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Results of a small survey showed that many healthcare professionals reported to work while sick, despite recognizing that this could put their patients at risk.
About 95% of survey respondents acknowledged that working while sick puts patients at risk, but 83% of respondents said they had worked while sick at least once in the past year.
About 9% of respondents reported working while sick at least 5 times.
Julia E. Szymczak, PhD, of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, and her colleagues reported these results in JAMA Pediatrics alongside a related editorial.
The researchers administered an anonymous survey to attending physicians and advanced practice clinicians (APCs) at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. APCs included certified registered nurse practitioners, physician assistants, clinical nurse specialists, certified registered nurse anesthetists, and certified nurse midwives.
Overall, 280 attending physicians (61%) and 256 APCs (54.5%) responded. Most respondents (504, 95.3%) said working while sick put patients at risk.
However, 446 respondents (83.1%) reported working while sick at least once in the past year, and 50 respondents (9.3%) reported working while sick at least 5 times.
Respondents reported working with symptoms that included diarrhea, fever, and the onset of significant respiratory symptoms.
The reasons physicians and APCs worked while sick included not wanting to let colleagues down (98.7%), staffing concerns (94.9%), not wanting to let patients down (92.5%), fear of being ostracized by colleagues (64%), and concerns about the continuity of care (63.8%).
An analysis of written comments about why respondents work while sick highlighted 3 areas: challenges in identifying and arranging someone to cover their work and a lack of resources to accommodate sick leave, a strong cultural norm in the hospital to report for work unless one is extremely ill, and ambiguity about what symptoms constitute being too sick to work.
Dr Szymczak and her colleagues said this study suggests complex social and logistical factors cause healthcare workers to report to work sick. But these results could inform efforts to help workers make the right choice to keep their patients and colleagues safe while caring for themselves. 
Photo by Logan Tuttle
Results of a small survey showed that many healthcare professionals reported to work while sick, despite recognizing that this could put their patients at risk.
About 95% of survey respondents acknowledged that working while sick puts patients at risk, but 83% of respondents said they had worked while sick at least once in the past year.
About 9% of respondents reported working while sick at least 5 times.
Julia E. Szymczak, PhD, of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, and her colleagues reported these results in JAMA Pediatrics alongside a related editorial.
The researchers administered an anonymous survey to attending physicians and advanced practice clinicians (APCs) at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. APCs included certified registered nurse practitioners, physician assistants, clinical nurse specialists, certified registered nurse anesthetists, and certified nurse midwives.
Overall, 280 attending physicians (61%) and 256 APCs (54.5%) responded. Most respondents (504, 95.3%) said working while sick put patients at risk.
However, 446 respondents (83.1%) reported working while sick at least once in the past year, and 50 respondents (9.3%) reported working while sick at least 5 times.
Respondents reported working with symptoms that included diarrhea, fever, and the onset of significant respiratory symptoms.
The reasons physicians and APCs worked while sick included not wanting to let colleagues down (98.7%), staffing concerns (94.9%), not wanting to let patients down (92.5%), fear of being ostracized by colleagues (64%), and concerns about the continuity of care (63.8%).
An analysis of written comments about why respondents work while sick highlighted 3 areas: challenges in identifying and arranging someone to cover their work and a lack of resources to accommodate sick leave, a strong cultural norm in the hospital to report for work unless one is extremely ill, and ambiguity about what symptoms constitute being too sick to work.
Dr Szymczak and her colleagues said this study suggests complex social and logistical factors cause healthcare workers to report to work sick. But these results could inform efforts to help workers make the right choice to keep their patients and colleagues safe while caring for themselves.
Photo by Logan Tuttle
Results of a small survey showed that many healthcare professionals reported to work while sick, despite recognizing that this could put their patients at risk.
About 95% of survey respondents acknowledged that working while sick puts patients at risk, but 83% of respondents said they had worked while sick at least once in the past year.
About 9% of respondents reported working while sick at least 5 times.
Julia E. Szymczak, PhD, of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, and her colleagues reported these results in JAMA Pediatrics alongside a related editorial.
The researchers administered an anonymous survey to attending physicians and advanced practice clinicians (APCs) at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. APCs included certified registered nurse practitioners, physician assistants, clinical nurse specialists, certified registered nurse anesthetists, and certified nurse midwives.
Overall, 280 attending physicians (61%) and 256 APCs (54.5%) responded. Most respondents (504, 95.3%) said working while sick put patients at risk.
However, 446 respondents (83.1%) reported working while sick at least once in the past year, and 50 respondents (9.3%) reported working while sick at least 5 times.
Respondents reported working with symptoms that included diarrhea, fever, and the onset of significant respiratory symptoms.
The reasons physicians and APCs worked while sick included not wanting to let colleagues down (98.7%), staffing concerns (94.9%), not wanting to let patients down (92.5%), fear of being ostracized by colleagues (64%), and concerns about the continuity of care (63.8%).
An analysis of written comments about why respondents work while sick highlighted 3 areas: challenges in identifying and arranging someone to cover their work and a lack of resources to accommodate sick leave, a strong cultural norm in the hospital to report for work unless one is extremely ill, and ambiguity about what symptoms constitute being too sick to work.
Dr Szymczak and her colleagues said this study suggests complex social and logistical factors cause healthcare workers to report to work sick. But these results could inform efforts to help workers make the right choice to keep their patients and colleagues safe while caring for themselves.