I'm driving myself crazy!

[shelle94]

Does anyone else have a problem saying no or feel guilty when they do? I work in a hospital kitchen and we work short constantly. We always have people off sick or hurt and soon vacation season will start. I almost always work over or change my days off to help out when I can. Yesterday I ended up coming home early because I had a stomach bug. Today I feel better, but I am still tired. I can't decide whether to go back to work tomorrow or not. I don't want to leave them short for another day if they can't find someone to cover my shift, but I also would love to stay home and rest. I also have Monday and Tuesday off. We have a policy that states we have to call ourselves back in by 3pm the day before we want to go back to work so I only have a couple of hours to decide.

Why do I feel so guilty about staying home to baby myself? I know logically I should stay off until I'm rested or I will just catch the next bug that comes along. And working in a hospital I am exposed to sick people every day. But the guilt is eating me alive! Quite a few times when I ended up staying home sick I went back too soon and had to go off again. I don't want this to happen. Every time I go off is an occurance and we only get 6 per year before we start getting reprimanded.

Why do I make myself feel so bad?

Michelle

 

[lisajl]

Michelle,
I think we are all guilty of that at some point in our lives.

Definately stay home!!

At my work there are only three of us in the morning and we need all three! I posted here a few weeks ago because I felt guilty taking the day off.
Well, I am glad I did. I didn't pass whatever I had to everyone else, and I needed the rest.

Call in, they will work it out and you will cover for someone when they need it.

Lisa

***Hope you feel better soon***

 

[Pin Wizard]

If you're not 100%, I wouldn't go back. And it's not you feeling guilty. It's your company making you feel that way. Mine did the same, and it got to the point (added in with numerous other things) that I had to quit my job. Saying "no" became impossible because if you did, you weren't being a "team player." What about standing my ground and having a backbone for myself. They didn't like that. I had enough of taking anything they dropped on my plate. I was burned out and headed for worse things if I had stayed. But that's another story. LOL!

 

[shelle94]

Thanks. I just called my supervisor. She was really cool about it, which surprised me. She said she was glad I called so she can start looking for someone to cover my shift.

I think you are right, Pin Wizard. They tell you that you should not be at work if you are sick, but when you get sick they get mad. I know I got this bug from work because it is just tearing right through the department. Even if I felt ok enough to work I still would have gone home so I didn't spread it around. It really bugs me that I work in a hospital but management is not understanding about people getting sick. Kind of ironic I guess. Even worse, I am listed as part-time, but they schedule me full-time hours. Since I am only listed as part-time the insurance is so high that I cannot afford it. That on top of only having 6 sick occurances per year and no personal days makes it rough. I stay for the same reason everyone else stays there. I make too much to leave. There's no job around that would start me out at anything even close to what I make now.

Also, I live by myself now so I need to work full-time hours. If I decided to go back to school to eventually get a better job, they would drop me from part-time to casual status. They say I am in a part-time varied position and if I cannot work any hours that they want me to I am not fulfilling the position. Casual status means everyone else gets the shifts before me and absolutely no benefits. No vacation time, no tuition reimbursement, nothing. So I can't even take night classes because then I would not be available. I hardly ever work nights, but they say that's just the way it is.

Maybe I am just burned out. Between all of the stuff I deal with at work and just getting out of a 3 year relationship I am mentally exhausted. I think I need a trip to WDW! If I could afford it.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Good for you! And I'm glad your boss took it so well. I'm sure she appreciates that you called in early so she has more time to find someone. I hear you loud and clear. The job I had was in a hospital, and I was there 8 years and one day, but who's counting. LOL! I remember one of the last straws for me was when I had to work late one night for a committee meeting. When I picked up DS at the sitter's, he complained that BOTH ears hurt. I ended up calling the pediatrician's office who, of course, wanted to see him the next day. So I called in and was honest saying that DS was headed to the doc's office, knowing that I wouldn't be paid for the day. Fine...DS needed the doctor. When I returned to work the day after that, I got the cold shoulder from my boss! Excuse me! My child needed medical attention, I stayed late the previous night for a meeting until 8 p.m., and my son's doctor is the Chairman of my committee! I was so ticked off. Yup, one of the last straws for me.

 

[philaround]

I also am much like you. Working extra because of staffing problems, working when I should be at home recuperating, and actualy working when I was ill [not just needing an extra day to get over something]
My reward for all this dedication was to be laid off after 20 1/2 years with the same company. If you believe [as I did] that your employer appreciates your sacrifices PLEASE think again.