They Called Out WHY??????

Published

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

the thread about the nurse calling out because of herpes made me think about some of the reasons people i've worked with have called out sick. some ridiculous, some shocking, some understandable . . .

so what's the strangest, funniest or most bizarre reason someone you know of has called out?

there was my friend who for some reason thought trying a totally new hairdo before work on a monday morning was a reasonable thing to do. she got her hair done, hated it, and to my amazement called in sick and gave the real reason! she called in sick for a bad hair day!

or the male nurse who called in sick because he'd been out drinking the night before, went home with a woman he'd just met and couldn't find his car. he actually called in and said he wouldn't be to work because he couldn't find his car. (i think i would have mentioned nausea or a headache!)

and then there was the man who called in sick because (and i quote) "i can't come in to work, i just can't! i so ashamed of myself, i'm such a ****! i just slept with my best friend's husband!" the woman who thought she was his best friend happened to be working that night!

i called in sick once because i'd just caught my then-husband in bed with the next door neighbor. (i said i had the flu!)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

I have called in twice since I started my new job... and BOTH times, I totally kid you not, were because of my DOG. And not a SICK dog either; I can kinda understand someone calling in because of a deathly sick animal that they are busy trying to nurse back to health or whatever.

The first time was because I had relinquished the dog to my sister in law who lived on a farm, and then felt horribly HORRIBLY guilty and sad and ended up driving all the way to her farm (90-120 minute drive) on a Sunday morning after working all night, just to check on him and make sure he was all right. I was actually GOING to bring him back but on the way there, just decided that he'd stay there but I really just wanted to see him and make sure he was happy. But anyway, I was supposed to work that night but because I'd been up pretty much all day, I called in.

The second time was about 2 months later... same dog. My sis in law had had some trouble with the dog, and so we had had to go pick him up and bring him home. Now we were in the process of trying to re-train him to live in the house, be better behaved, etc.. He was driving me crazy. One day he ran away and I spent all afternoon looking for him. There were other issues and he was just driving me crazy and... I just needed to take a mental health day, because of the dog issues.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Tele, Acute.

As always Ruby, :chuckle:chuckle:chuckle. Now I gotta go change the depends.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I had to call in because of my dog.

He has epilepsy, but that's not the complete reason.

My grandson and I had mowed the yard one day and one of us accidentally left open the gate to the backyard. The next day when I went to work, I didn't realize the gate was unlocked.

So, when I got home from work that night, my dog wasn't here. I stayed up all night looking all over town for him, up and down the streets, everywhere I could think of. Couldn't find him anywhere.

I didn't get any sleep all night.

Early in the AM, I called the dog catcher to see if he had ended up in their facility, but no, he wasn't there either. But the dogcatcher said he would help me find him, and around 11:00 am he called and said he'd found him!! Thank heavens!

He didn't have any seizures from the episode, but was just on the verge of it. He was so stressed out.

I had not had any sleep in nearly 24 hours so I called in and explained it to my boss...she didn't like it, and even thought I could just lay down and take a nap then come on in. And time to be there was 2pm, so I didn't think I would be able to get a decent nap between 11:00 and 2:00. I called off.

Didn't get a sick day of course, but I took a vacation day.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg.

Had a nurse call in because "tonight,l she just can't handle the mental strain of it all". But, she could handle the mental strain of a night with the girls drinking fish tank marjirita's at the local mexican place. I'm still blackmailing her with that one.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.

I called in worried sick once. My husband was deployed to Iraq. This was our first deployment and I was a mess (I'm told it will be much easier from now on). He had only been there three weeks and was in a position to either email or call every night and one night he didn't do either and I was up all night imagining the worst. I called in sick because I thought maybe he would try to call me that day. Of course he was fine and had just been busy and I was embarrassed that I had been such a lunatic about it.

I also had to call in once for pink eye and once for strep throat. My daughter going to Kindergarten has caused me to relive the childhood illnesses. My husband is always trying to get me to call in for mental health days so that he can hang out with me on the weekends I work. :heartbeat

The thing that gets me mad is when someone calls out on their holiday or when we know that they are going on vacation. We end up short while they are off partying. Not cool.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I very very rarely call in sick unless I'm febrile or vomiting. However, there have been a couple instances where I called in with eye problems. I just couldn't see working that day. :saint:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School Nursing.
I very very rarely call in sick unless I'm febrile or vomiting. However, there have been a couple instances where I called in with eye problems. I just couldn't see working that day. :saint:

:chuckle

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School Nursing.

I once called in with "anal glaucoma"

I just couldn't see my A$$ coming in to work that day.(sorry, I know...so bad) !!:eek:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School Nursing.
I once called in with "anal glaucoma"

I just couldn't see my A$$ coming in to work that day.(sorry, I know...so bad) !!:eek:

:lghmky:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

I rarely call in and when I do, I am usually sick.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in nursery, L and D.

I once was a supervisor at a LTC place, and had a DON!!! call in drunk more than once. She would actually say "I'm too drunk, just handle it yourself", and the stuff was serious, like a family threating to sue, etc.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion