So I have a massive cold/flu- basically a bug that makes me feel like hell. I'm coughing, hacking, (and at times its a productive cough), sneezing, nose is red and cracked from blowing and am completely stuffed up. My ears included- everything sounds "foggy". I'm dizzy, running a low temp at night, sore throat, scratchy voice, etc. I have clinical tomorrow and I personally feel like its not good for the already sick patients to be taken care of by a sick person, especially coughing and hacking like I am. I could probably suck it up and suffer through, but I'm on the fence about whether or not to go. It wouldn't be a problem if I didn't, I just would have to make it up. What would you do? I'm leaning towards if I don't feel any better tomorrow morning, I will stay home.
Secondly- it got me thinking about when I'm working (I finish in May). In most cases in my working history I have just gone to work sick... but that was never in a health care setting. So whats the general feeling about working while sick- I feel like its bad for the pts, but on the other hand, most times it puts your unit in a tough spot having to find someone to cover your shift. Would you go to work feeling like I do now- basically with a really bad cold?
Are there any administrators reading this thread? Do they know that we aren't slacking off and going to the mall when calling out? Why make the abitrary rules? Ie - "I can only be sick 5 times in a year, otherwise I get a reprimand!" I understand that people are going to abuse whatever system is in place, but having to work elbow to elbow with sick coworkers AND sick patients is just too much. I don't want to discuss the amount of nurses this month we've worked up for pneumonia and the flu who showed up for their shift with 103 temps, heavy coughs and respiratory difficulty, all because they "felt bad" about calling out or were worried that they'd "get in trouble".
I call out when I'm sick, or if I have sick kids and my husband can't get the night off. It happens more than a few times per year. I always bring a doctor's note, and no one has ever said anything to me. (Other than "thanks for not spreading that rotovirus around, Blee...")
Please don't come in if you're sick. I'm very selfish about this... I'll happily take a heavier patient load in exchange for not being exposed to your germs.
The sensible thing to do is, of course, to stay in bed and get better. In the real world, though, some employers punish staff who call off, especially if it's "just a cold".
You can't win. But I do hope you feel better soon.
Are there any administrators reading this thread? Do they know that we aren't slacking off and going to the mall when calling out? Why make the abitrary rules? Ie - "I can only be sick 5 times in a year, otherwise I get a reprimand!" I understand that people are going to abuse whatever system is in place, but having to work elbow to elbow with sick coworkers AND sick patients is just too much. I don't want to discuss the amount of nurses this month we've worked up for pneumonia and the flu who showed up for their shift with 103 temps, heavy coughs and respiratory difficulty, all because they "felt bad" about calling out or were worried that they'd "get in trouble".
I call out when I'm sick, or if I have sick kids and my husband can't get the night off. It happens more than a few times per year. I always bring a doctor's note, and no one has ever said anything to me. (Other than "thanks for not spreading that rotovirus around, Blee...")
Blee
How do you know people are going to abuse whatever system is in place? Not everyone abuses systems. How do you define abuse? Not looking for a fight but you sound like a boss ifyou really believe that, not a line worker.
Me, too. It doesn't make sense to have such stringent sick day policies when we're working with an already at-risk population.
Count me in too. We accumulate 1 sick day a year. But if you call in too much, they raise holy hell or at the least give you a snide remark. Luckily my nurse manager understands being out sick and does not write us up as she should.
The fact is that not only are you putting you patients at risk, you yourself are not 100% and are creating a risk for error. Personally if I don't feel that I can perform my job safetly, I'm not going in.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
From what I have seen, some facilities would like for you to come in even on life support. I would rather not arrive sick, but I have seen people harassed for taking off because of these contagious viruses.
I think that for a clinical, though, you have to look at your record, and how much longer your semester is. If you can get a note to cover your absence, that would be the BEST thing. If there is a chance that you have been absent already, then, maybe let your instructor see how ill you are and let her make that determination to send you home. But, still bring a note. My school was a bit more lenient about illness at the time, because we were the first LPN class. But, many programs have no problem throwing people out. Proceed with caution.
I called in sick yesterday, and there were only three nurses to run three shifts of patients at an acute dialysis unit and 5 patients in the CCU and ICU. So yeah, I went in sick today. We're down two nurses who retired or transferred. And I'm bloody tired of it...It's expected, and it shouldn't be. Tomorrow, I'll be on call as well as probably working a minimum of 16 hours.
Right now, the only reason I'm still there is we need the insurance, crappy as it is. Otherwise, bagging groceries at Kroger is looking more and more like a viable career option.
I absolutely think nurse's shouldn't work when they're sick. Everyone else is right about the patients are either immunocompromised or dealing with other health issues and don't need the exposure to your illness. Also, your co-workers don't need it either.
Working around sick people, the chance that you are going to catch a bug rises some. I don't care how much you wash your hands and wear gloves.
That being said, I just want to say that it frustrates the heck out of me that at my facility, you get written up for more than 2 sick days in a 90 day period.
Mmmm...Tell that to the hospital administrators. The sots running our system netted $60million after all the bills were paid. Being a non-profit, they had to spend it somewhere. Did they spend on a better health care plan or better benefits for their employees? No...they ploughed it into a new hospital of questionable necessity, draining already short staffed units to staff the new hospital.
The ADON didn't like it when I called in sick for tonight.
She asked me, "Didn't you call in sick yesterday?"
I told her, "No, you called me and asked me if I could work 4 hrs from 11 am to 3pm, and I couldn't."
She said, "Oh."
So then there was a period of several seconds of silence, as I was waiting on a response from her, to acknowledge that I wouldn't be there tonight.
Finally she said, "Well I hope you get better."
What do they expect? I'm sick, runny nose, headache, watery eyes, just general achy cold sx's.......sorry, but I do NOT feel like working. I'm HUMAN. I get sick.
Even if I'm halfway to dead, I'm draggin' my semi-carcass in to employee health (or the nursing sup if they're not in), leaning in close, letting my nose run all over the desk and askin' 'em "Do I have your blessing to work this shift? If not, kindly put it in writing and call my manager to tell her I'm forbidden to work."
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Blee O'Myacin, BSN, RN
721 Posts
Are there any administrators reading this thread? Do they know that we aren't slacking off and going to the mall when calling out? Why make the abitrary rules? Ie - "I can only be sick 5 times in a year, otherwise I get a reprimand!" I understand that people are going to abuse whatever system is in place, but having to work elbow to elbow with sick coworkers AND sick patients is just too much. I don't want to discuss the amount of nurses this month we've worked up for pneumonia and the flu who showed up for their shift with 103 temps, heavy coughs and respiratory difficulty, all because they "felt bad" about calling out or were worried that they'd "get in trouble".
I call out when I'm sick, or if I have sick kids and my husband can't get the night off. It happens more than a few times per year. I always bring a doctor's note, and no one has ever said anything to me. (Other than "thanks for not spreading that rotovirus around, Blee...")
Blee