Short notice Op and work.

[growon]

I've been on a waiting list almost a year and finally have a date in June for my operation. Today I was called offering me a cancellation for next Tuesday and I took the appointment.

When I told my boss they seemed stunned, just staring down thinking. Uncomfortable silence. Probably wondering how on earth they will cover my shifts and those who are already off. I apologised for the very short notice but I couldn't turn down the cancellation could I? I think I might be off 2-3 weeks. I'd only just been given the June date so no cover had been arranged for that yet. I felt really uncomfortable by their reaction, guilty for inconveniencing them but also that I should be putting myself first in this case. I know it's very short notice but from experience they often don't find cover until the day they need it.

So my AIBU is...was I unreasonable to take the cancellation appointment?

Of course you’re not unreasonable to take the cancellation but your boss has to process this and if it were one of my staff my mind would be whirring thinking about what I needed to do to get cover, from a HR perspective. They probably didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable.

Would you have lost your already booked appt if you’d not taken the cancellation?

is the op critical?

For me those would be the factors to consider.

I would probably have stuck with the original date if the op weren’t critical.

I’ve only ever had emergency surgeries though so haven’t really had an option on dates.

Don't feel guilty, go ahead and have the surgery and be back at work fit and healthy in 2 - 3 weeks. Reassure your manager that you intend to be back at work in that time.

You could just as easily come down with a sudden illness/had an accident and be off work with no notice at all.

Good luck for the op and get well soon

As you had a planned appointment only a month away I am verging on yabu - cover needs to be arranged and it's obviously not that time critical because you have been waiting so long, 4 more weeks is nothing. I do get your point but no I wouldn't have taken it

I would definitely have taken the cancellation offered. No guarantee your June appointment would have gone ahead - my sisters op has just been cancelled for the third time.

Don't feel guilty. I'd been on the 'emergency' list for 15months when I got a call giving me 3days notice of op due to a cancellation. Wasn't ideal situation for my boss, having to arrange 3months cover at such short notice but he accepted that it was how nhs is at the moment.

Please don’t feel guilty and go ahead with the op.

As a manager, I would have very mixed feeling, I would be happy for you and understand why you took the earlier date. I would also be going internally oh shit how do I cover this. It is hard not to convey the latter, particularly whilst you are trying to work out how to solve the problem.

Your health is more important than your job, it’s just crap companies that don’t value staff that would have an issue