Broke my foot - risking my job?

jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B · May 18, 2015

You broke this bone on site? Then that becomes a bit of a different thing. If so, you need to find out what the policy is regarding this, And it very well could be a worker's comp thing.

I would be sure that you follow the policy on this. And the way to do that is to have HR in the loop. They can direct you accordingly.

If you did this at home, you still may want to be sure that HR is made aware. They can assist you in accessing short/long term disability. What you do not want to do is to go against what the MD is telling you. If you communicate to your MD that you are still not able to walk with any sort of sense that the boot is helping, there may be an alternate boot--or perhaps not, but the question is out there.

I am sorry that this happened to you. But be 100% sure you cross your "T's" and dot your "I's" as far as workman's comp and/or disability...

If you are in a union, your delegate should also be in the loop. This way, if there is an "issue" with any of this, they may be able to assist.

Hope you feel better soon. Let us know how it goes, and best wishes!

Mindylane · May 18, 2015

Thanks for your reply!

Fortunately, it didn't happen at work. It happened at home. I already filed a claim with shirt term disability, but I told them I'd also be back on May 18. I guess I can call them today and see what extending it would entail.

I live in an at-will state, so I know that I can be fired for whatever. I'm just worried that using my benefits will give them a reason to terminate me... I don't know how to approach it.

calivianya, BSN, RN · May 18, 2015

Are you eligible for FMLA yet? That could help protect your job if you officially ask for FMLA leave. My job actually recommends we do that if we are going to miss more than 4 days. It doesn't have to be a super long term thing.

Mindylane · May 18, 2015

Thanks for replying. I actually don't, unfortunately... we have to have been there for a year, and my one-year anniversary is July 7th.

I woke up super early to call HR and see what they suggest. I'm just worried that it'll reflect poorly on me and my performance. I cannot believe that missing one step has had this effect. I can be in this stupid boot for up to 12 weeks from what I've read. What I'm worried about is that the ortho said that if it's not healing properly, they might make me non-weight bearing and that would obviously be way worse. So I'm thinking I should take the time now and actually keep off of it to save myself from the potential extended recovery time later.

I've never had to deal with this before, so I just don't know the right way to go about doing this.

Thanks :)

mvm2 · May 18, 2015

Yes just call HR and explain you thought you were going to be able to come back to work on the 18th but it just is not going to work out because the foot just is not ready yet. If you have been a good employee I am sure they will make it work, and as long as you give them enough time to be able to cover those shifts I can't see it a big problem.

Things like this happen and you can not help it. But yes please be sensible about this and give yourself enough time to heal properly. You don't want to make a mistake of stating to work again too early and make things worse for yourself. No job should be more important then your own health.

Mindylane · May 18, 2015

Yes just call HR and explain you thought you were going to be able to come back to work on the 18th but it just is not going to work out because the foot just is not ready yet. If you have been a good employee I am sure they will make it work, and as long as you give them enough time to be able to cover those shifts I can't see it a big problem.
Things like this happen and you can not help it. But yes please be sensible about this and give yourself enough time to heal properly. You don't want to make a mistake of stating to work again too early and make things worse for yourself. No job should be more important then your own health.

Thanks :)

I called my manager this morning and she was completely understanding. Unfortunately, there's not much I can do and she told me to call HR, which, of course, isn't open this early, so I'm just waiting... this is just an all around not fun situation and I don't know how I'm going to deal for 5 more weeks of this! Haha.

llg, PhD, RN · May 18, 2015

Definitely agree with the previous posts. Let your doctor know that you are still having problems and follow his recommendations about when to return to work. Ask him to put his recommendations in writing (and make copies of it) so that you have paperwork to turn in to your HR department. They won't make you work if it is unsafe for you to do so or against your doctor's recommendations.

If you are otherwise in good standing at work, they will not want to fire you or punish you for this. It was an accident and such things happen all the time. They will want to retain you as an employee because if they fire you, it will be expensive for them to replace you now that you are completely oriented. They have everything to lose and nothing to gain by firing you or treating you so badly that you quit.

Technically, if you do not have enough sick time (or paid time off, or whatever you call it there) to cover the amount of time you need off ... they may have to terminate your employment. But if that happens, they can hire you right back again when you can work again. That happens sometimes when people don't qualify for FMLA and don't have a bank of time off that they can use. If you are a good employee, they will work with you to make things work out for them (and you) so that they don't have to hire someone new and provide a full orientation. If you are not a good employee and they are looking for a way to get rid of you, they could use this against you -- but that doesn't sound like the case here.

Just be sure to dot all the I's and cross all the T's and follow all the HR policies to the letter -- and it should be fine unless they are out to get you for some other reason.

Mindylane · May 22, 2015

Thanks everyone!

My manager was actually able to find me a light duty position -- so I will be able to work a desk job pending my second set of xrays!

I feel fortunate that they were able to work with me.

Thanks all!

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · May 31, 2015

I'm glad that they were able to find something for you to do in the meantime to stay busy and continue earning income. Definitely keep your doctor informed of exactly what you are feeling and follow his/her restrictions. I did not seek medical attention until a year after I fractured my foot running (I honestly didn't know I had broken it, just that it hurt like hell). Over time the pain got worse with even walking and I went to the doctor and found out how bad I had smashed the thing. With the time that had lapsed a boot would no longer help and I had to have surgery to remove the bone. The recovery was awful and definitely not what had been described preop. Follow your doctor's orders precisely because surgery takes forever to heal from and sometimes it's just not quite the same.