Sick leave exposes work presenters to stress and additional risk

I was trying to insert a central venous catheter to help stabilise the condition of a critically ill man with suspected blood stream infection and dangerously low blood pressure on a busy shift in resuscitation. I had to work by myself as several doctors had called in sick, including my resident who recently told me she had cause to be aggrieved after being refused leave for the school holidays. There were many parent-doctors who had applied successfully ahead of her and leave was no longer available. I unfortunately punctured the patient’s carotid artery after being distracted with urgent information that several major trauma cases were due soon with no senior medical cover available from other hospital units.

Although the patient fared well and I completed the resuscitative procedure in time to attend to the incoming traumas, I believe that sick leave taken fraudulently by doctors (and nurses) lead to more stressful workloads and adverse risks for staff that turn up. Half of all sick leave taken in Australia is as a selfish entitlement to have rest and recreation. The expectation is that work presenters make up the shortfall as well as assuming responsibility for clinical and stress related errors and delays or deficiencies to care. I think this is grossly unfair-the average Australian takes most of their 10 days of sick leave each year.