Sick Day

It is a good thought but we work so short so often that nothing short of bubonic plague is an acceptable excuse at my facility!

Someone said you had to be on a vent and have your nurse taking care of you to call in for you. Even then maybe not covered! :)

I think that there is a slow change coming particularly if Health Departments are

promoting this practice. Staying home when sick is a mitigation strategy to prevent the

spread of influenza type illnesses, and

the states are getting much more serious about this.

It takes time to promote change. For profit facilities are not going to be

in alignment with this strategy, most likely until they are forced to be.

Personally, I think that there is nothing worse than having to take the

narc keys from someone who is obviously infectious, and then having to

be in close quarters with them to count narcotics. I might feel sorry for

them if it came on them suddenly, and this does happen, but if they came

to work knowing that they are sick, I am not going to be happy about

being around them.

It certainly helps if we could work in environments where we were all

supportive of the need to go home if sick or to stay home when sick.

I know that this is not how it is for many, but there is a real need for change.

Change starts with individual choices. Do what you can to be part of the

solution. This is an issue that could also be brought up in some of those

mandatory meetings that management is so fond of. Facilities are wary

of anything that would draw attention from the Dept of Health. At some

point, this is going to be a very serious issue, but we are not quite there yet.

It would also help if employers did not require doctors' notes for absences. Sometimes people have viral illnesses which do not necessitate an office visit, but they have to have that note. Then that many more people get exposed to whatever just so the employee can get a note.

Interesting. I personally would prefer my coworkers STAY HOME if they're that sick, but we get so much BS from the suits if we call in, esp on weekends. Like people get sick Mon-Fri 8-5.

40% of your sick days can fall next to your days off...

That's great!

I think it really goes to the heart of the matter - we need a change in culture in order for it to be "acceptable" to take sick days. Let's make it unacceptable to carry those germs in to work, and stop talking smack about people who need to call in sick.

I get sick of hearing people say don't come in if you're sick, I'd bet a weeks pay these would be the same people wanting to see you lynched for calling in sick.

We all know why you shouldn't come to work sick, but I'll be frank (I'll be Frank and Earnest both) it's hard enough to fill positions for the regularly scheduled people, what are they going to do when someone calls in?

Scramble around, try to browbeat someone into staying late because Susie Snowflake has the sniffles? I remember rolling myself up and down the halls one night sitting in an office chair because I was too weak to hardly stand and even stopping by and resting in an empty bed for a few minutes. I didn't spread anything to anybody because that's where I got it anyway. No, I couldn't have been seen like this during the day when there were visitors but day shift was a different circumstance and I'd have had more help.

Anyway, I know children get sick and things happen but calling in is very serious business. It doesn't affect just one or two people. I have had people tell me with disbelief they were fired for calling in sick too much. Well, I know first hand if you want to do something you will find a way, even if you feel bad.

Our patient population is at increased risk for infection, yet we were given grief if we called in sick. Not until the heme/onc docs spoke up did this ease up. It didn't disappear altogether, but it did get somewhat better.

I think managers who make our lives miserable when we call in sick are not looking at the bigger picture (beyond risk to patients). Yes, it can result in the floor working a person down; however 'make' the person work sick, and a week or so down the road you run the risk of being several staff short because others were exposed.

Dumb dumb dumb...

Our patient population is at increased risk for infection, yet we were given grief if we called in sick. Not until the heme/onc docs spoke up did this ease up....

... a week or so down the road you run the risk of being several staff short because others were exposed.

Dumb dumb dumb...

Exactly so. This has to stop somewhere. If we have to get docs involved or the

state, whatever it takes, but this has to stop. We do ourselves, our patients, and

our colleagues a disservice by working sick, and make a mockery of the words,

health care. This is NOT health care.

I do not believe that this will change until nurses finally say, ENOUGH.

Our patient population is at increased risk for infection, yet we were given grief if we called in sick. Not until the heme/onc docs spoke up did this ease up. It didn't disappear altogether, but it did get somewhat better.

I think managers who make our lives miserable when we call in sick are not looking at the bigger picture (beyond risk to patients). Yes, it can result in the floor working a person down; however 'make' the person work sick, and a week or so down the road you run the risk of being several staff short because others were exposed.

Dumb dumb dumb...

I've come to work when I didn't feel well so many times I can't count and staffing has never fallen short as a result.

In fact, by the time you have started having ssx you have passed your most infectious stage, in most cases.

I say an exhausted overworked nurse who has been there 16+ hrs. is more dangerous to patient safety than a nurse with a runny nose.