Call in sick?

[ceecel.dee]

She did it again!

We have this nurse who calls in sick so often! She will tell you right out, "I needed a mental health day", and smile! I think she should back off to a .8 if she is too overwhelmed by full time hours. We depend on people working their scheduled hours. Of course, it goes without saying that a SICK employee (contagious, fever, vomiting, etc.) does not belong at work.

Yes, our (weak) management has spoken to her, and yes, we are unionized so she has most of those days coming to her, although she is willing to take unpaid days whenever she 'needs' to. (The union is a good thing at our place due to such poor management, and our sick leave is generous.)

What do you think about mental health/sick days?

[pebbles, BSN, RN]

I agree that it is this employee's business what she does with her sick time, and time off. At my hospital, you get a reprimand in your file if you have more than three episodes of calling in sick per year (episode being a group of days in a row). But they can't take your sick time away from you, and people can still take those sick days, reprimand or not. Nobody gets fired over it.

We have a person like that on my ward also, abuses the benefits system to the max by claiming injury every few months too. BUT, as much as I think it's both her business and her right to do this, I think it is very poor management to allow it to go on, when the ward is predicatably working short-staffed on a regular basis because this person cannot handle full time workload. It is the job of managent to make sure the unit is adequately staffed, and allowing this to go on is counterproductive. Have yu tried approaching your manager as a group and complaining about working short all the time?

PS this is sometimes the bad side of unions.... they protect rights even for those who would abuse those benefits.

[OBNURSEHEATHER]

Originally posted by thisnurse

oh i thought this thread was a suggestion....darn

LMAO!

Heather

[catlady, BSN, RN]

I guess I'm in the minority here. Everyone needs a "mental health day" on occasion, but leaving one's coworkers short and rubbing their faces in it isn't appropriate or justified.

Not everyone works in a hospital. Some work in small facilities where one nurse calling out *does* make a difference. If you're sick, you're sick. I never went along with those supervisors who would try to triage you over the phone to decide if you had the right to call out. But when you call out and make a joke of it, you're only hurting your coworkers. It's easy to say it's management's problem, but it isn't. I've worked with staff who, because they worked short, immediately announced they were calling out for their next shift. So then the next shift works short, and one of *those* people says she's calling out. So it never ends. It's not always easy or possible for management to get a replacement. So who then gets to work short? You. And then when you're really sick, you don't have any time left. If you need a day off for R&R, then request it. Don't abuse your associates.

[colleen10]

Hi all,

I kind of agree with Cat Lady on this issue.

It is her right to use her alotted sick days as she sees fit but leaving your co-workers understaffed isn't cool. But who are we to judge whether or not she really needs that day off?

However, I think part of this co-workers problem stems from poor management or even other issues at this particular work place.

I mean, if I were working at a job where I had respect for the management and co-workers and felt like a valued part of a "team" I wouldn't just nilly-willy call days off. Unless I absolutely could not get out of bed I wouldn't just take days off because I would feel bad leaving my co-workers ("team mates") in a bind.

But if I worked in an environment where, because of underlying issues, I felt like I didn't make a difference I certainly wouldn't care how bad of a day anyone else would have if I did not come in.

Maybe this is the issue.

[l-andrée]

Originally posted by catlady

I guess I'm in the minority here. Everyone needs a "mental health day" on occasion, but leaving one's coworkers short and rubbing their faces in it isn't appropriate or justified.

My point exactly.

And I really don't have any problem with people who are sick or in pain or having a hard time or need some time off for uncontrolable reasons (kid is sick, etc...).

It's when there is no other reason than "I don't want to work today" or "It was such a lovely sunny day".

True, respect and responsability could really mess up a good suntan................

[Gomer]

You got it CatLady! When "abusing" time off; one may also be abusing their team members.

So, there's two of us who agree....minority or not.

[CEN35]

i worked in a unionized place once................

people wonder why i don't like unions?

there's one reason........protect the lame and lazy.

just my two cents

me :)

[Brownms46]

Originally posted by colleen10

Hi all,

It is her right to use her alotted sick days as she sees fit but leaving your co-workers understaffed isn't cool. But who are we to judge whether or not she really needs that day off?

However, I think part of this co-workers problem stems from poor management or even other issues at this particular work place.

I mean, if I were working at a job where I had respect for the management and co-workers and felt like a valued part of a "team" I wouldn't just nilly-willy call days off. Unless I absolutely could not get out of bed I wouldn't just take days off because I would feel bad leaving my co-workers ("team mates") in a bind.

But if I worked in an environment where, because of underlying issues, I felt like I didn't make a difference I certainly wouldn't care how bad of a day anyone else would have if I did not come in.

Maybe this is the issue.

And I agree with this point...and maybe it's the staff she really needs a day off from... Sometimes you have to survive the best way you can...until you find somethng better or the problem moves on by itself! This is NOT my way of dealing with a problem...as I in my present situation...I haven't missed a nite yet.....not even the OT I was scheduled for without my consent! But I know it is temporary...and I wouldn't have any other way! That way I can take off when I want...without answering to anyone...but me and my creditors...:)

[Gomer]

TO CEN35: AMEN!!!! (And I cross picketlines too!)

[sharann, BSN, RN]

I had to call in sick for my 3 days last week, I had a real live doctor certified acute abdominal infection. I felt soooo guilty calling off, even though Ii was REALLY ill (ER visit, couldn't eat. pain etc). Then, today, my first day back I come down with a horrid cold/flu. I WENT IN. Was coughing and sneezing the whole time (work fresh post-ops, wore a mask all day almost). I legitemetely could have and maybe should have called in. Was afraid it would look like a "habit", even though it is obvious I am not well. Going in tomorrow as well. I think it isn;t fair to the pts and my co-workers, but heck, we don't want to "abuse" sick days. I am part-time without benefits , so I pay my own sick days. I hope I am doing the right thing.

[PhantomRN]

My thing is this if you need a mental health day by all means take it, but have the decency to schedule it.

That is what I do.

We use earned time at my place, so when I am writing my next months schedule if I want a mental health day, I pick a day and write PTO. I do a minimum of one day every two months. No one asks why I want the day off, but I get my mental health day. Everyone knows well in advance I wont be there and no one is left short.

It drives me crazy the people who think it is ok to call in WELL. No regard for their fellow nurses.

[Q.]

I call in sick maybe once a year.

Last week I called in sick to finish a major project for school. There was no way I could have finished it without taking the day off.

I could have asked for vacation, HOWEVER, I don't want to use a vacation day to write a paper, AND we only have 3 float RNs in our clinic to cover 17 sites! Our requests are typically denied.

So..what should I have done? Come to work faking an illness and going on and on about how sick I am, or be honest and tell my co-workers I was out to finish a major paper? It's my sick time that I earned and I should be able to use it for things like this, especially when I don't use them for illnesses.