Cheers to week 2 at the S-Bar! Tonight I am sipping on a delicious, California 2016 Cabernet known as Slow Press, and I must thank my co-worker Linda for introducing me to such yumminess. May I also say I am so happy with the amount of people that have checked out this very new blog and am even more excited that some of you have chosen to follow it. This week I must rant about being sick. As a nurse being sick is an absolute nightmare. First off, the process of calling out is torture. Now, I’m not sure what you guys have to go through, but I have to make two calls. One call is to staffing, which is fine. I have no idea who these people are and they could care less about me calling out. The other call is to my actual department where I have to speak to management. Awesome.
Now, as if this isn’t bad enough, we don’t have “sick days”?! Sick days, baahaahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaa! Nope. These days are called PTU! (ew). Paid Time Unscheduled. Watch out, one to many PTU’s are a write-up. Like, why would nurses get sick and need off? I don’t know about you, but when I get sick I’m sick for a more then one dang day. I’ve been sick for almost 3 weeks now. Infact, I started this blog during downtime from school and work due to being sick. My flu swab was negative, but I don’t think it was accurate by any means. The exhaustion that I am dealing with along with bronchitis and fevers that have evolved into a sinus infection and left ear infection is well beyond the common cold’s ability. I had to call out of work and it’s a shame that I had such guilt.
When my hubby briefly worked for the government we got such a kick out of all of the available days he could take off. He had options! Sick days, administrative days, holiday days… are you f’ng kidding me?!!! Meanwhile, when one nurse calls out of a department that is already horribly staffed it puts such a strain on the staff and potentially the flow of the department and patient care. Ya know what I am sick of? The big surprise that I’m sick. We are constantly on the front line of illness with high stress levels, minimal breaks, minimal support, and long shifts. #mystery! What is your sick day policy and are there any nurses out there that have excused sick days? Bueller?
The S-BAR 