What Are The Most Creative Call-off Excuses You Have Heard?

Nurses Professionalism

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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?

Specializes in LTC, home health, critical care, pulmonary nursing.

"My cervix ruptured." Not pregnant or anything. This same CNA came back from lunch one day suddenly blind. She could put the code in to get in the door, but then was "feeling her way" around the unit saying "I'm blind, I can't see anything." So I walked up to her and waved my hand about 1 cm from her face and she jerked her head away. I said, "Nice try, feel your way through the rest of your shift."

I later read a girl's application for the CNA class I was teaching and used the above CNA as a reference. That went in the no pile. I didn't need any more exploding cervixes.

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Why do people make excuses at all?

I just say I'm calling in and I won't be in tonight. Why you're calling in is none of anyone's business.

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Specializes in Pediatrics/Developmental Pediatrics/Research/psych.

I think that if you're sick (and trying to get a sick day) you need a legitimate excuse. Usually has to be documented

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Specializes in Oncology.
I once heard "my glasses broke" as a request for an emergency vacation day. As a 20 year glasses wearer, I found this excuse pretty thin! I have at least 4 old pairs that, while not perfect, could get me through a shift. Made me stop to think what other lame excuses might work for me if needed!

Before I had LASIK my vision was nearly 20/900. I had two pairs of glasses at any time- sunglasses and regular ones. I donated old glasses when I got new ones. I can't imagine making it through a shift with sunglasses and there's no way I would have even been able to drive there without any glasses. I usually had some contacts too, but not always.

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.
This actually happened - I swear (because you could NOT make this up!):

I was the house supervisor over the four day Thanksgiving holiday/ weekend. ICU nurse calls in because her cat was missing. On Thanksgiving. That's Thursday.

She's scheduled off Friday and Saturday.

Sunday, she calls off again because (wait for it.....) the cat had returned but seemed 'emotionally needy'.

Her manager was sitting next to me at the time the second call came. I just put it on speaker and asked her to repeat what she had just said.

Bahahahaha!!

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.
What about "Gramma" or "Uncle George" in the hospital/dying/died--once a month???

Unfortunately, that happens. In 2011, I lost my father-in-law in July, my mother in November, and my father in December. In the middle of everything, I found out I needed surgery, which ended up scheduled for the day after my father's memorial service. All told, I was out of work for 3-1/2 weeks.

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I could not function without my up to date glasses. Sounds like your vision is probably not as poor as a lot of people's vision can be without aides.

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we had been working short handed for a while and it was crazy. one of the nurses called off and when asked why she said "because this place got on my last damn nerve yesterday, and its best i stay home today!".

When I was a manager I had an employee call in because her newborn spit up on her scrubs and she didn't have any clean ones...... I told her that we could issue her a pair of OR scrubs for the day. She then said that the baby vomit got on her shoes too.

now thats funny ....she wasnt gonna let you spoil her day off

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"In not coming in today because, I just got a new car and I an NOT driving it in the rain"

I once worked an 18 hour shift because, my relief was a no show (she was in jail) I called in before I left work because my next shift started in 2 hours. They actually seemed quite upset/surprised that I was calling in. My commute is 45 min to an hour each way so, I couldn't even went home before I had to come back. They wouldn't let me stay out the whole shift so, they rescheduled me for 8 hours later.

We had one woman that every time she called in she said her "pipes burst".

We have another woman who calls in once or twice a week with elaborate excuses. How she still has a job idk... Her excuses have gotten less elaborate over the years but, she still seems to be "sick" at least once or twice a week.

The tardy excuses are priceless too... If your "alarm clock breaks" 5x a week, I think it's time to get a new alarm clock.

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Specializes in ICU and EMS.

A co-worker called out because their "fish was sick." Seriously! Apparently it was some high dollar exotic fish that they had to take to a vet (didn't know vets cared for fish-- learn something new everyday) and give it frequent meds. They later brought the vet bill in to prove it, but they sure got razzed about it!!

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

I've heard my dog is sick, my cat is sick but...my fish is sick! I love it.

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I would definitely call in if my dogs were too sick, they are my babies :-)

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