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?
Personally I hate it when someone is at the desk hacking up a lung, then it gets passed to the whole unit, sometimes it gets bed the whole write up thing is just stupid, I understand they have to have some limits but really this isnt a job like any other - some day the higher up might get it? Just a hopeful thought - Get better get some rest
Original poster- I was in the same boat as you three days ago. I called out of clinical. I hate to say it, but if I get a zero... oh well. I emailed the instructor the night before. I stayed home and rested and I am MUCH BETTER now. It was SMART decision on my part. I could not pull a 12 hour clinical and I was slated for the PICU. The kids there certainly didn't need my bug. I know it's not good to call in, but in the end, the only one who cares about you is, well.... YOU. Take care of yourself.
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."
I'm not going tomorrow to clinical. I don't think I'd make it the whole day-I'm dizzy, weak and fatigued along with this other resp. crap. I dragged myself to class today and my instructor was very empathetic- apparantley her husband and son at home have the same crap I do, and she said they couldn't even get out of bed. So I am excused from clinical tomorrow, thank god. I just have to make it up now which could be a challenge.
I think its ridiculous that people are expected to come into work sick. Like any of us can help being sick.
I feel like hell- I'm even sore from this really fantastic violent cough that accompanies this nasty thing. I'd better go back to bed...
hospital administration should know better then to expect nurses to work sick, and risk patients lives. besides, this year is one of the worst flu seasons on record!!
I just have a cold. But I called in sick to clinical. I just don't think post surgical patients need to be catching my cold. I hope they'll give me an opportunity to make up the missed time, though.
I work in a hospital on a Med/Surg unit and actually encountered this situation earlier this month. My husband, who has Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, had a CT & PET scan done towards the end of January d/t an enlarging spleen. On Thursday, 1/31/08, we were told by the oncologist that my husband's spleen had enlarged so much that it was in my husband's best interest to start chemo ASAP....like the following Monday, 2/4/08. Unfortunately, I was scheduled to work that weekend AND on Monday, 2/4. Since I had VERY little time and was limited on who I could ask to work for me(many of the employees are students who had returned to school the previous week), I was not able to get off of work. I had thought about calling in sick, but most of the weekend staff knew my dilemma & I was afraid one of them might call my bluff. So against my better judgement, I planned on working knowing full-well that my husband was scared out of his mind & would be going to his 1st-ever chemo treatment ALONE. Talk about feeling like the worst wife ever.
On that Monday morning(2/4), the 1st day of my husband's chemo, I woke up around 4:30 a.m. with this sharp, knot-like, gnawing pain in the middle of my stomach. I also had this uncomfortable feeling of nausea, but when I got up to the bathroom thinking I had to throw-up, nothing happened. So I went back to bed and tried to relax. Unfortunately, the pain & nausea did not go away. In fact, when it was really time to get up & ready for work(at 5:30 am), the pain in my stomach & feeling of nausea became more intense than before. I figured it all had to do with nerves & stress r/t that day, especially when I felt completely, 100%, fine the night before. But within 2 minutes of stepping into the shower, the feeling of intense nausea turned into 3 vomiting episodes. At that point, and regardless of why this was happening(meaning nerves/stress vs stomach bug), I knew I shouldn't go into work. But the last(and only other) time I called in within 2hrs of the start of my shift, the nursing supervisor yelled at me from all directions about how difficult finding a replacement would be & with very little notice. So, instead, I fought through the nausea, vomiting, & pain and went to work.
Once I got there, people kept telling me that I didn't look good. Duh!!! I didn't feel good, either. Apparently, my face was very pale and there were 2 episodes where I nearly passed out. About 5 minutes after the second one happened, which was around 10:15 am, my blood pressure was only 80s/40s & I was running a low-grade fever. At that point, one of my co-workers told the charge RN that I needed to go home. It wasn't until an hour later when I was told someone would be in by 12:30pm to replace me for the remainder of the shift.
Even though I was worried about having exposed patients, visitors, & other staff members to whatever bug I suddenly came down with(if it was one), quite honestly, I was more concerned about whether or not my husband would get sick, considering his immune-system would be greatly compromised as a r/o the chemo and because he was told by the oncologist just the week prior "You NEED to avoid sick people".
Swee, I am so sorry you all went through that; my prayers are with you and your husband.
Please do this, however. First thing this morning, go to HR and get the paperwork to file for FMLA (your husband's doc can fill out the form). Don't let the hospital intimidate you over this.
I've got the major flu that has been going around, today is the first day I can sit up by myself for an hour. I just called off the next two days because I don't want my patients to feel like I do, I wouldn't want my worst enemy to feel like this. Stay home and get better.
The question I always ask myself is, "If I were the patient, would I want a nurse who looks, sounds, and feels like I do right now taking care of me?" If the answer is no, then I call in and don't worry more about it. The hospital was standing before I got there and will be standing long after I'm pushing up daisies.
I agree, you should not go to work sick! However, where I work,in the ER. We are only allow 3 sick days a year....and if you come to work sick and leave before 1pm or 1am , it counts as an absent........and if you leave after 1pm or 1am its counts as an tardy. The only thing they will excuse is a............FEVER! Its the only thing they consider contagest!! so they got you coming and going. Where I work, they don't care if you come to work sick......Many times I have seen my co-workers come in very sick.......only for the managment team to say.....put a mask on..........Oh! thats bright!!......then you go into your patient's room..........and most of the time they ask....."Why you wearing a mask"? and then they hear and see how sick you are, would you like someone coming into your room sick and wearing a mask? I wouldn't!!! Right now......I have a cold, no fever, but feel like crap!! I ask.....A cold without fever is not consider contagest? Then how did I get it!! Heres a story that happen to me a few months ago..........Had a tooth pulled......was given penicillan.........never took it before.....so here Im taking it for 3 days.........on the 4th day.........while at work......I became very dizzy, a little sob, and a rash all over my body.........I was told by the ER docs, I was having a allergy reaction to penicillan............I was so dizzy at one point, I walked like I was drunk.......they told me to go home, I left at 10:30pm It was counted as an Asbent!!!, It was my fourth asbent, so I got written up! Is this fair? I recently moved from Fl to NC and I had used my 3 sick days on an URI due to the major pollen attack I had when I first got here. It should be base case by case.
MedSurgeNewbie
146 Posts
Personally I hate it when someone is at the desk hacking up a lung, then it gets passed to the whole unit, sometimes it gets bed the whole write up thing is just stupid, I understand they have to have some limits but really this isnt a job like any other - some day the higher up might get it? Just a hopeful thought - Get better get some rest