Ok let me start off with what I believe why I am writing this. As a nurse, we do not have the usual holidays as other normal jobs because our work does not stop. Fine, so instead of giving us these holidays, we get PTO, or paid-time off, to use anytime we want yea? So this is the situation:
I am working at a certain hospital where when I try to call in, they actually bully me to come to work! EVEN when I am sick! The manager would tell me to take a Tylenol and get some rest! THE NERVE :angryfire! For example, today, I did not feel like going to work so I called in to say I'm calling off. But, the nurse manager just told me to get some more rest and come to work. So, now I AM at work with a headache.
So anyway, I want to know if this kind of practice is the same in other hospitals, or if my belief in PTOs is flawed. Tell me how I should approach it, what should I say, or what I should do about it. I have talked to other nurses on the floor and they tell me to just calling the Nursing Office, instead of the floor, but I do not want to be shady; this is, after all, where I work at.
Let me know please because I just recently graduated, and because of that, they think they can step all over me, and I'm too scared to say anything since I don't know if I am right or not.
I had this problem when I worked for the hospital.I am now a school nurse and for the most part love it!!! I was 24 weeks pregnant and had went from full time to prn when I was put on bedrest for pre term labor. One of my supervisors called and asked me to come sign my yearly evaluation papers, so I did. She told me in the same sentence " If you were working full time you would have gotten a raise and I'm sorry but Sally( the nurse manager that works opposite of my crew) has started termination papers on you because you called in last week. I am sorry and I did not know until you got here and was waiting." Needless to say I did not go back to work for them and have not worked in a hospital since. I called in because I was hooked up to a mag drip and was getting brethine shots. It turned out to be the best thing that happened to me.
When I was a new grad (and a newlywed) I worked 11-7 at a large urban hospital. Believe me, I found lots of reasons (some justified, mostly not) to call in. I hadn't developed enough as a person or a professional to realize that I had a responsibility to my co-workers not to dump on them. It wasn't about the administration or the crabby old supervisor who made me feel guilty or even about me. As a nurse, you come to rely on your fellow nurses -- you know who to turn to when you need help or encouragement or an extra hand or a shoulder to cry on. And you realize that even though you may not feel your best you just can't leave them picking up the slack if you call in. Put yourself in their position -- would you like to take on the extra patient load because they couldn't find someone to work in your place?? Then on the other hand, I've also had the flu and a fever and been told by the supervisor that I absolutely had to come in anyway. At my present hospital if you call in you'd better have a doctor's excuse -- not fair but that's the way it is. You're right, you earn those PTO's just be sure you don't earn a reputation as someone that can't be counted on if you use them at the drop of a hat.
Specializes in Infusion Nursing, Home Health Infusion.
DrKGZN. PLEASE LOOK UP YOUR POLICY AND PROCEDURE ON USE OF PTO AND CALL INS...YOU USUALLY CAN FIND IT IN ADMINISTRATIVE P AND P OR IN HUMAN RESOURCES POLICIES. YOU CAN ALSO CALL HR AND JUST ASK THEM BYPASSING YOUR MANAGMENT TEAM.
Specializes in Gyn Onc, OB, L&D, HH/Hospice/Palliative.
My facility works the same exact way as iluvivt, and it depends whether you are full or part-time, if you call out say 3 times in a calendar year and your a 24hr position, you can get reprimanded, it's ridiculous, they SAY you have 12 sick days or so but its really lumped into your PTO account, you better not use it. I never keep track, but I have worked sick many times and called out for reasons other than being 'sick', and come in many times if they need help, so I think its all in the big picture of things
Thanks for all your input and experiences. I will try to be more assertive next time, and not let them bully me into work. Also, I always try to call in waaaay before my shift starts at least 4 hours before so they CAN find my replacement. But, it seems like our manager doesn't want, or like, doing her job. It is, to me, the same as me saying, "No I do not want to take care of that patient." *sigh* O well.
"You came in after calling in with a headache??? Great, now you'll have them making stupid suggestions for years to come. Once you call in that's it, you're out, and don't even agree to try to come in. "
Specializes in Infusion Nursing, Home Health Infusion.
I have been doing our schedule for 20 years now and yes it can be very difficult to find a replacement and often in this specialty you do not.....BUT......I have never said anything but...."you take care now and I hope you are feeling better soon"......I often check up on them towards the end of the shift and offer and sometimes urge them to take the next shift off and tell them not to worry "we will manage" or "I will find someone to cover". I REFUSE to treat those wonderful ,dedicated and hard working nurses with nothing but the utmost respect. How dare those that care for the ill be treated this way when they deserve similar care and compassion. Will not do it!!!! Quess what...when the team needs help b/c of staffing issues...these kind people step up.......its a two way street baby...when will some nurses learn this!!!!
If you simply have a headache, there isn't a real reason why you can't take some OTC meds and go in. However, if you have a history of splitting migraines and have to take medication that alters your cognitive function or makes it unsafe for you to drive, then you need to stay home.
Some facilities don't give sick/PTO time separately, they give you a set number of days, however, if they give you, let's say, 14 days PTO that includes your sick time...you will be under the radar if you call in sick 14 days in a year as it was meant that part of that time be used as vacation...which you would schedule in advance, request off, etc.
"You came in after calling in with a headache??? Great, now you'll have them making stupid suggestions for years to come. Once you call in that's it, you're out, and don't even agree to try to come in. "
what do you mean by that?
You called in and then let them convince you to try Tylenol, and come in to work your shift anyway. So...next time you call in you'll get suggestions on how to feel better and still make your shift even if you tell them you have bubonic plague. If you call in be firm.
Watch out with PTO & Sick Days. Alot of places will write you up if you take more than 3 sick days even tho you have 12 sick days by company policy. I was sick with the flu in the spring, called in sick. Had a migraine (long history of them) in the summer, called in sick. Early winter had a cold that felt like my lungs would pop out every time I coughed, called in sick again. We were given 1 sick day a month, and I was written up for calling in sick 3 times in a year. It also had an impact on my "raise".
raidermom
88 Posts
I had this problem when I worked for the hospital.I am now a school nurse and for the most part love it!!! I was 24 weeks pregnant and had went from full time to prn when I was put on bedrest for pre term labor. One of my supervisors called and asked me to come sign my yearly evaluation papers, so I did. She told me in the same sentence " If you were working full time you would have gotten a raise and I'm sorry but Sally( the nurse manager that works opposite of my crew) has started termination papers on you because you called in last week. I am sorry and I did not know until you got here and was waiting." Needless to say I did not go back to work for them and have not worked in a hospital since. I called in because I was hooked up to a mag drip and was getting brethine shots. It turned out to be the best thing that happened to me.