Is this a common attendace policy?

[Dazglue]

Is it common to get an automatic write-up for calling out for a weekend shift, regardless if you have a work excuse or death in the family? I have a co-worker who has never been written up (until this incident), has perfect attendance, and just an awesome nurse that goes above and beyond for anyone. Around 10 pm on a Saturday night, her son was killed in a car accident. Of course she called out for the following morning. I was the charge nurse that night and did the procedure for the call out to get a replacement. Monday morning, I had to be present while management gave her a write-up for the call out. (Policy requires the charge nurse to be present if management writes someone up that called out on your shift).

My main issue with this policy is that we are not allowed to transfer anywhere within the facility for an entire year if we are written up, no matter the offense. So many people have been complaining about being "stuck" lately because of this unit rule. I know they are trying to prevent people from calling out on the weekend because it's harder to find replacement staffing but sometimes LIFE happens. I am not an emotional person but I had a good cry with my coworker that day who kept asking our manager why was she being punished for her son dying. She was in the process of transferring to a different unit that gave her better hours to spend time with her family, but due to the write up she could not transfer.

[Mulan]

I've worked (HCA hospital) where there was a 3 call out sick in a year and you were fired policy, doesn't matter if you had a doctor excuse or not.

Seems pretty insensitive for a death, but I guess it's the same principle.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

an example of " zero tolerance"......like in the schools.

[Mulan]

Is it a unit policy or a hospital policy?

[Dazglue, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Is it a unit policy or a hospital policy?

Unit.

[Mulan]

If it's a unit policy, that was pretty rotten of the manager, in my opinion, in the event of the death of a child. She/he could have used some discretion.

How can she get away with having a unit policy like that if it's not a hospital policy?

I would be looking into that if I worked there. She may not be able to do that but is getting away with it because no one is questioning it and the higher ups may not be aware that she is doing it.

[Mulan]

Same place as above, staff wanted to transfer from post surgical unit to tele for experience. Manager permission was required in order to transfer.

Manager refused to give permission to transfer because she wanted to keep the staff on her unit.

That changed, whether it was never the hospital policy or whether the policy was changed, I don't know, but I bet it was due to people speaking up and questioning it. Staff was able to transfer without manager permission. Knowing the manager it was probably her policy. Sounds like the same thing is going on there, she just wants to keep staff on her unit.

Has anyone contacted HR and asked about the official hospital policy in regard to call-ins and transfers?

[idialyze, BSN, RN]

That is the most heartless thing I have ever heard! Please extend my condolences to your friend during the awful time.

And Nursing is supposed to be The Caring Profession, this makes me sick to my stomach!

[Emergent, RN]

Unbelievable! I work for a for profit hospital chain. This would never happen. It actually does sound illegal to penalize someone for a close family member death. It sounds like something from Charles Dickens, Ebeneezer Scrooge and all. That manager needs a good scare from the Ghost of Christmas past!

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

if you have a complaint hot line, tell that nurse to use it. Seems to me that HR or Admin could have over-ridden the rule.

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

Unit.

Cant you grieve a write-up?

I would think that an arbitrary and punitive unit policy would be overturned, especially if conflicts with a hospital bereavement policy.

Does it?

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

What happens with us is that we're not written up unless it happens repeatedly. We also have to "make up" the weekends.

[Dazglue, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN]

What happens with us is that we're not written up unless it happens repeatedly. We also have to "make up" the weekends.

Yeah, after we are written up we have to make it up by working a 2 day weekend or a holiday, usually she picks the 2 day weekend to make up. I understand that there has to be a punishment, especially if it is repetitive behavior. There have been times I'm "called off" so a nurse on the other rotation can make up his or her call out. So I get shorted days and have to use my ETO/PTO for this to happen. It's just a big mess!