The effects of a policy change on three types of absence.

Nurse executives use many strategies to manage nurse absenteeism. Nurses in this study voiced dissatisfaction with a policy requiring progressive disciplinary action after three absence incidents. To alleviate this dissatisfaction, supervisors were allowed to use their discretion in deciding when to initiate disciplinary action regarding the use of sick leave. The authors discuss the effect of the policy change on use of absence time and excused and unexcused leave.