They are trying to send ME home!

Published

Specializes in NCSN.

I am getting over a head cold, but I happen to still be coughing on and off. I've had FOUR different teachers pop their heads in and ask if I was going home. And one tattled to my principal who came to talk to me and ended our conversation with "Remember you have unlimited sick days"...

Also, it must have gone around that I'm feeling under the weather, because instead of the 50+ I usually have by now, I've seen less than 20...which has NEVER happened before today.

I've NEVER taken off for a cold before, growing up or professionally, but I am new to the world of schools...is this something that's normal to take off for in a school setting? or are my teachers just hypochondriacs?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School Nurse. Having conversations with littles..

Hmmm. This is interesting. For myself and my teachers/staff, same set of rules as for students.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

You are one of the exception. In general, school nurses come to work with illnesses that would put the general public in the hospital.

School Nurse subs are as scarce as hens teeth; plus we bring it on ourselves by not wanting to relinquish our domain to someone else.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It is difficult to acclimate to the school environment from another workplace.

I still get confused when I take off.... Like, you understand that I won't be here right? You're still going to pay me? But I'll be at home. I'm not coming in on Saturday or anything. Why will you pay me for this? I don't want to have to pay this back once the mistake is discovered.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NCSN.

I still get confused when I take off.... Like, you understand that I won't be here right? You're still going to pay me? But I'll be at home. I'm not coming in on Saturday or anything. Why will you pay me for this? I don't want to have to pay this back once the mistake is discovered.

This is exactly how I feel. lol

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I get plenty of sick days but I rarely take of. One reason is there are no subs and the other reason is I was so conditioned by the hospital so many years that even if you had plague, you came to work.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in school/military/OR/home health.

Your teachers are teachers, used to taking off for every cold. Nurses will drag themselves to work in any condition (I worked a shift on my first-born's due date, not realizing my water had broken and I was in labor...I was so uncomfortable anyway I had no idea what was going on. ugh)

Last year I found myself trying to explain to one of my teachers that one week is not a long time to have a cough/cold and she likely did not need a Z pack. She went and weaseled one out of the clinic anyway. They are afraid of germs and have a skewed perspective on illness. Sometimes they are worse than the students :rolleyes:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg, Oncology, School Nursing, OB.

Wow I wish I had an unlimited number of sick days and people encouraging me to take off when I'm sick. I have neither. We have so few subs it really puts other nurses in the county out trying to cover my school and theirs so I try not to take off. Then we get "reminded" each year we need to be very prudent on using our sick days and need a dr's excuse after 5 absences whether they're in the same week or year. Yet I see teachers calling off "sick" all the time for their kids tournaments out of town, shopping days, company visiting, etc. I see teachers leaving in the middle of the day for having a stomach ache. Must be nice.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Peds, Neuro, Orthopedics.

Where is this magical place with unlimited sick days? I'm packing my bags right now.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School nurse.

You are fortunate. Because there is no back up, I was sick in January and worked through multiple courses of antibiotics. I even tried to schedule a sick day during the worst of it and couldn't get a sub. So I'm saving the call out for when I'm literally having a sick out of body experience or need the ER because it will be a huge mess for the school when I do.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I get the, "are you going home?" question whenever I look a little under the weather, but that's probably because there's the mythical chance that the school will close early if they can't get a sub... lol

I try not to take off unless I really have to because my school is required to have nurse on site and because it really is a hardship both to get a sub and to pay for a sub (yes, I know it's not my problem, but I still try to be considerate with my illnesses. :)). I've never been guilted or told I couldn't be sick, but I've certainly never been encouraged to take time off either. You are lucky! :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in school nurse.
You are fortunate. Because there is no back up, I was sick in January and worked through multiple courses of antibiotics. I even tried to schedule a sick day during the worst of it and couldn't get a sub. So I'm saving the call out for when I'm literally having a sick out of body experience or need the ER because it will be a huge mess for the school when I do.

Maybe you shouldn't wait until that point. If they experience the issue sooner, perhaps they'll work up a real contingency plan?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion