Call in sick???

AceOfHearts<3 · Mar 4, 2017

Call out sick. I'd be upset if you showed up and then got other staff and patients sick. A little cold is one thing, but this sounds like it could be the flu.

dream'n, BSN, RN · Mar 4, 2017

Do not go to work since you are running a fever. And never go to work thinking you may be able to be sent home. In all seriousness, back in 2005 (yes, 2005), I went to work sick and in pain against my better judgement. I got so ill throughout the shift I couldn't even hardly move or think. I was in tears. No one was able to cover for me and that was a most miserable and memorable shift for me.

Larry2016 · Mar 4, 2017

That is the odd thing though i got my flu shot i always have since i was 18

AceOfHearts<3 · Mar 4, 2017

That is the odd thing though i got my flu shot i always have since i was 18

The flu shot only contains 3 strains, there are hundreds, and it is always a guess as to which strains will be prevalent every year. Not to mention how fast the virus mutates. The flu shot is considered good for the year if it is 50-60% effective. This year's is 48% effective which they are happy with. I've had patients who had have the vaccine but still got the flu. A nurse on my unit got the vaccine and still had the flu- no surprise with the number of flu patients we've had.

Flu vaccine is 48% effective this season, CDC says - CNN.com

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Mar 4, 2017

You may not have the flu, but some other viral illness. Irrelevant really; you have a fever, so you are contagious and should stay home.

quazar · Mar 4, 2017

Personally, it irritates me when people come to work with a fever and/or hacking up a lung/visibly, very ill. I don't want what it is that they have, and my patients don't want it either. I also don't need to risk bringing that mess home to my family/children. Please, out of respect for everyone, yourself included, call out sick.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Mar 4, 2017

Call in sick. If you go in with the expectation of being sent home, you put the unit in a difficult spot -- staffing could have had several hours to figure it out, vs having to scramble after pt/float pool assignments have been made.

And obviously you are putting your pts and colleagues at risk by bringing that bug to work.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Mar 4, 2017

I know this topic has been debated before but i have unique ciecumstances. Some people say do not call off sick because it is abused and that it is best ti just show up and be sent home. (Side note, in my mind though that wiuld cause more chaos to scramble around ro find someone). Others say it is ok to call off.
Where i work a call off is considered an adverse event and we are allowed up to 6 per calendar year. I called off once in January ...i was so sick i literally could not get out of bed. I commute 1 hour to work and have to be there at 7pm tonight.
I did not feel good last night after my shift so i slept. Congeation cough and just didn't feel right. I tried to get some sleep this moening but i couldn't because of the cough and felt dizzy. I went to the storw got some mucinex, advil, and a thermometer. Apparwntly i have a 101 temperature on top of this.
I have only been there 6 months and i do not want to give the impression that i am unreliable. I mean right now i juat feel blah and I can do stuff, just feel fatigued if i exeet too much energy. The fever though concerns me about showing up and taking care of patients.
Thoughts?

Call in sick. You have a fever, a cough and feel dizzy. You are sick.

Common sense would mean that your FaceBook page should also reflect you being sick and not being out listening to music and drinking with friends. That sort of thing always gets coworkers riled up.

NightNerd, MSN, RN · Mar 5, 2017

Dude. Just call out sick. You have a fever, you feel junky, you're infectious. Don't spread it around, and don't put yourself through 12 hours of extra suffering. The unit will not collapse because you take a needed sick day (but I'm sure they'll be really happy when you're back!).

Larry2016 · Mar 5, 2017

By the way i did call off. I hate doing so. Here is another question...

How soon do you call off? I found out about my fever at 1 pm yesterday and called off 15 minutes after posting on here. Nainly i do not want to appear unreliable. After taking advil last night it came down but now its back to 100.3.

If i call off now for ronight i will feel like an ass if i am better rhis afternoon...but if i wait until the afternion i know they will be scrambling for a replacement.

Also i don't want to go to urgent care. Last rime i went there the just told me to take 800 mg of amoxicilin...it did nothing for md so qhen my pcp wS open the next day dx was walking pneumonia. The amox was doing nothing.

Larry2016 · Mar 5, 2017

Sorry for typos i was on my phone replying