How long off work with broken toe?

[turkishly]

Hi there.
I broke my toe just over four weeks ago. Hospital signed me off sick for a month. It is still hurting quite a bit and swollen (though healing normally). I can only weqr ine specific pair of shoes for ut to feel ok.
I work in a busy a and e dept and I dont think im fit to go back and walk on it for hours.
Any thoughts? Or am I being a wimp. Im thinking should be a least 6weeks before feels ok. Though hospital said may take few months to feel normal.

I'm with you op. I'm off sick at the moment and although a bit better I'm really not great. I feel guilty for not being at work but really it is daft going back when you are not better.

And as you say noons actually cares. Once you are back you are back.

SHO
No time off at all. Sorry, one word for you-prat.
No.one gets.any extra brownie points for.muddling through at work when injured/sick.
No one has even asked how I have been while ive been off.
No ive made my mind up. I go back when I feel toe is okay. Plus I cant get my work shoes on. No way.am I doing long days and nights with risk of patients throwing themselves all over the place.
When im at work I work damned hard. Absolute bedlam where I work. I dont feel guilty one bit. Maybe a small company where people are genuinely affected. Not NHS where someone there to fill my boots minute back turned.

And my guilt at being off will disappear very quickly when I return and get spoken to like shit five minutes after being through the door

No one gets brownie points but in lots of jobs if you don't work you don't get paid - not all jobs have the sick pay offered by the NHS

Sounds like you need to change jobs if you need to have so long off for a broken toe tbh. It's not the normal response to a broken toe.
All the people I've known that have broken toes have gone back next day, be they programmers, teachers, school children.
You sound as though you completely hate work, it must be making you so miserable.

Sorry racunda but how do you know what the 'normal response' to a broken toe is?!
Normal for who? Maybe not normal if you have a cushy office job, no. Bit different being run off feet 12 a day/night with no proper break.
Didnt say I hated job. I work in a busy stressful environment. Luckily I do get paid when im off so why would I rush back in? Im.not normally off with anything else.

And I dont know how people can seriously go back the next day.
I couldnt get any shoes on apart from one pair. Or flip flops but my foot killed then as unsupported.

I broke my toe when I worked in a busy hospital dept, on my feet all day. It didn't occur to me to take any time off. I just got on with it, hobbling a bit.

DS2 fractured his shoulder in 3 places and dislocated it on a Thursday night, he was back in school on the Monday.

I'm shocked you've had so long off already tbh.

Totally agree with fairy - a month off for a toe?! the mind boggles!!

Good for you fairycaravan. But im not planning on hobbling around work. No one will thank me for it. And once im back if I complain I will be told that I was apparently fit to return.
No one gives you a special award at the end of your service you know for muddling through when sick.
I also have a very loong journey to work on top of all of that.
Maybe im soft, but if one of my dc had a fracture id be a bit more lenient witb the time off. They akl have excellent attendance normally.

I wonder if you would be taking so long to get back to work if you weren't on full pay?

but, you aren't sick?! It's a broken toe. surely you could go in and if you really insist on resting it do some light duties or a phased return?? Crikey I had major abdominal surgery last year and still went back after two weeks, I just adjusted my duties slightly for a short while whilst I finished recovering. Aren't you bored silly sat at home?! I'd be worried what my colleagues were saying about me to be honest, especially given the nature of your profession!!

turkishly - the title of your OP was "How long off work with broken toe?" and it included the question "am i being a wimp?".
It seems you don't like some of the answers that you requested. Why did you ask us if you were so sure of the answer?

The pain of a broken toe varies massively - only you know how much pain you are in.
If others felt able to go back earlier than you do - great, good for them. They are no better/worse than you for making the right decisions for themselves. Only you can judge whether you are ready.

Light duties? There aren't any!
Worried about what colleagues think? Seriously? They are colleagues not friends.
And no im not bored, I dont go to work to keep myself busy. I go to earn money.

Yes you are right majestic. I did ask that.
But I can see those who have had similar and returned to work havent done it because its pain free, more as some moral duty.
Sadly I dont have that guilt.

It's not about guilt! Its about not taking the piss our of our employers and paid sick leave!

and I think you will find that, by law, phased returns and periods of limited duties are available!

I agree with Whatthefreak.

I'd be contacting Occupational Health and HR asking how they could get me back to work. I certainly wouldn't be sat at home waiting until it stopped hurting.

I broke my toe at work yesterday (14 hour days on feet non stop), got it strapped up and went back to work in the afternoon. Honestly stop being such a wimp! I'd never let my colleagues down (3 of us) like that. 6 weeks for a broken toe how funny.

I had a badly broken big toe - can't remember the name of it but was diagonally broken lengthways end to end of the middle bone... wasn't allowed to put any weight on it for 1-2 weeks as if I'd even stubbed it it would have been a major issue. I was signed off for a week, went back straight away the following week.

Now it was a desk job, but in a funny office in a listed building - so lots of smaller offices on different floors. My boss DID give me brownie points for coming back before healed, she was amazing, had other people helping me all the time and even fetching my lunch because she appreciated me coming back. Actually - even the people helping me out were fine as I was easing their workload by being back too

So you know, sometimes - it is important to show a work ethic and it is appreciated not dragging things out. I kept dosed up on ibuprofen for a few weeks - but it took about 4 months to heal, and 6 months before I could bend the toe properly.

and the only reason I took that week signed off work was because I physically couldn't make it up the stairs to my desk!

Gosh i can see why you're a nurse - you seem very personable.

Man up. You're taking the piss because you can.

DH was off 6 weeks with a broken (complete, pinned) arm. He'd've been back on desk work 2 weeks after (1 week post op) had they let him and back clinically after about 3 or 4 building up intensity but wasn't allowed by work. Drs were keen to sign him off longer but as he gets 2 weeks sick pay then SSP and is only earner he was desperate to get back. He worked hard with rehab etc, paying for private physio as the NHS got around to getting into contact 3 weeks later (would have been too late for best outcome!).

That said if it's a bad break or not healing that's different (nerve involvement).

No im not taking the piss.
Ive worked many years for NHS to see management (at least where I work) do not care about staff.
I dont normally take much sick.leave, work hard and do regular overtime. Stay beyond my shift without pay etc.
I am taking sick leave as I feel I need it. I get paid which is an advantage. Although Im losing shift allowance which is a big chunk of my pay. I would have to struggle back if i didnt get paid. Thats true.
I.dont want to though and I have no . loyalty to my managers thats for sure. They could not give a fig about me.
Maybe its different in a smaller.company where staff are your friends and you dont want to leave them in the lurch.

And msgrinch,
Glad you think its funny. I think its hilarious and foolish you went back to work straight after. Why on earth would anyone. Work will still be there the next day love.