confused by call in policy....

[wanderinrn]

I have been ill recently with a sinus/resp infection. I worked last week Thur-Friday, was on call for Saturday then was scheduled for work M-Wed. Managed to get thru the call day Saturday...Found someone to cover my shift for Monday. Was still pretty sick, but improving Tuesday. I went in to work, but was coughing a lot. The census was very low, we had no surgery pts coming in thru our outpt surgery center, but did have some pre-admission teaching/testing pts scheduled. So, I was told I could go home since there wasn't much going on. Well, yesterday my supervisor comes to me with a absence slip to sign. I was so stunned I didn't even question it, just signed it. Later I called her office and asked if that was considered a regular absence like a call in and she said it does. I mean, I went in to work, because I knew there were already three nurses going to be off. I had no idea the census was down, until I got to work. I assumed since i was told the census was down it would be considered a low census day....It really makes me have bad feelings about my place of employment. There is NO WAY in heck they would have offered to let me go home if we had been at our regular full schedule! AEB my having to work all day with a persistent cough and and having to run every few minutes to blow my nose! I feel this is so unfair. Does anyone else know if their facility would handle this situation in this way?

[chelli73]

Wow, first of all hope youre feeling better. Second, that sounds like an unfair practice to me, since you DID show up and they LET you go home early. Based on your relationship with your boss who had you sign the slip (NEVER sign anything again until you are well enough to comprehend it, I LEARNED THAT THE HARD WAY!!) Maybe you can go over her head to HR and get it removed based on the facts you outlined here. Write a letter and make an appt. and try not to feel too bad about your job attendance policy, it sucks all over the place. Its a rough economy out there, and it seems that employers are bleeding a turnip sometimes because they A. are getting bled themselves, or B. know how desperate we are to keep our jobs!!! Good luck either way!!

[OttawaRPN]

Did they send you home b/c you were sick or because the census was low or a combination of the two?

[Batman25]

You went to work and were sent home due to low census. I would go to HR. You shouldn't be "charged" here. We wouldn't be where I work.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

talk to HR. This needs fixing.

[wanderinrn]

Upon further thought, I have realized that maybe the charge nurse just told the supervisor that I was sick and 'had to go home'. If we go in and work at least four hours, it doesn't count against us. But, I had just clocked in, and then was told I should 'just go on home since I sound so bad and there isn't much going on.' Now I think maybe the supervisor thinks that I just stated I had to go home. In that case, I can see where she is coming from. But, yesterday was so busy, and I was coughing a lot, to the point I was embarrassed to have pt contact, and no one ever said I should go home. The charge nurse and supervisor both saw and heard how miserable I was, but was never suggested I go home. I am feeling worse today having worked the past two sick. Am off now til next Wednesday and will probably have to spend all that time recuperating....uggghhh. I feel like I really pushed myself the last two days for my job and then get really no appreciation. I'm sorry, I'm just being whiny and venting....not normally like this..just feeling really bad, and sort of used. I think I will call the supervisor and just find out exactly the situation was presented to her. Thanks for your input!

[pers]

Our policy is that it does not count against you if you are sent home due to census unless you are sent home out of turn because you are sick. So if I show up sick and someone has to go home early but it's Jane's turn and she'd like to go but I'm sent home because I'm sick, it counts as an absence. However, if it's my turn to go home anyway (or nobody else wanted to leave) then it doesn't count as an absence.

[usalsfyre]

It's a good idea to never assume anything when dealing with management.