Late for work excuses

Updated:   Published

Specializes in CCU, Geriatrics, Critical Care, Tele.

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As Nurses, we've all probably been late a time or two. 30 feet of snow, car trouble, sick children, no babysitter ... the list goes on. But, potholes in the parking lot of the hospital? I can hear the Nurse supervisor now. You were late because of what??? So, what's your best excuse for being late for work?

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Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.

My best excuse? The mattress fell on my newborn.

Really, when my baby was only 3 weeks old, I had a mattress delivered and they stood it up at the foot of the bed. I had the baby in a car seat on the floor and suddenly, the mattress fell on the car seat.

I almost fainted. But, the top of the seat caught the brunt of the impact and the baby was still asleep when they removed it. Of course, I wasn't working at the hospital at 3 weeks PP, but I had a meeting with one of the Supers that day and had to cancel.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

Fell asleep in the McDonald's drive through lane.

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Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

Not as a nurse, I was still in school & working in fast food. My roomie & I were headed to our car to go to work (worked together). We turned around when we saw some of our sketchy neighbors waving a gun around. First called 911, then called work to let them know we would be waiting for the gun to disappear before we went outside again. They were sympathetic, bet some of my nursing supervisors wouldn't have been.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Stuck behind a trash truck in a narrow alley where I couldn't pass and had to wait until it got to the next cross street. Fortunately it was only 10 minutes.

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Heading to a meeting point to drive in to clinicals with another student nurse in the aftermath of a typical West Michigan snow storm, my husband decided to drive me (my fellow classmate had a 4-wheel drive vehicle to get us into the nearest big city). He tried to blow through a snow drift, over-corrected and we ended up passenger side down in a deep ditch. I was in the back seat with a mug of apple cider which shattered upon impact as I fortunately was not buckled and landed feet first against the passenger door. A quick cell phone call to my classmate had me back on the road with my lab coat, face, and hair full of sticky cider. She had called ahead to our instructor explaining the car accident which was more than evident upon our arrival as I rushed into the nearest restroom upon reporting for duty to "clean up". The instructor was concerned about my focus on patient care, but it actually happened to be one of my best days dealing with our med-surg rotation!

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Not my excuse, but a real one. A co worker was very late because she had to wait for her turkey to finish cooking.

The same employee had to attach her trailer for her goat.

:facepalm:

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I was only really 12 minutes late, but I spent another 12 minutes deciding which excuse to use for being late. After spending another 2 minutes realizing I don't have a believable excuse because I've already used just about everything possible, here I am!

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

A co worker forgot his badge in the house went in to get it and left the car running. Came out and car was stolen. He had to call off.

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

I left my apartment on fire.

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

You were fortunately not buckled?! That's a typo, right?

Heading to a meeting point to drive in to clinicals with another student nurse in the aftermath of a typical West Michigan snow storm, my husband decided to drive me (my fellow classmate had a 4-wheel drive vehicle to get us into the nearest big city). He tried to blow through a snow drift, over-corrected and we ended up passenger side down in a deep ditch. I was in the back seat with a mug of apple cider which shattered upon impact as I fortunately was not buckled and landed feet first against the passenger door. A quick cell phone call to my classmate had me back on the road with my lab coat, face, and hair full of sticky cider. She had called ahead to our instructor explaining the car accident which was more than evident upon our arrival as I rushed into the nearest restroom upon reporting for duty to "clean up". The instructor was concerned about my focus on patient care, but it actually happened to be one of my best days dealing with our med-surg rotation!
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Specializes in critical care.

Coworker - cat peed on uniform.

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