Should i call sick or no?

Okie36 · Mar 21, 2013

As a potential patient, let me say that I would NOT want a coughing, snotting, hoorifice nurse taking care of me...I had this happen when I went in to deliver my second baby... The nurse *assured* me that she wasn't contagious, and she probably wasn't but I politely declined and asked for another nurse...she was gracious about it but I think it was the way I approached the topic...She came to see me a couple of days later on postpartum and said that she was glad that I spoke up because it then opened the door for her to go home and get well without house supervisor getting upset about it.

aywl · Mar 21, 2013

Thanks for your reply, this is kind of dilemma, one side, I don't want to make my manager unhappy because the budget issue; another side, I am really sick (this doesn't happen to me for 3 to 4 years now), I am not taking advantage of the sick leave system, I have almost 230hrs of sick credits saved even if I only worked 0.6fte, I am not abuser, I wish my manager understand this.

Another side, our unit is full of cancer patients with comprised immune system, I really don't want to pass any virus to them.

I just want to see how other nurses look at this issue, thanks for any replied.

aywl · Mar 21, 2013

Thanks for your reply, this is kind of dilemma, one side, I don't want to make my manager unhappy because the budget issue; another side, I am really sick (this doesn't happen to me for 3 to 4 years now), I am not taking advantage of the sick leave system, I have almost 230hrs of sick credits saved even if I only worked 0.6fte, I am not abuser, I wish my manager understand this.
Another side, our unit is full of cancer patients with comprised immune system, I really don't want to pass any virus to them.
I just want to see how other nurses look at this issue, thanks for any replied.

By the way, our unit fired 2 nurses because they called sick, 1 is Lpn, just transferred to my unit from other unit, my manager told her＂u have to go back to ur old unit, you are not the one we want"; another NA was simply fired due to calling sick, I am not sure how often she called sick;

That's why I am scared;

Trishrpn80 · Mar 22, 2013

If u r legitimately sick then take the days off.. After 2 or 3 shifts we have to get a dr note.. So go see ur dr and ask for a note if u r worried

Ppl who get fired are usually habitually sick and abuse the system..

Fiona59 · Mar 22, 2013

Where do you work?

Why did you tell your manager you were sick on your days off? It's not their business if you are sick on your days off.

Finally, check your union contract. I know mine allows the employer to ask for a sick note after two days of paid sick leave.

brithoover · Mar 22, 2013

If you work with neutropenic pts you must call in sick. You could literally kill them, no exaggeration. And your manager should know this, shame on him/her.

aywl · Mar 22, 2013

Where do you work?
Why did you tell your manager you were sick on your days off? It's not their business if you are sick on your days off.
Finally, check your union contract. I know mine allows the employer to ask for a sick note after two days of paid sick leave.

.........

I work for AHS, one oncology unit.

aywl · Mar 22, 2013

If you work with neutropenic pts you must call in sick. You could literally kill them no exaggeration. And your manager should know this, shame on him/her.[/quote']
I know that, my manager know that too, but she is still unhappy when I called her, maybe she think she can assign me to look after other PTS instead of neutropenia PTs

Fiona59 · Mar 22, 2013

By the way, our unit fired 2 nurses because they called sick, 1 is Lpn, just transferred to my unit from other unit, my manager told her＂u have to go back to ur old unit, you are not the one we want"; another NA was simply fired due to calling sick, I am not sure how often she called sick;
That's why I am scared;

Uhm, not true.

You cannot be fired for calling in sick. AUPE would grieve it. Before you can be terminated, there is a lot of documentation to be done and it takes months.

An LPN returning to an original unit is not the same as being fired. Under the AUPE contract a nurse has 12 weeks to determine if the job is a good fit for her/him. There is no stigma attached to returning to an old unit nor is it the same thing as being fired. Some nurses know when they are not a good fit to a certain unit, sometimes it takes the Manager to have a chat. But this nurse HAS NOT been fired.

Dramatic much?

aywl · Mar 22, 2013

Uhm, not true.
You cannot be fired for calling in sick. AUPE would grieve it. Before you can be terminated, there is a lot of documentation to be done and it takes months.
An LPN returning to an original unit is not the same as being fired. Under the AUPE contract a nurse has 12 weeks to determine if the job is a good fit for her/him. There is no stigma attached to returning to an old unit nor is it the same thing as being fired. Some nurses know when they are not a good fit to a certain unit, sometimes it takes the Manager to have a chat. But this nurse HAS NOT been fired.
Dramatic much?

For this Lpn's case, I should not use this word "fire", but she was forced back to her old unit, main reason is she called sick too often

Insomniac-88 · Mar 22, 2013

If you are legitimately sick, I would not want you taking care of me or any of my family members.

The problem is, many people abuse sick calls, so managers tend to assume you're doing the same. Just get a doctors note for peace of mind.