Did I say something wrong?

Maybe in future say something like "what made you want to be a HCA?"

Then their answer will tell you whether they're happy doing that or if they're using it as a stepping stone.

She is young presumably and in an very under appreciated job. You are older, more experienced and coming from a place of confidence that you have achieved what you want to in your career. How do you not see this? Nurses are usually a bit more empathetic than you're coming across

@Mephisneon Oh sorry I just assumed (see what I did there) you’d understand my my comment. Would you like me to explain it in more detail?

@DollyPlop See there are people in this world who are looking to take offense at every little thing. There’s just no help for it.

What's your comment then? How embarrassing for you.

And speaking of having a chip on your shoulder…

It’s working out just fine for me, because (to paraphrase another poster in a different thread). I’m winning at life because I’m not arguing on the internet with grumpy people 😘

I don't think you understand how humans communicate if you're arguing over this. How does that work out for you?

How is the OP making an assumption if she’s asking the question directly? That’s not how assumptions work 😉

Assuming would have been the OP saying “won’t you be glad when you’ve finished your nursing training”.

Beyond that the HCA has a chip on her shoulder and you did nothing wrong by asking an innocuous question.

You effectively told her that her job was not ‘enough’. Maybe she is fed up of hearing this.

Possibly you might have put your foot in it a bit, OP, but I think your colleague was the rude one. Blimey - I've had so many people make assumptions over the years which, if I was a very precious person, I could have found offensive, but really, life is too short. I think I've been doing it all wrong - the number of times I could have had a flounce! I only take offence when I think it's intended, not because of tactlessness or thoughtlessness.

This person obviously has other issues going on, so I wouldn't feel too bad about it. I often read on MN that people find it frightening to initiate conversation and I've wondered why sometimes. But when people take massive umbrage at a bit of small-talk, I can see what they mean.

@Fillyfrog

Ah ok. A registered nurse can work with tracheostomy pts.

Hca def need better pay.

I know that it means we don't have a registration, but a lot of us have qualifications, and unqualified makes it sound like we don't 😊

I went into a children's ward with a child I was looking after who had a ventilator and a tracheostomy and the nurse assigned to looking after us was definitely scared or apprehensive about looking after him. I'm not saying she wouldn't have been fine with some training! And I've nothing against nursing, I love nurses and healthcare in general, just saying in that situation I felt I deserved more pay 😂

@SeasonFinale

What @jabbajabbafunday said

@Fillyfrog

You are unqualified. You're not a qualified nurse and don't have a registration.

The role of hca is skilled, valuable and essential. It is not a stepping stone but it is not unusual for it to be used as one

Also interested to hear what you're doing that registered nurse can't

Unqualified on the rota just means not as RN.
What is it you can do that an RN can't , just out of curiosity?

This!!

You've put yourself across as someone who thinks no-one would ever choose to be "just" a HCA.

If I were her I wouldn't have kicked off, but you would be pissed me right off. I'd assume you thought very little of me and lofty ideas of yourself as a high and mighty nurse.

On my very day in the NHS I was taught the staff in the lower bands have the most important jobs. The band 2/3 staff are more important than us 5s snd 6s. Why? Because of they don't do their job correctly whatever effort we put into our jobs is just a waste of time. Worlds best heart surgeon going into theatre? No point if admin haven't got the right records, the HCA have taken the wrong bloods. Treat your lower band staff like gold dust.

I'm sure you know so the above. I'd be apologising to her if I were you, making it very clear you were clumsy with your words and understand how insulted she must have felt. Don't try and justify it, just apologise.

@SeasonFinale i would likely have made the same assumption. That assumption comes from over 20yrs experience as an AHP where the vast vast majority of young people I have met taking on HCA and TA roles in the NHS do so as a stepping stone into a healthcare profession. That could be nursing, physio, OT, psychology or others.

I would not make the same assumption if it was an older person even though it certainly can be the case then too. But when we interview for new support roles we expect that most of those being interviewed will be taking the job on to gain experience then will move on. And most of the time that is correct.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with remaining an HCA at all.

The OP says this is the persons first job. They are going to have nasty shock if they are offended by a question such as the OPs and think a response in that tone is acceptable.

This, unintentionally rude. I'd apologise and explain that you didn't mean to imply being an HCA isn't a worthy role within itself.

Why is it a reasonable assumption? She may not have the qualifications to become a nurse. Therefore she may have chosen to be an HCA. Of course it isn't reasonable to assume someone in a low paid job is there by choice.

You were quite rude. She probably shouldn't have snapped but perhaps she's tired of her hard work being devalued by nurses.

She was rude. End of.

@SeasonFinale

No she didn't.

She asked a question based on a reasonable assumption

She sounds fucking rude. Pay her no mind.

Because in effect she implied someone would only want that job as a stepping stone into a perceived better one.

When I was a HCA I would have potentially seen it as a compliment. When a psychologist asked me if I'd ever considered a career in psychology I was grateful of the suggestion but the question shows privilege that is not available to some. Further training is an opportunity that not everyone can manage. I think they were rude! But it could be for many reasons not necessarily that they felt you were making out that they are less than.
Now I'm a nurse I am mindful of my wording perhaps something like some of the best nurses I know have been HCAs have you ever thought about doing your training.

Community nurse with poor communication skills.

You made assumptions / judgements about someone because of their age and job.