Guilt/Frustration Missing Work

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Specializes in Peds.

This might sound awfully silly, but it's what I'm feeling at the moment. On Monday, I was in the ER for the day with double severe pneumonia. I was on IV's for a few hours and sent home with antibiotics for 10 days. It was one of the worse experiences I've ever had and I was openly balling from the pain. I'll be missing about 3 days of work and while I sit here at home getting better I can't help but feel bad or somehow like my boss will be mad. I know that's more than silly due to the illness but I can't help it. I'm almost tempted to go in but I a) do not want to give it to anyone especially patients and b) need to get fully better. It's just so hard to just sit here and do nothing!

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Specializes in Staff nurse.

Sleep! Rest! Daydream! Pray! Going in won't help your co-workers if you are not at your usual speed and won't help you get better. You aren't doing nothing, you are recharging. Turn your brain off and rest, Love, you'll be glad you did.

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Do not go into work, you need to recover. I am sure there will be a little effort needed by your manager to cover your slot on the shifts you were assigned, but that is her job. You were in the ER for goodness sakes, no one goes to the ER and gets IV's for no reason. You are depressed and feeling at lose ends d/t illness, take your meds, rest, keep fluid intake up and in a few days you will feel better. Good luck and I hope you feel better soon.

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Specializes in LTC.

you can't give your best quality care to your patients if you can't care for yourself first:)

get better!!!:redpinkhe

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Specializes in ED, ICU, Heme/Onc.
This might sound awfully silly, but it's what I'm feeling at the moment. On Monday, I was in the ER for the day with double severe pneumonia. I was on IV's for a few hours and sent home with antibiotics for 10 days. It was one of the worse experiences I've ever had and I was openly balling from the pain. I'll be missing about 3 days of work and while I sit here at home getting better I can't help but feel bad or somehow like my boss will be mad. I know that's more than silly due to the illness but I can't help it. I'm almost tempted to go in but I a) do not want to give it to anyone especially patients and b) need to get fully better. It's just so hard to just sit here and do nothing!

I am assuming that you spoke to your boss and let her know what was going on, and that you have a doctor's note.

Your boss shouldn't be mad at you. It's not like you are calling in sick from Disneyworld. Please relax and get better - they need you there, but not coughing on the patients or feeling so fatigued and in pain that you are unable to do your job once you are there!

Blee (only leaving the couch this week to see the orthopedist and the chiropractor and trying to rationalize...I feel your pain!!)

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Specializes in Emergency Room, Cardiology, Medicine.

Imagine going to work, infecting your co-workers with whatever you came down with.. and having to deal with the situation when they call in sick next week. :)

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Specializes in ICU.

rest, rest , rest... :sleep:

feel better soon!

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With double pneumonia, you need more than 3 days off. Please do not return to work so soon; I speak from experience, you will only make yourself sicker. Forget the guilt and stay home until you are well.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

Get over it. If you are not well you cannot take care of sick people. Rest and recover and, I hope, soon you will be back in the swing of things. Do not feel guilty!!!

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I'm sorry you feel so horribly and hope you get better soon.

But why is it that we feel so guilty when we are sick and want to call in? Isn't it enough that we are miserable with the sickness without having to pile on the emotions associated with guilt? I know we have thoughts such as our patients needing us, but that is not correct. They need someone who's qualified, and it's up to the supervisor to find that qualified someone.

And besides...many of us accrue sick leave (vs. a paid time off combo of sick and vacation leave) and we surely won't get paid for that unused sick leave if we move on to another job. So use it or lose it.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Why are we so loyal to our workplaces when the loyalty is rarely returned to us? It makes no sense.

I feel no sense of guilt when missing work. When census drops, management feels absolutely no shame when they send employees home for the day. Why, then, should I feel bad about not being at work for a legitimate reason?

To the OP: Relax, recharge, recover, and recuperate. Do not feel bad about being at home, because no one else will take care of you.

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This might sound awfully silly, but it's what I'm feeling at the moment. On Monday, I was in the ER for the day with double severe pneumonia. I was on IV's for a few hours and sent home with antibiotics for 10 days. It was one of the worse experiences I've ever had and I was openly balling from the pain. I'll be missing about 3 days of work and while I sit here at home getting better I can't help but feel bad or somehow like my boss will be mad. I know that's more than silly due to the illness but I can't help it. I'm almost tempted to go in but I a) do not want to give it to anyone especially patients and b) need to get fully better. It's just so hard to just sit here and do nothing!

You are correct, it does sound awfully silly. You shouldn't worry so much about making your boss mad, that sounds like an unhealthy attitude. You are important!

Take care.

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