Sick employees in the workplace

[KDSkyy44]

Hello all

I had a question regarding others experiences with their facilities and what is considered appropriate and the norm for nurses and CNAs in healthcare.

6 days ago I came down sick. It started as an irritated cough in my throat. The next morning I was god awfully sick with severe jaw and neck pain that turned into headaches shoulder aches occasionally on and off body aches/joint pain. The cough continued, dry, sometimes productive sometimes not. I eventually almost lost my voice it would come and go or be deep and raspy. I walked into work with a low grade fever. They gave me Tylenol and sent me to work. It is a LTC facility so we are always short staffed and I know I can't call out. I only have once. I got chewed out for even requesting to leave at 10 pm that night if my assignment was done since we usually are sitting around for the last hour anyway. The nurse ended up having to send me home early at 9 that night because she said I looked too sick. I went in the next day with no voice and then mustered through my busy weekend. It's now 6 days later and my days are better but the nights I'm up coughing really bad, in such severe pain I can't sleep, and running fevers runny nose and sometimes green; It was 8 hours of torture. I'm apparently ill enough that I shouldn't be working. I am weak so I tell the aides I need assistance with allllll my transfers so I don't put anyone at risk.

With that said, I was wondering what then constitutes a sick day. How does it work in your facility?

Your insight is appreciated.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

My pet peeve on third shift is CNAs who come in to work and then suddenly become sick around 4:00am-ish right before all the "real" work begins. This happens too often with the agency aides.

So you were fine to come in and do the "light" work of passing waters and making brief-checks. But five minutes before all the baths and get-ups need to be started, you suddenly need to go home. How convenient. I'd rather you'd not have come in at all.

Somebody coming in and then "going home sick" is a much, much bigger burden to staff than someone who just calls in like they should have in the first place.

[VANurse2010]

I complain about my employers pretty much all the time, about pretty much everything but apparently in this at least they are not so bad. I can't believe some of the ridiculous policies I am reading about here! We have a no fault call in policy, which means that I can call in for any reason or no reason and not get questioned about it. The supervisor taking the call isn't allowed to ask why you are calling in, though most people volunteer the information anyway. Sick pay isn't an issue as long as you have it to use, and if not then the day isn't paid. Nobody is expected to work ill, and in fact if you are running a fever, vomiting or admit to diarrhea you are not allowed to work. If you are on an abx you are allowed to return to work 48 hours after your initial dose if you are symptom free. I do know of many instances where the policy wasn't followed, but it has always been because the staff hasn't admitted to being on an abx or having not so obvious symptoms of illness if they didn't have sick time to use and didn't want to miss a day without pay. There is supposedly a policy in place for termination after so many write ups for absences but I don't know of anybody that ever lost their job for call ins.

This is pretty much how it works at my facility. You can call in for any reason, or no reason, but rack up so many and you're gone - regardless of reason/end of discussion.

[martymoose, BSN, RN]

where I am , sure, you can call out. Then you will be berated when you return for having too many absences.Full time only gets 36/40 hours of sick time FOR THE WHOLE YEAR. Right now I have a co- employee who has to take her baby to a big childrens hospital out of town Because when she was pregnant , she had many complications, and used up her 36 hours.She was told that she cant get FMLA( didnt qualify) and if she isnt here next week ( when she's supposed to bring her baby to the hospital for some life saving surgery) she will be canned.

We've had lots of employees come in sick, as they know they get berated for calling out. Usually the only time anyone gets excused while at work, is when they've passed out and get sent to ED.

We are nothing but a dime a dozen workers.Too bad nursing came to this.

Sorry OP.It stinks.

[T-Bird78]

I worked in one office where you couldn't call out on a Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday afternoon and forget requesting those days off. If you DID call out, regardless of what day, you MUST have a doctor's note or you can't use any PTO time. Doesn't matter if it's a migraine and you stay home in bed, or 24-hour stomach bug that just needs to run its course, you had to have a note if you wanted to get paid sick time. They're a lot more lenient where I'm at now, but my manager rubbed me the wrong way. I had horrible morning sickness, hyperemesis, and was on intermittent FMLA during my pregnancy. I missed 3 weeks in one month between hospitalizations and home healthcare and IVs. I went back to work while still wearing my subcu Zofran pump. I was fine after that, didn't miss a single day for 3 1/2 months. I had my review and was given low marks for my attendance and excessive absences. Mind you, this was FMLA protected absences and I had returned to work as soon as the home healthcare service D/C my IV fluids at home, but all that didn't seem to matter. When I was job searching after my baby turned 1, I wound up going back. My manager told me that the only concern she had about my rehire was my attendance because I was out so much with my pregnancy. Grrr.

[NBMom1225]

where I am , sure, you can call out. Then you will be berated when you return for having too many absences.Full time only gets 36/40 hours of sick time FOR THE WHOLE YEAR. Right now I have a co- employee who has to take her baby to a big childrens hospital out of town Because when she was pregnant , she had many complications, and used up her 36 hours.She was told that she cant get FMLA( didnt qualify) and if she isnt here next week ( when she's supposed to bring her baby to the hospital for some life saving surgery) she will be canned.

We've had lots of employees come in sick, as they know they get berated for calling out. Usually the only time anyone gets excused while at work, is when they've passed out and get sent to ED.

We are nothing but a dime a dozen workers.Too bad nursing came to

Sorry OP.It stinks.

I hope your co-worker realizes that she can apply for Intermittent FMLA to care for her child, I have this in place for my daughter, who is a cancer survivor and sees multiple specialists for follow up throughout the year. The only catch for most FMLA requests of any sort is that you usually have to have worked for the company at least 1 year, or a certain number of hours in the past year, to be approved.

[klone, MSN, RN]

he only catch for most FMLA requests of any sort is that you usually have to have worked for the company at least 1 year, or a certain number of hours in the past year, to be approved.

Also, the company needs to have at least 50 employees.

[OCNRN63, RN]

​The hour requirement is 1250hrs/year.

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

Wow, most of you must work some really understanding places! I'm really surprised at how much criticism OP faced, well-worded and polite as it was. I'm in orientation right now, and it is written in their policy that any infraction in the first 90 days is grounds for potential termination. That includes calling out sick, and even clocking in one minute late once. You bet I will absolutely go to work sick. I will wear a surgical mask the whole day if it's respiratory, but how am I supposed to take care of myself if I end up living in someone's basement because I get fired and can't afford my rent? Or maybe I can afford my rent, but I get my water and electricity turned off? Having money is life and death stuff, and I really do envy those of you who have really understanding employers and/or are married to someone with a job. For single people or the sole breadwinners of the family, making the decision to call out of work and risk the only source of income you have is not such an easy choice.

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

Where I work you are harassed for calling out. They have a ridiculous policy- no more than 3 days out in 6 months.. Doesn't matter if you have an emergency, illness, ect. It doesn't matter how much sick time you have accumulated either. Oh yeah and if you miss more than 2 hours (even if you are sent home) it counts as an absence.

[mind_body_soul RN]

I went into work feeling fine one night, an hour later I was sweating, shaking, and had diarrhea and was projectile vomiting. I am one of two night nurses for 50 residents. I went down the entire call list, but at 2 am, no one was picking up the phone. I couldn't hardly stand up, not to mention I didn't know what was wrong with me and I didn't want to get residents sick. I eventually got ahold of the administrator who told me to put a mask on until we could get someone in to cover for me, she eventually got a med aid to come in early and relieve me, but I felt bad for my co-workers, it was one nurse, one med aide, and one CNA for 50 residents. I found out the next morning that the local water supply had been found to be contaminated with E. coli.

[martymoose, BSN, RN]

again, we are treated like dirt because we are a dime a dozen.

Not just nursing either.

employers know they can get away with this, and then wonder why no- one is loyal????

:madface:

[OCNRN63, RN]

Wow, most of you must work some really understanding places! I'm really surprised at how much criticism OP faced, well-worded and polite as it was. I'm in orientation right now, and it is written in their policy that any infraction in the first 90 days is grounds for potential termination. That includes calling out sick, and even clocking in one minute late once. You bet I will absolutely go to work sick. I will wear a surgical mask the whole day if it's respiratory, but how am I supposed to take care of myself if I end up living in someone's basement because I get fired and can't afford my rent? Or maybe I can afford my rent, but I get my water and electricity turned off? Having money is life and death stuff, and I really do envy those of you who have really understanding employers and/or are married to someone with a job. For single people or the sole breadwinners of the family, making the decision to call out of work and risk the only source of income you have is not such an easy choice.

I never said I had someone to back me up; I'm not married. FTR, I have gotten written up for calling off. I'm just not willing to compromise my health or the health of others.