I did find some similar threads...but I am really looking for some advice, so stay with me:chair:
I got sick on friday. Fever, cough, chills, body aches...really really sick. Believe me, I'm not a whiner. I went to the pa in quick care who thought it might be bronchitis and it might be influenza...either way she wasn't going to treat me. (she felt it was viral) I knew I had to work Christmas, so I talked her into a z-pack just in case. anyhow...I just got sicker. I called work on saturday and told them "I'm running a fever, I have a horrible cough and I'm dizzy" response? take cold medicine and come in any way. They were short and it was christmas.
Too late to make this short;) but I loaded up on motrin and tylenol and went to work (I work ER) By 1100 my fever was up to 100.9 with the meds. I told my charge nurse that I was really having a hard time. She basically told me to suck it up. She kept giving me these 89yo GLF's who were going to go to surgery for hip replacements. One of the doc's saw how crappy I looked and we did an influenza culture (positive) My charge nurse told me to "do the best you can, I will try to find someone to cover you" She found one more nurse to come in from ICU and then she used her to "lighten our load" instead of sending me home.
I pulled it together and did the best I could. No whining. I am now really peeved. I feel like I should do something or say something to my director about the way this was handled. I wonder how many little old people I just killed off...
I'm interested in what you would have done in this situation and what you would do now... would you speak to your director? let it go? I am finally feeling human again and I have a few days off, but I don't think I will ever work that sick again. oh, and I have worked there a year and not called in...for anything.
You don't ask permission to be sick, when you are sick, you call and inform the staffing supervisor you will not be in, no long explanations, just that you are too sick to work.
I do think you need to bring to the managers attention that your culture was positive and they still kept you at work. Do not be surprised if the reaction is
"too late to do anything now". Do not let her off the hook like that, when she says that say "yes, but my concern is for the next person who is treated this badly and for the patients", that will not win you any points but she will understand you will go above her head if a plan of action is not worked out.
I was called in to work last night, no, I did not go, I was at home, over 2 hours away, and I was not going to set the ball in motion that if call offs occur on my unit, I will ready to fill in. I did that years ago, now I just want my hours and be off. Daughter handled it, told the truth, she is not here and I do not think I can reach her. Tonight will be a test of how they handle my not returning the call or coming in as requested. Afterall, it was my day off and I did work Christmas Day.
Be strong, do not allow administration to make you feel guilty. Sick is sick. If we can take care of others, we need to remember to take care of ourselves too.
There is no reason the DON the RN Case manager and other types who get EVERY holliday and weekend off can not come in and work in a crisis situation. If they are not doing this then they are not utilizing all thier nursing resources. In any case it is not your problem.
Oh yes.....this is soooo true. We have been absolutely slaughtered before because there has been a call-in or two and to add insult to injury..... see the NM, the "ER coordinator", the "unit education something or another"...all walking around oblivious. I have worked several different ER's and the problem has been worse at some places more than others.
A NM that I respected the most, got down and dirty with the rest of us. She just jumped right in and helped....she even did ward clerk duties.
I have no idea if some people have had "pencil pushing" jobs so long that they have forgotten skills or if it is just pure unadulterated laziness.
But YES, Angus, I totally agree..... staffing IS their problem!
I used to believe that there were only two circumstances that should keep me away from work: when I couldn't keep my head off the pillow, or out of the toilet. Now I know better.........I've been ill so many times this past year that I lost count of my absences. That's what I got for ignoring my body's signals for too long---and believe me, nobody gave me any props for coming to work sick. They did, however, give me a number of verbal warnings for being out so much, and while I can understand that to a point, it's also a source of much frustration and anger.
Think about it: what good is it to ourselves and our patients to come to work when we're coughing, blowing our noses, running a fever, or throwing up every five minutes? Not only does this prevent us from getting the rest our bodies demand and possibly prolong the illness, it exposes already vulnerable patients to germs they didn't have before coming into the hospital or care facility. That fact alone should make nurse managers and supervisors think twice before 'guilting' us into coming in when we're sick......you'd think these people have never heard of nosocomial infections:stone
I realize there are those who abuse their sick days and call in whenever it's a holiday or a weekend (ever notice how prevalent the 'bottle flu' is on warm, sunny Mondays and Fridays?). But the vast majority of us shouldn't be suspected of what the old Army drill sergeants used to call 'gold-bricking', let alone punished for the actions of the few.........IMO, coming to work sick should be regarded as bad practice, just like going from patient to patient without washing one's hands, or failing to observe the five rights of medication administration.
If nothing else, I'd advise the OP that it's far easier to ask forgiveness than permission---next time you're sick, tell TPTB that you are ILL and cannot come to work. Don't ask them if it's OK, don't tell them you'll try to make it in later if you feel better, and above all, DON'T GO IN. I used to think that if I showed up looking pathetic and moving around with the speed of a weary blacksmith, management would take pity on me and send me home; in reality, they will almost always assume that if you can walk, you can work.
Stepping off my soapbox now.......:)
I absolutely agree. If you are sick, you need to call in. You just tell them that you can't come in. Like many other posters have written, they can't guilt you into coming in and, let's face it, there is gossip EVERYWHERE you work. Next time, call in, let it be KNOWN that you won't be coming and keep that blessed ID caller and answering machine to their job. :wink2:
our staffing at our hosp is so bad right now that a call in about can drive one to tears, and I am not exagerating! I have suggested that NM or other pencil pushers help out only to be told that they are needed in their important role elsewhere, and also been told that they can't do nursing in this area (med surg) because they haven't worked it in a while, they could hurt someone from lack of orientation. I suggested that they could ambulate, fill water pitchers, answer call lights, collect vitals and I&Os, light tasking that needs done but can be time consuming on an already challenged staff......but I think those folks feel like they've already paid their dues at the bedside, as I have been informed by one of the pencil pushers at my facility
barefootlady, ADN, RN
2,174 Posts
You don't ask permission to be sick, when you are sick, you call and inform the staffing supervisor you will not be in, no long explanations, just that you are too sick to work.
I do think you need to bring to the managers attention that your culture was positive and they still kept you at work. Do not be surprised if the reaction is
"too late to do anything now". Do not let her off the hook like that, when she says that say "yes, but my concern is for the next person who is treated this badly and for the patients", that will not win you any points but she will understand you will go above her head if a plan of action is not worked out.
I was called in to work last night, no, I did not go, I was at home, over 2 hours away, and I was not going to set the ball in motion that if call offs occur on my unit, I will ready to fill in. I did that years ago, now I just want my hours and be off. Daughter handled it, told the truth, she is not here and I do not think I can reach her. Tonight will be a test of how they handle my not returning the call or coming in as requested. Afterall, it was my day off and I did work Christmas Day.
Be strong, do not allow administration to make you feel guilty. Sick is sick. If we can take care of others, we need to remember to take care of ourselves too.