Do you go to work with vomiting/diarrhea?

Nurses General Nursing

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  1. Do you go to work with vomiting/diarrhea?

    • 439
      No way!
    • 121
      Yes, unfortunately I do.

87 members have participated

I work in a psych/chemical dependency unit. We have two sides, one for crisis with 30 beds and another with 16 beds which is more of a stabilization/transitional type service (that's my side). We have two RNs on at any given time, one on each side. Anyway, there is a virus running rampant on my unit. The patients are sick as dogs and so are many of the staff. I had it two weeks ago, and when I went to call in I was told that I needed to come in because they needed an 8 hour notice. Um, sure, 8 hours would be courteous but who really knows if they're going to be sick in 8 hours? That's a little unrealistic, especially with only 12 hours between shifts. I was actually trying to wait and see if the vomiting/diarrhea would go away, but it didn't. Well, they ended up calling in another nurse to work overtime and cover my shifts, thank God. There was absolutely no way that I could have worked that day. I was in the bathroom literally every five minutes. I'm the only nurse to those extremely needy med seekers, so I'm constantly being bombarded with "psychosis" episodes, PRN requests, etc. So, yeah, not much room for bathroom breaks. OK, fast forward to today, the day nurse that relieved me was literally puking out of her car window on the way to work because she attempted to call in and the supervisor said that she had to come in because there was no one to cover. In my opinion, forcing the staff to come in while extremely ill is probably what caused the outbreak among the patients. Staff was the first group to come down with it, then the patients.

So, my question is, are you forced to go to work when you have vomiting/diarrhea going on? Aren't we supposed to be advocates for our patients? Shouldn't their well being be our top priority? How is going to work with a wicked virus that can easily be passed on to our patients supposed to help them? For the record, I am NOT one to call in. I know how badly it affects everyone. However, I feel that some things warrant staying home, and this issue is definitely one of them. This is just another reason to hate my job even more, and I have plenty of reasons as it is.

Specializes in LTC, med/surg, hospice.

I do not go to work under those conditions. I had a GI bug last year and there were a couple times during the day that I almost didn't make it to the bathroom. There are too many instances working at the bedside that I wouldn't be able to drop everything to go poop. Plus I felt like crap along with it.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

I would be sent home immediately if I had those symptoms. We are not allowed at work with those symptoms.

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Specializes in Education.

I said yes.

However.

I start getting upset? Stress at home gets to be too much? I end up with GI upset. (Like blasted clockwork after having yet another issue with my husband.) It's actually better for me, in that situation, to take a half-dose of Imodium and go to work, which is a far less stressful environment than my home is. (And I'm an ER nurse, so what does that say about my house?) This has been going on for well over a decade, and I've learned what signals a stress response and what signals illness.

Now, if I have other S+S of an actual illness? I'm on the phone so fast that my head spins. The sooner I call out, the sooner I can stop feeling guilty about being sick and calling out.

Let it also be said that I practice very good hand hygiene, especially when having said GI upset!

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How do you deal with diarrhea while sitting in traffic? Vomiting is a little safer with a chance for a dirty door, hopefully the outside part.

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We have a lot of policy regarding when we should call out. Should you follow said policy, it becomes an "issue" to talk about at one's yearly performance review (you only have xx amount of sick time left!! You call out too much!!) Stating that you re just following policy doesn't lead anywhere quickly.

However, policy protects the facility. Should a nurse not call out, and end up causing patient harm, then that policy is whipped out faster than anything.

Remember, this is a business. That relies on the bottom line. Paying overtime to another nurse is not cost effective. So you best get your raw butt into work--but don't get any of the patients ill. Or you will also be recovering from the bus accident when it runs you over.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

That's insane! The policy where I work forbids that staff come in ill. If a staff member has GI symptoms they need to stay home for 48 hours after symptoms stop, and 72 hours for staff that handles food. I am sure that this policy has prevented serious outbreaks in my facility.

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Most facilities where I have worked required at least a 4 hour notice, never 8. I would drag out that good old employee benefit/regulations book and find that policy. I have never heard of an 8 hour notice and as one of the previous posters replied, if they can cancel a shift for you in a 2 hour window then that should also apply for call outs. There are three things I call out for, number one is nausea/diarrhea, other is severe sinus infection, third is a needed mental health day. I rarely call out, but if I cannot give my 150% it is not happening!!

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Specializes in Emergency & Trauma/Adult ICU.

Vomiting and/or diarrhea? That's a firm no.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
Most facilities where I have worked required at least a 4 hour notice, never 8. I would drag out that good old employee benefit/regulations book and find that policy. I have never heard of an 8 hour notice and as one of the previous posters replied, if they can cancel a shift for you in a 2 hour window then that should also apply for call outs. There are three things I call out for, number one is nausea/diarrhea, other is severe sinus infection, third is a needed mental health day. I rarely call out, but if I cannot give my 150% it is not happening!!

An 8 hr window will make it less challenging to get coverage, though...I think that's why people will call out outright when they make the decision to call out; why wait if you know you are going to call out?

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Specializes in Gerontology.

I was vomiting for two hours the other morning and my boss reminded me I was to come in early for my next shift! I ran out to vomit while she was reminding me. Ugh. I vomited before I showered, crawled in to work, and, luckily, a nice co-worker came in to finish my shift for me. It's all about the money where I work and we employees aren't very important. Sad.

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Specializes in mental health / psychiatic nursing.

My facility policy is vomiting, diarrhea and fever are automatic call-out and you must stay out until you've been sx free for at least 24 hours. Yes it is a staffing nightmare, but that is on staffing/administration not you. We do ask that some one give as much notice as possible (min 2 hours, prefer more) but if you wake up sick or get sick at work, they'll try to find some one ASAP and juggle staff to make it work. (Or management will come in and work the floor until they get someone).

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
I was vomiting for two hours the other morning and my boss reminded me I was to come in early for my next shift! I ran out to vomit while she was reminding me. Ugh. I vomited before I showered, crawled in to work, and, luckily, a nice co-worker came in to finish my shift for me. It's all about the money where I work and we employees aren't very important. Sad.

I hope pts and staff didn't get it. Personally I would be more than a little irritated if staff came to work with vomiting/diarrhea.

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