Calling in Sick

CHATSDALE · May 17, 2006

we have two classes of workers 1 those who will call in at the drop of a hat and 2. those who show up when scheduled

too frequently they are painted withthe same brush when the ptbl look at them

accumulated sick time is really should not be used as a day off, there may come a time when you are sick for an extrended time and will really use it

at a previous facility we had a nurse who had been there for 5 years and had very little build-up, when she had an emergency surgery she was paid for that amount and then put on unpaid status..when she wanted to come back they told her that her position was filled and that she would have to take another shift which she did not feel she could take due to family obligations.. i believe that she went to another facility but there were hard feelings about what she believed being cheated out of shift she felt she had earned

Furoffire · May 17, 2006

When you call in sick, do you think it's fair that they ask you why? I mean, obviously, you are 'calling in SICK'... I called in today because I was basically feeling like crap, and I was a little surprised when the nursing director asked 'well whats wrong?' ( In our hospital we have a sick line, you dont speak to the charge nurse on your unit like in most hospitals I've seen )... Just wanting a little input on this one :)

That's weird but every hospital is different. Find out the policy. We were told in orientation to just call in at such and such time and do not get into detail. Its up to you and one's PTO. I figure we have to give and take. If the hospital is in need and they call on our day off my goal is to help them out too. Fluffy:trout:

bigtex · May 17, 2006

Well not saying you werent sick, but being staffing coordinator, being sick is being sick, feeling like crap is not feeling sick. Staying out to late and having a hangover is not being sick. Saying your sick then on the same night seeing you in Wal-Mart in cut-off jeans and a tanktop is not really considered being sick. This happens all the time. These are not isolated examples I have just given you....This was last weeks call in's. I know you just used feeling like crap and really meant you were sick, and if you never call in and your boss asked you that, then thier wrong. I give alot more lead way to the people who call in 3 times a year as oppossed to 3 times a month.

brsharky · May 18, 2006

I agree with you that you should not have to say why you are calling in sick, generally speaking. I am a Nurse Manager and when staff requests Sick Leave I grant it if they have it. The facility where I work has a policy stating that supervisors cannot demand an explanation for SL requests (except with certain exceptions). However, if the employee begins the conversation by telling me that they are have difficulties other than illness, such as car trouble, etc., then requests SL, I do not have to grant SL. Also, in certain instances where there is a prolonged usage of SL or a pattern of leave abuse there are exceptions to the rule. We have a process to put leave abusers on medical certification and require a doctor's note for each call-in. For most employees who call in occasionally due to a legitimate illness this isn't an issue. I wouldn't want any staff member of mine coming in sick and then making patients and other staff ill. However, with a probationary employee who is on orientation I would definitely keep an eye on the leave usage. Sometimes it is a legitimate illness and sometimes it is a sign of whats to come. When I hire a full-time nurse I need a full-timer not a part-timer...as do the other nurses who are working short-handed. Sorry, I got off on my soapbox again. I would just say that you don't feel comfortable or want to discuss it and leave it at that. I think most supervisors would understand. If not just frankly remind them that you have a right to privacy as well. If the leave requests are excessive then they can deal with that in other ways.

texas_lvn · May 18, 2006

me and my family come first. if i bend myself out of shape to do the hospital favors, the only one who will remember it is my son who will remember that i wasn't there for him!

I think this really brings some light to my world. Thank you for this valuable insight!! I never thought of it like that. (compliment not fire)

brsharky · May 18, 2006

I forgot to mention that the other reason I have asked and only if an employe is willing to discuss the matter is when I am concerned that there is something contagious involved that I might need to inform our providers to watch for in our patient population or among other staff members. For example, I recently had an employee who had to have Chicken Pox ruled out. This employee was upfront with providing the information and was luckily not positive for Chicken Pox. However, I need to be able to inform providers, etc. just in case patients are exposed to potentially contagious illnesses.

Jesskanurse · May 18, 2006

Well not saying you werent sick, but being staffing coordinator, being sick is being sick, feeling like crap is not feeling sick. Staying out to late and having a hangover is not being sick. Saying your sick then on the same night seeing you in Wal-Mart in cut-off jeans and a tanktop is not really considered being sick. This happens all the time. These are not isolated examples I have just given you....This was last weeks call in's. I know you just used feeling like crap and really meant you were sick, and if you never call in and your boss asked you that, then thier wrong. I give alot more lead way to the people who call in 3 times a year as oppossed to 3 times a month.

I dont know if you read my post completely.. I did not just say 'oh I feel like crap' and leave it at that. She caught me off guard so I said what first came to my mind which was that I felt like crap....then I explained more (body aches, etc.) I am on orientation but am almost off of it, have already received my evaluation which was very good. I have also never been late to work or missed another day.... just to show you I'm not some lazy person who doesn't care. Trust me, I was sick.

maddynrs · May 18, 2006

At least you guys can call in sick without repercussions. At my hospital, if you call in sick more than 3 times in a six month period and don't have a doctor's note, you get written up. It's rediculous! I mean, we work with SICK PEOPLE! We are not super human. Yes, I understand that they may be short staffed and they may need more people to be put out by coming in on an off day, but Jeez! Do you want us to give our possibly contagious illnesses to already immunocompromised patients? Can you say Nosocomial Infection???? I work in a CCU and the patients there are usually VERY ill, hence the term... CRITICAL care unit. My boss gives me hell every time I try to call in sick, which has only been 2 x's in the whole year and a few months that I've worked there.

Sorry, had to vent on this one. Hit a nerve.

m.

LilRedRN1973 · May 18, 2006

I have called in 3 times this year and was given a verbal warning. One more time of calling in sick in the next month or so and I will be put on a Corrective Action Plan (or something like that...can't remember exactly what the supervisor called it). I currently have 11 hours of sick to use and have used 36 hours this year. 2 of the sick calls were because my rheumatoid arthritis was acting up, I could hardly get out of bed, let alone do a 12 hour night shift in the ICU. Plus, I had to take pain meds and can't work after taking Vicodin. The other sick call was from a horrible reaction to Flagyl. I had god awful diarrhea, my temp was up to 101, and I had thrown up several times.

We have a sick line that we call and it's the Nursing Supervisor of the entire hospital. Then they report to each charge RN/supervisor of each unit. I am always asked what is wrong and I gladly tell them. I don't call in if there is a chance I can do my job and/or not get patients sick. I'm currently looking into intermittent FMLA due to my Rheumatoid arthritis. I do not want to lose my job because there are days here and there when I am unable to function as a good RN.

My rheumatologist wants to start me on methotrexate and/or prednisone, then move up to something like Enbrel, Humira, etc. if those don't work. Truth be told, I am a bit nervous about starting methotrexate and prednisone for my RA because I am aware of the immunosupression you get with MTX and I've heard from others how awful prednisone makes you feel. But I don't have a choice if I want to save my joints from being destroyed. I get worried because of all the isolation patients we treat in the ICU. I'm already looking down the road for when I'm physically unable to work ICU/hospital, but until then, I hope something like intermittent FMLA will help me keep my job. One good thing is I usually have fair warning when I'm going to have a "flare up" with my disease and would be able to call in many hours in advance (I work nights and would be able to call in that morning).

I feel like I'm being unfair to my employer but when I was hired, I did not have RA. I was diagnosed early last summer (the month I graduated from nursing school) and have been employed in this unit since 2003. I can't help that I have this condition and I do everything I can to ensure my health. I have learned that just by splitting up my shifts and working 2 nights on, 2 nights off, then 1 night on, I don't seem to have the pain and fatigue I did when I was doing all 3 shifts together. It does seem screwy to me that hospitals offer this sick time but if you actually use it, you get reprimanded for it.

Melanie = )

nursenevaeh · May 18, 2006

Hi,

When I call into work they ask what's wrong and they right it down in my record. They say they have to ask in case it is something contagious. Also, depending on the supervisor, when someone ask her why so and so called in she will tell them why. Is this illegal for them to do? My nurse manager keeps track of the number of sick calls. We do get talked to about this if they think we have too many. Sometimes reprimand.

Thanks,

Erin

When you call in sick, do you think it's fair that they ask you why? I mean, obviously, you are 'calling in SICK'... I called in today because I was basically feeling like crap, and I was a little surprised when the nursing director asked 'well whats wrong?' ( In our hospital we have a sick line, you dont speak to the charge nurse on your unit like in most hospitals I've seen )... Just wanting a little input on this one :)

milly · May 18, 2006

we have to report our illness to the senior nurse on duty at that time, and you have specific times we have to call in by and it differs in length. for instance we have to call before 6am for our early shift before 10am for our late shift and before 4pm for a night shift. and we have to tell tehm the nature of our illness and if we are suffering from Dand V then we are suppost to provide occupational health with a sample.....

mcastford · May 18, 2006

I seldom if ever call in sick. However, I work for hospice and one week six of my patients died at once. I felt like a truck ran through my body---it actually affected me physically, but I went to work and didn't function too well. Another nurse asked me why I hadn't called in sick and I said because I wasn't actually sick. She suggested the next time I do just that. I'm an older nurse {57}, and just don't call in sick unless it's extreme.

Isn't it ashame that we, as nurses, cannot simply say we desperately need off because of mental health reasons. They're just as significant as physical health reasons! And with all that nurses see and hear and do and GIVE, truly, we should be afforded the right with understanding to take off a day occasionally to pull ourselves back to our core!! Marie, RN, BSN, MA