Calling in sick on last day?

[amz93]

My last shift at current job is tonight, but I’m thinking of calling in. I work nights but am starting a new day shift job Monday morning. So if I go to work I will work till 7:30am on Sunday and then have to somehow switch to day schedule for Monday. I want to be well rested for my first day. I know a lot of people will say I’ll be on a no hire list for that hospital but I am already on it because I am breaking my residency contract by leaving before the 2 year mark. What would you do?

[JKL33]

Up to you.

I'd go to work. Assuming you have significant/legitimate reasons for not continuing at the place where you had your residency then just leave on a good foot. If they are trash...don't try to beat them at that game. You know?

Normally I would say that filling staffing holes is the employer's business, but...just go in. Let your coworkers be slightly less stressed tonight than you know they will be if you call in. Say goodbye, thank a few people. Leave on a good note. Take a short nap when you get home, get back up and be active so you'll be ready to get some more sleep through the night.

Sometimes there's something to be said for not being as jerky as others (presumably) have been to you.

$.02

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

If you're breaking a residency contract, you're a new nurse. Get in the habit of doing the classy thing- work your last shift.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

You should fulfill your obligation and go to work. Just my opinion. You have a day to flip back to day shift. 

[Wuzzie]

What would I do? I’d act like a grown up and fulfill my obligation to the patients and my co-workers instead of screwing them over. Then I wouldn’t sleep all day Sunday instead I’d get up, have a chill day, go to bed at a reasonable hour and move on. Jeesh! Adulting is not that difficult. 

[CharleeFoxtrot, BSN, RN]

3 minutes ago, Wuzzie said:

What would I do? I’d act like a grown up and fulfill my obligation to the patients and my co-workers instead of screwing them over. Then I wouldn’t sleep all day Sunday instead I’d get up, have a chill day, go to bed at a reasonable hour and move on. Jeesh! Adulting is not that difficult. 

Adulting is hard but that's what adults do ?

[NightNerd, MSN, RN]

I feel your pain on trying to switch in such a short period of time. Is there a reason you couldn't take a week between jobs? I found that to be my best strategy when changing between jobs that have different shifts.

Anyway, what's done is done, and sometimes that's not anyways feasible. Just work your last shift. This was a situation that you could anticipate when you resigned, and you chose this as your last shift and Monday as your first at the new job. Sleep a couple hours Sunday morning, get up and be active, and take some melatonin Sunday night. You are still going to be tired, and it sucks, but it'll be okay.

Congrats on the new job, by the way!

[londonflo]

Where I worked we had an evening party for a day nurse on the day before her last shift. We gave presents, wished her well and, gathered to wish her the best after all of us had worked a full day too.  On the way home from the party, the RN called in sick for the next day. 

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

I would also work the last day. Switching between nights and days is just part of what comes with the job. You say you already broke a contract, which might very well have strong justification, but it's the professional and responsible thing to fulfill the obligation of your two week notice. 

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

29 minutes ago, londonflo said:

Where I worked we had an evening party for a day nurse on the day before her last shift. We gave presents, wished her well and, gathered to wish her the best after all of us had worked a full day too.  On the way home from the party, the RN called in sick for the next day. 

Class act.

[amoLucia]

Be the professional. And a class act.  Go to work as sched.

Your co-workers won't have negative memories of you for your last day.

FTR -  I also knew a place where the staff had planned a 'last nite going away' party for a nurse. Then she pulled the no-show act. Really, po'd her coworkers. We had really liked her. We celebrated without the deadbeat!!

Congrats on the new job - they'll understand the fatigue.

[JBMmom, MSN, NP]

56 minutes ago, amoLucia said:

I also knew a place where the staff had planned a 'last nite going away' party for a nurse. Then she pulled the no-show act.

THREE nurses did that to us in the last year, within about six weeks of each other. They all said they were actually really upset about leaving the unit and were concerned that they would be upset if we made a big deal (which of course we tried to do because they had all been there 20+ years). Then we had to track them down to give them gifts, and we were short staffed, again. Oh well.