Is it OK to discipline nurses extra for calling in sick on a holiday?

MrChicagoRN, RN · Jan 10, 2015

I look at patterns. If you call in repeatedly on M or Friday's, you bookend your vacations by calling in the day before & day after, or you call in every holiday you work,you will get a write up.

But one holiday, and no other other suspicious activity, won't be a problem with me.

dream'n, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2015

At my facility, calling in sick on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays requires a doctor's statement, as does calling in on any holidays. If one does not provide a doctor's note, they will not be paid, even if that nurse has months of sick time accrued.

Talk about 'Big Brother' or feeling like you're in Kindergarten.

kbrn2002, ADN, RN · Jan 10, 2015

A timely thread as I am going to work this morning feeling way less than 100%. Just a lousy head cold, which everybody has right now anyway. If I call in on a weekend not only is there pretty much nobody that will cover the 12 hr shift policy is to make up a weekend call in by working your next weekend off. This alone means if I can walk I can work.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2015

Mental health days are necessary as well. As a patient I don't want some stretched to the limit ready to snap employee caring for me. Sometimes the best thing we can do is take care of ourselves.

True...and this is exactly why we schedule PTO hours. If you need a mental health day, put in for vacation before the schedule comes out. Call in sick only if you (or your child) is actually sick.

Career Columnist / Author · Jan 10, 2015

I really like your post, thank you. As nurses we should stick together and assume the best of each other. If others expect you to act professionally, then you will!- Beth

floridanurse1983 · Jan 10, 2015

At my facility, calling in sick on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays requires a doctor's statement, as does calling in on any holidays. If one does not provide a doctor's note, they will not be paid, even if that nurse has months of sick time accrued.

Seriously? Not all sickness requires a doctor's visit. Go to doctor or go to work? Some illnesses you should stay home for, but you don't need an appointment. So with a viral infection with a temp of 101 I should go sit 3-5 hours at a walk in clinic instead of resting to be told what I already know. Drink plenty of fluids and get rest. Just so I can get a note. Or my other choice is to go to work. That's stupid

Loo17 · Jan 10, 2015

Every place I have worked has had a policy regarding calling out on a holiday. Where I work now has a policy stating if you call out the last scheduled day before, day of, or day after a holiday that you lose your holiday pay (which is 8 hours of bonus pay that you receive regardless if you work or not). There is also a policy that states if you call out on a weekend without a doctors note that you are required to work the following weekend if needed. This goes for all hospital staff.

FlyingScot, RN · Jan 10, 2015

These policies wouldn't be in place if people hadn't abused the system in the first place. We ALL have worked with "that" person at some point in our careers.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Jan 10, 2015

Seriously? Not all sickness requires a doctor's visit. Go to doctor or go to work? Some illnesses you should stay home for, but you don't need an appointment. So with a viral infection with a temp of 101 I should go sit 3-5 hours at a walk in clinic instead of resting to be told what I already know. Drink plenty of fluids and get rest. Just so I can get a note. Or my other choice is to go to work. That's stupid

This is what fries me about requiring a doctor's note. I posted just the other day in another thread that usually I don't even go to the dr. when I'm sick, because it's almost always viral. Would we ever educate a patient to go to the dr. on the first day of a sore throat or fever? Of course not, because viral illnesses are self-limiting and treatment is rest'n'fluids. Going to the clinic 1) interrupts our rest, 2) exposes others to the virus, and 3) is not a wise use of our hard-earned healthcare dollars.

Yet this is exactly what these NMs are demanding professional nurses do. It's ludicrous.

Stephen123 · Jan 10, 2015

Always follow policy.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jan 11, 2015

What do you think about the practice of disciplining nurses extra for calling in sick over a holiday? Or even the day before or after a holiday?
I wrote a short post titled "Is it OK to Discipline a nurse extra for calling in sick over a holiday?"
I think that as nurses we accept conditions that would be unheard of in other industries. And sadly, even some nurses buy into it the "just tough it out and work" value.
What are your thoughts?
Beth

I think a lot of people haven't fully committed to the idea of hospitals being open 25/7/365 nor of working the holidays. The idea is fine in abstract, but then they see that schedule with THEIR name pencilled in for Christmas and suddenly it's catastrophic. Certain folks seem to get sick pretty predictably (or have sick grandmothers) on holidays. It is for those folks the the rules regarding disciplining people who call in sick over holidays were written. Sadly, it also penalizes the wife whose husband had an MI shoveling show after a hefty Christmas dinner or the sister whose brother rolled his car after getting likkered up on NYE or the perfectly dependable employee who slipped on the ice on the way to work and broke her arm.

eroc · Jan 11, 2015

As "professionals" this shouldn't be a problem. But because nurses "call out" more than construction workers, they are not treated as professionalsâ€¦. referring to the rule in question.

As a profession we should not need this type of policy, but because so many abuse itâ€¦.it has to be implemented.