Called off too many times?

[MS0298]

All the times that I've called off have been related to health problems and physical. Wrist pain, chest pain, now both knee pain. When bending at the knees, it hurts a lot and when walking for a long time I feel the same. I've even visited my doctor and they gonna have me tested for arthritis(runs in the family)

I've been thinking off calling off the following weekend. It is Thursday and I have work Saturday and Sunday.

The only thing thats stopping me from calling off is the consequences. I do not know the attendance policy since I'm hella new (6months)

[Jerrysdogmommy]

I think you don't like your job.

I'd rather you find what job you like in nursing or if you think you made a bad decision becoming a nurse, it's okay, get out of it. But don't call off like that. It puts too much strain on your brigade being a man down. I knew a nurse that was forced to take 9 patients because staff called off. I've had 7. It sucks.

[SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN]

Heck the only thing that ever stops me from calling off is the consequences. That's why they call it work I guess. You should educate yourself on exactly what the consequences are for calling off at you facility and comport your practices to those policies. Heck besides that call off all you want.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

You are not taking your job seriously. You do not even know the attendance policy?? You're thinking about calling off (in advance) for the third time in 6 months. In most facilities, that could be big trouble, especially in your FIRST 6 months.

I get it that you are hurting, but your employer expects you to show up to work despite aches and pains.

[everchangingRN, ASN, BSN, MSN]

WOW...ok. I have been an RN for 20 years. 4 of those years as a manager. Yes, it is a pain in the neck when people call off. Many times I had to go in to cover. But I know I am going to start a war here - but in my opinion, nurses don't support other nurses during times of illness.

Now, she does say she has knee pain, me I would take ibuprofen, wrap it and go to work. But, some of you guys are being so rude to her! It all comes down to this: One never knows what ALL is going on when a fellow nurse is ill! Yes, a lot abuse the system and call off to party, because it's the weekend, or what have you. But NOT everyone does it.

When I left my last job (took the voluntary lay off) and started interviewing I had a problem with my previous employer breaking laws and telling prospective employers I was a good nurse but had an absenteeism problem!!!!! I couldn't believe it! My employer of 14 years would report me as having "had too many instances of FMLA" and this is when I was off with RA complications. I even underwent surgery. It just pissed me off!

I guess that is why it's an issue that bother me. Aches and pains you will always have, but don't call off just to be calling off or for minor things like colds.

Good Luck to you!

[Wuzzie]

A number of years ago I rotated my femur 180 degrees on my tibia destroying my knee. I've had three surgeries to fix it and I just tore what little remains of my meniscus. So surgery #4 is in my future. I also broke my neck which resulted in multiple herniated/bulging disks in my cervical spine. I am in pain every. single. day. White hot, burning, aching, shooting, nausea-inducing pain. You know what I do? I freaking go to work.

[HelloWish, ADN, BSN]

I think calling off twice in a 6 month period is reasonable. However I wouldn't call off unless you legitimately cannot work. It affects others and can impact whether you keep your position! I deal with pain daily too. I have learned to medicate myself safely and appropriately and self care techniques to help me make it through shifts. I take extra care to ensure I always get enough rest before a shift. I only do two shifts in a row. I am also in my 40's facing knee pain. I started wearing a brace to support my affected knee when exercising and being careful when I squat. A knee wrap can be worn at work. Also I avoid stairs now as it causes my knee to flair. Just some thoughts, sounds like you need to learn some self care. Of course a rheumatologist is important if facing RA. Also, it is important to wear very good shoes! I wear Saucony sneakers. If my knee is bothering me, I wear my sneakers all day every day to help with proper alignment of the knee. Best of luck!

[broughden]

You called out for "wrist pain"?

Unless your wrist was broken, I'd fire you.

[ponymom]

I'm thinking he was informed of the upcoming weekend party on Thursday,

Just surmisin's all....

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

WOW...ok. I have been an RN for 20 years. 4 of those years as a manager. Yes, it is a pain in the neck when people call off. Many times I had to go in to cover. But I know I am going to start a war here - but in my opinion, nurses don't support other nurses during times of illness.

Now, she does say she has knee pain, me I would take ibuprofen, wrap it and go to work. But, some of you guys are being so rude to her! It all comes down to this: One never knows what ALL is going on when a fellow nurse is ill! Yes, a lot abuse the system and call off to party, because it's the weekend, or what have you. But NOT everyone does it.

Since becoming a nurse, I have had 2 MRIs that revealed possible recurrence of the brain tumor I was originally diagnosed with as a teenager. Both times I went to work the next day. The first time I was asked to admit a child with a brain tumor the day after I got this news and I didn't think I could do it emotionally but I sucked it up and freaking did it because it was my job.

I spent 9 months being worked up for hypokalemia only to finally be diagnosed with renal tubular acidosis and diabetes insipidus and never called out once during that whole process. I was once scheduled for a breast biopsy the morning after a night shift and scheduled to work that same night. I had day surgery to remove a cyst from the side of my head and went to work the next day.

I have worked with nurses who have lupus, ulcerative colitis, Crohns, type 1 DM, Tourette's syndrome. Everyone comes to work unless they are knocking on death's door.

I also worked with a nurse who was notorious for calling out. She always had an excuse that she thought was acceptable. It put her on the manager's sh&* list and then when she called out for the last time because her dog threw up or something, she got fired.

[babychickens]

WOW...ok. I have been an RN for 20 years. 4 of those years as a manager. Yes, it is a pain in the neck when people call off. Many times I had to go in to cover. But I know I am going to start a war here - but in my opinion, nurses don't support other nurses during times of illness.

Now, she does say she has knee pain, me I would take ibuprofen, wrap it and go to work. But, some of you guys are being so rude to her! It all comes down to this: One never knows what ALL is going on when a fellow nurse is ill! Yes, a lot abuse the system and call off to party, because it's the weekend, or what have you. But NOT everyone does it.

When I left my last job (took the voluntary lay off) and started interviewing I had a problem with my previous employer breaking laws and telling prospective employers I was a good nurse but had an absenteeism problem!!!!! I couldn't believe it! My employer of 14 years would report me as having "had too many instances of FMLA" and this is when I was off with RA complications. I even underwent surgery. It just pissed me off!

I guess that is why it's an issue that bother me. Aches and pains you will always have, but don't call off just to be calling off or for minor things like colds.

Good Luck to you!

Thank you for saying that! One of the many reasons I am looking forward to being a nurse is to have actual sick days. Heaven forbid a person gets sick. Some of you guys are starting to sound like the martyrs nurses are infamous for. No offense, but the younger generation will not work 5 years with a handful of sick days, period. And I doubt they will stand for a work culture that chastizes them for doing so. Do I call in sick? Hardly. But I am not a better human being because I am willing to beat my body up. Look at teachers. They have subs and sick days. Are they slackers and poor team members? Do we say they don't care about our kids? No. Overall, I think nurses are too hard on each other as if there will be a prize at the end for who sacrificed the most for their job. Guess what? There isn't.

[Wuzzie]

Thank you for saying that! One of the many reasons I am looking forward to being a nurse is to have actual sick days. Heaven forbid a person gets sick. Some of you guys are starting to sound like the martyrs nurses are infamous for. No offense, but the younger generation will not work 5 years with a handful of sick days, period. And I doubt they will stand for a work culture that chastizes them for doing so. Do I call in sick? Hardly. But I am not a better human being because I am willing to beat my body up. Look at teachers. They have subs and sick days. Are they slackers and poor team members? Do we say they don't care about our kids? No. Overall, I think nurses are too hard on each other as if there will be a prize at the end for who sacrificed the most for their job. Guess what? There isn't.

Your thoughts on this might change a bit once you start working as a nurse and have to take up the slack for a co-worker who repeatedly calls off for the most minor reasons. There's always one and they are smart enough to get intermittent FMLA for something that can't be disproved-migraines are a favorite and before you squawk I'm a migrianeur so don't even go there. Intermittent FMLA allows them to call off with no consequences for a very long period of time.

What got our collective ire up is a person who, on THURSDAY, is already thinking of calling off for the weekend.

[SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN]

I don't think its anybody's business why somebody calls off. What's the difference if a good reason (sickness, family emergency....) or a bad reason (I'd rather just not got to work). The bottom line is that they aren't going to be there and that a unit will either be short or the slot will get covered by OT or a mandate. If I get mandated because the nurse calling off had a family emergency of they are just out partying it makes no difference to me as I'm just stuck there at work. I'm already considering calling off for next week if I can't switch with somebody on my unit because I want to attend a wedding. So what? Its my time and where I work I can use it as I please. If this annoys other nurses on my unit so what again as I've been stuck there many times over the years for any litany of reasons. I'm single, healthy and don't have a life with a million complications. Why should I be expected to have better attendance record then a sick nurse with a zillion issues involving their family and a complicated personal life rife with drama. The reason they call off is none of my business & my reasons for calling off are my business alone. The result is the same. The unit is going to be one nurse short.