Ok. Maybe that isn't a fair title. Perhaps some of the excuses are true. But I would like to see what others have been told as far as why someone called off. Here's a few of my favorites:
1. My babysitter is in jail so I can't come in.
2. I burned my hand on some food so I can't work today.
3. I forgot I had to work today, so I stayed up too late and am too tired to come in.
4. My child got stung by a bee (several hours ago) so I don't want to come in.
5. I'm mad at (supervisor) so I'm not working today.
I have used "I'm stressed to death and am taking a "mental health" day today." Yes, I was wrote for an absence, lol. But I was being honest. Anyway, what have you heard?
My favorite one was a CNA calling in due to being in the hospital. The small town I worked in had a Bikers Meet 2 times a year and I worked medical at the meet if I was off for the weekend. Being bikers there is all kinds of activity and I was called to the main stage area where someone got burned on a tailpipe of their bike. Something caught my eye on the main stage, it was the CNA in a wet T-shirt contest. After she got off the stage I went up to her and asked when she got out of the hospital. Come Monday morning I had a talk with the admin and we terminated her.
I had food poisoning and a supervisor demanded I come into work any way. I came in and found the said supervisor and as soon as I opened my mouth to tell her I was here I proceeded to projectile vomit on her. She told me to go home. She never questioned me on anything again.
I don't find this excuse thin at all. As someone who has worn glasses for 23 years, the only time I got new frames was when they no longer fit (started wearing glasses in elementary school). I currently only own one pair of glasses. Every time the prescription gets changed, the old lenses get popped out of the frames and new ones put in. Saves quite a bit of money when you consider how much empty frames can cost! Also, as someone who is legally blind without glasses, I would not be able to work without them- couldn't read the computer screen, couldn't read the medication label, unable to drive, etc.
This excuse is too pathetic to be believed. You have NO spare glasses because you can't afford a new pair of FRAMES. I guess you're the person who called in because their glasses were broken. I would have to fire you on the phone:)
Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.
I once had to call in late with no idea how late I would be because there was a moose literally sitting directly in front of my door. I opened my door to go to work and the moose looked at me and snorted. I slammed the door, locked it, and called in "late" to work. Fortunately, the moose went on about his way after only a few minutes. Had I not startled him he may have been hanging out for a while though
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
I had food poisoning and a supervisor demanded I come into work any way. I came in and found the said supervisor and as soon as I opened my mouth to tell her I was here I proceeded to projectile vomit on her. She told me to go home. She never questioned me on anything again.
I was just off orientation at a new job, and stopped at McDonald's on the way to work my night shift. It was the first time I'd ever had a McDonald's salad. The rest of the way to work, I felt a bit "off." I got to work and was getting report, and suddenly I had to vomit . . . picked up the wastebasket at my feet and emptied my stomach -- or so I thought. The nurse giving me report dropped her jaw as I scurried into the empty patient room right next to our nursing substation to wipe my mouth and then continued to projectile vomit all over the sink, the toilet, the mirrors, the wall . . . . I felt better afterward. But the poor nurse whose patient I was picking up and gone to the charge . . . and they both ordered me off the unit for the night! That was pretty embarrassing!
Okay, this wasn't just a call-in, but it was also an excuse for a no-call/no-show.
We had hired, perhaps, the stupidest CNA I had ever met in my life. Now, I am not usually so mean and I'm pretty average, myself... but jumpin' jack flash! This girl was thicker than my granny's backside.
On her first day of work, she was late because she was sitting in the front lobby "waiting for someone to come get me". Okay, okay. Maybe she misunderstood someone somewhere.
On her second day of work, she simply didn't show up. We assumed we had scared her off and that we would see her no more. (NOTE: no, we were not being mean-- she was already complaining about the amount of work and I had lost her on the floor! I find her 10 minutes later and she smells like cigarettes!)
The very next day, she showed up (late!) and attempted to sit down for report... um, no. My manager and I bring this gal to another room to talk to her. When my manager asked her why she did not come to work the day before, this girl said, "I thought you said I didn't have to come yesterday. It was a misconfusion."
I also soiled my shorts when the manager said, "I will give you one more chance."
So, it was another day of me trying to train this strange little cookie who was missing a few chocolate chips.
THE NEXT DAY she called in. The manager took the call on the phone by my chair. I sat in stunned silence as I could her this girl's rather loud voice. I kid you not, I could catch words and phrases such as, "My mom... my dad... sick... my car broke down... hospital... the kids...".
She had this really complicated story that seemed to have everything, but I was disappointed that I did not hear anything at all about "trains or trucks or prison or gettin' drunk".
My manager fired her right there on the phone.
THE NEXT DAY she called the unit and asked to speak specifically to me. She wanted to know if I could put in a word to our manager to get her job back "because I know I would do a really good job". I transferred the call to my manager.
Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
This excuse is too pathetic to be believed. You have NO spare glasses because you can't afford a new pair of FRAMES. I guess you're the person who called in because their glasses were broken. I would have to fire you on the phone:)
you know, I really debated whether or not to respond to this post. However, your extremely condescending attitude and baseless assumptions are too much to ignore. First of all, I can assure you that I have not called off because my glasses were broken. I know how to take care of my things and how to repair my things when needed.
Secondly, my workplace did not offer vision insurance at the time my prescription was last updated. The health insurance covered a whopping $60 every two years. In my area, that doesn't even cover half of the cost of an appointment, let alone frames or lenses.
Thirdly, you have no idea what my circumstances were at the time. I had just undergone a complex medical work up and several procedures that, courtesy of my not so great but better than none insurance, had me paying a heck of a lot out of pocket with none leftover for non-necessities.
So I suggest you get off that high horse where you'd fire someone over the phone and realize that not everyone, even those supposedly making a good living working as a nurse, has the disposable income to afford such things as new glasses frames every time their prescription changes.
I, and others, have said this earlier in the thread but apparently it bears repeating: You do not have to provide any sort of excuse or justification for calling in. PTO is earned. It's part of an employee's compensation. By definition, I am indeed entitled to it.
All facilities have policy regarding how often emplyees can call off in a given time frame. If I violate said policy by all means, punish me accordingly. If I am not in violation of any such policy, well, then kindly mind your own business. I have never provided a song and dance as to why I called in and I never will.
Isn't this profession already plagued enough by martyrs?
you know, I really debated whether or not to respond to this post. However, your extremely condescending attitude and baseless assumptions are too much to ignore. First of all, I can assure you that I have not called off because my glasses were broken. I know how to take care of my things and how to repair my things when needed.
Secondly, my workplace did not offer vision insurance at the time my prescription was last updated. The health insurance covered a whopping $60 every two years. In my area, that doesn't even cover half of the cost of an appointment, let alone frames or lenses.
Thirdly, you have no idea what my circumstances were at the time. I had just undergone a complex medical work up and several procedures that, courtesy of my not so great but better than none insurance, had me paying a heck of a lot out of pocket with none leftover for non-necessities.
So I suggest you get off that high horse where you'd fire someone over the phone and realize that not everyone, even those supposedly making a good living working as a nurse, has the disposable income to afford such things as new glasses frames every time their prescription changes.
I cannot afford new ones every time. Even with good insurance covering frames, my lenses at Wal-Mart cost over 200 for basics due to the power surcharge and eye condition.
For all of those whose bosses ask why they are calling off, I will give you the advice my cousin gave me about getting out of any social occasion you don't want to attend: "Tell them you have diarrhea ... NO ONE will argue with you."
DeeWhitson
2 Posts
My favorite one was a CNA calling in due to being in the hospital. The small town I worked in had a Bikers Meet 2 times a year and I worked medical at the meet if I was off for the weekend. Being bikers there is all kinds of activity and I was called to the main stage area where someone got burned on a tailpipe of their bike. Something caught my eye on the main stage, it was the CNA in a wet T-shirt contest. After she got off the stage I went up to her and asked when she got out of the hospital. Come Monday morning I had a talk with the admin and we terminated her.