Members are discussing the frequency of calling out sick at work, with opinions varying on what is considered too much. Some users suggest following facility policies and providing doctor's notes, while others emphasize the importance of not abusing sick days. The conversation also touches on the challenges of finding replacements for sick staff and the impact of social media posts on coworkers' perceptions.
Ever since my previous career and my strong work ethic, it would usually take a lot for me to call out sick. I worked at times I should have been home many times, I think to justify when I did call out, it was really serious/legit.
I also have worked in places that feel they have a right to probe and maybe bc I had/have weak boundaries when it comes to that sort of thing I would answer in detail when they'd ask "how sick?...what are the symptoms?" etc...Maybe they have no right to ask that and they "test" in that way.
I've never felt comfortable calling out and saying "I won't be in I'm not feeling well" or even "sick" esp if you don't sound that sick! That's why when I do, I do usually sound horrible.
Even personal days, I feel like I needed to say why I needed a personal day but that defies the definition doesn't it?! But when the supposed caring I.e. nosy coworkers ask if everything is okay when I come back, then I feel (and have actually been told by one) that I'm snubbing them if I say "everything's fine" even if I add "thanks for asking"
You can probably tell I'm that way from my length of posts and need to be clear.
Thanks for the replies, guys! I guess it is not all that different from being a teacher. I called in 2 1/2 hours before school started, so it probably wasn't a picnic to find a sub.
I am a bit surprised, though. I thought that in a healthcare environment, the employers would not want you to come to work if you were possibly contagious. I am sad to hear that that is not the case. I am in CNA class right now, and we were told that if we have so much as a sniffle we will not be allowed to participate in clinicals at the local LTC facility!
General E. Speaking - I hope you feel better soon and that no one gives you a hard time about it. Sinus infections can really knock you out, and if you don't want to overuse antibiotics, the only way to get better is to rest. Get well!
Thanks for the replies, guys! I guess it is not all that different from being a teacher. I called in 2 1/2 hours before school started, so it probably wasn't a picnic to find a sub.
I am a bit surprised, though. I thought that in a healthcare environment, the employers would not want you to come to work if you were possibly contagious. I am sad to hear that that is not the case. I am in CNA class right now, and we were told that if we have so much as a sniffle we will not be allowed to participate in clinicals at the local LTC facility!
I am shocked and appalled at the responses. I have worked at 2 different hospitals, both large, teaching facilities. The first we were required to call the charge nurse but they were not allowed to ask why we weren't coming in. I never had trouble calling off there. I think there was disciplinary action for calling off a certain number of times within a certain time period, but I don't know how much it was. I do believe it was reasonable.
The hospital I work at now requires 2 hours notice for day shift and 4-6 (can't remember) for night shift, otherwise it's a "late calloff." We have a point system and you get points for calling off, clocking in late, etc. A late call off is a lot of points. Then you get talked to if you accumulate a certain number of points. I think it is fair. We also call a staffing office and not the charge nurse. I have never had trouble at my current hospital, either.
My advice is, know the hospital's policy before you sign up! It is not fair to you, your patients, or your coworkers for you to come to work sick. A good hospital will have a policy that reflects this!
At my hospital (mid-sized teaching hospital, magnet facility) we call the staffing office to inform them of our absence no later than 2 hours prior to shift. I try to call as far in advance as possible to give them time to cover me. I've never been asked why I am ill or what with or so on.
If you work full time, you are allowed 8 occurrences a year. If you call in sick 3 days in a row, this counts as one occurrence. To call in for more than 3 days, you need a doctor's note. If you don't have any sick time or vacation time you might get a nasty-gram from you manager.
The hospital I used to work for you had to call in at least 2 hours before or sooner, if you called in after the staffing office was closed you had to speak to the house manager, and then your unit. They never gave me a guilt trip when calling in, after the swine flu broke out they started keeping track of your symptoms when you called in sick and then you had to be cleared by employee health before being allowed back to work. Last year I was out with N/V/D I was out for 2 days and tried to come back to work, but becasue I had not been SXS free for 24 hours I was not allowed back to work. Another time I had a cough/ ( I have astma so sounds worse than it really is) and I was sent home becasue I knew better then to come to work like that.
At my job now, I don't know how I could call off, as only 4 nurses work each shift and there is only one on call nurse. I know that once a NOC shift nurse called in, and they made the evening shift nurse stay and work a double, because the on-call nurse manager was already ready in her pjs and didn't want to come into work.
So it varies from a supportive work environment to one who just wants warm boddies in the building
At my facility, we are permitted one sick call in a 12 week period. Any more after that and you are written up. I'm sick about every 4 months or so. We ALL take mental health days now and then. There is no prize for perfect attendance, you don't get to take your sick leave accrual with you when you quit so I figure I may as well use it from time to time. Considering I haven't had a vacation since OCTOBER?? But my boss gets HER vacation time and then some. Two weeks every summer to take her kids on a cruise. Well guess what! I've been at my facility for over FIVE YEARS and have not once had ANY vacation time in the summer....this year, Im taking two weeks!!! And if I don't get it, I will quit!
We have to call 4 hrs before our scheduled shift time. So if I'm scheduled ta 7pm, I need to call out by 3pm....7pm for 11pm shift. Day shift has until 5:30 am to call out sick. So we have to call the nursing supervisor, or if it's for 7pm shift, the nurse manager, which I usually end up calling out to the Nursing Office secretary who screens all the nurse managers calls....as she is also the VP of Nursing at our facility.
We get two sick calls in 4 months. You have to call in 2 and 1/2 hours prior to start of your shift. I have only called off once for two nights in a row and that was because my 6 month old was in the hospital. For each of those sick calls, you are allowed two days in a row, it counts as one occurrence. However, if you are sick a day, come back to work your next shift, and then feel lousy again and call off the next day, then that's your two occurrences.
I think they are more lenient than the policy states on our unit if you are truly sick. They really don't want you there. It really does end up depending on your floor.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Baubo516 said:
Just curious -
If you are working as an RN in either a hospital or a LTC facility, what happens if you are sick (I mean short term - like you have a fever for a few days) and need to miss work. Who do you call, and do you have to arrange for your replacement? Does management give you a hard time about it?
I am currently a teacher, and if I am sick I have to make a detailed sub plan so that someone else can cover for me that day. That takes 1-2 hours to do. If I know ahead of time that I have to be gone, this is easy to do, but if I wake up with a fever (as I did yesterday) it is a major pain. The administrative assistant I have to call into always makes me feel like a criminal for being sick. I am just wondering if this is the reality in nursing, as well.
I am not talking about long term disability, or missing work too often....
Thanks for any replies as I am curious about how this works in other professions.
Different than teaching a classroom with only one teacher for X amount of students and no extra floating teachers present from the next shift of teachers to call in early. In nursing, There are usually a few nurses scheduled for that floor that day for X amount of patients. Sometimes we can pull from another floor who's census is down or the floor is short a nurse and we fill in with extra aides to help with care. Plus nursing is a 24/7, 365 job so there is a bigger pool of employees to pull from and call from to utilize for the sick call. One sick call is usually not leaving the patients without any nurses like in the classroom you are gone and there is no one. I have a larger pool of prequalified pre-approved licensed personel to pull from unlike you are the only teacher for that class and there are no extra floating teachers easily available.
If I as the supervisor cannot cover the sick call and the situation is deemed unsafe the manager of the floor ( who has 24/7 accountability for their floor) works the floor. I can easily spend 2-3 hours calling to cover sick calls and that is just for the next shift. Many facilities have staffing secretaries that their sole job is to make phone calls to cover the sick calls 24/7 because they are not just calling for one floor they call for all floors, all shifts, seven days a week. There are managers and staffing personel who are really quite peeved when sick calls come in because they are quite frankly a pain in the butt! and..... Yes! they use guilt as a driving force to get their way or to make you feel bad you called out. As a manager if there is something Ineed to get to the hospital the very next day and I am really sick I have to call other managers to help me out and come and get it.....usually I end up "dropping" off what I need and I get handed a mask and get stuck for 3 hours and then come home and die.
Covering sick calls is just a pain and the more specialized the nurse the bigger the pain.........
Thanks for the added replies! It sounds like employees being sick is a pain no matter what industry you are in...
Interestingly, I saw the administrative assistant at work yesterday - the one who always gives me a guilt trip - and she told me how great my lesson plans for the sub were... I guess I just need to have a thicker skin when I call in, as she is probably just momentarily annoyed. It doesn't help that when I have a fever, I am extra emotional. ?
Thanks again for the replies! I hope you are all well!
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Baubo516 said:
Thanks for the added replies! It sounds like employees being sick is a pain no matter what industry you are in...
Interestingly, I saw the administrative assistant at work yesterday - the one who always gives me a guilt trip - and she told me how great my lesson plans for the sub were... I guess I just need to have a thicker skin when I call in, as she is probably just momentarily annoyed. It doesn't help that when I have a fever, I am extra emotional. ?
Thanks again for the replies! I hope you are all well!
Sometime it helps to know you aren't the only one....feel better!
"I am taking a sick day. I plan on seeing you tomorrow. I will let you know if that changes." When asked questions, just repeat what you have already stated and politely say good day and hang up.
"I am taking a sick day. I plan on seeing you tomorrow. I will let you know if that changes." When asked questions, just repeat what you have already stated and politely say good day and hang up.
Just facts. No lies, no excuses, no apologies.
This post says it. Go into explanations and they will talk you into coming to work and doing overtime as well.
Baubo516, RN
405 Posts
Thanks for the replies, guys! I guess it is not all that different from being a teacher. I called in 2 1/2 hours before school started, so it probably wasn't a picnic to find a sub.
I am a bit surprised, though. I thought that in a healthcare environment, the employers would not want you to come to work if you were possibly contagious. I am sad to hear that that is not the case. I am in CNA class right now, and we were told that if we have so much as a sniffle we will not be allowed to participate in clinicals at the local LTC facility!