When to call out sick

[NurseyPoo7]

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?

[masry123]

i think it is very simple you call in sick if you are really sick . so be real with your self if youthink sleeping extra 2hours will help do so' most of the time after you call in you feel much much better!!!

[Magsulfate, BSN, RN]

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.

It is definatly good to call in if you are truly sick. We had one girl call in last week and she actually told our manager that she "didn't feel like working today"... She's got nerve, that's all I can say.

[masry123]

to the birthday lady ,happy birth day . iam confused are you sad you didn't get the day off to watch (him) ?

[casi, ASN, RN]

I'm curled up in bed tonight sick instead of working. My excuse is that if these symptoms made my charge nurse send me down to the ER last night, better not come in tonight either.

The inability to function also has something to do with it.

[Scrubby]

I call in sick when I'm sick...:wink2:

There is nothing worse than having a coworker come in and cough, sniff and sneeze everywhere. It's really inconsiderate. I have refused to work with these people because I'm fairly prone to colds, flu.

I don't feel any guilt about calling in sick. I'm not going to put my co-workers and patients at risk of catching something and they can always call agency staff in to cover for me.

[Equinox_93]

As a DON of a nursing home, I don't have to do direct patient care. I prefer to be out with my residents, but if sick I can hole up in my office and do paperwork. So, if I can get out of bed without vomiting, I'll be at work. I think the craziest reason one of my nurses ever called in for was, "My dog had puppies." This was an exceptional nurse who never missed, so I knew it was something more. So when I got in, I called her. She meant that the mother dog had died, and she was having to bottle feed 9 new puppies every 2 hrs. I had her come in to work with the puppies. The residents took turns feeding the puppies all day long.

Wow! :) That was so sweet of you! That was win-win for *everyone*- and I bet the residents got a real kick out of it :) Good call!