, 12/26, and 12, 27. They had the audacity to try to get me to work today, 12/24? Sorry, but 5 in a row is just plain dangerous all around....

As for calling off, manafement had GOT to realize that people can and do call off. Logic dictates that call off during holidays will increase. PLAN ACCORDINGLY. Have an agency lined up. Over staff for those days and then cancel as required. Seriously people? It is not rocket science.....

At our place when people call off they demand to know why. I have not investigated yet, but I think this is illegal. It would seem to be a HIPAA violation as well as a violation of federal labor law.

RNikkiF · Dec 24, 2012

I understand that people get sick, but where I work, if it is a holiday or inclement weather, you can bet you're going to be MAJORLY (dangerously) understaffed. Last Christmas, a friend of mine worked 7a-3p and was by herself on a floor with vents, wound care, tele and other moderately high acuity patients... there were 9 of them, one nurse and one CNA!! I went in to work 3-11 and took report on all 9 patients by myself. Thankfully another nurse showed up, but holy cow!! It is ridiculous! We have a "policy" that splits the staff into two groups to cover holidays, one group takes the eve, the other the holiday. The next holiday those groups are reversed... it NEVER works out. People are allowed to take leave on the day they are scheduled, or they just call in. I have very little patience for holiday call ins. If someone can prove they are sick, okay, but at the time it really infuriates me!

Snowstorm call ins irritate me too. I drive 30 miles each way to work. Another nurse I work with drives 115 miles ONE WAY to work! Last year during our ONLY day of heavy snowfall (couldn't even be considered a snowstorm here in WI). The two of us who have the longest drives got mandated to stay an extra 4 hrs because people who live within 15 minutes of the facility couldn't make it to work. We had some snow last week and our CNO told the Charge to tell anyone who called in that "We have a facility owned four by four truck. If there's anyone who can't make it to work will get a free ride to work in the company 4x4"... no call ins that day! :0)

If people don't abuse calling in (which they do every day where I work), then have to call in on a holiday, you know it is legit, but there are so many abuses of it that those of us who don't EVER call in get stuck with too many patients, too few aides and no resources. It is dangerous and scary. When that happens, I spend my entire shift praying for it to go faster.

shamrokks, ADN, ASN, RN · Dec 24, 2012

I want the holiday pay.

mustlovepoodles, RN · Dec 25, 2012

I have only called in once during a holiday. I came home Christmas Eve from working a 3pm-1:30am with a temp of 102, chills hacking cough, the whole nine yards. Woke up Christmas Day with full blown influenza. I was supposed to work 12/26, but I was so sick I could barely even walk to the bathroom. They threatened me with disciplinary action but I told them I was running a fever of nearly 104 and since I worked in the NICU, they probably didn't want me to come in a kill one of the babies with my virulent crud. In the end, they relented. I went to the doctor the next day and I was actually out of work for 10 days, so I missed New Years too. I was really really sick.

Back in 1993, Atlanta had a flukey blizzard. Once again I was scheduled to work. I really didnt' want to go in because I was 9 months pregnant due any day. Nope, they sent a guy out to my house with a 4x4 truck. Took us 3 hours to get to work, normally a 30 min drive. The NICU was slammed and we had about half staff. I was utterly exhausted due to the pregnancy and having to stay up all night. Geez. I still can't believe they bullied me into that. :no:

Ntheboat2 · Dec 25, 2012

Off topic, but I've had people (cashiers) seem annoyed when I go in on Christmas Eve to a gas station or dollar store. I really do try not to go anywhere on Christmas, but if I need something and the store is open...I will. Some of them will make a comment about working on Christmas Eve/Christmas and I'll say, "Yeah, I work in a hospital so I work many holidays too." It's like the rest of the world either doesn't consider that or just doesn't think we count I guess.

Multicollinearity, BSN, RN · Dec 25, 2012

A close loved one, frail, had an MI this morning and is in ICU. I had no choice but to jump in the car and drive 500 miles to get there. My second thought after 1) thank goodness she survived was 2) thank goodness I was off for Christmas anyway because I'd catch hell for this otherwise. Never mind that I have never called in once or been late at this job. It's kind of sad. Of course, employees have abused these benefits.

Or maybe I underestimate my coworkers and boss, and it wouldn't have been a problem if I had to call in. I don't know.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Dec 25, 2012

A close loved one, frail, had an MI this morning and is in ICU.

I hope that your loved one recuperates from this ordeal soon. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed with hopes for the best possible outcome.

mappers · Dec 25, 2012

Why is it acceptable that medical personnel are treated this way? I worked 15 years in other jobs before I became a nurse and I never saw the number of write-ups, firings, bullying, etc as I have in healthcare.

JDZ344 · Dec 25, 2012

I got sick over a holiday one year and couldn't come in, I felt dreadful about it and I just knew people would think I was faking

JDZ344 · Dec 25, 2012

I don't understand why patients and admin don't think nurses aren't people too? Like we can't get sick. This year, on Valentine's Day I was scheduled to work. My hubby and I don't even try to do anything on Valentines so it's no big deal, his birthday is around that time so we celebrate then and do it all together. But I called off on Valentine's Day (legitimately puking) and they completely acted like I was lying to get the day off. I understand there are fakers out there that want every holiday off.... but when you rack up holiday hours 40+ holiday hours on my checks for the year, not including the ones we aren't paid for like halloween and valentines... they need to be more understanding when it isn't a habit.

Since when is Valentines such a big deal that people would think staff would call in sick to celebrate it?!

rngolfer53 · Dec 25, 2012

A close loved one, frail, had an MI this morning and is in ICU. I had no choice but to jump in the car and drive 500 miles to get there. My second thought after 1) thank goodness she survived was 2) thank goodness I was off for Christmas anyway because I'd catch hell for this otherwise. Never mind that I have never called in once or been late at this job. It's kind of sad. Of course, employees have abused these benefits.
Or maybe I underestimate my coworkers and boss, and it wouldn't have been a problem if I had to call in. I don't know.

Coworkers separate the troopers from the slackers pretty quickly. People who have a good record of showing up on holidays, bad weather, etc usually don't get flack when something does come up.

Like with any other group of people, some will abuse any benefit. That makes it tough on everyone else. I really think peer pressure would do more to help this than draconian policies and universal suspicion.

Overland1, RN · Dec 25, 2012

Coworkers separate the troopers from the slackers pretty quickly. People who have a good record of showing up on holidays, bad weather, etc usually don't get flack when something does come up.
As with any group of people, some entitled souls will abuse any benefit. That makes it tough on everyone else. I really think peer pressure would do more to help this than draconian policies and universal suspicion.

As long as enough responsible people are in that unit to apply peer pressure (as opposed to being jealous they didn't call in "sick", too), then that would likely work. The problem seems to be that so many (too many) in Nursing look at sick days as a "benefit" to be used for other stuff, including just not wanting to go in to work. Over time, many facilities have established rules in response to this, potentially penalizing all staff for the actions of a relative few.

Before I worked in Nursing, I rarely heard of anybody calling in sick on a holiday. The whole idea of using a "sick" day as a "benefit" day was somewhat of a surprise.