Calling out-have bronchitis and don't know what to do

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I am an aide and was diagnosed at the ER this morning with bronchitis. When I came back, I put some feelers out about getting someone else to work third shift for me tonight. I just woke up (took a vicodin this morning) and no one has bit. Should I call out? Back in early September I was told by my sup that I need to watch my attendance. I have been out since that talk. Anyway, what do I do? I work on a critical care floor:(

Specializes in Med-Surg/Peds/O.R./Legal/cardiology.

probably prescribed as a cough suppressant. Much cheaper than your typically prescribed "cough med" and contains the same amount of hydrocodone. :yawn:

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

works very well as a cough suppressant. i use either vicodin or percocet when i have bronchitis. although i'm out of my supply of percocet left over from my 2006 surgery, so i'll have to use the actual cough syrup now.

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probably prescribed as a cough suppressant. Much cheaper than your typically prescribed "cough med" and contains the same amount of hydrocodone. :yawn:

I did tell the doc that I had no insurance and would have to pay for the meds on my own..maybe that is why he did the vicodin

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
You said you went to the ER, would a dr's note not cover your a$$?

Where I work, dr. notes do not excuse an absence. A call in is a call in, NO MATTER WHAT.

I am having the same problem. I called in just a couple weeks ago, because I have an area on a toe that was biopsied over a month ago and isn't healing.....when I followed up, the doc put a pressure dressing on my foot and told me to stay off of it for a couple days. Didn't work that day (couldn't have gotten a shoe over the dressing anyway!). Now, I've had a cold for the last week, and Friday night at the end of my shift I started losing my voice. It's worse now than ever, and I have to work in the early am. Was feeling otherwise ok, but today have a terrible migraine :(. If that's not gone tomorrow, I don't know what to do; I can barely get off the couch today (and haven't!). I don't want to call in again. I wore a mask to do patient care on Friday, so that I didn't spread my cold, but if I wear a mask with my voice like this, no one will be able to understand me.

I hate our call in policies.

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Specializes in MDS Coordinator.
ETA: In my OP I said that I had been out since my talk about attendance. That should read that I had not been out. Not once. I am afraid of getting fired. I just wanted them to know that I had been diagnosed with this. I don't want to hear anyone b*tch because I showed up sick. What I find odd is this...they hire a boatload of per diems...why don't they utilize them in cases like these?

Having been a unit manager for the past year and a half, I can tell you this.......The per diems never seemed to be available when I actually needed them. It was as if they just wanted to pick a day or two here and there when they wanted to work, but never came in when we had callouts.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but were your prior absences for illness? The reason I ask is because the company I worked for had a "no fault" attendance policy based on a point system. What would happen is people would call out just for a personal day when they weren't really sick. Then when they actually became sick and accumulated the points for a write-up, they would get upset and think the company was being completely irrational when they received the attendance write-up. Staffing issues were the worst part of my job.

That being said, nobody wants to go to work sick. I can't imagine having to pull a night shift with a bad case of bronchitis. I hope you feel better.

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Having been a unit manager for the past year and a half, I can tell you this.......The per diems never seemed to be available when I actually needed them. It was as if they just wanted to pick a day or two here and there when they wanted to work, but never came in when we had callouts.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but were your prior absences for illness? The reason I ask is because the company I worked for had a "no fault" attendance policy based on a point system. What would happen is people would call out just for a personal day when they weren't really sick. Then when they actually became sick and accumulated the points for a write-up, they would get upset and think the company was being completely irrational when they received the attendance write-up. Staffing issues were the worst part of my job.

That being said, nobody wants to go to work sick. I can't imagine having to pull a night shift with a bad case of bronchitis. I hope you feel better.

There was one time I called out for a childcare issue; otherwise I was sick. I do feel for the sups. I do. Because like she said, I am the only one on. So I told her I would be there no matter what. My issue is that I do not want my coworkers and patients ******** because I am sniffling and sneezing and coughing.

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I wore a mask to do patient care on Friday, so that I didn't spread my cold, but if I wear a mask with my voice like this, no one will be able to understand me.

I hate our call in policies.

Now see...as a patient, I would not want to see a caregiver with a mask(well, you know, unless it is warranted for other reasons)

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

" My issue is that I do not want my coworkers and patients ******* because I am sniffling and sneezing and coughing"

Interesting.....if I were you, I'd be a little more concerned about spreading your germs and making your coworkers and patients sick(er), than I would be with others' opinions. As a patient, if you were my aide, I would request a change of assignment.

"as a patient, I would not want to see a caregiver with a mask"

Your priorities are a little skewed. You work in critical care, for goodness sake.

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I hope you feel better. I thought hospitals had better staffing than LTC ? In LTC we are made to feel awful if we call out. They would rather have us there, even if we are coughing, vomiting or whatever

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Specializes in MCH,NICU,NNsy,Educ,Village Nursing.

What about the health of the patients? Phooey on going into work sick. If I were a patient, I would not want to be further exposed. If I were a staff person, I would not want to be further exposed---because then I would in all likelihood catch the bug and have to call out, etc., etc. Stay home & get well!!!

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Specializes in FNP.

Where I work you would be expected, right or wrong, to come in, wear a mask and suck it up. I never get sick and I've called in twice in 20 years of nursing, once for kidney stones and once for being in labor. I think if I did get sick, I'd stay home, but I don't want to test the theory.

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Where I work you would be expected, right or wrong, to come in, wear a mask and suck it up. I never get sick and I've called in twice in 20 years of nursing, once for kidney stones and once for being in labor. I think if I did get sick, I'd stay home, but I don't want to test the theory.

You never get sick? You better start knocking really hard on some nearby wood!!! Anyway, thanks for all of the support everyone. The meds have helped and I am looking forward to a productive night at work.

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