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.
If you're sick, you're sick. I've never called in but I won't feel guilty or apologize for doing it if I'm ill. My patients deserve all of me. However, nurses who call in when they joked all day the day before, that they were going to call in on the worst staffing day of the week...Sunday...and then do it irk me beyond belief. Then when your coworkers call you out in a text and you admit it...no integrity. You let your team down. There are a lot of days I drag myself in but I do it. I don't want to make things harder or my team.
My hospital actually has a sick line. It's a specific phone number you call when calling out sick, bereavement leave, kin care or jury duty. You state your name, unit, date, time, shift and reason for absence. If it's a personal sick call they tell you to state "my own illness" for the reason. That's it. You don't have to speak to anyone or explain yourself.
It is our policy per regulations to track staff illness as part of the infection control program. So whether during the call or later, we at least want to know if there was a comunicable illness, fever, vomitting, diarrhea etc.
Calling in sick isn't so much the issue as finding a replacement. We don't take phone calls or listen to voicmail anymore. People don't get awakened by the little beep of a text at night. For those smaller facilities, or LTC with only one nurse on, this can be quite a burden to deal with. Taking a call at 6 pm that you are needed at 7pm to stay awake and alert all night long does not work for everyone...or maybe most anyone.
My only pet peeve lately is posting your shopping trip on social media on a day you called in sick. Co-workers are not happy about that.
I take the call ins now for all the inpatient units. We ask if it's because you're sick, you have a personal emergency, or a different family member is sick. We don't care for more details than that and I really don't need to hear a list of your symptoms. At my hospital you can't call in just because you feel like it, though. When I have people calling in saying "I'm not going to be in," I do need to ask for a little more than that just to know how to classify the call in.
I will nver forget the one night I tried to call out sick. I have never called out before and had like 155 hr of PTO. I call the night supervisor and tell her I need to call out I am not feeling well. She states " I dont believe you can do that". I was like excuse me?? I am doing it. Have a nice day and hung the phone up. LOL
I think in nursing it’s hard to call out sick because it’s what we do, take care of the sick, frail, recovering and for some reason many including our nurse managers expect we are superhuman but in reality we work with more germs than most and DO get sick. We should never be made to feel badly about getting sick, we shouldn’t have to explain our illness nor require a note because we have a day or two of feeling ill. We should as anyone else does have the right to have an illness or even perhaps need a mental health day because as most of us know we are overworked, stressed out and tired....... we all get tired and then sick whether physically ill or in need of some US time. I don’t believe it should require lengthy explanations.......that being said some of us work with a vulnerable population and therefore for the patients sake we should be responsible enough to pass on if we have something that is contagious like the flu or strep (as examples) as those illnesses can pose a threat to certain populations. Our facilities should understand and be prepared to cover the shift of an ill employee my workplace as most has a policy stating you must call 3 hrs prior to the start of your shift however I rarely wake up at 2 am to see how I feel and if I will need to call work to inform them I’m not coming in so I think this policy is only realistic for evening maybe night shift nurses but one may feel fine at noon and sick at 2 pm sad we can’t plan all illnesses to suit work. What bothers me more is working side by side with the nurse who didn’t call out while they cough sneeze run a fever etc spreading their germs to me and others because they felt they HAD to come to work. To bad for management I say stay home PLEASE. I promise I will and I’ll handle the guilt thrown my way...... frankly if your working for the right employer with the right co-workers they would rather you stay home as well.
1st be descriptive and specific, not a time for modesty. Projectile vomiting, explosive diarrhea, ect. Colors might help. 2nd dr note always helps. Why as nurses we have to jump through these hoops is ridiculous but there it is.
chrisrn24
905 Posts
What else did you call off with? What was the problem?