Calling Off Sick --Do You Ever Think People Lie?

Nurses General Nursing

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I was having these EXCRUTIATING intestinal pains a few days ago and I have no idea where it came from. It just comes in waves, and I feel like I'm going to pass out as it's happening. I was literally on the toilet when I called with my eyes squinted shut. So..I called my supervisor during this (because I could barely breathe, I didn't know what to say on the phone other than explain myself to her) I broke down in the middle of my explanation into tears (I was kind of out of it, but I'm afraid now she thought the whole thing was an act....I mean, who starts crying on the phone). What do you think about the issue?

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
you're a mere mortal, so you will get sick from time to time. don't over explain or give a great many details. it's nobody else's business which plague has befallen you. just call in and tell them something

like, "i'm sick today and plan to return ___." short and sweet.

the only time a manager ever challenged my being sick, i was really sick. i had felt awful for about three days and the coughing and congestion was getting worse and worse. i was in my twenties, panicky, and finally called my mom, who lived 1000 miles away. she listened to me cough and whistle and told me, as only a mom could, to stay home! my manager was not sympathetic or moved to be kind.

that night, there was a knock at my door. i ignored it. about 15 minutes later, the super let my mom in with his passkey! she kicked into high gear, got me to the er, and i was dx with pneumonia. that

%^&* manager called about six times a day, until on the third day, my mom identified herself as the lawyer she was, and not just as an irate mom. end o calls and the manager said to take my time and be sure i was completely recovered before i returned. that should not have been necessary!

sadly .....typical hospital behavior.:uhoh3:

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We all know of the story of the person who got fired for calling out sick and was seen partying. Technically they can't fire you (although very hard to prove in court) unless your policy states you must be legitimately sick and then be fired for lying.... but we all know they will fire you regardless.....

Oh well.......The moral of the story is......when you lie don't post the truth on Facebook.....:)

I think this falls under "Unprofessional Behavior" no matter what the official policy is.

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Pretending to be sick is the best excuse to get a day off. Some of my coworkers call off sick 10 times a month and I just want to say " your childish lies are making you look like you are a very sick person." people really do get sick but those who lie constantly about being sick are making it impossible for the managers to take someone's sickness seriously. If you're really sick and you haven't called off often, I am sure your manager will understand.

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Specializes in LTC.

I don't think I've ever been able to call in sick without being made to feel like a monster because of it. I worked a retail job for 5 years and only called out once. My manager bullied me into coming to work anyway. I spent half my shift on the toilet.

Now at my current job when I call out sick I get interrogated... what is wrong with me, do I have a temp, can't I just take an OTC med for it, etc. I'm sorry but as a CNA if I'm feeling too sick to run around all day with no hydration and no bathroom breaks, hauling heavy people in and out of bed, then I'm not coming in! This is no desk job- it's not so easy to suck it up and drag yourself to work.

I have pretty much only called out for having the flu or a stomach bug, and every time I had that stuff it was something that was GOING AROUND at the facility!

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Many facilities are now going to just "paid time off' as opposed to delineating sick pay from vacation pay. I find this nice because you really should be able to use your PTO for whenever you need it, regardless if it is for being sick, car breaks down, need an immediate mental health day, or you didn't get enough sleep to be able to safely perform. My facility uses just PTO and they never ask questions when you call in. I have tried to explain myself a few times but got cut off...like they didn't care to hear why I wasn't coming in :yeah:

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

My hospital just went to a no fault absence policy so basically you call in and say you cant make it to work. you are not obligated to provide any reason. It sucks!

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Specializes in OR.

If you are sick, you are sick.

I have a problem with people who call in so regularly that they are sick more than they work, unless they are out of commission with a legit illness this really sucks.

In the OR it affects, patients who are cancelled due to staffing shortages & rooms running late.

These patients have often arranged for family members to take time off work & help them through the recovery process.. and then, the patient is cancelled because the 3 sick calls that morning have made a room run late, less nurses to do the work load.. You get the picture.. & the amount paid to a sick employee is their full wage. When this is a very frequent thing, it is frustrating for the staff who are lucky enough to stay "well" and carry the bulk of the work load.

And the health care budget is being blown all to pieces with the incredible amount of sick time there is.:nono:

(Please note, this is not in reference to anyone who is actually sick)

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
My hospital just went to a no fault absence policy so basically you call in and say you cant make it to work. you are not obligated to provide any reason. It sucks!

Us too!! It's nice to not have to feel guilty if you just need to have a mental health day.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, WCC.

I do expect symptoms to be given when staff call in sick. I need to know if it is anything contagious. If running a fever, they can not come back until they have been afebrile for at least 24 hours.

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One of my favorite places to work had a great policy for call ins.... in order for the call in to not count against the limit of call-ins per year (that could lead to termination), all we had to do is bring in a release from the doc, saying we'd been in, were seen, and the doc agreed we should stay home....then it wasn't counted. It could be for a day or a month,depending on the problem. I didn't call in unless I was feeling bad enough to be seen by a doc. Other places made life miserable. I could show up for work impaired from a medical reason and be SENT home, but had to show up... that sucked especially if I had a really bad headache or blood pressure was crashing. :uhoh3: It kept funky call-ins to a minimum, so staffing problems from call-ins generally wasn't a problem, unless it was someone just didn't care, and didn't last long anyway.

One time (at the 'good' place), I called in with a headache that was one of the worst I had ever had. I couldn't even explain myself to the supervisor over the phone. She knew I wasn't a call-in problem, and hearing my inability to answer questions with any sort of clarity, she sent my manager to pick me up and take me to the ER. They all knew I lived alone, and all family were out of state- so they got me medicated in the ER, and had me stay in an empty room on my usual floor for the night, and someone took me home in the a.m. I was so thankful to not have to be alone when feeling that bad, but never imagined an employer doing that (it was a smaller town, and the hospital staff all basically knew each other and looked out for each other).

They also knew I loved storm chasing (well, taking photos from near my apartment), so if the census was low, I'd call asking if I could come in at 11p instead of 7 p, since storms were coming....if they didn't need me, I'd go in at 11. But it was all above board- if they said I needed to come in, I did. :)

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Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

I don't mean to sound brash (and please, members... be gentle in your torching of me with this), but when you call in sick, just call in and say that you won't be coming in because you are sick.

Let me explain my rationale. I am oftentimes charge nurse for a BUSY OR. There was a particular evening shift nurse that would call in frequently. While several residents were in front of me trying to post add on cases, the phone was ringing off the hook, and staff were wanting me to find a free person to give them a break, I was on the phone with her listening to a long list of symptoms along with lengthy descriptions of each as to why she could not come in to work that day. She tied me up for at least 20 minutes, and although she WAS sick, and had every reason to call in sick, I found myself a bit short with her one day when a red trauma came crashing through and I had to cut her off. Yes I felt badly that I had to cut her off, but I also wished that she had just called and simply stated that she would not be in because she was sick. Mind you, she called out probably 4X qmo, and each time, the long description followed. And each time, it was during the busiest times.

Calling out sick is fine if you are sick. "Hi Nurse Jane, this is Nurse Melissa. I am sick today and won't be in." Period. End of sentence.

If staff call out for any other reason, it will eventually catch up to them.

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I don't mean to sound brash (and please, members... be gentle in your torching of me with this), but when you call in sick, just call in and say that you won't be coming in because you are sick.

Let me explain my rationale. I am oftentimes charge nurse for a BUSY OR. There was a particular evening shift nurse that would call in frequently. While several residents were in front of me trying to post add on cases, the phone was ringing off the hook, and staff were wanting me to find a free person to give them a break, I was on the phone with her listening to a long list of symptoms along with lengthy descriptions of each as to why she could not come in to work that day. She tied me up for at least 20 minutes, and although she WAS sick, and had every reason to call in sick, I found myself a bit short with her one day when a red trauma came crashing through and I had to cut her off. Yes I felt badly that I had to cut her off, but I also wished that she had just called and simply stated that she would not be in because she was sick. Mind you, she called out probably 4X qmo, and each time, the long description followed. And each time, it was during the busiest times.

Calling out sick is fine if you are sick. "Hi Nurse Jane, this is Nurse Melissa. I am sick today and won't be in." Period. End of sentence.

If staff call out for any other reason, it will eventually catch up to them.

I agree with you. Really do my coworkers really need to know that I have diarrhea? :nurse: Because I know that whoever took the call will announce, Poi dog called in and has diarrhea. Yum :smokin:

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