Co-worker hitting up the Dr.s for meds during shift?

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The other day, a new nurse in our dept. (well-baby nursery) came to work sick (elevated temp and sore throat). The charge nurse wouldn't tell her to go home (didn't want to hurt her feelings :rolleyes: ). She said she was going to ask the Dr. to give her a Rx when she made rounds. I thought this was inappropriate, and I told her so. Our unit director came in later in the morning and sent her home.

Am I the only one who feels it is unprofessional to come to work sick and then hit up the docs for an exam and some meds?

Specializes in ER/Geriatrics.

In my opinion it is inappropriate and crossing boundries.

I work in the ER as well...if we have an issue we get a chart made up and then our doctor will advise and prescribe.

Liz

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Specializes in ICU.

There is a time and a place for this ( so to speak). My husband (an ob-gyn) has been asked many times to refill birth -control pills for people , but he won't because that is a type of pill that really needs to be regulated by someone familiar with your body. He also is extremely annoyed when new employees ask him for prescriptions, and he barely can even remember their names. But, for nurses that he has worked with for a while, it's not an issue for him to write for simple things, like abx, allergy meds, or pyridium for an oncoming uti. I think that in the end, it really depends on what's being asked for, and who's asking. :monkeydance:

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Specializes in CCU,MICU,SICU,BICU,ER,MedSurg,Tele.

Writing a Rx for a co-worker is not a big deal when it is for antibiotics or something of the such. Most docs will let you know if they do not want to do it. Things that are taboo are pain meds (especially vicodin), anxiolytics, or meds that are out of the docs realm in general. Making these professional courtesies a "firing offense" only keeps nurses down just that much more. Doctors will ask their colleagues for favors in a heartbeat.

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There is a sign posted at work that we not ask the doctors to write scripts or discuss our medical problems with them.

It's not followed. Our doctors are very nice and if they see a nurse suffering they will come up and ask if they can write anything for us. I like knowing that if I'm suffering on Sat I don't need to wait until Mon to get a script for antibiotic.

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I've been offered an rx before when i got really sick at work with what turned out to be a nasty sinus infection. when i left for work that morning, i thought I was just really tired, but it got worse throughout the day and i ended up needing to go home. One of the neurologists with whom I had a good rapport (which was unusual, as I was still a CNA, and most docs treated me like I was invisible) offered to write for some abx. I felt so crappy that I couldn't imagine going to the pharmacy on the way home, so I thanked him and declined the offer.

like another poster said, what really bothers me is when people show up to work sick. I just started working in a corporate job as a nurse consultant, and this company has a very strict policy about going in to work sick. You have an extended illness bank that kicks in after your 2nd day out so you don't use up all your PTO. I find it so ironic that this place where people just sit in cubicles all day is more concerned about sick employees spreading infection than the hospitals where I've worked.

I know it's a very different set of circumstances- you can't really work as a bedside nurse from home with your laptop- but it makes me so angry that hospitals staff so poorly that employees are guilted into working when they absolutely should NOT be around patients. Of course, you also see the people (not just nurses, but all sorts) who think they're being a martyr by showing up sick. :uhoh21: Come on, people! You're putting EVERYONE at risk, and it just irks the snot out of me.

i have gone to work sick by choice cause i know they will not replace me and that will only make the workload heavier for the rest ( or half replace me - get someone to come for a few hours - however i do not feel i put my residents at risk ( for one thing usually any viral or bacterial infection will be infectious days before the fever actually breaks out and you feel sick - i wear a mask and gown as well as wash wash wash and wear gloves between washing - i may look like I'm from outer space wearing it all shift but reverse precautions work well if utilized. not being a martyr - just doing my share of the job

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Unfortunately , calling in sick is a no no in this profession. It is riduculous. I have called in sick with pneumonia and have been told to wear a mask and to check my lifestyle. I am a nurse that is 52 years old.This is the coldest profession in the world. No wonder thereJL is a nurse shortage. Unless you work where there is a union, you have no rights. I never suggest this profession to any young people. Its a great part time job. Thats it! JL

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Specializes in critical care; community health; psych.

I work in a teaching facility critical care unit. Private docs are a rarity. Our Rx pads are locked up and only the clinical director can get to them. Solves that problem. Still, I see nothing wrong with the practice if there is a professional relationship established and everyone's on the same page. No narcs of couse.

Ever heard the saying a nurse can't have a bad day? Well, so what's a nurse to do? Let's see. Can't get sick. Can't get well! Can't eat a sandwich in the clinical area but can't take a lunch break either. Hydrating is also a no-no... for 12 hours!! Peeing is allowed x1. I say get the damned script!

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Specializes in cardiac.

Where I worked, you were not given a break if you were sick. I worked cardiac. Our nurse manager stated that she didn't care if we were sick we needed to be there. OK...so let's cough and sneeze around post op open heart pts!!!! Needless to say, I don't work there anymore. :nurse:

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Specializes in Geriatrics..

I think that it is very dangerous for someone to be working with children while they are sick. Especially those that are venilators or fighting for their lives. I feel that from a professional standpoint, this nurse should have just called the head nurse and told her that she was feeling a little under the weather and that it would be best if she did not come into work that day! This is my opinion. Good Luck!!

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Dangerous to be working when you're sick anyway, since you never know who may have a compromised immune system.

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Ever heard the saying a nurse can't have a bad day? Well, so what's a nurse to do? Let's see. Can't get sick. Can't get well! Can't eat a sandwich in the clinical area but can't take a lunch break either. Hydrating is also a no-no... for 12 hours!! Peeing is allowed x1. I say get the damned script!

:wink2: :wink2: I remember having shifts where my only break would be to go pee!! It always felt so good to actually get to sit down for a minute!!

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Years ago, we all routinely asked the interns and residents for help with antibiotics, for example. We got to know them quite well and I guess they felt comfortable doing it. And we used to visit our attendings if we needed help in their area of expertise. They all gave a lower price to us, called it professional courtesy.

As I got older, I grew embarrassed to discuss my personal health with people I worked with because they love to use it against you and the culture has changed, it seems, so that it isn't as easy to ask a doctor at work for prescriptions, unless you know them long-term and have a really good relationship with them. I think it puts them in rather an awkward spot to ask them and I don't want to jeopardize my relationships or my job so I haven't asked any favors for a very long time. If one is going to ask a doctor for help, it should be done very privately. No one else should know about it.

As for a sick nurse coming to work - is there anyone here who has never done that? Or who would never do that? I guess if it's to work with sick babies or the fragile elderly or the chronically, fragile ill, one could wear a mask. But realistically speaking, how many of us really call off for just a cold? Or allergic sinusitis? Or even bronchitis? If we feel able AT All to get to work, don't we go to work? I have been trained that, unless I am absolutely knocking at death's door, I go to work. I almost never, never, never call off for any reason. That's just the way I've been trained over the last 50 years.

And there are plenty of times that I have gotten sick from someone at work - a sick patient, visitor, or colleague- be they docs, nurses, whoever. It's a germy world and if we gave in to every sickness, we'd never be at work. So, hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work we go. As for the morality of it, I think it's bad to give our illnesses to each other but what can you realistically do?

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