Would you completely remove your staff from the duty roster/work assignment if they call in sick for a week?

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No, it's not even a whole week. As a matter of fact, aforementioned staff made an effort to personally submit a doctor's note around the third/fourth day. The note said T/C peptic ulcer. Said staff asked for two more days off due to scheduled diagnostic tests. While said staff looks kind of pale that day, she sure can walk around. She's no longer in pain. In fact she feels like she can return back to sooner rather than later. Will you erase her, wipe out her shift for the rest of the month? Won't you wait for her final diagnosis after her tests?

Specializes in ER OR LTC Code Blue Trauma Dog.
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I submitted my doctor's note. When I submitted it, she told me I could take more days off exceeding what was written.

So you told your employer you are sick and unable to work, and now wondering why you're not on the schedule to work.

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28 minutes ago, caliotter3 said:

It could be a simple matter of her not being clear on whether you would be available or when, so it is easier to do a schedule with you missing and then pencil you back in as appropriate. That is giving her the benefit of the doubt. We always tend to take things personally first. If you feel you have grounds for that, you are probably right. Keep your cool when approaching mgmt about this.

My doctor's note has a date specified on it... It's not just the erasure, the way she changed the other nurses schedule to relieve me during nights is very final. I won't dare approach management about this even if that's the best option for my mental health. Not to mention that I lost my argument when I did ended up taking more absences thanks to the effects of my stressing over this.

47 minutes ago, Rose_Queen said:

My facility's policy is once you've missed 3 days, you must bring in a note stating that you are allowed to return to work before you're back on the schedule. Did your note state you were allowed to return to work? The rest of the month seems excessive, but if they were making plans to try to get volunteer coverage well ahead of time, that would be easier to say "we won't need that extra coverage anymore" than to try to line up coverage on short notice.

We don't use English here but the way the note was written is that I could work but I just need two more days off for some diagnostic tests to rule out some things (just to be safe). This is why I think the rest of the month is excessive. I mean this is a country wherein, in many cases, people still work despite suffering from more debilitating reasons and here they're making me take a whole month off.

1 hour ago, ruby_jane said:

What does the policy say? If it's like ours - 3 absences need a doctor's note, which you provided - nope. Can you access FMLA during this time? It sort of holds your job. If you think this is bias, have you reported it? I'm sorry this is happening.

In my company, it's more than five absences actually but I still provided a note. I'm not working in the US. And, in this country, foreigners just deal with biases out of respect for the culture (of racism). That last one's a joke. It's not racism if you are discriminated with respect. ?

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1 hour ago, Crash_Cart said:

So you told your employer you are sick and unable to work, and now wondering why you're not on the schedule to work.

It's more of I'm questioning why that long, why a month especially when my doctor is confident. I suppose I'll think the same as @Rose_Queen that my manager just like to think well ahead. Way ahead. Planning for the worst case scenario.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.

I don't know if my experience is relevant to yours OP, because I live in the US and it sounds like there are big cultural differences to where you live.

I would be very relieved to have an extra nurse assigned with me after returning from sick leave just in case I needed it. That is a very supportive supervisor, and I would like to work somewhere like that.

My experience working in the US at my current job is that I am not supported when I need time off.

But if you are openly discriminated against because of your race, it's understandable that you would not appreciate the extra support.

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Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.
21 hours ago, hazyblue said:

In my company, it's more than five absences actually but I still provided a note. I'm not working in the US. And, in this country, foreigners just deal with biases out of respect for the culture (of racism). That last one's a joke. It's not racism if you are discriminated with respect. ?

I laughed out loud, even though it's sad. Hang in there.

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I'm not. I'm sorry if I appear that way.

I just originally wanted to ask if people will erase a staff nurse (who has been absent for three to four days due to stomach pain) from the duty roster for the whole month.

Unfortunately for me I couldn't help but be emotional and sort of rant.

Don't worry over it. My answer to your question is that I would not remove an employee from the schedule for more days than what they have requested or are required to be off. I may make tentative plans for back up coverage for the rest of the days just in case, but I would not take their name off the schedule. Maybe they have other ways of handling things like this, have you asked them? It is best to be honest and just ask, no sense in getting anxious, wondering and putting yourself through that. Often what we fear never comes to fruition anyway.

I have done many a schedule in my nursing career and I never had any problem if a staff member asked me why something was done in a certain way. Then again I always tried to give an explanation if something was done that veered from the routine. However, I don't know your supervisor, I've known some to be real pills.

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It's more of I'm questioning why that long, why a month especially when my doctor is confident. I suppose I'll think the same as @Rose_Queen that my manager just like to think well ahead. Way ahead. Planning for the worst case scenario.

Could be, yes, certainly could be the case here.

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My doctor's note has a date specified on it... It's not just the erasure, the way she changed the other nurses schedule to relieve me during nights is very final. I won't dare approach management about this even if that's the best option for my mental health. Not to mention that I lost my argument when I did ended up taking more absences thanks to the effects of my stressing over this.

We don't use English here but the way the note was written is that I could work but I just need two more days off for some diagnostic tests to rule out some things (just to be safe). This is why I think the rest of the month is excessive. I mean this is a country wherein, in many cases, people still work despite suffering from more debilitating reasons and here they're making me take a whole month off.

In my company, it's more than five absences actually but I still provided a note. I'm not working in the US. And, in this country, foreigners just deal with biases out of respect for the culture (of racism). That last one's a joke. It's not racism if you are discriminated with respect. ?

Now I see you are carefully having to navigate the culture of another country and this throws an additional element into the mix.

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So where does all of this stand?

Hope you are feeling well.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
On 8/5/2019 at 11:04 AM, hazyblue said:

My doctor's note has a date specified on it... It's not just the erasure, the way she changed the other nurses schedule to relieve me during nights is very final. I won't dare approach management about this even if that's the best option for my mental health. Not to mention that I lost my argument when I did ended up taking more absences thanks to the effects of my stressing over this.

We don't use English here but the way the note was written is that I could work but I just need two more days off for some diagnostic tests to rule out some things (just to be safe). This is why I think the rest of the month is excessive. I mean this is a country wherein, in many cases, people still work despite suffering from more debilitating reasons and here they're making me take a whole month off.

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I'm thinking that since you were sick and then specifically asked for days off for medical testing, your manager may want you to provide medical clearance from your doctor in order to return to work. Hence why she took you off the schedule. She has to keep the unit staffed in your absence. I wouldn't take it personally.

If I am out for more than three days, I have to produce a doctor's note explaining that I needed medical care and that I was cleared to return on this date. And my job requires a return-to-work date in it or I can't return because I'm not considered medically cleared until then.

Why they did this to you and not to others...well, it sounds like those other people with the debilitating reasons AREN'T taking time off for doctor's visits and medical testing, so there's no reason to remove them from the schedule. But working through their illnesses/conditions is their decision.

Focus on your health and getting better now.

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Here’s what I’d do: Talk with my manager about the schedule, find out why I was taken off, and do what I needed to do to get back on the schedule.

And what I wouldn’t do: ask complete strangers who are unfamiliar with me, my employer’s policies or my country’s employment laws about the action my manager took.

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On 8/7/2019 at 12:53 AM, ruby_jane said:

I laughed out loud, even though it's sad. Hang in there.

LOL. It's okay. Some members of the expat community here like to joke about it too. White people be like excited to be discriminated for the first time and stuff.

On 8/6/2019 at 4:38 PM, FolksBtrippin said:

I would be very relieved to have an extra nurse assigned with me after returning from sick leave just in case I needed it. That is a very supportive supervisor, and I would like to work somewhere like that.

5 hours ago, Meriwhen said:

I'm thinking that since you were sick and then specifically asked for days off for medical testing, your manager may want you to provide medical clearance from your doctor in order to return to work. Hence why she took you off the schedule. She has to keep the unit staffed in your absence. I wouldn't take it personally.

I would had liked to think those things too but, with the way things were done way before, it's all conflicting. That and I saw her passive-aggressively erasing another nurse from the roster before. She did have her fair share of "handful" people so I can see where she's coming from. However, since I had been making an effort, it hurts to that she groups me with those people.

16 hours ago, Forest2 said:

Maybe they have other ways of handling things like this, have you asked them? It is best to be honest and just ask, no sense in getting anxious, wondering and putting yourself through that. Often what we fear never comes to fruition anyway.

1 hour ago, beekee said:

Here’s what I’d do: Talk with my manager about the schedule, find out why I was taken off, and do what I needed to do to get back on the schedule.

And what I wouldn’t do: ask complete strangers who are unfamiliar with me, my employer’s policies or my country’s employment laws about the action my manager took.

We don't do direct conversations here. Technically, you can. It is even encouraged but no. Sure there are people you can talk directly with but no. lol I remember one of our unlicensed help getting lambasted for reporting a death using the word dead.

I did have some kind of talk with my manager and I did got back in a way. I wouldn't dare ask her directly if she assumed that I'm going AWOL because the others did.

The reason why I'm asking complete strangers is because I believe that despite cultural and physical differences we all operate under the same law of nature. Also, is it so wrong to have a wider view of things? Asking strangers prevents me from being narrow-minded when reading situations.

8 hours ago, Kooky Korky said:

So where does all of this stand?

Hope you are feeling well.

Well after some pros and cons, I've decided to resign. Since I've been anal with receiving treatment I'm physically way better. Thanks.

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