call in sick policy? how far ahead to call in?

Published

Specializes in med-surg, teaching, cardiac, priv. duty.

I do private duty (RN level cases) through an agency. What is your "call in" policy? If you are calling in unable to work (sick, need a personal day, etc), how far ahead do you have to give notice? I realize that with private duty cases a patient and/or family is really counting on you. But, hey, everyone is occasionally going to need a sick day or personal day.

Earlier today I called in 5 hours before my shift starts. I work an odd shift (5pm to 10pm), so I called in about 11:30 am. Well, I was told that the policy is that you must call in 24 hours ahead of time. 24 hours ahead?!?! That means you have to call in the day BEFORE. That means I would have had to have called in yesterday afternoon to let them know I could not work at 5pm today! This makes no sense to me. Generally when you call in, it is going to be fairly last minute. You wake up feeling sick. Your child is suddenly sick. Or some other unexpected situation arises prohibiting you from working. Etc.

Also - just because someone feels sick the day BEFORE they have to work does not mean they will still feel sick the next day! Right? Or when a personal crisis or emergency develops, you don't have a 24-hour advance warning of it! "Hello, I am calling in for tomorrow because tomorrow I am going to get in a car accident! My psychic told me!"

Anyways...I guess I'm also annoyed about it because they really hassled me about calling in! And I very rarely call in...about twice a year is typical for me. Someone who almost never calls in should not be hassled about it when they do. I have also been a very flexible employee - I have switched/swapped shifts because they needed me to, worked extra shifts, etc. The respect only goes one way I guess. But this will begin another post topic....haha

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

you are soooooooo right!!!! if we knew the day before we were going to be sick tomorrow, i know i would do something so i wouldn't be sick!!!!!!!! it seems like in nursing (as that is all i have ever done) we are made to feel quilty when we call out, i understand short staffed but...........

i use to work with a nurse that as soon as she had 8 hrs accumulated she called out!!! and nothing was every said to her except "poor thing is always sick",,,,i work in HH doing skill visits and when someone calls out we don't have staff to cover , its like well who can you move to tomorrow,,,so tomorrow when you come back you have 10 instead of 6!!! it is just a no win situation....!!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Post Anesthesia.

We have different levels of "calling off". Scheduled PTO for a doctors appt. or family function needs to be made before the next schedule is posted-2-4 weeks. If you are ill and need to call off it must be at least 1 hr before the start of your shift. The day before???, that's nuts!!!

I would like everyone out there in the administrative staff to consider what you promoting when you make the call off police so difficult. You are almost guaranteeing staff is going to come in sick- and share that sickness with thier peers and patients. We are in the business of promoting health! Nurses spreading germs to thier patients and peers is unprofessional and makes us all look bad. I hope the nurse that sees a patient while she has an active contagious disease at least tells them that she is sorry for risking thier health but it's company policy to endanger the patients rather than allow a call off!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in med-surg, teaching, cardiac, priv. duty.

"we have different levels of "calling off". scheduled pto for a doctors appt. or family function needs to be made before the next schedule is posted-2-4 weeks. if you are ill and need to call off it must be at least 1 hr before the start of your shift. the day before???, that's nuts!!!

i would like everyone out there in the administrative staff to consider what you promoting when you make the call off police so difficult. you are almost guaranteeing staff is going to come in sick- and share that sickness with thier peers and patients. we are in the business of promoting health! nurses spreading germs to thier patients and peers is unprofessional and makes us all look bad. i hope the nurse that sees a patient while she has an active contagious disease at least tells them that she is sorry for risking thier health but it's company policy to endanger the patients rather than allow a call off!"

i agree totally!!!

however, in regards to this statement "i would like everyone out there in the administrative staff to consider what you promoting when you make the call off police so difficult. you are almost guaranteeing staff is going to come in sick-" ---

i must be weird (haha!) because this makes me respond the opposite way. if i am hassled and given a hard time about calling in (especially since i rarely do and i'm very dependable) - this makes me feel mis-treated, not respected, etc. and it makes me more likely to call in in the future!! in fact, when i recently called in and was hassled about it - the hassling made me glad i had called in! good riddance!! why should i bend over backwards for them, if they aren't going to cut me a break? respect and support is a two way street...

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion