I've been working at my first nursing job since October 2014...on a fast paced, high patient turnover, observation telemetry unit. I knew pretty quickly that it was going to be a stepping stone position for me but that I would need to stick it out for as long as possible (preferably a year).
Fast forward and now I'm almost five months in and I'm afraid I'm going to get fired because I've had to call out several times. The hospital policy is no more than 5 call outs in a 12 month period and I'm about to go over that because I'm sick and the doctor doesn't want me going to work (for my health as well as for the health of my patients). I have a doctors note but I don't think it matters.
One of the times I called out was because I agreed to stay until 11pm one shift (even though I was supposed to work the next day at 7am) and then ended up having to stay until almost 1am because I was given an unstable patient who I ended up having to call rapid response for and who ultimately was transferred to ICU. I told my manager I would come in the next day but asked if I could come in late given the extenuating circumstances - she said if I want there on time for my shift it would be considered a call out for the whole shift - I decided to do that because to me it's not safe for me to take care of patients on such little sleep.
We have lost 9 veteran nurses over the last 3 months on the unit and are ALWAYS short staffed. Even today when I sent in my doctors note and told her I couldn't come in tomorrow, my nurse manager have me a huge guilt trip about how short they were going to be.
On the upside, I have been recruited by an obgyn office and had an interview there earlier this week so it might all work out ok. If I don't get that job, however, I'm afraid I will be fired from this position and that it will hinder me from finding another job. I have never in my life had to call out so much in a short period of time however my immune system has had a hard time adjusting to life in the hospital and I have been legitimately sick each time I've called out (with the exception of the above situation).
Sorry for the long rambling post...I just wanted to see if anyone has any advice or could provide any guidance in this situation.
