I got a text late Sunday night from work. The person that opens, W, had called out. Apparently, her kid was sick... again. Oh goody, a 12 hour day.
A bit later on Monday, I was talking to one of the ladies I work with. She informed me that W broke up with her boyfriend over the weekend and that's the real reason why she called out. It had nothing to do with the kid. By the end of the day, we were convinced that she wouldn't be in today, either. Oh what the hell, I don't mind working 12 hour days at my age.
So, this morning, around 7:45, good old W comes sashaying in to work without her mask on. She was promptly told to put the mask on and not take it off. Funny thing about karma... it has a way of sneaking up and smacking you in the head with a 2x4. Both the district and regional directors happened to be there this morning. W was asked about her kid. "Oh, he spent 4 days with grandma, and she just tested positive, so I had to bring him home."
That was it. She was told that she had to leave immediately, get tested and stay home for at least the rest of the week. And, if she became symptomatic, she would be out indefinitely. Her response... "But, that means I have to use my leave time."
Now, whether the kid is/was sick or not, I don't know for sure. But she used a sick kid as an excuse to stay home to get over a break-up.
What really sucks, is that I am well on my way to a 60-hour work week. I gave those up 20 years ago! None of the centers in the area have and spare staff as senior management won't let anyone hire anyone to fill the vacancies created 8 months ago when they got rid of a bunch of people.
We're all just hoping that she doesn't test positive herself as that would put the rest of us in the 'exposed' category. We are not happy.
Oh yeah. W is the person that former management brought in from another center and made her clinical lead. She has 4 years experience in a single setting, never completes charts, fails to document medication administrations, etc. But hey, she was the better choice over someone with 15 years experience in a multitude of settings. (Yes, I'm still pissed about that, and I made sure that the regional medical director knew how I felt.) This latest stunt of hers, combined with other multiple failures, has them rethinking that decision.
Ok, I'll get off of my soap box now.
