Fractured hand, time off?

snakeoilsaleswoman

Hi, I am wondering if I am right in this instance. My partner has been suffering from hand pain for the last couple of days and she had to brace her hand hard yesterday to avoid tripping up on something yesterday and incredible as it sounds seems to have fractured it. They took X-rays today and confirmed it and apparently she has had quite a few previous and this instance opened up an old fracture so she is in a lot of pain and can't do much with her other hand.

I am thinking she should take a couple of days off as she is in a lot of pain even with painkillers. Her job is mostly clerical but it involves doing a lot of things that involve two hands like ripping perforated paper into smaller pieces etc. Should she go to work tomorrow or take it easy for a couple of days? I am looking for some insight as she is very against the idea! She isn't on any sort of disciplinary and hasn't taken a day off in the past 9-10 months. Thanks for reading

geri1965_2

She should probably rest it to let it heal properly.

snakeoilsaleswoman

That is what I was thinking. Obviously she is a big girl and you can't put her in cotton wool forever but I was thinking perhaps a couple of days would allow her to adjust to her limitations better before going back to work so she can find something she can do easier.

geri1965_2

It's easier said than done though! My OH is always trying to get me to take time off sick, but I don't like doing it.

thegirlintheattic

Did the doctor say she couldn't work and fill in a fit note?

snakeoilsaleswoman

Well she hasn't seen a doctor as she went to the hospital as the pain had increased substantially. She didn't mention work to the hospital as it wasn't the most important thing about the time! It is only when we made it home did I start thinking about her going to work tomorrow

thegirlintheattic

So she saw a doctor at the hospital. I'm surprised they didn't mention work. The few times a family member or I have broken a bone the A&E doctors have always asked about work and filled in a fit note. Once it was done at the fracture clinic but the rest were done in A&E.

If she can still do her job then I'd say go in, especially as it's likely the fracture will take 4-6 weeks to heal. If she takes a few days off her bosses might ask what's changed that she could not do her job for a few days but now can.

antonic

Do it properly like I did back in Dec 2009 and break your left wrist running for a train !

I still traveled for 2 hours to get home before I went to A&E !.

Result was I was sick for 10 weeks and then off for a further 10 weeks from Easter 2011 to recover from the corrective surgery I needed.

I`m lucky I work for the Civil Service so have a decent employer BUT I still had to send in my (un)fit notes as doctor said on both occasions I wasnt fit for work.

Get her to see the doctor and if she is in a Union, maybe speak to them just in case management starting threatening capability proceedings if she is signed off.

McKneff

If she feels that she wants to go to work I dont see why she shouldnt, there is always a way.
ie Ripping paper up, dont they have a shredder, or paper on the desk, elbow on one end tear it with the other hand. To be quite honest, I applaud her work ethic and so should you. She maybe needs for it to be put in a sling so that it isn't as painful and to remind her not to use it and the other staff will see it and help if necessary.

Good for her I say:T:T

snakeoilsaleswoman

I appreciate all the points made. She said she'll go in tomorrow and if she can't manage she'll talk to her manager. I do appreciate her work ethic, in her shoes I would do the same but when you see someone you care about in pain you aren't looking at it quite some objectively! Thanks for all the responses

Tiddlywinks

Does her company have a Occ Health advisor?

The reality is that she might make the injury worse by not resting it - if the bones move and grind against each other or soft tissue then that would certainly not be good.

I think she should go to her GP and get an assessment about what she should and shouldn't do... if she is not careful, she could face a life long injury just because she didn't want to take a few days out to let the initial healing begin.