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.

You said it OP, true colours showing now on a thread that you started?

The thing is, OP, you have openly admitted that you would have gone back sooner if you weren't being paid so I'm afraid that's where I lost any understanding for you I'm afraid

Your extremely unpleasant tone hasn't helped

There are lots of people on here who do your job or even more physical ones. They all think 6 weeks is totally ludicrous for a broken toe

Perhaps you should calm down and have a think about what they have said if you don't believe those of us who are lazy and in cushy desk jobs

I broke my big toe on Friday evening. I'm a midwife and was at work on Saturday afternoon hobbling round the ward. I knew I couldn't let my colleagues and the women down. It was a bit painful the first couple of days but not unbearable. I kind of had to walk on the outside edge of my foot so my toe wasn't pressing on the floor but managed.

Just read the whole thread now.

I don't consider myself a prat or a jobsworth but yes I know that my bosses won't have appreciated the fact i went in while in pain. I think my colleagues will have done though. We have no agency midwives where I am. Unless someone could have been persuaded to work extras my shifts wouldn't have been covered. In four years ive had four weeks off when my dad died and I was in bits. Apart from that ive gone in even if feeling poorly.

Oh whothefuckissimon the OP will be Disappointed (capital D) in you for your competitive recovery!

BTW, who the fuck is Simon?

Ah! I see!

Bully?! Oh come on.

I just want to know what time of fracture you have? I work in the field, I diagnose and treat patients with acute fractures.

Still think you're taking the massive pish with 6 weeks

Yeah, I name changed at the time of the big hack.

There is a huge divide in the sick patterns of doctors and nurses, I see it all the time - doctors drag themselves in at the brink of death, nurses take time off with a minor illness. The important question is - why? Why the difference? And its NOT because doctors are dedicated and nurses are lazy, because I know plenty of lazy doctors, and hundreds of dedicated nurses. I dont think it is because doctors are appreciated more - we're certainly not!

Perhaps it is because nurses are supported enough that they are able to take time off to recover without feeling guilty? I took 4 days off as I had a miscarriage - a clinic had to be cancelled. when I saw one of the patients the following week they expressed displeasure at having their appointment cancelled and their upset at an extra week of worry waiting for life altering results - I felt awful for them.

Perhaps we shouldnt be berating the OP for looking after herself, but asking why we dont have a better middle ground where we are all able to take a reasonable amount of time off work without struggling in, without having to worry about lack of pay or feeling guilty about letting down colleagues. Never going to happen though.

In answer to your question, I dont think I would take 4 weeks off work with a broken toe, but then, I did a sky dive with a broken rib, and we can all agree that was stupid, so what do I know?

Totally agree with your point about guilt and taking time off sick Wildfire

I worked through miscarriages so I didn't have to cancel clinics that would have been hard to rebook - although not as essential as yours and I really regret it now. I wish I'd put myself first - because if I don't no-one else will or should!
There is a balance to be had between working as part of a team and putting your needs first too.

Wild Could it be that it's easier to give doctors more non-physical jobs or even that their jobs are not that physical to begin with?

I broke my big toe. I was off for 2 days, then back working reduced hours & with my foot up and a special shoe. Yes, I could have taken longer, but lots of people depended on me. My brain still functioned fine! I guess it depends on your job and your attitude.

Yeah you've lost sympathies now. You just said you had the " luxury " of staying off till its better. Or till YOU decide it's better!

You don't have the luxury! "What a fucking outragrous statement! You have colleagues who will be covering for you in an already stressed and stretched a and e department! While you take the benefit of sick pay put in place for people who are ILL! ! THERE IS PLENTY YOU COULD DO AT WORK! !

You are lazy! ! Yeah ask real people in future cos they will be too embarrassed to say it to your face!

If you'd go back if you weren't being paid, then you should go back.

Unbelievable. As someone else mentioned up thread this type of laziness is what gives the public sector such a bad name. Where is your fighting spirit?

What a terrible example you are setting your DC. They will be expecting 6 weeks off school for a minor injury.

Are you lot still bursting a blood vessel over me? Get over it. Stop the moral crusade now because im not listening.
I fact im sunbathing in the back garden :-D

Sorry OP but you sound lazy to me.
I self-referred to Occupational Health as soon as I broke my ankle. I'm a fairly senior nurse in a clinical role and was able to return to desk duties whilst still NWB in a POP.

I get that broken toes can be sore, I had 2 weeks off when I broke mine, I was a Staff Nurse at the time, but in the absence of any other clinical co-morbidities, 6 weeks is taking the piss.

What did the GP say at your Thursday's appointment, OP?

No time off with broken toes and broken ribs?!
You’ve not done yourself, colleagues or patients any favours.
How would you be able to respond in an emergency? What if you were hurt further by equipment in the hospital?
I’m a Midwife and currently off with a broken toe. As frustrating as it is (and working in the NHS and being aware of them being short staffed) I will not be working. I cannot put my foot flat without causing pain and I am limping therefore not fit for work as I could put myself and others in danger.
You would not pass a risk assessment and should know better.

ZOMBIE THREAD ALERT!!!

I completely understand about not wanting to let colleagues and patients down but my manager wouldn’t let me work with a broken toe as I wouldn’t pass a risk assessment and if a woman needed transferring quickly somewhere I couldn’t run or push a bed safely therefore not able to carry out my duties on the ward.
I was told not to come back until I could walk properly on it.

You stay off for as long as you need to. At the end of the day you can be replace at work, your toe can’t. If it doesn’t heal properly that can lead to future health issues such as osteoarthritis.