Feeling so guilty about calling in.

Hi all,

I think I'm just looking for someone to tell me not to feel bad here, but my goodness, I just feel awful. I try not to call in unless it's really bad. I take my job very seriously and don't want to make it any harder for the staff with one less nurse.

Last night was my third shift out of three 12's for the week. I woke up at 2pm after only 5 hours of sleep, which usually isn't a big deal for me. I can work fine on less than 7-8 hours of sleep. At 4pm I started feeling a little crummy, little cough and scratchy throat but no fever. I figured I can work through it. Then at 6:15pm I started feeling a little nauseous, but still no big deal. Then, as I'm walking to my car to leave at 20 til 7pm, I started vomiting. If I felt better afterward I think I would have stomached it and gone in, but I still felt like crap. So I called in, feeling so guilty I was almost to the point of crying and the CNL couldn't understand what I was saying. So embarrassing. He was very nice about it and said they would manage, but they are always nice about it until they hang up.

I was up all night vomiting, finally feeling better now. I just feel so incredibly guilty for screwing over my coworkers at such last minute. Also, we have a policy that if you call in after 5, it's considered a no-call, no-show, which I understand to a point but I couldn't really predict how bad I was going to feel.

Anyways, this is way too long a post over a sick call, but I'd appreciate some feedback. Thanks guys.
Throwing up on a patient versus throwing up on your driveway...!If I were your manager, I'd suck it up given your track record of not calling in.

You were really sick, not just calling out. If you go in and infect everyone and several nurses call out the next day then management will not be happy.. Plus you could make patients sick.That is why they allow sick days...It will be okay just try not to make a habit out of it.. And try to give them more time but of course sometimes it just comes on at last minute. Hope you feel better quickly.

Hey............when you're sick, you're sick. Is it better to go to work, infect not only your patients but your coworkers? As a manager and I tell my staff...............how can we expect you to take care of our patients if you can't take care of yourself when you're sick. My only advice is when you're not feeling well, call in early so they can perhaps get someone else to come in. Calling in at the last minute........i.e., 20 minutes before you're due doesn't give the hospital/unit a chance to find a replacement, offer schedule changes or overtime.

It happened to me couple months ago, I understand how you're feeling, don't be so hard on yourself, you couldn't help it. It's nice to know that there are nurses who care about others!Hope you get better soon!

I also agree..if youre sick youre sick. But they can still hold you to the rules if they feel like it. I hope your manager has a heart. But take care of yourself! You cant take care of others if you feel like crap.

I think that's pretty crummy of a rule, that you're a no call no show if you call after 5. Considering I've had nurses actually be no call/no show, that's a bit different than being truly sick, but not realizing it until close to shift start time.

Truthfully, based on circumstances and timing, it was a no win situation for you. No matter what option you picked, yes, comments would be made. In order to have called in prior to 5, the most you could have said was, I feel crummy....I have a little cough and my throat is scratchy. I have a life sized picture of how well that would have gone over. Instead, you planned to go, but it didn't work out. You made the best decision possible with the info you had available at the time.Assuming it's not a regular occurence, oh well. Oh, and the whole deal of it can be treated as a no call , no show. Key word is can. I certainly hope your manager, and all managers, condsider the full picture and employee history.

Wouldn't you feel even more guilty if you passed your bug onto your patients or co-workers? It's okay, you would have given your employer more notice if you body had given you more notice.

Your previous work record will speak for you, and a brief message to your manager apologizing would probably be good. Just so they know you are aware of the policy, but couldn't help it.

Thank you so much for the nice replies. I do feel better, and by better I mean less guilty as well as physically. Sometimes I feel that managers don't even take into consideration that going in sick puts our patients at risk, they just want a warm body on the floor and a name on the assignment sheet. But luckily I work with a pretty great group of people.

You would have really screwed over your co-workers and patients if they would have caught what you had! I always hated it when nurses came to work saying, i feel sick, i had fever today. Gee, thanks.

"I try not to call in unless it's really bad. I take my job very seriously and don't want to make it any harder for the staff with one less nurse".All you can do is not take sick time except when you are really, genuinely ill and KNOW you cannot do your job as it needs to be done. That's why your employer gives you sick time, in anticipation that sometimes you will be sick and need to use it.As for leaving your floor short, that is not your doing. It is the responsibility of the institution to make arrangements with float pool or what have you to cover this type of situation. If there is no one to fill in for you, it's not you failing your coworkers, it's your employer.If it's the case that coworkers may have to work harder when you are off sick remind yourself that you do the same thing for them when they are the ones that are sick. It all goes full circle.Lastly remember that if you go to work sick and a bunch of patients get what you have that is also going to make a lot of work and hassle for your coworkers.