Sick policy vs. reality

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I'm curious how other institutions handle staff illnesses, particularly colds and the flu.

I work at in an HCA hospital in the OR. According to policy, we are not supposed to work while sick, and they administer flu shots. However...

My HCA facility uses a point system to record absenteeism and tardies. If a person calls in sick 4 hours or less before their shift, 2 points are counted against you. If you go into work but leave within 4 hours of your shift, 1.5 points are counted. If you are late 1 minute - 2 hours, 1 point. No show, 2 points. 7 points and you're fired. Points are erased after 1 year of the incident. Points are 'reviewed' during annual evaluations.

My HCA facility does not have paid sick leave. Employees have to use their PTO, automatically deducted. If the person doesn't have PTO, then they don't get paid. Vacation time can only be awarded if the person has sufficient PTO.

My HCA facility also gives bonuses to employees who do not call in sick for the year, awarded every summer.

So...it's that time of the year where even my manager comes to work sick to preserve their PTO time, possibly get a bonus, and avoid racking up these dreaded points. This policy particularly hurts single parents because they often call in sick for their kids, and end up working sick to minimize their penalty points.

I understand that calling-in is often abused and a fair system is needed. I was wondering what other people have experienced, and what has worked. I also don't know if this point-system is throughout HCA.

BTW, I'm writing this sick. I caught it from either my manager or another sick co-worker.

Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
It is my belief that this type of system encourages or even forces employees to work while sick. This of course means that you risk passing on your infection to both patients and coworkers. That's a flawed system. I feel that it's a system that penalizes someone for becoming sick. Nurses are often in contact with sick and infectious patients (duh! :facepalm:) so it seems ridiculous that a risk you're subjected to at work, can lead to disciplinary actions and even loss of employment.

I'm a Scandinavian nurse and the policy at my hospital (it's the same at any healthcare facility) dictates that in the case of for example a norovirus infection, I not return to work for 48 hours after the last symptom (emesis or diarrhea).

As a Scandinavian I enjoy the protection of a very generous social safety net. In 1938 a law was passed that mandated a minimum of two weeks paid vacation per year for all employees. In 1951 it was changed to three weeks and in 1963; four weeks. The current law is from 1978 and specifies a minimum of five weeks paid vacation per year. Since the law only mentions the minimum an employer can offer more if they want to. I have six weeks paid vacation per year.

Vacation time and sick leave are two separate things. There is no set amount of sick days allowed and you can't get terminated for having "too many" sick days or occasions (unless you have a repeated number of absences and fail to provide a physician's note that shows that you were indeed sick). So if you're seriously ill you can be off sick for the entire year, and still have your job when you return.

We are also allowed to stay at home to care for a sick child if needed. You receive ~80% of your regular pay for a maximum of 120 days per child and year. Again, this is also separate from vacation time and your own sick days.

Of course I realize that this is a very generous system and I appreciate it. To me it's wrong that a nurse can be put in a situation where the choice is to either risk infecting vulnerable patients with for example the norovirus or face disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

One of these days, maybe I'll talk my husband into moving to my ancestral homeland. :laugh:

Seriously though, I agree completely. I haven't been spoken to about call-offs because my manager knows I am not a liar, but I'd be fired many times over with some of these policies. Yes having children was my choice, but that doesn't negate the NEED to stay with them when they are sick. Backup daycare for a child with influenza or a GI virus is ridiculous. Nobody is going to watch my kids on short notice with the knowledge that they will be cleaning up vomit and will likely be vomiting themselves tomorrow. That's ridiculous. My husband doesn't have a backup CFO to do his work for him, so it usually falls to me to take the day off.

I have had to take multiple days in a 2-week period between myself and sick kids. Will I soldier through a cold or a sore throat OF COURSE. Will I soldier through vomiting, weakness, and the sensation that my skin is sunburnt? (With viral illnesses, my skin feels sunburnt. I've never heard anyone else say that, but it's happened to me since my early 20s. Very painful.) HEEL no. It is dangerous for my patients -- not only could they get sick, but they WILL NOT get proper care; dangerous for my colleagues, and inhumane for myself.

I am a professional -- not an inmate in a forced labor camp. I will not work when I am truly ill. Likewise I don't want my colleagues to work while ill. I respect them too much, and anyway I don't want to be exposed.

Were I to be counseled, I would be requesting in writing that they are advising me that I must come to work sick, and acknowledging that doing so would be compromising patient safety. If that's not agreeable, they will get my notice. No way am I agreeing to simply have no call-offs for the next 12 months.

This topic gets me fried. :madface:

Apply for FMLA.Your pediatrician will comply, Take one day at time as needed when child is ill.

They make us take our PTO if we call out sick, which I think is ridiculous. It's my money, I should be able to choose whether I use PTO or just don't get paid, but that option is not offered. I would rather have my PTO for days I want off.

It is ridiculous and further underscores the cruel and unusual system of social control often used on healthcare workers. Nurses deserve to not be harassed or punished for being ill.

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
It is ridiculous and further underscores the cruel and unusual system of social control often used on healthcare workers. Nurses deserve to not be harassed or punished for being ill.

It is not unique to nurses or healthcare.

I've seen it in other industries as well. Do you have other suggestions that are objective and equal across the board?

Yes, all businesses need a absenteeism policy (number of acceptable sick days per year, number of days ok without doctor's note, criteria for calling in before a shift). However, someone should not get points (a small penalty) for calling in hours before a shift starts. Hospitals routinely census manage nurses to save money and have no regard for the nurses need for a regular paycheck. If a hospital can send me home because census is low, then I should be able to call in when I want and use sick leave or unpaid leave or whatever other type of leave compensation I've been awarded. You can't have your cake and eat it too. You can't penalize nurses for being legitimately absent, then send those same nurses home when it costs you too much. Or make those nurses do mandatory overtime when staffing is insufficient.

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