When to call out sick

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What kinds of symptoms do you usually know for certain whether or not to call out? Sore throat, temperature above ___?, N/V/D? Do you call out for a common cold?

Specializes in med/surg/tele/neuro/rehab/corrections.

Call in sick to watch the inauguration.

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Call in sick to watch the inauguration.

I admit I was tempted. :D

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Specializes in Home Health/PD.

I work home health with patients on vents and feeding tubes.

That being said, if I have a temp over 99.5, have a severe sore throat, or any type of URI symptoms that arent taken away by non-drowsy OTC meds, then I am not going to work. Of course I wouldn't go to work when vomitting or having severe diarrhea either.

I've have to call out rarely, but when I am sick, I'm sick and I'm out for a few days per the MD. If I feel bad for more than 24 hrs I am right there in the MDs office to see if I can work or if I need meds to get better quicker. Luckilly, my employers are very cooperative when I do call in, most of the time they tell me to feel better, but I have had a few that haven't been so nice about it.

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

I am sick very rarely. I will call in for the common cold, which I get about once a year, because I do not feel right coughing, sneezing, and snuffling while hovering over patients to assess and treat them. I have found cold medicine to be effective only for a brief period of time, and it makes me feel loopy. I prefer to drink Nyquil and crawl into bed.

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I think you'd find most of us saying that you should only call in sick if you feel too ill to function. That said, some of us also have been known to call in for a mental health day, when you feel so worn down that you just can't make it through another shift without quitting.

If I'm puking, crapping, or my head is so much in pain I can't see straight, I'm calling out.

Call out when I'm contagious? LOL....I wouldn't know, since I haven't actually BEEN to a doctor in YEARS! No, if I feel sick, I am sick, and stay home. If I have the sniffles I figure I'm no worse off than most of the VISITORS that see my patients inhouse, and I go to work. A little Sudafed doesn't sedate me in the least :)

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Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.

For me, the measureing stick for calling off is..........will it affect me as a nurse.

For example, if I am vomiting or having diarrhea........I will be in the bathroom all day and wont have time for the patient. That is a call off.

Now, if I just am coughing or something..........it wont affect my work, no call off.

With that said, I have taken "mental days" cause.......being overstressed or overtired will affect my work. One time, I was up all night cause my sister was having a difficult pregnancy and went to the hospital by ambulance. I found out around 11pm, made the 1 hr. drive there, spent 2 hours there then did the hour drive home. So, I was not home until 3:30am. Just wasnt feeling up to snuff, called in sick. I would have been a moody nurse that day had I gone in.

On the other hand, if nothing has happened and I am just.......not liking having to go in and want to call off but can perform my duties just fine......NO CALL OFF.

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I will call in for the obvious reasons...having anything that I suspect is contagious...having anything that will prevent me from doing my job properly. I will also call in if I'm well enough that I could go to work and function, but I am sick enough that I will be short tempered or that little annoyances will become big annoyances. The last thing I want to do is lose my temper and snap at a resident or yell at a coworker. I know that sound immature, but...

I think we need to get away from the mentality that it is OK to work when you are sick. The facility I work at has had a run of some respiratory thing going around...about half of our residents and staff have had very similar symptoms and I really wonder how many could have been prevented if people could / would just stay home.

Friday, we isolated all of the residents who were willing to stay in their rooms...they all took a day to louge around in their pajamas and be served meals in bed. The staff got to spend extra time visiting with them and playing games like checkers and pitch. It was a lot of fun and some of the residents asked if we could do it again sometime. By Sunday, we only had two residents that were symptomatic.

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Specializes in LTC, geriatric, psych, rehab.

At my nursing home, the rule from corporate is that if you call in sick, you need a doctor's excuse. But most of my staff can't afford to go to the doctor, so I don't enfore it. Most of them will come on in so one of the RNs can see that they are sick, and we promptly send them home. But if they are REALLY sick, I don't want it, so I encourage them to stay home. I rarely have anyone lie to me.

I haven't yet learned how to navigate through these posts well yet and reply to one specific post, but as for the MDS nurse who is given the 3rd degree for not coming in...good grief! Is there no one else in the building who can update a care plan? I am the DON, and I am certainly capable of doing that...all DONs should be, as well as a few other people. Just seems ridiculous to treat someone that way.

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Specializes in LTC, MDS, Education.

Hi Travel! Yes we are "care plan challenged" where I work. Our DON couldn't nurse her way out of a paper bag! But we manage, you know? Tomorrow we are supposed to get our first snow in several yrs. and they have already said, "management is expected to be here" Anyway....... keep on posting, you are doing fine and I hope to chat with you some more!.......:nurse:

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

We tell our parents not to come in with a runny nose or any kind of fever.. but I get sinus infections ALL THE DANG TIME. I can't call out every time I have one.. but I will if I have fever and feel like absolute death.

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Specializes in l.p.n.

i think that was very nice of you to do so thanks

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Specializes in ICU.
Call in sick to watch the inauguration.

My birthday is tomorrow... but guess what, I'M WORKING. I am a little bitter that I have to share my day with him... and because several nurses get the day off tomorrow to watch him get crowned. When their birthday's come around, I'll be sure to mention how I would love to stay home and watch my favorite reruns while they bust their butts at work on their birthday.

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