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:(

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!!!

I felt it was a given that I was concerned about the patients. That is why I called the sup on duty and explained what was going on. I said:

"I am prepared to come in but wanted you to know that I have bronchitis. What do you want me to do?"

"Well, we can't tell you if you are too sick to work"

"Ok, I will see you tonight"

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Specializes in FNP.
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.

I can't remember the last time I got so much as sniffle. I take very good care of myself: I eat right, exercise, take my vitamins & supplements. My family members don't get sick either. I think it is a combo of genetics, clean living and good luck. I don't take our good health for granted, I assure you.

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I can't remember the last time I got so much as sniffle. I take very good care of myself: I eat right, exercise, take my vitamins & supplements. My family members don't get sick either. I think it is a combo of genetics, clean living and good luck. I don't take our good health for granted, I assure you.

Well good for you....I am walking away now and wishing you well:)

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
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)

I can see that point, however, I was sure to explain to my patients why I had one on: "Just so you know, I'm wearing a mask because I have a cold, and want to make sure I don't share it with you." They were fine once I did that, and not one seemed to have an issue (in fact, most at some point joked with me about it....I think they appreciated that I cared enough to protect them!). Obviously, it's not what you WANT to do, but especially if you're coughing, etc, they will at least be able to tell you are sick, so knowing you are helping prevent spreading it actually shows well for you. :)

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
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

Don't mean to laugh, but.......LOL! I don't think we're staffed any better, no. I have been made to feel awful for calling in sick, which is TOTALLY inappropriate on the side of the person letting it show (usually, when someone calls in, they KNOW they are leaving the facility short and already feel bad about it; making them feel guilty serves NO purpose at all).

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I used to get bronchitis several times a years, sometimes for up to 2 weeks at a time. I figured out that prednisone knocks it down within a day or two.

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Specializes in Med/Surg Nurse.

I think it's the supervisor's job to make you feel bad for calling in sick but it's also their job to deal with figuring out staffing for these sort of situations when they arise. I have no problems calling in sick, I know that the hospital will survive without me. When calling in sick the supervisor will probably never encourage you call off, you gotta take charge during that conversation. It might do you some good to look up your facilities policy regarding calling off sick. Good luck with your night.

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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

Yeppers, when I worked in LTC you COULDN'T call in. I had a nurse calling me that was desperate because she had strep throat (newly diagnosed) I could barely understand her and she didn't know what to do because she knew she couldn't call in. Another time a nurse called in for a family emergency and I was basically FORCED to work from 6 a.m. to 4 a.m. Don't think that is legal.....but they don't care

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

sounds like we have similar policies -- more than three occurances in a rolling year and you're in disciplinary status which affects your raises, tuition reimbursement, any advancement you might otherwise get and, if you have more than five occurances could get you fired.

last year, there was much made of h1n1 and calling in sick if you had flu symptoms to avoid spreading the flu. if you had flu symptoms you were supposed to call out and then go to occ health to be swabbed. if you had h1n1 you wouldn't get an occurance, but if you had plain old regular flu, you did. you're kind of damned if you do; damned if you don't.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
sounds like we have similar policies -- more than three occurances in a rolling year and you're in disciplinary status which affects your raises, tuition reimbursement, any advancement you might otherwise get and, if you have more than five occurances could get you fired.

last year, there was much made of h1n1 and calling in sick if you had flu symptoms to avoid spreading the flu. if you had flu symptoms you were supposed to call out and then go to occ health to be swabbed. if you had h1n1 you wouldn't get an occurance, but if you had plain old regular flu, you did. you're kind of damned if you do; damned if you don't.

our policies sound exactly the same. 3 occurances, calendar year, etc.

the only difference my hospital did last year with the h1n1 was that we didn't get swabbed to confirm (motivation behind that was financial)...if you had flu symptoms, you were out for 7 days, and it did not count against you (i got it, and then pneumonia, so i was out 2 1/2 weeks!). i ended up pretty much being sent home today, but it will still count against me. they don't make exceptions. even for things that are policy, for example: you can't work if you have pink eye until you've been on abx drops for at least 24 hours. your sick day still counts as an occurance.

i will still get a doctor's excuse for illness, so that at least i have it in my file if i go over on occurances and face a write up. it's piece of mind at least for me to know it's there....

you'd think a healthcare facility would be more forgiving, since a) it's very possible you got your illness from work, and b) it's not like an office where you can hide out when you're sick. being contagious is much more risky when working with patients, so you have less choice in deciding to work or not. there have been several instances over the years that the reason i couldn't work when ill was the risk of transmission. my sister works in a small, family owned business (as their office manager), and she often doesn't understand when/if i have to call in. if she sprains her ankle, say, she can sit all day, she can use crutches, she can accomodate. i can't do that. if she has a cold, bronchitis, etc; she can hide out in her office and not be around people, slow her pace down, etc. i can't do that, either. she just doesn't get it (or realize how lucky she is!).

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