Nurse, had covid, when do I return back?

[mumsneedtochat]

Hi I'm a nurse qualified for 2 years and worked on a busy busy ward. I don't enjoy my job as a nurse and have lost a lot of passion from the job. I haven't enjoyed it since I qualified as after 6 months in my post the world went into a global pandemic.

I've recently had covid myself (about 3 weeks ago) and I've taken some time off work with this. 2 weeks have been signed off by my doctor and a weeks holiday so 3 weeks in total. I'm due back this week and I am thinking about asking for another sick line for two weeks.

I feel ok at times physically but I'm having good days and bad days at the moment. My anxiety is through the roof and I am completely stressed about what to do with my life now. I have a young child, a partner and a house and car to pay for so I can't just up and leave.

I have applied for other jobs which I am waiting to hear back about but I just feel at a little bit of a loss and I'm not sure if having covid myself has just been the tip of the ice berg for me in the sense that it's made me realise life is just too short to be miserable doing something you don't like.

I don't just not like my job, it gives me anxiety, dread, depression, feelings of low mood that I can't even explain. I have reached out for support and I am in touch with people for this but it doesn't help take away the feelings.

My question to you all is - do I take another 2 weeks off work due to covid related struggles and probably too because I can't cope with the stress of the job at present, or do I go back as being off might make things worse for me?

Let me know thoughts

Thanks

If you do get a sick line get it back dated to when your first one ended, or it will be counted as two separate periods of absence.

Speak to your doctor about your mental health and see about getting some counselling (private will be a lot quicker).

Being a nurse during normal times must be hard enough, I salute you OP!

I’d get another sick note and use the time to assess your options. You probably weren’t in the right headspace when you were signed off with covid. Definitely get it backdated, although really two periods of sickness so close together should be treated as linked periods - the absence policy will have details if that’s what they do if they’re following the govt rules. Life it too short to stay in a job that makes you feel like that. Good luck, hope you find a better place soon.

Could you look at doing some bank shifts to keep up some level of income that you’re more in control of? Are there non-ward jobs around- like community or infection control etc? Have you got a decent HR or Occ Health dept that you could approach for guidance?