Reasonable accommodations - working from home in management?

[pinkiepieRN]

I have bipolar disorder, attention deficit disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, migraines and possibly nephrogenic diabetes insipidus from the lithium to treat the bipolar disorder. I work in a management position at a SNF/LTC for 2 nursing units, 1 skilled nursing unit with 20 max and 1 LTC unit with 50 max. (I know that's a lot, but that's for a different story.) I have been having migraines recently, went through a medication adjustment and have a hard time focusing at work in my office. It's not practical to move my office and I can't just lock it when I need focused time distractions find a way. Some days, I'm also just NOT up to being around my staff, co-workers, residents. I'm perfectly capable of doing the work - care plan updates, checking labs, communicating with docs, checking and adding to nursing notes, incident reports if not completed, etc., but I can't tolerate doing it AT work.

I didn't sleep well last night because I took a nap in the evening. I could not have gone into work at 8 this morning and going in any later than 9:30 is sabotage to getting everything done before 5. I "called out" to my boss at 6 and she was NOT happy. I wasn't either though, because here I am looking at follow-ups and doing what I can.

Is it reasonable for me to ask that work allow me to work one day a week or two at home? Or maybe 5 floating days in the month, only good for the month and not to be banked. I am asking to work from home, not to be free from doing work while at home. I'm going to talk to my HR rep, but just wanted some feedback.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

It sounds possible but the issue could be bringing confidential patient info home. Do you have a work-issued laptop?

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

You can always ask. Whether or not your employer will accommodate you is entirely up to them.

Telecommuting is a perk that employers use to recruit highly skilled employees. Why not go for a position with an employer that provides that?

[pinkiepieRN]

It sounds possible but the issue could be bringing confidential patient info home. Do you have a work-issued laptop?

I do not have a work issued laptop but this access is fully endorsed by the facility, including my boss. The website is all on a secure "https://" site. I highly doubt that I would be able to have a work laptop issued to me but that is something that I could look into nonetheless.

[pinkiepieRN]

You can always ask. Whether or not your employer will accommodate you is entirely up to them.

Telecommuting is a perk that employers use to recruit highly skilled employees. Why not go for a position with an employer that provides that?

I would never want to telecommute every day. I love my patient and colleague interactions but sometimes enough is enough and I feel overstimulated and unable to accomplish anything. I would even be amenable if my DON were to assign me special projects to work on from home. It's the distractions and the anxiety that comes with it some times. Sometimes I have good days and weeks and other times, not so much. I know this probably sounds like an iffy situation, like I'm just looking for an excuse for mental health days without using sick time (I'm salaried but still need to use sick time when I'm out.) but it's not.