Fell down stairs new years day

[Bethpaigeox]

I'm after a bit of advice really, I feel down the stairs top to bottom backwards opening a stairgate not long after new years eve commenced, I went to the emergency department in ambulance and neck brace as I was in agony, they sent me for a scan and said I'd got a bad concussion, and a badly bruised spine and neck, fast forward a week, I'm taking cocodamol (which I usually do as I suffer with my back and neck anyway) and naproxen which the gp have just given me to try and help with the stiffness and pain as im still in quite a bit. However, I'm due to return to work Monday ive asked gp to extend my sick note as im unsure what to do, part of me tells me to go back to work (I work in a hospital 12 hour shifts) as my sickness levels aren't great as I had a miscarriage in October last year and was off for two weeks then. But the other part tells me if I'm still in pain maybe im not ready. On top of this I'm worried it could take months to properly heal so I could be in pain for that long and I cant have that long off. Please help to advise me.

I realise it hasnt been a week yet but I need to contact manager by tomorrow really.

That sounds so painful.

Are you in a Union? They would be the best place to start I would think. I may be wrong.

Anyway, I hope you heal quickly and that your employers are reasonable humans.

@HoofWankingSpangleCunt

I am, my manager is really understanding I think its more of an anxiety part from me worrying about staying off, but at the same time don't want to do even more damage. The drs at the hospital said I was really lucky I hadn't broken or fractured anything.

I think pregnancy (including miscarriage) absence shouldn't count towards your sickness absence record? It wouldn't for me, in a non-NHS but still public sector, role.

Might be worth checking or clarifying.

Hope you feel better soon, OP

Ouch! I hope you feel better soon, I did the same before Christmas and fractured my tailbone, it's awful!

Just wanted to say, pregnancy related leave shouldn't count towards any sickness record, so make sure it isn't doing!

I'm
A nurse and I totally get the guilt about being off sick. Even if it's genuine. But 12 hour shifts are really hard work. So I'd stay off a bit longer. Could you do a few days non clinical/ short days to see how you feel when you do go back?

Consulting the union at this stage isn't appropriate, they can't decide if you're fit to work or not. They will advise if you have any hassle over your sickness absence down the line, but I don't see why you would think that would happen.

If you're not well or fit enough to do your job then you should stay off until you're able to return in some capacity. It's early days for recovery from such injuries so I'd probably take more time off. On your return it may be that the nature of the injuries means that you could ask for a fit note from the GP to restrict your duties if your job involves doing things that may exacerbate your injuries, for example, if you have to physically lift patients. Don't go back too soon and risk injuring yourself further.

As an aside, though it shouldn't matter, I'd down play that it happened on New Year's Eve. It could appear to others you were drunk and fell down the stairs which isn't an impression most would want others to have of them.

I hope you feel better soon.

Christ. I'd stay off. Falling down the stairs can be really nasty. People underestimate how rotten you feel.

You only get one body, do what you can to let it heal up properly or you might have issues for life!

Stay off. See if you can arrange some physio maybe to help with the healing process, do you have this available through work? I'm a civil servant and we can do an online consult where they'll assess and offer appointments if necessary you might have similar?
It's via PAM assist for us not sure for nhs.

Stay off and ask for a referral to occupational health who are very likely to tell you that you are unable to work at the moment.

Stay off and look after yourself. If you are in pain just at home can you imagine how painful a 12 hr shift would be?

Try and get some physio though I know the self referral is taking months just now.

look after yourself.

Definitely stay off and get a physio assessment asap. Don't risk your long term health.

Do you have a staff physio service that you can self refer too? My trust dies and they usually see you fairly quickly. As it's go help prevent people going off suck and help them get back earlier if possible.