Feeling Bad About Calling-In

[CSHopeful]

On Thursday, I called in sick and I am still feeling bad about it. I work for a large-teaching hospital in the Float Pool/PRN and I have been here for more than a year. I feel bad because this is my 2 call-in these past 4 weeks. Before these two call-ins I only had 2 other incidences so a total of 4 incidences in 13 months. The first one that I called in for 3 weeks ago was because I had a really bad sinus infection that I was prescribed antibiotics. This week, I have been having GI issues N/V and RUQ pain and frequent burping. I saw my primary on Monday, but my N/V was mild, but not my RUQ pain. Her told me to get an ultrasound (scheduled for tomorow) and did some lab work. Lab work was fine. Since I saw my primary doctor, my n/v has become worse. I have been averaging 500 calories a day for the past 5 days because I cannot keep food down and I would just vomit it all out. Went to urgent care that Thursday because the N/V was so unbearable, WATER was making me nauseous and I would vomit that out also. I was hoping the Zofran they prescribed would allow me to work, but I gave it a couple hours and it didn't.

I know there is nothing that I can do, but I do not call out for no reason and I am a good employee. It just so happened that these two incidences were so close together and that's is why I feel bad. I want to be hired by this hospital as a full-time employee and I don't want this to look bad on me.

[Davey Do]

Well, CSHopeful, if you were my Nurse, I rather puke on you than have you puke on me!

It's bad enough being physically ill, but to have guilty feelings on top of it magnifies the discomfort. You gotta do what you gotta do and that means taking care of yourself first.

Get well soon!

[jennylee321]

Don't feel bad you are obviously sick and have the right to call in, I wouldn't want you taking care of me in hospital if you are barely able to keep anything down.

[PixieRN1]

You did what you had to do. Even good employees get sick. I would check policy though, and not return to work until you are truly better. At least the places I have worked, it's only considered one call-out if the call outs are for consecutive shifts.

You will need an MD note to return to work for three or more days out, but you may get in more trouble with management if you call out one shift, show up and manage through the next shift, only to call out the subsequent shift. They count that as two call-outs, where as if you have stayed out, it probably would have only been one. Check your policy though.

As a side note, I had those symptoms and was eventually diagnosed with chronic cholecystasis, and from sludge, not stones. Ultrasound found nothing, neither did CT, but they did find it on a nuclear medicine scan.

Best of luck.