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.
I don't work as an RN anymore but it is really no one's business to judge if a coworker calls out. We don't know what's going on with them. Maybe their child is causing problems at school. Maybe they're going through an ugly divorce. Maybe they are having issues getting their elderly father into a nursing facility. Maybe they're truly sick. Maybe they're just burnt out after that two-hour code from yesterday. The most important thing is to be a caring colleague and give them any support that they need.
Specializes in Pediatrics, Pediatric Float, PICU, NICU.
Also to remember that short staffing is never an individual's problem or fault. Every hospital and unit should have the capacity to handle a call out, whether it is covered with float pool staff, agency staff, PRN staff, in house staff getting floated, leadership charging so the charge nurse can go into staffing, etc.
Also to remember that short staffing is never an individual's problem or fault. Every hospital and unit should have the capacity to handle a call out, whether it is covered with float pool staff, agency staff, PRN staff, in house staff getting floated, leadership charging so the charge nurse can go into staffing, etc.
That's true, and yet ...I once worked on a small unit where the entire night shift called off to go to a theme park together. All. Of. Them.
Based on the tenor of a lot of the previous comments I'm going to get flack for this, but...okay.
It's all well and good to not judge people whose personal lives we aren't privy to but, come on, we ALL (if you've worked in the field for any length of time) know people who abuse sick time. You know, conveniently getting "sick" before holidays, weekends, snow days, and on time-off request dates that were denied.
And it often IS the sucker-who-faithfully-shows-up-to-work's business as it impacts them with more difficult assignments, mandated overtime, floating, etc.
At one time I used to feel guilty about calling in sick. That changed over time because at some point I realized that (in most cases) the employer does not give a rats behind about me. Why feel obligated to go to work sick (whether physical or mentally), or to attend certain family events/obligation. You agree to work for a certain amount of money and the employer agrees to give you a certain amount of time off/PTO etc. Sometimes employers repeatedly refuse time off requests for no reasons (as was my case) so no, I didn't feel guilty at all. It is the responsibility of the employer to staff appropriately, not the individual employee.
It's all well and good to not judge people whose personal lives we aren't privy to but, come on, we ALL (if you've worked in the field for any length of time) know people who abuse sick time. You know, conveniently getting "sick" before holidays, weekends, snow days, and on time-off request dates that were denied.
Yes. And that is an issue that is completely within management's purview. They have both the responsibility and the authority to handle it. It is 100% their baby, whether people do these things because they feel unappreciated or they do it repeatedly as a pattern or...whatever. One way or another, fellow staff members do not have the responsibility or the authority to track, investigate or handle these types of matters.
Instead we let ourselves be put in this position where management's gonna do what they're gonna do ("we called everyone and no one will come in, so ??♀️") and we all get mad at each other while they do nothing. All these chickens pecking each other in the pen suits their purposes just fine. And I just can't fall for that.
Yes. And that is an issue that is completely within management's purview. They have both the responsibility and the authority to handle it. It is 100% their baby, whether people do these things because they feel unappreciated or they do it repeatedly as a pattern or...whatever. One way or another, fellow staff members do not have the responsibility or the authority to track, investigate or handle these types of matters.
Instead we let ourselves be put in this position where management's gonna do what they're gonna do ("we called everyone and no one will come in, so ??♀️") and we all get mad at each other while they do nothing. All these chickens pecking each other in the pen suits their purposes just fine. And I just can't fall for that.
I don't necessarily disagree with you re: management's role in this.
I'm responding more to the title of the post which solicited opinions of calling in sick when not sick. To speak to that, I don't begrudge anyone an occasional "I just need a break" day off.
But, many people posted to the effect that somebody else calling in is not their business and they don't know what's really happening with that person. I agree that that is often true, but I saw it as giving a free pass to the staff that obviously take advantage of calling out and minimizing the fact that it is co-worker's business in that it directly impacts them on the job.
I don't necessarily disagree with you re: management's role in this.
I'm responding more to the title of the post which solicited opinions of calling in sick when not sick. To speak to that, I don't begrudge anyone an occasional "I just need a break" day off.
But, many people posted to the effect that somebody else calling in is not their business and they don't know what's really happening with that person. I agree that that is often true, but I saw it as giving a free pass to the staff that obviously take advantage of calling out and minimizing the fact that it is co-worker's business in that it directly impacts them on the job.
How much of it is their business? Their coworker's chronic illness? Perhaps that they've requested accommodations and have been refused? Treatments they're receiving to try and get back on track? Maybe that they're being abused at home. Or, that they have a child or family member with a chronic illness that requires additional care. These "abuses" could very well be FMLA and, still, none of the colleague's business. Their coworker could very well have a disability that isn't immediately visible. They don't have to share that with the gossip-mongers of the unit. They may even be struggling with cancer and the necessary treatment.
All of these are actual reasons for frequent absences of real people that I have known/worked with that were accused of "abusing the system" by coworkers who didn't have a clue. On top of their health struggles, these wonderful coworkers just heaped more grief on top of them for no other reason than management refused to actually manage staffing.
It doesn't help that rather than actually try and fix things, I've often seen management/supervisors encourage coworkers to be angry at those who call out for any reason at all.
Yes, there are people who use sick time for reasons that are not obvious to others and may be incorrectly perceived as using it inappropriately. There are also people who blatantly misuse it. The title of the post is asking for opinions about calling in sick when not really sick (or by extension, caring for someone else who is sick).
If I have to take an unreasonable assignment, cancel plans, or end up making a fatigue-induced error because of being mandated thanks to someone treating sick time like casual vacation, it sure as heck is my business. And yes, management should be dealing with it.
Both concepts can be valid without canceling each other out.
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.
Having only 2 instances of needing time off in 22 years is remarkable. It means you are mentally strong, emotionally strong, and very fortunate to not have had, apparently, any troubles involving kids needing you at home or in their hospital room, no babysitter no-shows, no furnace going out in January in Minnesota and you had to wait home to let the furnace repair guy in, no drunk driver plowing into your loved one and you are in the ER with him - thankful he is still breathing. Your family deaths must be either very few or they happen during your vacations or on your days off. Except that 1.
I do believe in mental health days. Sanity is a precious thing and I do need to safeguard mine. Weakling that I am.
Employers do not have a right to know what your sickness is. They can make you get an RTW doctor's note if your HR policy says so but they do not automatically have a right to know what your DX is.
I do admire your view that your problems should not impact other people. We do need to acquire some toughness in our sojourn here.
db2xs
733 Posts
I don't work as an RN anymore but it is really no one's business to judge if a coworker calls out. We don't know what's going on with them. Maybe their child is causing problems at school. Maybe they're going through an ugly divorce. Maybe they are having issues getting their elderly father into a nursing facility. Maybe they're truly sick. Maybe they're just burnt out after that two-hour code from yesterday. The most important thing is to be a caring colleague and give them any support that they need.