Nurses Shouldn’t Be Scared To Call In Sick

My friend had a sky-rocket temperature, I did not have a temperature gauge at the time to take her temperature however she was burning up, to touch she was very hot, it was like touching a radiator. She was talking gibberish and was feeling somewhat rotten.

I had assisted my friend in having a bath and using the toilet, I had given her paracetamol to cool her down and helped her to eat and drink, you see me, and this friend are very close and have known each other for years so I look after her when she needs me, and vice versa. However, this whole situation could have been avoided.

You see this friend works for the NHS, the place where you go to get better.

This friend however feels victimized and bullied by the people whom employ her. I have also heard that other members of staff where she works feel the same.

My friend began to feel poorly on the Friday, she was due in work on the Saturday and Sunday, on the Saturday when she awoke she was very poorly, she had a temperature and she hardly had the strength to walk. When I told her that she needed to get some rest and cancel work she told me that she was already on a stage 1 disciplinary for sickness and that she was fearful of the manager.

The reason she was on a stage one disciplinary, she had been off 3 times (Each time for 1 day or less) in the space of 1 year, 365 days.

The reasons being?

Work related injuries, a bad shoulder and sickness bugs contracted from cleaning up shit and vomit all day every day.

On the first day my friend went to work and came home 1 hour early due to nearly collapsing whilst doing her job.

On the Sunday my friend went into work again, she had stayed in bed until 12 noon, which is not like her at all, she then got up and dragged herself to work for her late shift, again I had helped her have a bath and dress. I advised her not to go into work, however she still feared losing her job or getting a bad reference when she leaves, which she intends on doing this year.

I HAVE a massive question to ask, why in the fuck as human beings do we allow someone to have authority over us to the point that we will go into work when we are dead on our feet in fear of punishment from management?

Why do we have to watch what we (nurses, care staff, doctors.) post on social media in fear of being taken into the office?

It is time to change, it is time new rules were bought in, yes there are people out there that take the piss, they should be dealt with. The ones that say they are ill and then go out and have a beer with the lads and plaster it all over social media. They are the people who should be facing disciplinary action.

However, when you have a nurse whom has done the job for over a decade and is rarely ill, when you have a nurse whom is as a 30-year-old woman fearful of her manager. Then we must start to question, when does enough become enough?

When does the welfare of he nurses, doctors and ambulance crew come into the picture?

When does the welfare of the families of these staff come into the picture?

When does the world wake up and say thank-you, how many people say thank-you to their nurse or doctor?

If there are any managers reading this, how many times do you thank your staff for their work? Or are you concentrating on the things that they have not done, are you concentrating on the fact that they are 2 minutes late as they struggle to get their kids into school on time and then into work. How many times have you asked your workers if they are ok? if there is anything you can do to support them at work?

I today have taken time off work to support my friend. My friend means more to me than any job ever will.

Maybe if we all took a stand when it was necessary to do so, then the care sector managers and higher staff would realise that they are not feared, and that fear is not a way to gain respect and control. To gain respect you must earn it. Respect is earned not given.

Bullies, they get nowhere, as there is always someone around the corner willing to stand up to them.

Remember people, the only person whom can allow someone to have authority over you, is you.

Full credit to a gentleman named Joe.