What is your opinion on calling in "sick"

Nurses General Nursing

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Do you ever call in sick to work just to take a day away from the job because its so stressful and you are on the verge of tears every time you go in?

Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
Do you ever call in sick to work just to take a day away from the job because its so stressful and you are on the verge of tears every time you go in?

Occasionally, but not every often. If I'm doing it more frequently than every few months, then that's a sign that perhaps I need to consider finding a different job.

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Definitely. I am currently at a job that I hate most days. I am currently searching for a new job. I have taken one mental health day in the last 6 months. I don't regret it or feel guilty about it. Our staffing ratios are out of control if I show up or not.

The other night I was working overflow and was literally the only nurse on a whole unit. I got 5 admits within a few hours. I simply could not go in the next night. I didn't have the mental capacity to do that all over again. The stress and anxiety associated with that shift was more than I have ever endured and I am not a new nurse by any means. They are lucky I have kids, otherwise I would have quit after that shift. It was complete BS. This overflow unit isn't stocked well at all. I didn't even have a bag of NS on the unit. I couldn't leave to get supplies since I was the only nurse and the tech was trying to help me get these patients settled. It was a s%#t show to say the least.

Life is too short to be this unhappy.

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Specializes in ICU.

I am a firm believer in taking a "mental health day". Some days you just don't want to go in. Now those are rare for me and they shouldnt be abused. I usually work a lot of overtime. I don't call in sick often, but there are times when I got stuff going on and I just need an unplanned day off.

If you are wanting to cry before every shift, that is different. You need a new job.

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I love my job and my coworkers (most of them anyway). I did call off once this year because I was just to stressed/tired/depressed to go into work. I dropped to a .6 position after that as soon as I could. I decided it was easier to pick up hours than to drop them.

I was not happy but I knew/hoped it was a temporary thing until I felt more confident in a new position. I'm still working on the learning curve but I'm much happier now.

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I too, have 11 yrs experience and I am still overwhelmed at the workload. All I do is RUN..but almost never to the bathroom and forget about lunch. Thought 12 hrs would be better, but its not. Have a 1 yr nurse in a position of clinical supervisor and a DON who just quit and replaced with one with felony drug history. Passed meds the other day to patients (SNF) on two different halls as well as an alzhiemers locked unit totaling like 80 some patients, half bps and sugars, man actively dying on the locked unit, family wondering why there isnt a nurse there for hours(ME), and State was there investigating a patient complaint. Saw no problem! Then labs, Doctors coming in, aides on their phone, and oh yes, the admit that i never got to, wondering why the admissions nurse didnt do the admit herself?! Passed am meds at 3pm! NO ONE CARES..IM DONE

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Sometimes you really need a mental health day. If this is going on regularly, you may have some other issues to work out. But I personally have done this probably 2 times in the last 4 years.

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Not the tears part though, just really needing to step back sometimes and breath.

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What do you say when you call in? Any of the places I have worked did not recognize "mental health days," you had to give them a physical reason (and that better be a good one, an "on my deathbed" type of physical illness). So if I needed a mental health day I basically had to lie. Didn't like it, but didn't feel safe going in. (And don't say that, either, they immediately decide you are abusing substances.)

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.
If your physical or mental condition prevents you from performing your job duties, then it is appropriate to call out sick. However, just as you would consult a healthcare provider for a physical illness, it is your responsibility to seek appropriate care for your mental health. If you fail to do so, you are just taking time off, which is an abuse of your sick time.

No such thing as "abuse" of your paid time off. You're not an abuser if you don't want to see a doctor.

Take care of yourself.

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'if you are calling off because of emotional stress, THAT is a problem with your job. It is a signal that you cannot handle the stress of your job.

'. Well well my my. Would love to put you in the situations i have been in over my career. You must be management or be new or have never worked the floor and actually cared about your residents or lost your sanity or not care about your license to make a statement like that. I would give my life and my license to see you who are so quick to pitty poo and chastise us who actually work to do 40 or more hours a week and then let me suggest that you chose the wrong career. How I wished I were that undignified to act that way towards others for a paycheck that I did NOTHING to earn. Must be nice. Walk in our shoes, and see if you make it a week or less to break your legs. Truth be told

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, ER, Peds ER-CPEN.
What do you say when you call in? Any of the places I have worked did not recognize "mental health days," you had to give them a physical reason (and that better be a good one, an "on my deathbed" type of physical illness). So if I needed a mental health day I basically had to lie. Didn't like it, but didn't feel safe going in. (And don't say that, either, they immediately decide you are abusing substances.)

No one questions Diarrhea ;) seriously though, they aren't allowed to ask specifics here when you call off, if you are actually sick and get a doctor's note all missed days just count as one.

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.
No such thing as "abuse" of your paid time off. You're not an abuser if you don't want to see a doctor.

Take care of yourself.

I agree that taking care of yourself is the key, and don't believe that seeing a doctor is the only way to accomplish that.

What I do believe is that calling out (typically on short notice, when one is taking a mental health day) IS abusive if nothing is done to address the source of mental distress.

So if you're staying home from work using sick time to sleep in, down a six pack, and watch Netflix, that's a different story than researching support groups, taking yoga, getting a massage or seeing a therapist.

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