A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

What is this about no sick time for MTs? - reallyoltimer

Posted: Oct 23, 2009

Okay any CTLs observing this board, please, please, please explain to me why an MT/ME cannot ask for sick time? I have a doctor's appointment and the doctor/specialist WILL NOT make it for a day I am off. So, I requested time off w/o pay for the day. I don't have a problem making up the time, but I am already working constantly as it is to make up from a very serious illness I have and am trying to get well from. The email we got was very vague, and it says only CTLs, MMEs and CCMs get sick requests????? We had no choice for excused w/o pay; only unexcused. Of course you know what that means. The grim reaper for me I guess. Please pray for me, and I mean this. I am totally insane over this. My life is really not my own any longer.

Sick time - gourdpainter

[ In Reply To ..]
Consider it a done deal, I am praying for you. I hope you will be over your illness soon. What a shame that it appears the majority of MTs of 2009 are treated as machines that don't break down let alone need preventative maintenance. In the event they do break down...just haul 'em off to the junk yard I guess. Cheer up, things can always be worse.

Appts and days off - Viking fan - Beat the Steelers!!!!

[ In Reply To ..]

Personally, I just love the contradictory information. I just read someone asking about 100% QA and usually don't have an issue with that but around last April or May, I came down with a bad UTI. I bought tons of OTC Pyridium to numb my bladder. Then, small clots started coming out. By the time I went to see my doc, I was peeing almost pure blood. It had been almost 10 days at that point. I had never had a UTI and had no clue it could get that bad. I was sent for a KUB and CT with and w/o contrast. By that point, I had a massive bladder and kidney infection along with torn up ureters from several kidney and bladder stones. I was also septic, which I had pretty figured out for myself since I kept getting severely violent shaking chills and could not get warm. I probably should have been admitted. I got worse over the weekend and as the sepsis traveled thru my body, it left several inflammations thru my body. I ended up with very painful costochondritis (feels much like a broken rib), pericarditis and pleurisy. At one point, I had chest pain so bad that I called an ambulance. When one condition would start to calm down, another would flare up and the doctor just couldnt't do anything more for me. I had been sick for over 2.5 months. He sent me to the ER. My sepsis was finally clearing up. Well, the nurse inserted a contaminated IV and I ended up with a nasty streak rapidly moving up my left arm - infective thrombophlebitis. Dang did my arm throb. I was in constant pain for almost 3 months and didn't sleep well for maybe more than 2 or 3 nights either due to peeing every 30 minutes or being in pain, or both. I was so exhausted, because of all the pain and urination, I called my supervisor and left her a voice mail, asking if I could PLEASE start working a couple of hours later and just work six hours. I hadn't missed any work to that point but then again, all I was doing was lying on the couch, eating about 1/2 a meal every 3 days, walking the dogs when I had to. bathing when I had the energy and typing. I got a rather firm call back that we just can't take a couple of hours off to sleep. Mind you - I was averaging about 3 hours a night for almost 3 months and my work quality and line counts were suffering severely. My supe was very well aware of everything that was happening. Later on, she, and her supe, told me that if I ever felt that bad, to call off. I almost hung up on her. I had taken 6 courses of antibiotics, 2 massive courses of steroids plus a steroid shot, some Darvocet for the bladder pain and all the inflammation, ibuprofen for the inflammation, aspirin for the infected phlebitis and Tylenol because neither the aspirin nor the ibuprofen would bring my fever downj. I may have missed a couple of meds but I had counted them and there were 14, on top of my seizure med, antidepressant, Synthroid and Klonopin., I was just a mess. I was missing medications or taking an extra dose here and there because I was getting so confused.

Well, finally, one Sunday, I woke up feeling a lot better, just all of the sudden. My house was a pigsty by this point, so I grabbed some laundry and headed down the basement steps, missed the last one, landed on the outside of my right foot, twisted it so the plantar aspect was pointing toward the ceiling, and put all 120 lbs of my body weight on top of the foot. I didn't go back to that ER after the whole IV thing. I waited 4 days and went to see a pod doc. I had an avulsion fracture of the navicular with massive injuries of the surrounding structures. My bone is healed but the tendons, ligaments and muscles are still not, and it's been 10 weeks. I am praying so hard I won't need surgery. I've been in that stupid cam boot for 10 weeks now and I'm ready to take it out to the back yard and set it on fire.

As sick as I was, and as little sleep as I was getting from all the pain and urination, they would not allow me to sleep for an extra 2 hours (I was finally able to sleep once I did get to sleep around 4 a.m. or so. I got a lecture from both supes about calling off if I'm feeling so poorly that my work might suffer. I didn't evem say anything about my request and denial for 2 more hours of sleep to try and give my body more time to heal. I just didn't think it was worth it.

What I do for doctor appts that are relatively far away is start maybe 60-90 minutes early, go to my appt, and make up time when I get home. Or, there's the option of just taking 2 hours of PTO.

I hope they become a little more accommodating with you.

Good luck!

Tammy

BTW, I had a hysterectomy 2 years ago and the mesh came thru the vaginal cuff, so I had to have a revision 17 months later. I was back at work 2 days after the surgery but that's only because I didn't have to leave the house. It was fun trying to type while on Darvocet. I also have to have a tooth pulled and I had this dentist pull one for me before. I'll probably be back working the same day. Typing on Vicodin ES should be even more fun - LOL!

If I did not know that was me, then I would think you had stolen my malady - reallyoltimer

[ In Reply To ..]
Oh my gracious, that is EXACTLY what has happened to me. Since March 18, 2009 I have suffered from massive kidney infection, with leading to at home IV's, trips to ER and MRSA which now one doc has said it is shingles too. Lord what pain, and I have worked through this. I did get doctor's note stating medication interactions would cause zone outs, need to work in interrupted fashion. I even changed (once again) my schedule to taking off the wee hours (3 am-5 am) shifts. I am still on Ocycodone (makes me nauseous) with promethazine for the nausea (which makes you sleepy) and on top of everything else -- Neurontin titrated up to 900 mg three times a day no less -- with all the NJA during my regular hours and the fact that what in the world is PTO??? I am a negative 1 hour on that. Yes, CTLs I realize you know who this is, and first and foremost regardless of the naysayers on here, I will work at MQ until the dying end. I have no choice. I just wish I could be appreciated for all my years, even though I do need to be on disability. What a hoot that is, we waited 3 years with my husband not able to earn ANYTHING before he got his. And by the way, the man was a walking timebomb with all of his abdominal contents hanging out of a stomach that had not abdominal musculature.

Well, I'm gonna go back to work now. I just told them I would work after the appointments and make up, but it is going to be hard.

God's blessings on all my dear unseen but not forgotten coworkers....

Illness - Minnesota Vikings!

[ In Reply To ..]
Oh, my goodness. Honestly, when I tell people this story, I think they think I'm making it up. I forgot to mention that I cannot take meds that lower my seizure threshold. I don't have a seizure disorder but will have a grand mal if I take a med such as Ultram or Wellbutrin that lowers my threshold. Well, the first 2 antibiotics didn't kill the UTI, so I was given Cipro, which I now know is a huge no no. On day 3, I had a massive grand mal. Thankfully, I was at home. One of 3 of us should have caught the interaction. The doctor and pharmacist both missed it and I always check new meds out myself but I was so darned sick, I just didn't care.

When that stupid hospital infected my arm with the IV, I was petrified it was MRSA but was lucky it wasn't. Bad stuff.

Twice, I was put on massive doses of steroids, and I shook so bad it wasn't funny. I did end up with a blood clot in that arm where the IV was. It's been a few months and there's still a hard spot there. It's nasty to touch. Good grief - how do heroin addicts get their veins to last so long, or are they more careful about being sterile than so-called trained nurses?

I'm glad you're on the mend too. After I started feeling better, then right away broke my foot, then the horrific pain went away (our docs around here rarely prescribe narcotics anymore), I actually thought the whole thing was funny but it's been 10 weeks and the top and outer side still hurt pretty bad and I'm really worried I'm going to need surgery. PLease, anything but that.

it will never change - destitute MME

[ In Reply To ..]
about 2 years ago while I was still QA I was in the hospital. I called my boss on Wednesday FROM THE HOSPITAL, told her I would be in there until Friday and could not work. My timesheet showed UNexcused absence! (how much more excused than a hospital stay can you get??!!!) After several emails and phone calls to everyone I could think of it was finally taken care of. I got an email from my boss who said, "I'm sorry I must have misunderstood your message." OMG!!

Don't you know? You're supposed to work on a laptop when you're hospitalized. - Oldy but Moldy

[ In Reply To ..]
You silly MT! You can get excused absences only if you're in a coma or anesthetized for surgery - but all bets are off once you're in recovery! LOL

I feel so bad for all of you plugging away with medical problems. I have my share too. It sucks!

Working in the hospital - Vikefantam

[ In Reply To ..]
It's an unwritten rule in the medical profession that you're still supposed to work while you're in the medical field!!!!

I spent five days in the hospital with acute pancreatitis from a gallbladder attack. The doctor's wife was freaking out because the Medicare claims had not gone over for 3 whole days! She called me at the hospital. I was being given morphine every 4 hours and demerol every 3, and was trying to explain to her how to do it. I don't remember what happened but she said I just cut out on her. Some nurse must have hung up the phone some time after I passed out. LOL!

wow - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I will pray for you and the others who have gone through this. I myself have worked through health conditions because I felt I had no choice. Do any of you have spouses or children who could help out? I'm so sorry, don't know what else to say.

Being going through the same thing - exasperated

[ In Reply To ..]
I have been very ill for a week now and trying to get my minimal hours in at the very least! I called my supe last night was told use PTO. I have none. I was then told my only other choice was to go on LOA. Neither she, nor Medquist could care less.

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