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

[It'sInTheBlood]

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?

[CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN]

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.

Are you legally permitted to ask this? I don't think we are at our facilty...it could be a union thing?

I ask...Is everything okay? or is it anything that might be catchy? Or do you anticipate calling off tomorrow too?

[rn/writer, RN]

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.

You can mention that they need to be afebrile for 24 hours without asking them about their symptoms. As far as contagion, if they worked their previous shift, the damage is already done. By the time they feel well enough to come back in, for most diseases, that threat has passed.

Employers are not entitled to to an employee's health details. If someone is ill enough to miss three days, a doctor's excuse can be required, but even this does not have to include the nature of the illness. It only needs to state that the employee is fit to return to work.

As a side note, the PTO model is so much better than having sick days.

[Zombi RN]

Not sure if this is federal or just my state, but when you call in sick you should not be interrogated. This is your private health information and whether or not you choose to disclose your reasons is up to you.

Absolutely. I rarely call in, but when I do, I do NOT give a reason -- I just say I'm calling in. They do not have the right to ask me, and I don't have to divulge why. So I don't.

[SaraO'Hara]

I had very frequent "sore throats" for a while. It was better than saying "I'm too depressed to move and won't be coming in."

[Not_A_Hat_Person, RN]

Of course people lie when they call in sick. At my last non-nursing job, a ridiculous amount of call-outs coincided with sporting events. It's one thing to request a shift off to watch the World Cup (lots of Brazilians), Super Bowl, or World Series; it's quite another to call in sick to watch it.

[caliotter3]

The individual taking the call from someone who called off one time, wrote on the schedule when crossing the name off for the shift: "boyfriend sick". Imagine that, when the new owner employer had just announced layoffs!#?

[linearthinker, DNP, RN]

Only read the OP and am only replying to that.

LOL, what do I think of what, that you called in for gas, or that other people likely lie about why they are calling in?

Yes people lie. You didn't think you could make it that day. Either way, a call in is a call in. It is the pattern of behavior in any individual that matters, IMO. Don't make it a habit to eat gas producing foods the night before you are supposed to work, and you'll be OK as far as I'm concerned. :)

[PediNurse3]

I'm sure people lie about it.

It absolutely does not matter at the hospital that I work at, unless you are planning on using EIB. It doesn't matter if you're sick, if your kid is sick, doctor's note or not, or if you just want to go check out the anniversary sale at Nordstrom...absensces with VERY few exclusions are all treated the same.

It's great when you just want off because you don't feel like going to work, but is a little less-fair feeling when someone with a "flat tire" is 7 hours late- and it's treated the same in the way of occurances. :-/

[Fiona59]

Of course people do. There are times when you know you aren't going to be able to take a vacation day, banked OT day or whatever. Then people have "migranes" or a "tummy bug".

Under my union contract, only after the third consecutive sick day are you required to produce a doctor's note.

The reality is that is what the float pool is for. Covering those shifts that are suddenly left vacant. Not booking M-F day shifts for people that only want to work those hours. (yes, we are feeling a little bit bitter towards the float pool in my hospital).

[Guest296136]

If you don't use your sick time you loose it, in most places!!!

[JenTheRN]

We are required to take symptoms when the person calls to track any infection control problems. Usually I just ask if it's GI or Flu like symptoms or "other".

The weirdest call-off I ever witnessed: A woman's daughter called and said to call her mother off sick for the next day as they were "kipnapping her" and "making" her stay at the water park hotel they were at. Nothing said about a sickness. I never talked to the employee. She got fired for that one. It could have been solved so easily if she would have called in herself and said she had the flu or something!

[slackula]

of course, the best, hard to dispute excuse of all times, that never fails is: diarrhea!!!!!!!! really who wants you to come to work with that!