As I'm sitting in my doctor's office waiting to get a flu swab, I thought I'd start a thread. I called in yesterday from the flu. The worst of it actually began tuesday, I had a fever Wednesday, and I still went to work. When I was still feeling pretty drained yesterday, I called in. My nurse manager used scare tactics with me and told me that I had to get tested to be sure it WAS the flu. That pissed me off. I have the right to give no excuse period. Anyhoo...
We've had threads where we've posted the funniest, dumbest and most amusing reasons people have given to call off. So I thought I'd start a thread asking....so what was the REAL reason you have called off when giving an excuse? This isn't meant to encourage unethical behavior, but I thought it would be fun.
One time I called in sick when the flu was going around because I had not had an ounce of sleep in 4 days. I had already called off for that before, and boy was my DON pissed. (I've suffered from crazy insomnia issues for years and have worked with my doctors to no avail.)
My managers clearly didn't get the severity of my sleep deprivation nor care how dangerous it would be for me to be on the floor with lives in my hands saying it was my responsibility to get proper sleep at night, as if I had control over it. So I wasn't about to say it was due to sleep again. So I called in sick saying I had the flu.
I'm taking off work tomorrow and Tuesday because I'm passing dual kidney stones right now in the ER. They're discharging me and then hopefully I pass them tonight or tomorrow and can see the Urologist tomorrow or Tuesday.
I ended up in the ER while I was 15 weeks pregnant and having complications. I had to call out for 3 shifts in a row after that visit and I had my husband take my ER physician note up to my job. The following day, our entire unit received an email from our manager stating about ER physician notes do not mean anything when calling out. Then continues to state that working in the hospital, we all get to know each other and anyone can go ask their 'friends' in the ER to write physician notes, followed by a stated of needs for shift coverage on the days I called out. Quite insulting.
Must say first that I have not called off when either one of my children or I was ill but one time. Was sicker than the proverbial dog the next 3 days! Not worth the misery. HOWEVER!!! As a former DON, I have heard my share of "unique" ailments and reasoning. My favorite of favorites was the nurse who called in and said directly to me- 20 minutes before her second shift starting time...Hi --- I won't be in tonight because my hubby is home and we are making whoopy all night tonight! I SO wanted to write her up but my administrator wouldn't let me.
Is that one of the cases where you were like "Please just lie to me and tell me you're sick?"
I ended up in the ER while I was 15 weeks pregnant and having complications. I had to call out for 3 shifts in a row after that visit and I had my husband take my ER physician note up to my job. The following day, our entire unit received an email from our manager stating about ER physician notes do not mean anything when calling out. Then continues to state that working in the hospital, we all get to know each other and anyone can go ask their 'friends' in the ER to write physician notes, followed by a stated of needs for shift coverage on the days I called out. Quite insulting.
What nerve. Completely inappropriate, especially involving the entire unit. What if God forbid, this happened to someone and they ended up losing the baby? Would the manager be apologizing to the nurse in question, AND everyone she sent the email to?
My sister called off for me, 4 years ago, when I went into the hospital 6 weeks early to have my daughter. I was in such denial that I was fully planning on going into work the next day, but she knew what was going on and called me off...well for my maternity leave.
This reminds me of a job pre-nursing. I was in the ER post a serious car accident. My boss drove my mother to the hospital (she worked at the same place). They were preparing me to life flight me to a larger hospital. I told my boss that I didn't think I would be at work the next day, but I would be there Monday. Needless to say I didn't make it. I wasn't even out of the hospital by then.
I had a death in the family. This sounds simple enough, but it wasn't.
My dad's youngest brother was actually my close friend too. He lived out of state: his daughter (not a friend) waited 87 days to tell me he had died. She had no choice but to tell me as I had become such a nuisance leaving my unlce multiple voicemail messages without a call back (not his style) that she couldn't put off telling me even one more second.
The day she finally coldly dropped the bomb was the last day of my vacation. The timing couldn't have been much worse.
Sadly, the delay turned out to be machinations involving the will, as we were the only one's in it. Apparently she took issue with this. But all the credits in the universe wouldn't be enough to compensate for what I lost with the death of my uncle and friend.
My cousin was the executor of the estate. No funeral, no memorial. My uncle's personal belongings were abandoned, and his beloved cat was nearly euthanized had his boss not stepped in to adopt her (my uncle really loved that cat - he treated her like a child, which I guess in a way she was).
The crux lies with the fact my uncle inherited a lot of money from his dad 10 years prior, and my greedy cousin though she would be a millionaire. It turns out my uncle had the last laugh: he spent every penny. I hope he had a grand ole time doing it too, and thoroughly enjoyed himself. I only wish he could spend it all over again.
Due to the circumstances involved I had no choice but to return to work as scheduled. Eventually the sadness and grief just became too much, haunting my every waking moment (and much of my dream state too). I finally took a much needed sick day to go to an appointment with my PCP to request a Rx antidepressant so I could function without crying 10 times a day.
So, I guess I was sick, just not in the way I implied.
BTW, the Rx antidepressant really worked well, except not like I thought it would. The grief is still there just like before, but it's like watching it happen to someone else. The crying jags have stopped at least, because EVERYTHING had previously reminded me of my lost loved one and dear friend.
Convoluted? Totally. Will I recover? It hasn't been all that long ago since I was notified, so the jury is still out on that one - only time will tell. But I needed that sick day to get a antidepressant Rx just to be able to function again, and to begin the slow crawl progression forward.
It was my one and only sick call last year; at the time I was so mired down with grief that guilt never even entered the equation that day.
When I had a long commute I overslept drastically. Had I left immediately upon waking, I would still be an hour late. Rather than going in late I called in sick.
Specializes in ED, Cardiac-step down, tele, med surg.
I call out when I don't have enough energy to do my job well, which has been because I was too sick or for a mental health day, like when my cat died. I have never called out to interview somewhere or just because I didn't feel like going to work. It is only when I feel that my presence is detrimental to myself or to staff or patients.
I have over 3000 hours of vacay and sick time banked, and often go a whole year, one time two years, without calling out. the last time I called out i was calling from my hotel in the Bahamas. I work 60 plus hours a week, come to work sick , injured etc, while my colleagues often call in for bday parties, shoe sales, blah blah blah etc, so when I do call out, maybe one per year or once in 18 months, you can bet I am swimming somewhere.
NutmeggeRN, BSN
2 Articles; 4,743 Posts
Ugh...feel better!