Good Excuses for Missing Work

Nurses Humor Toon

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We all been there. Calling out is something that everyone has to go through at some point. There are some excuses that work and some that you shouldn't use. Share your thoughts on what works, the funniest, and what doesn't. Do you have a good excuse for not going to work?

What works...

"My pipes broke."

What you shouldn't use...

"I got arrested."

Specializes in Med/surg, Quality & Risk.
MrChicagoRN said:
You are right. People deserve their privacy.

Sometimes people volunteer much more than I want to know.

However, I do want to know if this is flu related, or anything contagious.

if it's a late call, I want a detail or two. If you got sick suddenly, going to the ER, labor, etc. that's one thing. But if you've known for the past 12 hours you weren't coming in, that's another.

Yeah, late call would tick me off and I'd probably ask what the problem was too. However, I wouldn't be offended if someone didn't want to answer!

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Heathermaizey said:
Many years ago, I had developed gastropariesis right after I had started a new job. I didn't want to look bad but I was late every day because I was pulling off the side of the road puking. Then I would run into work late, and straight to the bathroom to puke. I puked all of the time with it. Finally, it just got so bad my doc was like you cannot possibly keep working like this. So I got an 8 week leave of absensce. The day I came back from the leave, I got a kidney stone. By boss was so mad at me. So about a month after that, I got pregnant and then I quit. They probably hated me there. But the position I was in had unlimited sick days. And I was really, really, sick.

Your angels must have been watching over you when you got that job!!

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Specializes in er.

I have anal glaucoma. I can't see my *** coming into work today.

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Specializes in school nursing, home health,rehab, long-.

That is so true nursefrancis !

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A few weeks ago, my wife used her first sick day in a few years (she's a teacher) because she was ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED she had the flu. Of course, the fact that she had no fever, no cough, wasn't around anyone who was sick, and her body ache and vomiting came on only after drinking 8 beers + shots at her best friend's wedding the night before . . . well that was all coincidence! :sarcastic:

I normally would have been the big meanie and said "this is a hangover, you aren't in college anymore, your body doesn't like all that booze!" but seeing as she called out on Sunday afternoon for her Monday classes, and she had the sick days, I figured she would be better served by staying home and hydrating. But trust and believe, next time she drinks that much I'm pushing water and reminding her of puke-gate 2014!

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Specializes in Aged care, disability, community.

I had an orthostatic hypotensive episode almost 2 years ago now and my husband rang in for me as I was in no fit state to do it laying in resus while they were figuring out whether to admit me or not. It was for my last shift before I went on annual leave and he told the girl on the other end of the phone that I was at the hospital. She said what for and he in his lovely ex healthcare worker scarcastic tone replied with "Shopping for shoes".

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I only called in once, for one day, because I had pink eye. No one wanted to work with me anyways

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.

Was enjoying a picnic lunch with friends at a wooded park, but I had to leave because I was scheduled for a 3-11. One guy put his finger through the belt-loop of my bluejeans and said, "Now you're trapped; you can't go to work!" We howled with laughter at the thought of presenting the supervisor with that as my excuse! No, I didn't call in, but forever after "the belt-loop defense" was such a temptation!

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Specializes in Operating Room.

I have worked places where they were not allowed to ask you why you were calling off. These were union though.

Good excuses are diarrhea, pinkeye, anything very contagious.

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Specializes in LTC, home health, critical care, pulmonary nursing.

My cervix exploded. That's one of my personal favorites.

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I wasn't the one who called in but I had a sister nurse call me and ask if I would cover her shift because she was IN the hospital having a late term miscarriage! Seems when she called our unit manager to call out she was informed that finding someone to cover her shift was HER responsibility since it was less than 2 hours before the start of shift. Yep! I covered her shift and took my complaint right to the top of the chain of command! Ridiculous!

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I'll never forget one time that I couldn't make it to work due to a treacherous ice storm. The response I received from my supervisor was that it was only raining where she was. i.e. That I must have been lying to her. Those of you who live in south central PA realize that it is not at all unlikely that the precipitation may be sleet or freezing rain in one area of town and simply rain 15 minutes away.

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