Sick days allowed and certification pay

[SHALIMAR]

Hello fellow readers:

I would like input on the number of sick day occurances that are allowed at your facility, our facility only allows 6 occurances and you get written up for going over, each additional occurance takes you closer to being fired. Also, does your facility compensate you for each level of certification achieved, ACLS, TNCC, ENPC? My understanding is the facility receives high insurance compensation if the nursing staff is certified. If this is so then shouldn't the nurse who acquired the education be compensated as well. Are these Union issues? I would appreciate your comments

[StNeotser, ASN, RN]

I got written up for taking two sick days in one month. This was classed as excessive sick leave. No matter that they were the first I had taken in two years.

[ebear, BSN, RN]

ST.

What's wrong with you? Don't you know that nurses aren't allowed to get sick??? :angryfire:angryfire:angryfire

[ERRNTraveler, RN]

I'm a traveler now, which means NO sick days without making them up, but before I started traveling, we were allowed 6 occurances a year (multiple days in a row counts as one occurrance). We didn't get a raise for getting ACLS, PALS, or TNCC, as they were considered required for our job, but I got paid my hourly wage for the days I spent going to the classes, and they paid for me to take them.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

hello fellow readers:

i would like input on the number of sick day occurances that are allowed at your facility, our facility only allows 6 occurances and you get written up for going over, each additional occurance takes you closer to being fired. also, does your facility compensate you for each level of certification achieved, acls, tncc, enpc? my understanding is the facility receives high insurance compensation if the nursing staff is certified. if this is so then shouldn't the nurse who acquired the education be compensated as well. are these union issues? i would appreciate your comments

three absences in a rolling year before we're counseled. i had six months off for a back injury which counted as one occurance. the shingles i got shortyly after returning to work was a second -- one more and i get counseled. it's ok if you have one big occurance (like my back injury) but someone who is always catching something the kids bring home from school is in trouble!

no extra pay for certifications. it may be a union issue, and i'm very pro union. but no unions here -- drat!

[llg, PhD, RN]

My employer's rules are similar to what the other poster's have said. We are allowed 2 occurrances in a "rolling" 90-day period. Multiple days in a row due to the same illness/injury count as 1 occurrance. After that, the employee gets counselled and additional absences take the employee through levels of disciplinary action which can lead to termination. So, the people who get a big illness/injury are not punished for that ... but the people who call in repeatedly get nailed pretty quick.

Cerification such as BCLS, ACLS, PALS, NRP, etc. are required for most jobs and there is no extra pay for them. We have talked about offering a small pay increase for specialty certification, but so far, it hasn't happened.

[cmo421]

In my facility sick days as well as vacations days are pro rated. For a full time person that can mean up to 10 sick days a years and three weeks vacation. That increases with longevity too. Now as far as abuse and discipline, in the few units that I have worked in, there is none. Unless a pattern develops, we r union, and they leave u alone. We do get reimbursed for 75% of unused sick days, or can roll them over with a yearly limit. Not sure what that is. Ot pays is so great that most units love when someone calls out so they can get double time if attached to their shift,or time half and call pay,if they come in on call. Mandation,in my units, is rare because of this, but in some med surg areas it is more common. Union place, and the union rules with a iron hand,sometimes good, sometimes bad!

We do not get reimbursed for certifications at all, happy smiles and a pin is all. Tuition reinbursement up to 100 % if ok's first. There is levels of RN's that u can work for,and then get an increase for that. Certification is smiled on and loved .

[ohmeowzer RN, RN]

we are allowed only 3 sick days a year. i had a write up about 6 mos ago .. and i have called in since then .. and i 'm expecting another. i could care less.. if i am sick i call in... 3 a year is just unrealistic and i work with pt's who cough in your face ectra .. plus i need a mental health day once in awhile... our job is so stressful we need a day away from it once in awhile...

[Katie91]

And there are people out there who actually have NO CLUE as to why there is a nursing shortage :angryfire

Our facilities need to do something about it NOW, or dare I say, our wonderful DON's, directors and managers will have to take on tasks such as bed baths, toileting, suctioning, family and physician interactions, etc., ad nauseum.

Yay!! What a happy thought!! :balloons: