Should I call off?

Kelky · Jan 9, 2015

Do any of you get 'punished' for calling out? we get 'occurrences' and if it's a holiday or closest shift to a holiday double occurrences and lose holiday allowance. Double occurrence if you can't get to work because of weather too - even if the rest of the city can't you are a superhuman and should have foreseen that event presumably. Too many occurrences and you are fired. Are all hospitals like this? I love my job but I am so tired of feeling threatened and bullied by the punitive policies.

sissiesmama, ASN, RN · Jan 9, 2015

Do any of you get 'punished' for calling out? we get 'occurrences' and if it's a holiday or closest shift to a holiday double occurrences and lose holiday allowance. Double occurrence if you can't get to work because of weather too - even if the rest of the city can't you are a superhuman and should have foreseen that event presumably. Too many occurrences and you are fired. Are all hospitals like this? I love my job but I am so tired of feeling threatened and bullied by the punitive policies.

Yes! I worked in our ER before having a stroke and I ended up with a BAD stomach virus - started vomiting about midnight and called in for my 11a - 11p shift about 3am. Explained my symptoms to the nsg sup and he just told me I had to come in anyway. (I had only missed one shift prior to this call in)

By 9am I was sitting in our ER waiting room in my pjs shaking. Got right back in to a room at least :).

Day sup called down to give me a message that I would still be written up -- charge told her to come down to talk with me - she did apologize when she got a look at me.

Hope ur feeling a little better OP!

Anne

calivianya, BSN, RN · Jan 9, 2015

Do any of you get 'punished' for calling out? we get 'occurrences' and if it's a holiday or closest shift to a holiday double occurrences and lose holiday allowance. Double occurrence if you can't get to work because of weather too - even if the rest of the city can't you are a superhuman and should have foreseen that event presumably. Too many occurrences and you are fired. Are all hospitals like this? I love my job but I am so tired of feeling threatened and bullied by the punitive policies.

Oh yes.

A double occurrence because of weather? I am jealous. If we call in on a snow day, we're up for termination. It's at the manager's discretion, of course, but it is within company policy to terminate on the first offense for calling in on a holiday/snow day, even if you are sick. You better show up unless you're unconscious in the ICU.

My last job was pretty similar - I called in ONCE and got the third degree from the house supervisor, and that job was more lenient than the one I have now. I got absolutely grilled about not coming in. Complained about it here but didn't get much sympathy; I guess most nurses believe it's okay to be run into the ground by management and treated like irresponsible children. I personally don't think we deserve to be treated the way we are.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Jan 9, 2015

I'd be sooooo tempted to give the house sup's number to the families of the pts I was putting at risk by coming in sick if they bullied me into coming in sick.

I did get spoken to about calling in once a few years ago, in my review; I'd had a couple call-ins that month. I flat out told her that for one I was vomiting and running a fever; should I have come in and spread that to the residents (SNF) and the REST of her staff, and risk making mistakes because I'm so focused on how miserable I was?? And the other was my child had a 102 degree fever, so clearly couldn't go to daycare (she was in daycare at the time)...should I have left a 4 y/o home all alone?? Of course not.

This kind of thing makes me so angry! We are NOT children. Heck, children are REQUIRED to stay home by schools and daycares if they have a fever or vomiting. We are professionals. Would a lawyer or a pilot be intimidated into working while sick? Years back when I was a CNA, one of the RNs at my employer got grilled for calling in sick. She said, "I am sick, and therefore I am unable to work today. That is all." and hung up. :laugh: I get it's a difficult position to be in, but higher ups treat professionals this way because they have been allowed to.

malamud69, BSN, RN · Jan 9, 2015

Yes...

woknblues · Jan 9, 2015

Why is it acceptable for nurses to work sick? In my facility, we don't want you here if you are sick. Yeah, we are short, etc. So what does that have to do with working when sick? Why are hospitals staffed so lean? I think your management team has been neglectful in getting travelers or more prn nurses to cover during season. When I get a call off from someone, I only ever say, "OK, I'll take you off". It's not my job to investigate whether or not you are lying, or check to see if you have the PTO hours to cover it. If you can't meet your pointage/call out too much, HR will be calling you, not me.

Any other profession that requires a person to be present working no matter what (as opposed to an office job or what have you) would never be having this discussion. Embarrassing for the profession, IMO. If you are too sick to work at your best, what are you going to do when you get there? Substandard work.

Career Columnist / Author · Jan 9, 2015

I hope you called off! I don't know why we have such a culture of guilt about calling in sick. I was thinking about it over the holidays and wrote a blog post titled "Is it OK to discipline nurses extra for calling off sick on a holiday?"

I guess you can tell where I stand on it!

I hope you feel better soon!

Beth