Sick Of Co-workers Calling In ALL the Time

Nurses Relations

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GRRRR....I am sick of my co-workers calling in sick all the time. It would be different if it wasn't the SAME ones that call in month after month. When they are "out sick", I am picking up their slack and it is so frustrating! Yes, I agree that everyone gets sick from time to time and needs a sick day, but when it becomes a PATTERN I start to lose trust in them. I like my co-workers, but it makes it hard to smile at a few of them when they come back from ANOTHER "sick day" knowing the day before I was busting my butt picking up there slack. It makes me want to call in just because I am literally SICK of them calling in SICK. Sorry I sound so angry....thanks for letting me vent.

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

While it can certainly be frustrating to take on the slack of the workers that do not come, I really never focused on it. This is not an attack on the OP, nor is it on any one that is chronically calling in. I have seen nursing decline in the way we eat our young, the way administration has a deaf ear, abuse by patients, families and physicians. No support from or even for our leaders, making it very difficult for the body as well as the mind and soul. So, I guess I understand why a person may become chronic, or how easy it can become this way. And, when I have had enough, I take my sick day, also.

Well, in reality, I've earned my sick days. Right now I have a lot of time saved up and I'm planning to call in for 2 days straight because I've got some interviews set up for grad school. I hate calling in, but I've worked my butt off this entire year w/ hardly calling out at all and this is a good reason for me to call in. I can't get anyone to switch with me, so this is how it has to be.

If I've earned it, then someone in management has got to expect that we're going to take these sick days once in a while. It's a benefit I've earned.

That said, I don't abuse it. I've got at least 60 plus hours in my bank right now, and I've got a need for it, so I'm using it.

I don't feel we've got any "abusers" on our floor. How can one really abuse the system if there is a set number of hours one can earn and use? Unless you're willing to take so much you're not being paid -- then I don't see how it can be abused.

It just seems like one of the only perks we've really got. Management also has the power to make us use it if they cancel our shift, so it goes both ways as far as I'm concerned.

Specializes in Med Surg.

In my current job if someone accumulates too much PTO, management makes them take it. No choice, you take off, with pay, but no say as to which days you take off.

In my previous job, we had a no fault absence policy. Except for a very few reasons (death in the family, jury duty, FMLA) every absence was treated as an occurence. An ocurrence might be one day or a month. Three lates or leave earlies equaled one occurence.

Five occurences in a twelve month period earned you some quality time with the shift coordinator. Six got you a write-up, seven resulted in a final warning and eight was grounds for termination. You weren't allowed to cover unscheduled absences with PTO so if you were really calling in sick you needed to go see the doctor and get approved for FMLA. Having a family member with chronic health problems, I made sure I had intermittent FMLA on file at all times.

It may sound harsh but it was pretty effective in making people get "planned" absences for sporting events, concerts, graduations, weddings, or whatever approved in advance so we had adequate coverage. Also we had a policy of "buying back" unused PTO at the end of the year for 75 cents on the dollar. That definitely cut down on the end of year call ins.

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
join the military. we don't call out sick unless your at sick call. so if your not at sick call and your not on duty...... they come for you and its not pleasant.

i can attest to that -- lol! a friend "forgot" to go to work and the mps came acalling! and as for the working sick? they'll quarantine you!

In my current job if someone accumulates too much PTO, management makes them take it. No choice, you take off, with pay, but no say as to which days you take off.

In my previous job, we had a no fault absence policy. Except for a very few reasons (death in the family, jury duty, FMLA) every absence was treated as an occurence. An ocurrence might be one day or a month. Three lates or leave earlies equaled one occurence.

Five occurences in a twelve month period earned you some quality time with the shift coordinator. Six got you a write-up, seven resulted in a final warning and eight was grounds for termination. You weren't allowed to cover unscheduled absences with PTO so if you were really calling in sick you needed to go see the doctor and get approved for FMLA. Having a family member with chronic health problems, I made sure I had intermittent FMLA on file at all times.

It may sound harsh but it was pretty effective in making people get "planned" absences for sporting events, concerts, graduations, weddings, or whatever approved in advance so we had adequate coverage. Also we had a policy of "buying back" unused PTO at the end of the year for 75 cents on the dollar. That definitely cut down on the end of year call ins.

It sounds strict...but I do wish we had that for our facility.

Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

I, too, am accustomed to and expect strict absence policies. Having said that, I also have had the great good fortune to work for some terrific organizations who were very compassionate with issues like cancer.

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