When Should You Call Off Sick?

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Hi, I have always thought I would like to be a nurse, but I tend to get sick (contagious illnesses) a little more often than other people. I was wondering, as a nurse, when is it best to call off from work due to illness? I mean, I would always be worried if I had what seemed to be a cold or a flu, for example, that it would get patients sick, but I wouldn't want to call off too often either. Can you wear a facial mask when you are sick to minimize the likelihood of getting patients ill, or what do you do? Thanks.

Specializes in Public Health.

I don't get infections or anything very often. I actually called in sick tonight bc I can't move my neck or pick up anything so I can't lift people. Worked last night through the pain and was either in tears or near tears the whole time.

I do suffer from chronic migraines but now that I have that under control I will usually always come in unless im contagious, which is almost never.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I will not call out unless I have diarrhea, active vomiting, or can't get up out of bed.

I don't get sick often.

I have gone to work with fever and feeling like I needed to puke. I didn't eat breakfast because I knew I would throw it up. I called occupational health and they said if my fever went to 102 (it was 101.2ish) or if I actually threw up I should go home. My fever never got that high. I ate crackers and gingerale at work and by 2pm I was feeling better, fever and nausea gone.

I will go to work with the occasional cold. I take cold medicine and put on a mask so my nose doesn't drip on everybody and everything.

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Specializes in LTC and Pediatrics.

I called in sick yesterday for an URI. I was sneezing, coughing, blowing the nose and couldn't stay awake. I went in this evening and wore a mask when around my patients.

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Specializes in Acute Care - Adult, Med Surg, Neuro.

I call out for fevers greater than 100.5 and vomiting / diarrhea. Not a cold. If I am coughing a lot I will wear a mask at work.

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Specializes in PCCN.
Should you ever have doubts, report for work and see your supervisor. If the supervisor feels you should not be there, they will send you home. You will learn to tell the difference after a couple of instances.

Hahah! where I work, that will NEVER happen.Everyone would rather you run sick than run short :(

Basically, you can call in when you are dead. They dont care, and all the co workers get angry when you do call in, because then they are picking up your assignment too.

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Specializes in Family practice, emergency.

If I can't control my bodily fluids, I stay home.

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Specializes in Critical Care and ED.

I'm no martyr, and I know that if I was to drop dead on the spot management would step over my cold, dead body. Therefore, when I am sick, I call out. There's no way I'm running around for 12 hours when I don't feel good. I have a chronic illness and get intermittent FMLA so I use it. Nurses are their own worst enemy. If you can't take care of you, how can you take care of others?

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Specializes in ER, ICU/CCU, Open Heart OR Recovery, Etc.

For vomiting/diarrhea, intense URI, dizziness, or inability to move, death are a few reasons I'd call. A lot of nurses I know just don't get sick that often.

I also don't go in sick. If I'm sick, I'm sick, and I don't need to justify or over elaborate on why. If I need a doctor's slip, I get one. I will follow facility policy, but I DO NOT allow anybody to guilt me for calling in.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.

In Europe, going into work sick would not fly.

It is sad how Americans are worked to death and expected to put their jobs before their health.

That being said, I am fortunate that I don't get sick so often. We have a strict call-off policy and I want to save them for something catastrophic.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

I seem to get a cold every winter that hangs on forever. I've never called in for this, heck a cold lasts so long that I would miss tons of work if I did. I will call in for fever, vomiting, diarrhea. Fortunately I am ill so infrequently that when I actually do call in sick there are no grumblings about it that I am aware of.

It does seem like every place has at least one or two employees that are famous for calling in for every little thing and these employees are not so popular with their co-workers. Especially when they call in only to spend the day updating Facebook non-stop. Please do not ever do this, at least not if you are Facebook friends with people you work with. If you are sick enough to stay home you are sick enough to not play on your computer all day.

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Specializes in kids.

My students would say I am too mean to get sick...LOL

I rarely get sick, I think my immunities are built up after 23 years in this gig!

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I remember very clearly being told in school: if you are sick, keep yourself and your germs at home. Period.

In real life, that doesn't go over very well.:no:

Still, in theory, if you are truly sick or in serious pain, how completely can you focus on your work? Nurses are expected to perform procedures, administer medications, and provide information and counseling on a wide array of topics; if your mind isn't totally on your job, how well are you doing it? I know no one actually functions at 100% all the time, but patient safety involves more than just keeping your germs away from them.

I've gone in to work many times knowing full well I had no business being there. I wore a mask and/or washed my hands a ridiculous amount, and figure I've never actually infected any of my patients (that I know of). But I do know that they didn't get the best care I could have given them either.

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