Going into work sick!?

[Nursearaeg]

The other night I came down with the "stomach flu" or gastroenteritis or whatever you prefer calling it. I've only been at my job 3 months so unfortunately I had no sick days. I work in a nursing home, so the elderly are clearly more prone to illness and get sick so easily. I didn't want to get written up for calling off, so I sucked it up and hoped for the best. Unfortunately when I got there, I threw up within 20 min and felt terrible. I left (there were enough nurses on staff. I was extra help that midnight shift which I picked up for them) and when I came back all better I got written up for leaving. I hand wrote a note explaining what happened to the DON and that I TRIED to handle the shift, but got no slack. Am I the only one who thinks it's crazy I was EXPECTED to work with elderly patients while sick!? I just wanted thoughts. Thanks!

[Pangea Reunited, ASN, RN]

I think it's crazy that you went in to start out with. It would have been better to call in with plenty of notice instead of going home slightly after your shift started. Why would you be worried about getting writen up for being sick? Have you reached some sort of limit for call outs?

It's hard for me to believe that any nursing home is so overstaffed that someone taking off doesn't have any effect on the night. Emergencies do happen, but you knew about this illness ahead of time and could have planned better.

[anon456, BSN, RN]

Hate to be hard on you but I agree. I will go to work sick sometimes if it's mild upper respiratory and I wear a mask and wash my hands even more than usual. But I draw the line at stomach bugs, suspected strep, and fevers.

[Nursearaeg]

Yes, I would have for sure gotten written up if I called in because they haven't given me any sick days yet. I had a better shot going in and hoping I didn't get sick and leaving to not get written up. Also, we normally have 2 nurses on midnights and they will sometimes ask a third one to come in if census is high. I have had to cover for a third nurse call off before and work with only one other nurse. I'm typically afternoon shift though.

[Nursearaeg]

Had I known for sure it was a stomach bug I would have just called off and taken the write up. But I had a headache and thought maybe it was from that which caused me to get sick, so after I threw up at home, I took a long nap, woke up, had a snack, went to work, felt nauseous from moving around and the snack, threw up, felt miserable, and realized it was not due to my headache (which by then had alleviated).

[loriangel14, RN]

Wow. Where I work you would be sent home pronto if they knew you were even a little bit sick. They don't want us at work if we are under the weather. They also have a mandatory waiting period before you are allowed to come back.

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

I hope I never have to be placed in a nursing home. The stuff I read here terrifies me.

[RNGriffin]

WOW! You received a written warning for being ill and you'll receive a written warning for giving the facility sufficient time to find a replacement? I would never!

I think it's worst to go into work ill and then leave, because what if there weren't enough nurses on staff to cover your work load? You played a gamble with this one. But, I think the unit manager made the appropriate decision to counsel you. I do think this should have been a verbal warning, but it's also crossing the line of potential patient abandonment. You accepted an assignment and then fell ill....I don't know what to tell you.

[Loo17]

Did you receive the warning because you went home or because of the way you left? Meaning did you follow protocol as far as the way you notified management you needed to leave?

[pinkiepieRN]

Where I work (if you're on your 3 month probation), you get a verbal written warning for your first absence. If you've been there for more than 3 months, you can get up to 3 absences before you receive a write-up of any sort. I would have called out for piece of mind. If you were there for 20 minutes and threw up, I can only imagine you were feeling crappy at least 2 hours before your shift started. You could have called out and they could have gotten someone who would stay the whole shift, rather than you being there for less than an hour and getting sent home. You didn't do anyone a favor by going in. You probably got written up because they had to send you home rather than you calling out of your own volition! Next time, use your judgement rather than fear of getting written up. A write up does not equal termination! If you were "extra staff", was this potentially OT? If you didn't have the time off and called out, you likely would have received "unpaid leave". That sucks that you didn't have the sick time, and I hope you start accumulating sick time soon so this doesn't happen again!