RN never feels guilty when calling out

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Why in the world would anyone feel bad about calling out sick?? Management does't feel bad when they allow u to work short, dump extra work on you and do not mind writting you up when you call out sick. The CEO doesn't feel guilty when he brings home 200k/yr and ******* & moans about giving us a 25 cent raise. Its sickening when I hear people say that. Give me a break! They tell us to stay home when we are sick but when we do they write us up. Its a job people and we work to live, we do not live to work.

Where I work it's not the sick days that count, it's the sick occurrences. If you're out three consecutive days it's counted as one occurrence. Four occurrences within one rolling year would generate a verbal warning, five occurrences within one rolling year would generate a progressive written warning. Six occurrences within a year would be cause for termination. That's calling in every other month for a year after two warnings telling you to knock it off. That does not seem unreasonable to expect of a professional healthcare worker. Is that really so hard to do?

Your workplace has a very generous policy! Ours was a final warning at the third occurrence, terminated at fourth in a year. Three tardies = one sick day and anything over three minutes was tardy. That's why people liked to come to work sick to "save" their sick days for a time they may need it more. They also would NEVER take just one day off when they did call in to get the most use out of occurrences.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
​Alluding.

Damn! I missed that and did the same thing!

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Yeah I don't get it either. If I am sick I just call out. Nobody has ever questioned me. If my boss asks for doctor's note, I go to the doctor.

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I can definitely understand why you feel the way that you do. I've felt bad when having to call in only bc of the patients and my coworkers, but when push comes to shove I have to be well in order to care for others. I first have a family at home that is my first priority. I can't be sick, go to work sick, and come back home feel worse than I did before. It's not an option for me. Therefore, If I'm sick I'd have to call in. My children and my health come first.

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Everyone calls out where I work. Sick or not. If PTO isn't granted and other employees can't switch, and if there is something that can't be changed like expensive show tickets, family weddings, etc, they call in. That's the culture and we all do it.

Some are careless however and post on Facebook where they are or tell people the day before 'I'm calling out tomorrow because of X' if they couldn't get the day switched. I at least try to be discreet.

I wonder how common is this practice?

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Your workplace has a very generous policy! Ours was a final warning at the third occurrence, terminated at fourth in a year. Three tardies = one sick day and anything over three minutes was tardy. That's why people liked to come to work sick to "save" their sick days for a time they may need it more. They also would NEVER take just one day off when they did call in to get the most use out of occurrences.

This would eliminate the perpetually late?

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

In my facility if you are actively coughing on the unit they will send you home. Too many of our patients are compromised immune systems. I don't like leaving my shift short and went to work last night not feeling well N&V. I can honestly say I was not doing my best nursing care and nearly made a very severe med error. So I just might stay home tonight.

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I don't feel guilty calling out because if the floor can't find someone to cover for me, they'll close the floor 6 patients earlier than they usually would. No biggie.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
​Alluding.

Thank you!

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Specializes in MS, Tele, CM, Informatics.

Why feel guilty some times you just need a day to recharge yourself. Remember you need to take time for yourself. If not your going to burn out. I have called out before for not feeling well. Think about it if you were to leave there today or tomorrow they would replace you. But when you are sick your sick. You have to put yourself first....many companies don't have the staffs best interest at heart. Co workers are going to talk if you come in on time or if you have to call out on a rare.

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

This always seems like an incredible amount of time to call in, yet so many people worry about going over. In my last 9 years of work, I have banged in sick one day---strep throat the day before thanksgiving. Prior to that, my "sick" time was for my last maternity leave. And I'm no martyer, trust me!!

I only feel guilty for myself. We only get three call outs a year before disciplinary action starts. I am terrified of using mine... what if I used one for something only a little horrible and then got laid out with a bad case of norovirus a week later?

That's my guilt. I never feel like I am sick "enough" to take a sick day because I get so few of them. Took one last October when I had projectile vomiting/diarrhea, now I only have two sick days left until that one falls off this October. You better believe if I am not actively dying, I am showing up to work.

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I may call out tomorrow!

AND I feel badly because I left my desk a hot mess because I felt sick and pushed myself today, but I was like a zombie. I did bleach everything down and put out word of the huge stomach virus ripping through our school Thanks, kids!

I like my sub nurse, and she will have a crazy day tomorrow. So, trying to get something down that will stay "in" so I won't scare her off forever.

She's a pretty tough cookie, though. CCU RN.

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