I rarely call in sick. But last night I had to call in very last minute (about 45 minutes before my shift) and I feel so guilty. I work nights so I work up with what felt like heartburn and took a tums. I was getting ready to leave when I had an episode of diarrhea but didn't think it was a big deal because I felt better after. Then I got in my car and was driving to work. As I was driving the cramping in my stomach got worse and worse and I felt so nauseated. I knew I wasn't going to be able to care for patients that way....
SO I called my charge and let her know and I apologized PROFUSELY cause I felt so bad because it was so last minute!! I turned my car around and on my way home I had to pull over because of the pain and dry heaving. I spent my night on and off the toilet and in misery...but I still feel overwhelmingly guilty...I feel like everyone is so mad at me. Especially since the call in was so last minute and my fellow nurses had to work one man down...I feel terrible.
I should also mention that I am a new grad, I've been working for about 7 months on a postpartum/pediatrics unit. Also, since I have started working nights I have never been more sick, Ive had to call in one other time thanks to a fever and a bad cold. I hate having to call in, I always feel so guilty.
Should I feel this way? Is this normal to feel like that? Has anyone else experienced more sicknesses as they are working nights?
In my unit, we had facility mandated ratios in the ICU. A last minute call in would be a BIG deal because coverage must be found. Someone on day shift would probably have to stay over until a PRN or agency nurse could be found. It's always a hardship on those left to deal with a call like that.
On the other hand, most nurses would never call out last minute unless they were truly too ill. So it's a bad deal for both parties.
OP, you're probably going to feel guilty until you don't anymore. As long as this is a ONE time event, I think you're okay. Just try to keep yourself healthy so that you don't become "that nurse." Working night shift is going to make that goal more difficult. So be meticulous with getting rest, exercise, and good nutrition.
I rarely call in sick. But last night I had to call in very last minute (about 45 minutes before my shift) and I feel so guilty. I work nights so I work up with what felt like heartburn and took a tums. I was getting ready to leave when I had an episode of diarrhea but didn't think it was a big deal because I felt better after. Then I got in my car and was driving to work. As I was driving the cramping in my stomach got worse and worse and I felt so nauseated. I knew I wasn't going to be able to care for patients that way....
SO I called my charge and let her know and I apologized PROFUSELY cause I felt so bad because it was so last minute!! I turned my car around and on my way home I had to pull over because of the pain and dry heaving. I spent my night on and off the toilet and in misery...but I still feel overwhelmingly guilty...I feel like everyone is so mad at me. Especially since the call in was so last minute and my fellow nurses had to work one man down...I feel terrible.
I should also mention that I am a new grad, I've been working for about 7 months on a postpartum/pediatrics unit. Also, since I have started working nights I have never been more sick, Ive had to call in one other time thanks to a fever and a bad cold. I hate having to call in, I always feel so guilty.
Should I feel this way? Is this normal to feel like that? Has anyone else experienced more sicknesses as they are working nights?
While it's unfortunate you had to call in, if you have a fever you're considered contagious.
Your GI symptoms sound like noro virus. VERY contagious. I know of some facilities who had to be put on quarantine for noro; no visitors, staff with any symptoms were sent home, visits from outside providers were kept at a minimum, etc.
The first year I worked Peds, my cervical nodes felt like jelly beans lol. After that, I stayed mostly healthy-apparently have a cast iron immune system.
Do not feel guilty if you are sick. Take care of yourself and spare your coworkers and patients your germs.
When working nights, I am even *more careful about what I eat and vitamins, supplements. I have not had an sickness since on nights this round, thankfully.
She was feeling ok until she was in the car driving to work, that's when the bad GI stuff happened. I don't call off work for heartburn or for one episode of diarrhea in which I feel better after, do you? In a perfect world she could have given more notice, but life isn't perfect. And, also, how can you be considered a "no call no show" if you call? She wasn't required to be there until 7pm. Granted it was late notice, she still called. The day shift staff still had some opportunity to figure out what to do.
Do not feel bad OP. You were sick. I would only feel guilty if I called off and wasn't really sick
As is the policy at other places (apparently), we have to give at least two hours notice if we're not showing up ....we are considered no-call/no-show, otherwise. The hospital also has to give two hours notice when canceling employees.
I think because you are feeling guilty shows you have a heart and truly feel bad for needing to call in sick. And yes, when I have to call in sick, I feel absolutely terrible about it. But remember, if you were to go into work in your condition, you would have been no help to your patients and even worse, could have gotten THEM sick. Best to stay home and work the bug out of your system. Sorry you're feeling so poorly Chin up, my fellow nurse friend. Working nights used to make me sicker than usual, but adding additional vitamin C to my supplement regimen each day has made a HUGE difference. Feel better soon :)
I hope you did not get a no call no show, OP. That would suck. Regardless of what the call off policy is, you were obviously sick enough that you were willing to accept the consequences of calling off and you should not feel guilty. We are human, we get sick. As someone stated earlier, norovirus is highly contagious and symptoms can come on suddenly. You would not have done your patients a service bringing that to their room, not to mention you would have been miserable. When I have a real GI bug I am miserable and wouldn't be able to function. Life isn't perfect. I've been the nurse who called in, and I've been the nurse who had to pick up the extra work when others called in. Is just the way it goes. I'd rather have my sick coworker stay home than come to work with diarrhea/vomiting all over the staff bathroom.
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Should I feel this way? Is this normal to feel like that?
I will start out by saying that I call in sick perhaps once yearly. I seldom become sick...in addition, I enjoy earning full paychecks.
Anyhow, I never feel one morsel of guilt when calling into work. I'm assured my former managers never felt guilty when canceling my shifts, so I do not feel guilty when I call in sick. It is a two-way street with no hard feelings between both parties.
I was in almost exactly the same situation, except I called in 15 minutes before my shift. I felt a little queasy but brushed it off to nerves, but as soon as I got in the car I started vomiting. I cried when I spoke to the charge, I felt so bad. But there is no way I could have worked, I was sick and vomiting every 15-20 minutes until about 0300. I was also a nurse for less than a year. I very rarely call in, maybe once a year at most.
I understand feeling guilty, but sometimes you just can't help it! Don't worry about it. Move on. I don't even think about it anymore, and it never happened again. You'd feel worse if you passed on that stomach bug to other coworkers or your patients!
As is the policy at other places (apparently), we have to give at least two hours notice if we're not showing up ....we are considered no-call/no-show, otherwise. The hospital also has to give two hours notice when canceling employees.
It's a stupid policy. Yes I get a replacement doesn't magically appear out of the ether... but it's a fact of microbiology that these illnesses can and do hit THAT fast. Staffing offices should expect that it could happen, just like if an RN got into a MVC on the way to work.
Penally based policies like this hurt good employees who truly need to follow best practices and rest, and they hurt patients who are exposed to these nurses who soldier through their shifts out of fear.
If I as a pt -- no less a postpartum pt with a newborn -- ever found out my nurse was working with norovirus or the like, I would be beyond livid. And I honestly can't say would hold the nurse blameless. Yes it's a faulty system and a faulty policy... but particularly if my child or I were harmed, ultimately that nurse who came near us just after expelling liquid out of both ends, knowingly put us at risk. And that is an unsafe practice.
Nope. Wouldn't feel bad at all. We go to work most of the time when we're sick as it is. Something like that, I would've called in too. Not like you can tell you're diarrhea when it can and can't start. It's not your fault the facility is not staffed enough to get you covered right away.
Wouldn't you feel MORE GUILTY if you had passed on this GI virus to a new mom or baby?! Sounds to me like you did the right thing by calling in sick. Nurses aren't infallible.
Chin up, my fellow nurse friend. Working nights used to make me sicker than usual, but adding additional vitamin C to my supplement regimen each day has made a HUGE difference. Feel better soon :)
Horseshoe, BSN, RN
5,879 Posts
It sucks for everyone involved.
In my unit, we had facility mandated ratios in the ICU. A last minute call in would be a BIG deal because coverage must be found. Someone on day shift would probably have to stay over until a PRN or agency nurse could be found. It's always a hardship on those left to deal with a call like that.
On the other hand, most nurses would never call out last minute unless they were truly too ill. So it's a bad deal for both parties.
OP, you're probably going to feel guilty until you don't anymore. As long as this is a ONE time event, I think you're okay. Just try to keep yourself healthy so that you don't become "that nurse." Working night shift is going to make that goal more difficult. So be meticulous with getting rest, exercise, and good nutrition.
Hope you are feeling better!