No call/ No show

[Redder]

Very upset, I have never called in before and thought I understood the process just from hearing about it at work. Well, I woke up at 2am vomiting and thought I could take a zofran for it and tough it out. By 4am the vomiting had just gotten worse, so I called in. The charge nurse and bed manager both told me that it is considered a No show/ No call because it wasn't 4 hours before my shift. I am mad at myself because I never bothered to learn the policy. I feel worse because in between vomiting I am googling if anybody has ever been fired for a first No Show/ No Call. I even had to find out exactly what it is.

What do I do? Has anybody ever been fired?

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

Each facility is different. I doubt they will fire you over this. I have rule though. If I'm vomiting or have diarrhea I'm not going in. I'd hate to pass that on to my patients.. ( now of course being pregnant is different. I've lost count how many times I've vomited at work in the last 7 months :) .

[mvm2]

I am sorry that this happened to you. It does not seem fair that you are so sick you are throwing up, and you get treated this way. Sure it is hard on them when someone calls in so late, and they have to scamble to find someone to take that shift but I can not see why they would fire you for getting sick. Things after all do happen.

I personally would not call what you did a No call No Show, but everyone has their own set of rules. I work for Home Care, and for Us a No Call no Show is exactly that. Their shift comes and the person does not show up and they did not call in. What you did I feel is simply a Call In. A late Call In but it is not like you forgot you had to work which should not have conisquences of loosing your job. What we have in place is putting ourselves on what we call a watch list. Lets say 7 hours before our shift we start to feel sick, but think we can still make it to work. We Call In and say I want to be put on the watch list to see how I am feeling later. They then have time to call someone and ask them can you come in if we need you. Then later I will call and say if I am going to take the shift or the other person has to because I am feeling worse. Maybe next time call In as soon as you start to feel like something is coming on to give them a heads up that you might have to stay home.

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

I know you can't do anything about the policy, but I thought my two cents' worth might at least make you feel better if you knew someone you'd never met was REALLY upset on your behalf.

That is the most ridiculous floor nursing policy I've ever heard. How many times have many of us woken up with the alarm and realized there was no way we had any business going into work? So because it wasn't four hours early you're a no call/no show? That's insane! I guess you're supposed to have a magic alarm that goes off at a certain time, warning you you're sick?

Nuts. I'm sorry that happened to you.

Hugs to you.

[NBMom1225]

For us a 'No Call, No Show' is exactly what it sounds like: you didn't show up for your shift and didn't call in ahead of time. Our Call in policy requires we call no later than 2 hours before the start of our shift, days or nights, and we have to both notify our unit and the staffing office. A four hour window is pretty severe in my opinion, but I can see how that gives them additional time to find coverage for the shift.

Hopefully all you will get is a verbal warning or counseling on your facilities policy regarding absences, but when you go back I would respectfully request a copy of the policy/procedure so that you can make sure there is no misunderstanding in the future. Some facilities I have worked at also have specific policies regarding making up a weekend shift if you call off on the weekend, so make sure you look into that too.

Hope you feel better soon!

P.S.- My facilities policy also states that if we call in for 2 shifts in a row it is only considered 1 absence...find out if you have that as well, because if you don't feel better tomorrow and are scheduled to work, you may as well stay home and get better :)

[IcySageNurse]

This is one of the reasons I sometimes hate being a nurse. We're highly educated medical personnel, but we are treated like common laborers. Someone calls in sick and throwing up and instead of being seen and valued as a person they are "just a nurse" and treated like crap. A doctor could not show up at all and call after the fact saying "sorry I was very sick" and everyone would just ask if he is okay. There would be no berating for not calling in - it would be disrespectful!

Nurses need to start standing up for themselves and demanding better treatment. Salaries and sign on bonuses are falling, patient ratios are going up, and it's all because hospitals think they "can" because we have an oversupply of nurses who will put up with anything just to have a job.

OP - I'm sorry it happened to you. Explain this to your nurse manager and perhaps (if she has a heart and respects you) she will not put it down as no call/no show.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

Someone calls in sick and throwing up and instead of being seen and valued as a person they are "just a nurse" and treated like crap. A doctor could not show up at all and call after the fact saying "sorry I was very sick" and everyone would just ask if he is okay. There would be no berating for not calling in - it would be disrespectful!

Our policy for nurses require a call in be at least 4 hours before the start of the shift (although it is really not enforced). If it were enforced, I'm thinking it could increase call offs...rather than try and tough it out saying "I'll feel better in the morning," I would call off the night before if I didn't feel well--otherwise, it means try and wake up at 3am to see if I feel better and then make the decision.

As for the issue with doctors--I don't know their exact call off policy in our ED, but I know that it is tougher than the rules for nurses. Also, every time a doctor has not been able to work R/T illness he or she always finds another doc to cover for them. Again, I don't know the exact policy, but I have never seen the docs short because someone was ill and the did not replace themselves.

I agree that the policy can be harsh and, as professionals, it would appear that nurses should be able to determine when they are too sick to come to work (that should extend to almost all adults), but it obviously is not since people abuse the system--hence a policy is needed.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Is it possible to get fired for one no call/no show? Of course it is. Nurses have been fired for far less.

Now, is it likely that you will get fired for this one incident? IMO, I doubt it. I think that you may be looking at a reprimand or a write-up, but if this is your first one they may let it slide.

I would call/talk to your NM, explain that you were unclear on the policy but that now you understand it. And be sure to do just that for the future.

My facility's policy for calling out is at least 2 hours before weekday day shifts, 4 hours before evening and night shifts, and 4 hours before any weekend or holiday shift. I've had more than my share of "I'll wait to see how I feel by 2am" days so I sympathize with you.

But if you think you're going to be out sick, try not to wait until the last minute of the deadline to call out for the shift. Yes, you're within P&P if you wait until 2:59am to call out for a 7am start. But staffing still has to scramble to fill your position, and the sooner you can let them know you won't be there, the more it helps.

[Mulan]

That is not a no call, no show regardless of what they want to call it.

Most places if you call in late they won't pay sick leave for the day.

A no call, no show is exactly that.

Call HR and ask them what it is, and get a copy of the policy in writing.

[HippyDippyLPN]

I'm sorry that is ridiculous. We all get sick. I once had an office job where the audiologist (the only one employed) puked in her sink between patients because the office manager would rip her apart for calling off (she never did anyways). If I am puking I am calling off and that's that. I will try to give as much notice as possible but unfortunately the stomach flu doesn't say "welp better start the puking now so Suzy can call off 20 hours in advance.".

Nursing working conditions just keep on getting more unbelievable every year.

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

That policy stinks and I'm sorry you're sick and stressing out over this. I agree, it seems like this would increase call ins since I would call in the night before if there was any doubt I was well. Our policy is one hours notice. I gave less than that once when I was walking out the door and decided to start vomiting. Thankfully, I was just told that they hope I felt better soon. I hope you're feeling better soon and I would try not to stress over it. I can't imagine they'd have many employees if they fired over such a minor infraction.

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

Our facility has a 2 hour call-in window, thank goodness. I agree, how do you know what you will feel like 4 hours ahead of time? The last time I went to work sick (I thought I could make it through an 8 hour shift) I got sicker and sicker and they would not let me go home. I got pulled to the medical-surgical floor and ended up with 8 patients!! Our ER co-pay is $250. We don't get paid for being out sick until you are out the 3rd day in a row!