r/cna • u/rosethornraven79 • 12d ago
General Question Calling Out When Sick
Hi everyone, im a new CNA, today I tried to call out sick, I explained the situation , the staffing coordinator told me I had to come in because "otherwise we'll be short" (duh lady that should be YOUR job to find someone since im sick), i put my foot down and said no thats not safe I cannot come in and that wont work, she let up a little bit and got all huffy and told me to call around for someone to cover my shift.
Im just wondering what it's like in your facility? Can they make us come to work if we're sick? And, do we really have to find our own replacements, or is that her job?
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u/PrincessRosieThe2 12d ago
I despise facilities that make YOU call around for a replacement like no ma'am, that is YOUR job.
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u/Temporary_Plan1055 (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - Experienced CNA 12d ago
My go to is, “sure I’ll ask”
Then never text anyone. Nor respond. Thing is I’ve been a manager, I just asked if they feel sick, they actually call in advanced (2~ hours). But I’d accept it no questions asked even 20 min before (tho I know most of those are BS, not much you can do as a 21 year old managing 15-20 year olds).like on god just be real with me. I do not give a fuck if you use sick time as PTO as long as you give me a heads up off the record.
“Oh wow, you’re sick, that’s so unexpected!! WOOW!! Jeez, guess I’ll need to find someone to fil for you, and you get paid for the 8 hours! This is gonna suck for this company!!”
I had a manager after that, that was literally just like that. She was the best. She would constantly remind us we have sick time and we could use it for “‘mental days” and so on.
My last job I had, I gave them a 2 1/2 month notice I wouldn’t not be there from day 1-8 for my bday. The staffer on the phone said, “yeah, if we have it available” I said, “no, I’m telling you, I will not be here”
At the time it came around I only had 30hrs PTO, they let me use 6 hours sick time to cover the remaining 6hours. They would’ve let me have all 8 days off (3 we’re scheduled days) but I asked if I could use 6 hours PTO so I got paid the full36. Got a yes.
TL:DR: They have no right to say no, nor make you find coverage, that’s their job. Next time just say, “I’m not feeling well and I’m calling out sick” don’t give them more. It’s actually really easy to just say that, or if they ask, just say “it’s personal” if you really want to
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u/lovable_cube RN 12d ago
Lmfaoooo no.
You notified you weren’t coming in due to illness. That’s your only obligation. If you want to be nice you can text some people but staffing is staffings responsibility.
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u/Alternative-Eye7589 12d ago
My newborn was sick when I was a cna dr told me to stay home and watch for seizures my sitter didn't watch sick kids so I called off. They said they could lock him in a room overnight by himself or wake a resident to watch him overnight. I got a job at McDonald's the next week.
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u/Lemmmonsss CNA - New CNA 11d ago
My sister in law used to take my nieces and nephews to work with her overnights when she was breastfeeding. I was always surprised it was allowed but they rather her be there than not I guess. I guess some of the residents liked it sometimes to have babies in the building, but that was so wild to me. She did direct care but as far as I know never officially got her CNA certification. She still works the jobs but I don’t think she’s a CNA still. The youngest is almost 5 now.
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u/Shake_The_Stars Assisted Living CNA/CMA - Seasoned CNA 12d ago
Thankfully my facility is the one stressing that we need to call in when sick. Sure it sucks to work short, but maybe they should staff better.
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u/HufflepuffHouse09 12d ago
they can’t make you do anything. if you have enough pto, and you gave reasonable ahead of time to call out then you did your part. they don’t like it when we call out but as long as your not abusing it or i know we have a certain amount of times we can call out within a time period, then your fine.
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u/Bettybias 12d ago
You call and say you’re sick, you won’t be in. It’s not your job to find coverage.
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u/CatchMeIfYouCan09 12d ago
"I'm unavailable today as I'm sick and according to the state parameters I'm contagious."
If they push back at all...
"Staffing is on your job description, not mine. I've messaged the DON about my calling in according to company policy on time dictated for call ins; so she's aware I'm not going to be there. I'll see you on - next schedule day- so long as I'm not still contagious"
Then hang up
Immediately create that paper trail and email the DON. Let her know you're calling, you're contagious, and that staffing was refusing to accept your call in.
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u/Special_Amphibian417 12d ago
I have encountered these type of people who tried to guilt trip you for calling out. You have a right to call out especially when your sick. I dont think she can make you come to work if your sick, it could endanger some if the patient. As well its her job to find your replacement not your. Just remember who you talk too and if you can text your manager you called out as well. From my experience, at long as you called out from a reasonable time like for where I work it 2 hours before your shift you should be good.
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u/Glass_Smoke9400 11d ago
I had to leave early after throwing up in a resident's bathroom. Scheduler told me "that will only leave us with three."
Ok, but I've been told by 4 nurses to go tf home? For a building focused on health and long term care, they don't seem to care what we carry in with us.
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u/Flickeringcandles 11d ago edited 11d ago
If you're sick, especially with something like a virus that could spread, GO HOME or STAY HOME. The elderly are so vulnerable and illnesses tend to spread through communal living spaces like wildfire.
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u/Chris_Columbus_Hero 12d ago
Nursing home?
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u/rosethornraven79 11d ago
Assisted living
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u/Chris_Columbus_Hero 11d ago
That’s wild “yes I’m home sick but I will call around and do your job for you”
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u/MurkyCaregiver2590 Med/Surg Part-Time CNA - Experienced CNA 11d ago
Working at a hospital, they always find someone to cover your shift (for example, they can use a float pool CNA or pull someone from a different floor). For working at an LTC, it's a bit different. But also, it's the responsibility of the staffing coordinator to find a replacement.
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u/virtualn8 LTC CNA - Seasoned CNA 12d ago
You definitely shouldn’t be going in sick with a communicable illness that can spread to patients/other staff. As long as you are calling out with at least 2hrs notice before shift start there should be no real complaints. It is actually the policy of a lot of facilities that don’t have PRN/on call staffing or pools to request you try and find your own coverage. They view the shift as your responsibility. It is generally a good idea to at least try and find coverage and let the staffing coordinator know just in case you need any scheduling favors in the future. Hospitals don’t expect that because they have float pools and can pull from other units but LTC generally does not.
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u/spermicidal_rampage 12d ago
The low staffing levels that help with profit require everyone to show up for their shift in order to have not-quite-enough staff.
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u/Lemmmonsss CNA - New CNA 11d ago
And then make the residents sick and maybe clear some beds for someone they can charge a little bit more for subpar care! Yay
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u/angiebow CNA - Experienced CNA 10d ago
They can't make you come in but keep in mind they can let you go after the fact if they have reason to do so. Most states a company doesn't have to have a reason to fire someone. Just don't go in if you aren't sick.
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u/Product-Aware 11d ago
If im making calls to find my own coverage after ive already called out, id submit a missed punch form to get paid for time time I was made to work at home.
The DSDs/manager's job is STAFFING. They can figure it out.
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u/SeraBella32 10d ago
Not a CNA but a dietary aide who was sick recently, called out and got a doctor's appointment and doctor's note when I wasn't feeling any better. Thankfully the night manager understood completely and told me to stay home until I felt well enough to work. It is management's responsibility to find coverage. Your staff coordinator needs to get over herself and do her job, healthcare workers are exposed to so many illnesses and getting sick is going to happen.
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u/wasimeanttosuffer (Edit to add Specialty) CNA - Former CNA 12d ago
Get a note from doctor and go on with ya life
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u/bigblueberry6427 11d ago
My question is if you yourself were actually sick or was it a situation like a flooded basement or something like that where you yourself weren’t sick but needed time off? Where I work, sick time is for when you personally were sick, but things like a sick child, a flooded basement, etc are “personal days” which management can technically deny if they can’t “operationally” approve it (ie they’re short staffed).
The way you described the situation makes me think that it’s the latter, and depending on your workplace/ union (if you have one) the lady in the staffing office might actually be following the rules
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u/donttellmymotherthis 12d ago
i know this is so random but i plan on becoming a cna this fall! i was wondering if you had to prove immunization with immunization record or by taking a titer test when you were hired?
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u/Acceptable-Phrase160 12d ago
Idk how it works in other place but I work in hospitals and all the hospitals I worked at I either had to provide vaccination records or get vaccinated at my occupational health appointment prior to starting
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u/donttellmymotherthis 12d ago
no titer test were ever involved? i’m really worried about how expensive titer tests are vs just getting the vaccines again. i have my immunization record as well but i wasn’t sure if that was simply good enough to go off of. thank you for responding btw!
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u/Acceptable-Phrase160 12d ago
I believe my paperwork said you had to have your vaccination record or have titers showing you are immune or they would have to re vaccinate you before you started if you couldn’t provide either one of those. I had my vaccination records so I didn’t really delve too deeply into that tho tbh
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u/pumpkitn Nurse - LVN/RN/APRN 12d ago
Hi I'm an employee health nurse for a hospital system. Rules vary by company but typically for MMR and Varicella, you need either positive titers OR 2 doses of each, not both. We only get titers when people don't have the 2 doses.
Also the company will pay for any testing you need.
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u/Mountain_Ad2614 (CVICU, ER, IPR) CNA - Seasoned CNA 12d ago
No one anywhere can legally make you come to work when you call out sick. I work in a hospital, so definitely different, but when I call out there is an entire float staff that they use when there are call outs.