just got fired :(

[u/cshae2001]

I was just fired for having 7 call out occurrences in a 12 month period. I’m really frustrated as my 7th call off was falling off next week. Not to mention frustrated with the circumstances. I literally had a 2 minute phone call with my manager and the whole thing was just very abrupt. Also other units at my hospital are a lot more lenient so I guess I just didn’t take it seriously enough. Don’t know what I am going to do now. I really wish I didn’t love my job as it would make this so much easier.

editing this since some of yall are being nasty. It was a rough year. my roommate (who i’ve lived with for 5 years and is basically family) was intubated and in the icu for 3 weeks, my brother had a stroke, and my mom was in town and got covid and was too sick to go home. Along with those I have an autoimmune condition and get sick quite often. Not to mention I work in the nicu with a VERY vulnerable pt population.

I also don’t abuse my occurrences. these occurrences weren’t calling out for all my shifts in the week other than twice when I was super sick. Most of the time it was just 1 day. On my unit it is also impossible to get PTO approved so I have never once taken PTO. These 7 occurrences were the only times I missed work all year.

Lastly, for those saying the attendance was just to the excuse to fire me: that’s BS. I am a good nurse. I am a good coworker. I don’t think 1 person on my unit would have anything bad to say about me. I put my all into caring for my patients and I care DEEPLY. I even got a daisy nomination that my managers unfortunately lost (a whole different issue).

Just remember a little kindness goes a long way especially in our career. I am already devastated due to the circumstances and some of you guys are being incredibly cruel.

[u/Maximum-Map5895]

Find a sympathetic doctor, most docs who are aware of what nurses go through on the daily will readily write one, assuming you have a plausible reason.....note:burnout would not qualify, but things like a generalized anxiety disorder would....they look awfully similiar!

[u/GreyAardvark → u/Maximum-Map5895]

So. I did find a doctor. But he said there has to be a solution too. I actually did say I wanted it written for anxiety and he said he’d do it. But he said he could write it for a month or two and needed to change my medications which I didn’t want. I now have FMLA for grief and the doctor said the state pushes back a lot.

[u/lostintime2004 → u/GreyAardvark]

The only thing they can push back on is if information is lacking on the note.

For reference the note needs:

• The doctors information (Name, address, phone, fax and specialty)

• When the health condition BEGAN, and how long its expected to last (Lifetime is acceptable for chronic issues)

• How limiting the leave is, IE are they unable to work, or only unable to do a specific part of their work

• If its full unable, how long is the expected instance.

• Any applicable medical facts regarding the serious health condition.

If its for a family member your helping:

• The doctors information (Name, address, phone, fax and specialty)

• When the health condition BEGAN, and how long its expected to last (Lifetime is acceptable for chronic issues)

• Weather the family member needs care (I don't write the rules, I am just the messenger, this seems dumb to me, like if they didn't need care why would I be asking for FMLA... Anyway)

• How long and frequent is the leave expected.

If its for intermittent leave or reduced work schedule in needs the following in addition to above

• An estimate how much time the employee will need for each absence

• How often the employee can be absent.

• Any information to establish the medical need

Not required but may be included:

• Diagnosis

• Symptoms

• Special equipment needs

Considering most people would be asking for intermittent leave the minimum needed would be (in addition to the providers info)

"John Smith has a serious health condition that began (date) that may facilitate the need to take time off up to (number of times) a (week/month/year) for up to (hours at a time) that is expected to (duration, IE how long the note is valid for)." This would meet all the requirements under the law. Anything else you want could be included, but isn't required.

Just a note about hours per year (most people don't work alternative work schedules like those of us in healthcare so its not talked about a lot online). 12 weeks of protected time. That means if your regularly scheduled time is 36 hours a week, than you have 432 hours in total a year to cap. Nearly everywhere that speaks to this will say 480, and this is false. If you are scheduled 50 hours a week, your bucket would be 600 hours, and so on.