What is your opinion on "calling in sick" when not really sick?

Nurses General Nursing

Updated:   Published

mental-health-days-do-you-call-in-sick-when-not-really-sick.jpg.2d980d92b208da64251a0706ff81097b.jpg

I have pretty good attendance at work which I am glad.  I don't call in unless its an emergency.

I have noticed staff call in sick due to personal reasons, or say they shovelled the snow and now their back hurts. They call in sick from work, and then we work short if there are no replacements.

Thing is some staff say they just don't feel like coming to work, but they don't feel bad. Some say they are stressed which I understand, family complaints, managers on your tail etc... sometimes you are not sick and just need a day of healing mentally. Some staff do get burnt out. Some staff lets say had an argument one day and did not get over it so they need one day (sick) to recover but not actually sick.

But, do you feel bad if they work short? Myself in my experience when nurses book off and I am alone on the floor, I am fine you are not hurting me, you are hurting the Residents. Even when PSW's book off as well.

Have you ever called in when not really sick? I notice that its a habit for some staff.

Specializes in Mental health, substance abuse, geriatrics, PCU.

DK123, is the issue that you feel guilty for calling out, or do you feel angry when others call out? 

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ACE.

Feeling guilty. Then again I feel guilty about everything.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Mental health, substance abuse, geriatrics, PCU.
2 minutes ago, DK123 said:

feeling guilty. then again I feel guilty about everything.

Don't feel guilty, if you're sick or overburdened then you need the time. You have to take care of your own needs, It's not the end of the world if they have to work short, if they would hire enough people a couple call outs wouldn't devastate them. Rest, relax, so you can return to work in a better state.

7
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ACE.
Just now, TheMoonisMyLantern said:

Don't feel guilty, if you're sick or overburdened then you need the time. You have to take care of your own needs, It's not the end of the world if they have to work short, if they would hire enough people a couple call outs wouldn't devastate them. Rest, relax, so you can return to work in a better state.

thanks. It's just that I feel like I let them down. I don't usually call in sick unless I am really sick or its an emergency. Sometimes I call in just to get away from work and stuff.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
15 minutes ago, TheMoonisMyLantern said:

  Rest, relax, so you can return to work in a better state.

“Any(one) more right than their neighbor... constitutes a majority of one..."       -Henry David Thoreau

 

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
15 hours ago, Sour Lemon said:

I call in "pretend sick" very occasionally ...maybe once every year and a half. I feel mildly guilty about it, but just mildly. I do consider staffing when I do it.

I also consider staffing when I'm not feeling well, for real ...a really bad and unresponsive headache, for example. I take a little, but I also give a little.

I believe, Sour Lemon, that you and I have similar wiring.

It is a personality trait of mine (et Sour Lemon?) that I am a responsible individual and take into account the variables and ramifications of my actions.

Thomas Jefferson asked a question something along the lines of "Can we be trusted with the governing of others when we cannot be trusted with the governing of ourselves?"

 

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

I read JKL's post, but there's no need to quote it because I don wanna.

My work wife Eleanor and Iwere part of what was called the dream team, which basically meant we had a reputation for dealing successfully with just about anything which arose during our shift. 

Eleanor and I had lots of discussions on what a chore it was to work with a pulled nurse if either of us called off. We both took mental health days when we deemed them as a necessity.

I think a statement of Eleanor's summed it all up: "I would have done more damage than good had I come into work".

I respected Eleanor's decision to call off for a mental health day, as she did mine.

10
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
40 minutes ago, TheMoonisMyLantern said:

Don't feel guilty, if you're sick or overburdened then you need the time. 

And besides, I had a note from my Mom!

8
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
16 hours ago, JBMmom said:

I am a bit critical and insensitive with regard to this topic. I don't miss work. In over 22 years of employment I have missed two days of work, once I had norovirus and once I had a death in the family occur that day. 

 Work is not where I go when I don't have something else I'd rather do, it's where I am expected to be because I accepted employment with the terms that include me showing up to do my job. 

 I don't believe in "mental health days", we are adults with responsibilities. I'm not saying I don't believe in making mental health a priority, I just don't think that my problems should impact others. None of my problems are any more important than what my coworkers may be dealing with, and my problems certainly aren't worse than what my patients in critical care are dealing with, and I owe it to my patients and to my coworkers to come and do my job.

And this is what is wrong with America.

Mental health is just as important as physical health, but here in 'Murica, mental health is not taken seriously and the care for psychiatric illness and disorders is lacking. Hence school shootings, high suicidal rates and declining life expectancy.

Before we take care of others, we must take care of ourselves. If I am feeling too stressed, I can't focus and give my patients the care they deserve. If I am mentally and emotionally exhausted, I don't have the energy to be a safe and productive nurse. 

Call-offs aren't just for N/V/D or physical ailments, it is there for when we feel unwell. 

I use to think it is a source of pride to not calling off...ever. But this pandemic has really emphasized just how little our employers value us as human beings. Screw that.

14
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, Pre-Op, PACU.

I think nurses in general are hardest on themselves. I also don’t think nurses should be interrogated when they are calling out. My theory is this: everyone is going through something you know nothing about. I remember a very sweet quiet natured coworker once that did have quite a few callouts. However, everyone criticized her instead of realizing what what going on in her life. Her husband had died, she was a single mom, and she was emotionally and physically exhausted. I know I went through a spurt where I had a decent number of callouts from some severe medical complications and had intermittent leave. 
 

Everyone is going through something and I have found most teams can find ways of making things work in the midst of callouts.

6
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.
6 hours ago, ThePrincessBride said:

And this is what is wrong with America.

Mental health is just as important as physical health, but here in 'Murica, mental health is not taken seriously and the care for psychiatric illness and disorders is lacking. Hence school shootings, high suicidal rates and declining life expectancy.

Before we take care of others, we must take care of ourselves. If I am feeling too stressed, I can't focus and give my patients the care they deserve. If I am mentally and emotionally exhausted, I don't have the energy to be a safe and productive nurse. 

Call-offs aren't just for N/V/D or physical ailments, it is there for when we feel unwell. 

I use to think it is a source of pride to not calling off...ever. But this pandemic has really emphasized just how little our employers value us as human beings. Screw that.

I'm sorry you feel like I'm what's wrong with America. You might have noticed that in my entire post I only used the word "I". I do not call out from work because I have other ways of dealing with my own mental health and challenges.  I did not say that I have a problem with coworkers doing what they feel necessary for their health. I've worked short for any number of reasons, I don't have the time or energy to judge others for doing whatever they choose. 

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.
1 hour ago, JBMmom said:

I'm sorry you feel like I'm what's wrong with America. You might have noticed that in my entire post I only used the word "I". I do not call out from work because I have other ways of dealing with my own mental health and challenges.  I did not say that I have a problem with coworkers doing what they feel necessary for their health. I've worked short for any number of reasons, I don't have the time or energy to judge others for doing whatever they choose. 

You were pretty judgmental in your previous post, as if you were looking down on those of us who choose to prioritize our mental health over our jobs. 

"I don't believe in "mental health days", we are adults with responsibilities."

Pretty condescending right there.

You don't know what is going on in other people's lives. Needing a mental health day is a valid reason to call off. If I were a patient, I wouldn't want an exhausted, emotional train wreck taking care of me. After all, it has been proven that burnout and exhaustion contributes to med errors which can end in patient fatalities. 

8
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment