Did I say something wrong?

She could’ve just said no I quite enjoy my job and happy to remain as I am getting all crabbit about it seems a bit ott but I also wouldn’t assume a person was doing their training even though you didn’t mean it in a bad way. She’s clearly prickly about it for some reason. I did hca shifts pre training with adults then went on to do paeds nursing, I was asked by someone if I was doing childrens nursing because I didn’t like adults? Well children have parents who are adults, people are weird they don’t always think before speaking.

You didn't assume, you simply asked if she was going into nursing - it's not unreasonable given that to you've met several young HCA taking that route.
It's also not unreasonable to have a work-related conversation at work.

Huffy & defensive isn't a mature response in a work situation, even if she felt you were rude.

Maybe her Parents or whoever have given her grief over it "you can do better etc" - who knows. But it wasn't you.

So you see an hca as being bottom of the ladder and not a career choice on its own? Yes op, you were extremely rude and are compounding it.

@DollyPlop no you didn't say anything wrong as you're right it's common for people work as a HCA while they're training to be a nurse at the same time. It's gives a good insight as to whether they're cut out for the job or not!

You were being friendly and chatty, she's just miserable and sounds like one of those people who gets easily offended about absolutely everything! It's a pity you didn't reply it's just as well you're not training to be a nurse as you don't have the personality for it! 🤣

It's a reasonable assumption and a reasonable question

Shed know that if she had a bit more experience

I agree with this^.
It was just a conversation, it would be more weird if you said after her words: oh did you enjoy the weather yesterday? Of course you do certain assumptions in the conversation and this one wasnt so unusual.

I used to get this as a TA and it was a definite sore spot for me. I was never as rude in response but it does grate on you.

Probably along the same lines as someone asking you if you are training to be a doctor!
I’m a Vet Nurse and in my younger years I was asked a lot of times if I was training to be a Vet. Nope! Different profession altogether.
You implied that her choice of vocation was not adequate and that she should be working towards something more. So I think you put your foot in it.

But that's not right is it? They are completely different careers and professions. Whereas it's very common for people going into nursing to start as an HCA or to work as an HCA when training. It's a perfectly reasonable question to ask a young person in their first job if that might be their plan because in a lot of cases that would be correct.

No, you didn't say anything wrong at all.

Also, the theory that she was insulted because you implied that her HCA job is just a stepping stone to something better is shite too, if she gets insulted by that then she's clearly a member of The Professionally Offended Charter and should be given no more thought.

I suppose the nearest thing to imagine to see why it touched a nerve is if someone said to you 'Community nurse? Is there a way from there to train as a doctor?'
Obviously you didn't mean it, but I get why she was put out.

I'd be annoyed with you if you asked me that sort of question. Her response was a bit over the top it doesn't negate that what you said was rude.

i agree you should have been more careful and tactful.

plenty of hca's around,
they dont all go into nursing.
i dont spose she was qualified

‘Up the ladder’?!

I think you need to think before you speak, yes.

I think she was rude!

Hopefully as a HCA she’s not as ‘spikey’ to her clients if they asked a similar question.

You were only being friendly and maiming conversation- no excuse she was down right rude

Well OP you've been handed your arse on this thread haven't you?!
Maybe it was insensitive of you, but I certainly don't think you'll be the only person asking her that question.
Her response was also rude to what was a perfectly normal question.

You were maybe insensitive, but she was bloody rude!

Yes this. I think you were quite rude.

This!

Yes. Just a bit less assumption making , is all

Something like this, but she’s being oversensitive if so. Forget it.

She was very rude. You were a bit tactless. HCA is a different role, rather than the bottom of the nursing ladder. Though within a nursing team, it's very different to being a carer in Social Care for example - you are managed and supervised by nurses, including the lowest grade nurses in the team. Some posters are confusing the two roles. I hope she isn't so easily offended by often extremely tactless clients. Or at least manages not to be rude to them.

She was rude . You were making conversation.

Yes this exactly. It's actually worrying op obviously works with people. Probably some in quite difficult times but has such little understanding of how she comes across.