Calling in sick....feeling worst after the call!

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Specializes in SNF.

I woke up this morning feeling awful....GI stuff. I was scheduled to work at 2:30 So, I took my shower and got dressed for work, you know....just trudging on. Had a miserable episode where I became diaphoretic and white as a sheet.

So, I called work, told my DNS I wasn't going to make it in. Her response "Absolutely not, one nurse has already called in today!"

Now, I have worked for this facility for 2 1/2 years, and I can count on ONE HAND the number of times I've called in sick.

I understand she has a facility to run, and its so difficult to get nurses to come in, its just frustrating that when you really are sick, to be treated so poorly.

Make me feel better (emotionally anyway!) share your calling in sick stories.

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Specializes in Gyn Onc, OB, L&D, HH/Hospice/Palliative.

Wow, she sounds like a real winner.!!!! I have never had anyone say anything to me other than, hope you feel better, don't worry about it etc.Then again, I don't talk to the chief, we just tell the chg nurse, (who is just any of us on any given day)

there have been times several people have called out on the same shift and oh well, you just deal,start calling people to see if they can come in, whatever. To personally go after you like that is pretty appauling,

What is she, your mother??? :nono:

I would be a little peeved. It's not your fault or your problem, it's hers. Yes, she has a business/facility to run, so she should just act professional, shut up and run it

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At some places, nurses will call in sick when they are really not sick..That is why you get an attitude..

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Specializes in Ortho, Neuro, Detox, Tele.

yeah, I 2nd that, but then again, when you get frustrated don't we all vent.....I've gotten the "you're not calling off..." question, I've gotten the "oh, well, we've only got 12 patients and we're gaining 2 and losing 4....like that's going to make a difference when I'm sick! You want me around fresh post-ops?" I'll be frank, I take a mental health day maybe once every 3 months...and it takes a lot for me to be sick...but if I'm going from the couch to the BR...then that's it! Some people just forget that we're allowed to be human too!

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yeah, I 2nd that, but then again, when you get frustrated don't we all vent.....I've gotten the "you're not calling off..." question, I've gotten the "oh, well, we've only got 12 patients and we're gaining 2 and losing 4....like that's going to make a difference when I'm sick! You want me around fresh post-ops?" I'll be frank, I take a mental health day maybe once every 3 months...and it takes a lot for me to be sick...but if I'm going from the couch to the BR...then that's it! Some people just forget that we're allowed to be human too!

I've always taken to the belief that nobody wins if I'm at risk of voiding at any given second.. Sometimes if you're questioned, you just need to use a little more colorful descriptions and eventually they'll understand you'd be more of a liability than an asset while you're in there sick.

And as was said above.. infecting clean post-ops knowingly and almost intentionally.. kind of goes against any nursing ethics =/

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Specializes in SICU, NTICU.

I feel guilty because of the effects that my absence has on my co-workers. But when your sick, no one wants you there. Management is always suspicious of "call-ins". But even so, whoever took your sick call should have been more professional. I also take a mental health day every few months or so. Especially when I have had a string of sick/needy/difficult doubles pts. Sick time is part of our package and hospitals use this as a recruiting perk. We earn our sick time. Unfortunately, at our hospital all of our accrued sick time is wasted if you decide to part ways. Now that is a big incentive to use it!! So guess what happens when someone puts in their notice??

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Specializes in onc, M/S, hospice, nursing informatics.

I work 7p-7a. Called in one day early... like around 1300, because I was really sick and wanted to give plenty of notice so they could find a replacement. The supervisor said, "You don't think you'll be better by then?"

Geesch... Can't win.

Don't feel bad. I hope you didn't go in with the guilt-trip!

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Specializes in ICU, CCU,Wound Care,LTC, Hospice, MDS.

I rarely call in, but one time when I called in with a splitting headache, I was told to take some Motrin and come in 2 hours late!

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I woke up this morning feeling awful....GI stuff. I was scheduled to work at 2:30 So, I took my shower and got dressed for work, you know....just trudging on. Had a miserable episode where I became diaphoretic and white as a sheet.

So, I called work, told my DNS I wasn't going to make it in. Her response "Absolutely not, one nurse has already called in today!"

You say, "That's not my problem. I am calling in sick. Goodbye."

I hope you feel better.

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I called out sick yesterday with the gastroenteritis too. I didn't feel guilty; I was too sick to even sit up. Nobody made me feel guilty, luckily.

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.

I had that stomach bug a couple weeks ago. It got worse at work, and my manager made me go home. She didn't want me giving it to someone else.

On the other side of the coin, I used to be an asst. nurse mgr. for a tyrant. I left my post one day (after letting my mgr know what was going on), because my aunt had been admitted to the ICU after unexpectedly coding on one of the units I was in charge of. While I was up on the ICU with her, very upset BTW, the manager came up and started giving me instructions for what she wanted me to do "when you come in tomorrow." She did this right after my uncle hugged her and thanked her for letting me be with my aunt, because my family needed me. She could see for herself that my aunt was intubated, had an A-line, was on pressors, etc. I promptly put in my 4 weeks notice, and transferred up to that ICU. I couldn't have made a better choice. My aunt survived, and is doing very well- in no small part to that group of nurses who took great care of her.

Some managers don't care if something really is going on- they just want a warm body. I refuse to be treated like a warm body ever again. It's not your fault that someone else called in sick. You don't have any more control over that any more than you have over getting sick. Things happen, and we are not machines. I hope you feel better soon. Take care of yourself- your coworkers will be fine.

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Specializes in Peds, PICU, Home health, Dialysis.
At some places, nurses will call in sick when they are really not sick..That is why you get an attitude..

Regardless how "sick" the nurse is, if they have sick time that they are able to use, then they should be able to use it.

Our unit released a memo before the holidays stating that if a nurse wants to call out during the holidays (they listed dates that this would take be effective on) would need to speak to the manager on-call and provide a doctors note.

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