called in sick for a night...feel so guilty/bad

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Hey there: I have been working nights for the past 3 weeks now and I tonight was to be my 9th one. For some reason, when I got home this morning, I could not fall asleep! I was plagued with an anxious stomach and mind and was tossing and turning since. I felt very nervous with the idea of going in tonight on no sleep, so I called my manager to tell her the situation. Needless to say, she was NOT IMPRESSED. I feel so bad, like I have let her down, but I also feel that I would have been an unsafe nurse tonight with no sleep in over 24 hours. Would you have done the same thing? What have other nurses done in similar situations?

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Its not even 1pm, you were supposed to go in for night shift? So, at the earliest 6 or 7? I don't understand why you gave up on sleep so early. I believe you would have been tired, but OK if you went in on 4-5 hours of sleep... Although I would not have called out for such a reason, I don't believe you should have shared with your manager why you were calling out. I would have just told her I was sick... Remember this for the future, "Hi, this is Jane Smith RN from the 8th floor, I am supposed to work tonight @ 7pm. I am not feeling well, so I am using a sick day." End of convo... If they pursue more info, say it is a personal matter that you would rather not discuss in detail.

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Specializes in Home Health Care.

Fortunately, I haven't been in your situation yet. I would have done exactly the same by calling in. No sleep is unsafe. I can't imagine working 9 nights in a row! You are gonna get burned out fast if you don't slow down and rest. Shame on your manager!

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Fortunately, I haven't been in your situation yet. I would have done exactly the same by calling in. No sleep is unsafe. I can't imagine working 9 nights in a row! You are gonna get burned out fast if you don't slow down and rest. Shame on your manager!

I dont think she was on 9 nights in a row, I think it was her 9th shift in 3 wks... Breaking down to 3 shifts per week...

I don't know, calling in sick (with so little experience, profile says

judgment of someone intoxicated to the legal limit... But next time, don't give the reason otherwise your manager may begin to lose respect for you...

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Specializes in psych,maternity, ltc, clinic.

I agree with Nurse Salt. Call in sick and give no futher info. I promise you, your supervsor is not interested in how you feel. But beware....working night shifts can be tough and you may have other nights like this. You will adjust, hopefully.I did nights for many years and went to work many a time on no or little sleep. Of course Im a chronic insomniac, so it was pretty much baseline for me.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
Its not even 1pm, you were supposed to go in for night shift? So, at the earliest 6 or 7? I don't understand why you gave up on sleep so early. I believe you would have been tired, but OK if you went in on 4-5 hours of sleep... Although I would not have called out for such a reason, I don't believe you should have shared with your manager why you were calling out. I would have just told her I was sick... Remember this for the future, "Hi, this is Jane Smith RN from the 8th floor, I am supposed to work tonight @ 7pm. I am not feeling well, so I am using a sick day." End of convo... If they pursue more info, say it is a personal matter that you would rather not discuss in detail.

Hey...I am three hours ahead of you...Eastern Time...Ontario, Canada. I called my manager at 330 pm. I agree with you, I should have not went into such detail with her. I am part of the nursing resource team, so we fill in for sick calls, so fortunately there is that flexibility. Plus, I am only working in this position for one more month and then transferring to a full time day position on a surgical floor in November because I cannot handle days. I am on a type of medication that makes it even more difficult. Thank you for your input.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
Hey...I am three hours ahead of you...Eastern Time...Ontario, Canada. I called my manager at 330 pm. I agree with you, I should have not went into such detail with her. I am part of the nursing resource team, so we fill in for sick calls, so fortunately there is that flexibility. Plus, I am only working in this position for one more month and then transferring to a full time day position on a surgical floor in November because I cannot handle days. I am on a type of medication that makes it even more difficult. Thank you for your input.
I mean I can't handle nights!!!
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I mean I can't handle nights!!!

The time diff didn't even occur to me! So, I take back what I said about giving up early ;) Luckily, you are not going to be on nights for long, I love my nights but understand most people do not. Just take my point to heart that you are not obligated to give more info than needed... Good luck to you and get some sleep tonight!

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Specializes in LTC, Home Health.

I used to work nights and done the same thing. I did not give anymore info then that I was sick. You did the ight thing calling off. If you don't feel you would be safe go with your gut.

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

If you KNOW you aren't going to be safe, then I wouldn't have come in....but I also would have just left it as "I'm not feeling well, so I'm calling in." Details...well, they don't need em and don't care.

Managers understand that we're human...but often they see us in those movable chess piece terms...I need x nurses for x patients....and to heck with the way we feel. Get some sleep, but just know that the manager will probably have it out for you a little.

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Specializes in Hem/Onc, LTC, AL, Homecare, Mgmt, Psych.

I worked nights and I would NEVER call into work and say it was because I was unable to sleep prior to coming in. I would try to find my own replacement first if that was the case. Next time say "Sorry to tell you this but I am calling in sick today." If they want details tell them you have VIOLENT DIARRHEA!

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Specializes in Cardiac, ER.

Not everyone can do nights,.don't let that get you down. Think about this also,..if someone who works days 7a-7p ends up up most of the night with a sick kid,..they call in too. Nursing isn't a job where you can come in and hang out at your desk and not do much of anything and just make up for it the next day. You have to be awake and alert and ready to make quick decisions. You can't do that after being up for 24 + hours! I agree with the other posters,. next time don't elaborate,.just call in sick!

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