was i wrong to call in sick?

jessiern, BSN, RN · Mar 7, 2008

As a general rule, I only call in if I have a fever. I have only broke that rule once. I had N/V/D for 5 days, and I was so weak I couldn't get from the bathroom to the bed without my husband's help. I was so sick, I didn't possibly think I could care for patients.

I have also went to work without a voice. You tell the supervisor not to give you patients that are heard of hearing. You do your best. If their is a code, surely someone else will be there to take charge.

pagandeva2000, LPN · Mar 7, 2008

I made a promise to myself not to call in sick anymore unless I needed to. And, today, I had to call in sick. For the past two days, I was suffering from chills, muscle aches and weakness. I start vacation on Monday, and wanted to be a good trooper and come in for the rest of the week. This morning, I felt worse and decided that my health was a bit more important than making a show. However, I have been at my job for 11 years, and have made it through my year's probation of being a nurse.

Try not to worry; take care of yourself and present a note to them when you go back. And, make sure you call in on a timely basis. I was due in at 10:30am, called them and left a message at 3:00am. Plenty of time for them to get help and for me to rest well.

imenid37 · Mar 7, 2008

Eighteen years ago, I visited the OB doc at about 28 weeks gestation for a routine appt. He had some gross hacking cough and looked like death warmed over. I told him I didn't want his germs. He just laughed, "you' ll be fine." My almost 2 year old and I got it. I got dehydrated and ended up needing an IV bolus for uterine contractions. People should keep their germs to themselves.

rosemgon · Mar 7, 2008

kaeky said:
I work night shift on an oncology unit and was supposed to work last night. well when i woke up to go to work I found out I have lost my voice this was around 5. Nothing came out except squeals and whispers and sometimes nothing. i've been off orientation for about 3 weeks. I was contemplating whether or not i should go into work because i figure the lost voice was just temporary since i just woke up. but around 545 i decided to call in sick. our policy is two hours before shift so i should have called around 5, needless to say staffing was sort of irritated and i felt guilty but on the other hand my voice didn't disappear until fourty five minutes ago so what could i have done. i told them i would come in if they wanted me to but i just wanted them to be aware that I couldn't speak. did i do the right thing?
do nurses go to work with laryngitis? how do you get through the shift without speaking? how do you give report when NOTHING comes out? what if someone codes and you can't give report cause you can't speak? I'm nervous cause i work in four days and hopefully it will be gone by then, but if it doesn't then that means i still have to go to work and i don't know how I would get through the shift. advice would be much appreciated. did i do the right thing?

Think that you were right to call in sick because some of your patients are immunocompromised. You would never forgive yourself if one of your patients caught your infection.

Rosemgon:yeah:

leslie :-D · Mar 7, 2008

rosemgon said:
Think that you were right to call in sick because some of your patients are immunocompromised. You would never forgive yourself if one of your patients caught your infection.
Rosemgon:yeah:

did i miss something?

where does it say op had infection?

leslie

allnurses Guide · Mar 7, 2008

If you're sick, stay home, especially around oncology patients.

If you lost your voice because you were screaming at a ball game or whatever, you weren't sick. If there is no reason for you to have lost your voice, its likely illness and you do noone any good to be sick at work.

No, it doesn't look good to call in that early in your employment, but again, if you're sick your're sick. You did offer to come in anyway, according to your post, and obviously they said no.

Don't sweat it, don't be a martyr, don't infect the rest of us. Abusing sick leave is when you can work, you know you aren't sick, but you just want the day off.

holdensjane · Mar 7, 2008

update: well i went to the doc and he said that my laryngitis was an infection because I did not yet or scream to get it. Plus I have bronchitis. he said "you work oncology, i hope you're not going to work in your condition". thanks for the replies.

dreamingofbeing · Mar 8, 2008

I actually went to work with laryngitis couldn't call off because we have to call in by 3 or get written up for late call in and I don't wake up until 5. I had a voice when I went to sleep that morning but none when I woke up. When I got there the charge told me to go home (I worked an hour away from home at the time), said no voice means can't work. Everyone had a good laugh at me trying to call nursing service and squeak why I was going home.

Scrubby · Mar 8, 2008

I don't think you were wrong to call in sick. If you can't communicate then you really cannot work safely IMHO.

bollweevil · Mar 8, 2008

I'd have gone in, depending on how achy or otherwise miserable I was. Of course, a good point was made above about your pts beiing immunocompromised.

Staffing will always be mad when people call off so don't worry about that. Their job is to make you scared and miserable so you will never call off.

Blee O'Myacin, BSN, RN · Mar 8, 2008

bollweevil said:
I'd have gone in, depending on how achy or otherwise miserable I was. Of course, a good point was made above about your pts beiing immunocompromised.
Staffing will always be mad when people call off so don't worry about that. Their job is to make you scared and miserable so you will never call off.

I dunno - I don't think staffing gets "mad" when people call out. It's their job to fill holes -so they are doing it. Maybe when some bug is going around, they are having a bad night trying to fill shifts and know that they are going to have to pull from the better staffed units and are going to be leaving the next shift with a bunch of unhappy nurses. It goes both ways - but the times when I've called out sick, no one at any of my jobs tried to ascertain the validity of my call-out, nor did they get "mad" at me. Then again, if I feel to sick to work, I own that feeling and call in without guilt.

OP - I hope you get well soon, and I am glad that you didn't spread the germs around your workplace. Bring a doctor's note with you for your NM, keep a copy for your records and remember that you are human, are susceptible to illness from time to time and that is nothing to be ashamed of.

Blee

prettylittlenurse2b · Mar 8, 2008

if you couldn't speak, how did you call? That is besides the point, but if you didn't feel good, then no, you should stay home. Too many nurses go to work sick, this doesn't help, stay home.