At our hospital, the policy is that if you have to call off, you need to find your own replacement. We are a critical access hospital so there are not a lot of staff on standby. The population of our town is about 1500.
I had an injury before work today, got hit by a gate that a cow ran into when we were sorting. I passed out and when I came to, I had a forehead abrasion and pain in my L ribs.
I was scheduled to work that night. So my question is...I was in NO shape to call around to find a repalcement. I called in to work and let them know what happened. They were very snotty to me on the phone. Needless to say I'm going to an ER 40 miles away to get checked out.
Is this normal in other places? Especially critical access hospitals? I know we dont have staff but I can't function safely as a nurse with a head injury.
Well my concern is that I would be turned in for Patient abandonment since I agreed to work the schedule. I do NOT want to jeopardize my license. But going to work like this would be unsafe. Also jeopardizing my license--and patients most off all! I don't feel competent to handle an ER case after getting my bell rung.
Agreeing to a schedule and actually showing up and accepting specific patient assignments are two entirely different things. And even if they DID try to peg you with abandonment, I promise you that they would not win that battle. You informed them of your injuries and you have medical records to back that up. The BON would most likely thank you for not showing up to work in that condition.
This is a ridiculous policy. I personally think you and as many of your co workers as you can talk into it need to start challenging it. This is the only way it will change.
Start with "hello Nursing Supervisor this is RN A, I am scheduled to work tonight starting at 1900. I am sick and will not be coming in for my shift. You will need to find a replacement".
What is that you say? I need to find a replacement? "No. I am not at work nor am I being paid and as mentioned I am sick so managing the schedule is not my responsibility. Thank you. Good Bye". Hang up phone.
Specializes in ED, Tele, MedSurg, ADN, Outpatient, LTC, Peds.
I am just amazed! If you are sick,you are out period.
You should not have to worry about finding a replacement.
Just make sure that you have informed the hospital officially as per policy.
I am not sure if your hospital has a cut off time as per union regulation like mine does. The only exception is if it was something that happened within the last one hour before the shift, a true emergency!
On the other hand, as an administrator/ Nursing supervisor , my expectation is that you would call out as soon as you have an issue in order for the staffer or me to find a replacement and not wait for the last minute before your shift.
This is a courtesy to your coworkers who may have to work short as I cannot find anyone at short notice. Remember the shoe can be on the other foot as well.The earlier I know, the more chance of me able to find someone.
I would not be as cut and dry when calling the nursing office, as being unprofessional has a way of coming back to bite you unexpectedly!
The hospital is responsible to ensure safe staffing but you can't pull people off the street.
Our RNs are not so easy to replace, so one has to be mindful that we signed up for "essential service' and not a 9-5 pm job.
It comes with it's pros and cons.
I would encourage you to find out the policy and make sure you did not sign up for that in your job contract. If so, you are bound until you break that contract.
Have an honest conversation with the manager about expectations for callouts and make a decision if this is what you really want.
Feel better and take care of your health. If you are not in good health you need to heal first! All luck!
There is a reason why everybody up the nursing chain of command, all the way to the CNO, has an RN after their name... ultimately, it's on them to cover the shift.
It's not best for the patient, of course, but that's the reality of a tiny, critical-access hospital.
Of course, you may not be able to get hold of them. I once stay through my NOC shift with a kidney stone. With the advice of the doc, I gave myself a Toradol injection, started a line, and gave myself 4 liters of fluid. I would saline lock it to do patient care and then re-connect while I was in the office.
I had patients in the ED, there was only one nurse on the floor with her own patients, and nobody would answer the phone.
What if someone calls in dead? Strap them up and push them around? Ridiculous policy. You have to accept a assignment not a schedule for nursing. Home health might be different case but on site no.
This was definitely NOT patient abandonment. Your supervisor or administration might get a little snooty with you but I would not worry about contacting the board at all.
As far as the policy goes, I also work in a CAH and that is absolutely ridiculous. You can only be responsible for yourself and if you are sick, it is not reasonable in any way to expect you to find coverage. If I were asked to do that the next thing they would hear would be a dial tone and it wouldn't be long before I was working somewhere else.
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
Oh how well I remember the days of sorting cows - It all looks so fun on TV! Glad you were not seriously hurt. Still a head injury with loss of consciousness does warrant a trip to the ER. If your employer doesn't get that then they don't need you in their workforce. Get your self taken care of and then decide if this is a company you want to work for.
Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
We don't have to find our own replacement if we call out sick, but we don't get paid sick time, either. We only get paid for sick time on the 3rd consecutive day out. So even if you have tons of "sick hours" saved up, you still can't use them unless you are out at least 3 days. And you still don't get paid for day one and day two. (And they call that a benefit......)
Do you have a union? State labour laws? It seems like a BS policy that's in violation of something.
This isn't uncommon. I used to PRN at a LTC facility that required you to find a replacement if sick. I worked there 16 months, showed up on time to every shift, and gave my boss an 8 hr notice that I was ill w/ norovirus and there was no way I could work (puking/diarrhea at same time í ½í¸·). She said find your replacement, I said okay sure I'll do that in between puking in a bucket while sitting on the commode, not. She didn't find anyone and the previous shift was mandated to staying even though they had 8 hours to work it out. Just ridiculous. I thought part of the reason nursing management was paid well was that they can take on an assignment if low staffing. I've literally never seen that happen though.
Purple_roses
1,763 Posts
Agreeing to a schedule and actually showing up and accepting specific patient assignments are two entirely different things. And even if they DID try to peg you with abandonment, I promise you that they would not win that battle. You informed them of your injuries and you have medical records to back that up. The BON would most likely thank you for not showing up to work in that condition.