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Original poster

Colleague not speaking to me.

71 replies

LouLouLou37 · 18/02/2022 17:20

Myself and a colleague A have been complaining between each other about a new starter at work. We are nurses; our new colleague B, hasn't received her PIN, we have been delegating work for her and she won't do it because she feels she's a nurse and she should be helping with our work. The thing is the ward is so busy so we feel she should help out where needed and work with the HCAs. Anyhow one of our other colleagues (C) came in and my colleague A complained to colleague C that she (B) wasn't pulling her weight and that she had reported her to the manager etc.. C was really angry and shouted at A saying that she should be supporting her, as she is newly qualified. She was really angry with her. I didn't say anything, I kept quiet throughout the whole exchange.
My colleague A is now no longer speaking to me and feels like I should have said something to back her up.
Is she right? Should I have spoken up and backed her?

OP posts:
Steelesauce · 18/02/2022 18:11

You 2 sound like the same nurses who will be bitching about her in a few weeks when her pin has come and she doesn't know how to do a discharge. Even though instead of letting her shadow and be supernumary and teaching her, you were fobbing her off to answer bells.

NerrSnerr · 18/02/2022 18:11

What do the seniors on the ward think the newly qualified nurse should be doing? Has she been told she's supernumerary and should be shadowing the qualified nurses or working as a HCA.

This reminds me of being newly qualified on a ward- some staff were so hostile because I didn't know it all and couldn't do certain things.

Rupertpenrysmistress · 18/02/2022 18:15

Without a PIN this nurse would be paid as a HCA, this pay would then get fully back dated to a band 5, she is not a HCA BUT, no reason she should not be doing any work required.

BlanketsBanned · 18/02/2022 18:19

Are a b or c senior nurses on the ward. What jobs have you been selegwting to the nq, do you all help out with essential care.

Original poster
LouLouLou37 · 18/02/2022 18:36

It was the end of the shift and I had just given handover and I was finishing off a few things, I didn't expect her to raise her concerns at that time. I also didn't expect her to say anything to C, she is the same band as us and works permanent nights.
I can only reiterate that our ward is so busy, we need her to help the HCAs otherwise it puts pressure on the them.

OP posts:
LightfoldEngines · 18/02/2022 18:43

@LouLouLou37

It was the end of the shift and I had just given handover and I was finishing off a few things, I didn't expect her to raise her concerns at that time. I also didn't expect her to say anything to C, she is the same band as us and works permanent nights. I can only reiterate that our ward is so busy, we need her to help the HCAs otherwise it puts pressure on the them.
Why is it on her to help the HCAs? Why does her not helping put more pressure on them? Does her mere presence mean more work for them?

Ffs,

NerrSnerr · 18/02/2022 18:44

I can only reiterate that our ward is so busy, we need her to help the HCAs otherwise it puts pressure on the them.

What does the ward manager think she should be doing though?

Chloemol · 18/02/2022 18:57

How old are you all? 3?

Sounds very tedious. How about you all just getting in with your work?

winterchills · 18/02/2022 19:04

She should be helping the HCAs until her pin comes. Most other places this would be the case. Plus she will only be being paid either band 2 or 3 until that pin arrives. Then when it does she should start her supernumerary period and then get all her training!

winterchills · 18/02/2022 19:07

@Rupertpenrysmistress but she isn't qualified yet as her pin hasn't arrived. She will be paid as a HCA so should be carrying out HCA duties then when her pin arrives she will get her supernumerary status and training where she should be learning the nurses role.

winterchills · 18/02/2022 19:10

@Rupertpenrysmistress definitely not the policy in my trust? All our nurses who are waiting for a pin either stays off unpaid until it comes or works as a HCA. Their training and supernumerary status starts when they receive their pin

WhatisanODP · 18/02/2022 19:10

Yabu.

It doesn’t sound like you are supporting the newly qualified. No, she shouldn’t be treated as a dogsbody, she should be working alongside the RNs in a supernumerary capacity and learning the ward and processes.

You and A shouldn’t be bitching about it behind the newly qualified member of staffs back.

Fair play to C for being the decent person!

Rupertpenrysmistress · 18/02/2022 19:23

[quote winterchills]@Rupertpenrysmistress definitely not the policy in my trust? All our nurses who are waiting for a pin either stays off unpaid until it comes or works as a HCA. Their training and supernumerary status starts when they receive their pin [/quote]
Ok only commenting on my trust. Guess we must be lucky, we do all muck in and do whatever is needed as wards are so busy and short. This however sounds horrible and not somewhere I could work. As a manager myself, I would ensure everyone was aware of the newly qualified nurses role and hope my colleagues would raise concerns in a constructive manner. I really hope this nurse is not aware of this situation.

Bogofftosomewherehot · 18/02/2022 19:33

@MadMadMadamMim

I'd hate to work with either of you, personally. Toxic work environments are awful - and they are created by people like you and your colleague.

Maybe grow up and behave like adults? Instead of bitching about other people?

This exactly, nothing like supporting your new colleague, creating a collaborative environment and helping the next generation of nurses. And people wonder why so many new nurses never reach qualification or leave so soon. Jeez!
Pandoh · 18/02/2022 19:42

I always think anyone you say to someone else you should be happy for the person you're talking about to know, if you've been happy enough complaining about your colleague then it is shitty to not back your other colleague up. It sounds like perhaps something has been lost in translation- is the newly qualified aware that before her pin arrives she is essentially doing a HCA role? I can see why its dissaapointing to be fair, to complete your degree during a pandemic and then be waiting around for your PIN. It sounds like someone should talk to them though and outline expectations etc rather than this patheticness.

Pandoh · 18/02/2022 19:43

Anything*

Alonelonelylonersbadidea · 18/02/2022 20:11

This happened to me once, I had called out Someone on somebody serious which everyone knew about but nobody spoke up and I was left looking dreadful.
Shame on you OP.

Alonelonelylonersbadidea · 18/02/2022 20:11

Something serious

Lou98 · 18/02/2022 20:11

@NotNowBoris

I'm kind to shocked that your manager came in and shouted at B for raising an issue. Surely if she was mistaken she could have been informed of this in a professional manner. But yes, if you were present, it's a bit odd that you stood there and kept quiet instead of showing a bit of solidarity to your colleague whose concerns you shared.

C isn't the manager - she is just another colleague that A tried to bring in on her and the OPs bitching

JohannSebastianBach · 18/02/2022 21:20

If the two of you think the new colleague should be doing HCA work why not be professional and raise it politely with management instead of bitching?

Is the new colleague supposed to do HCA work until PIN comes through or has she been told to do something else?
You can't really blame her if she was told not to do HCA stuff.

Original poster
LouLouLou37 · 18/02/2022 21:45

But I do "HCA work" I step in and do my role and HCA role. It would be different if we all kept to our roles but we don't. Maybe that's her choice, but we all muck in on our ward

OP posts:
BlanketsBanned · 19/02/2022 09:50

What does your manager think nq should be doing. What does she refuse to do. Its not her fault her pin hasnt come through.

JustMaggie · 19/02/2022 10:10

I don't think I would have said anything either. I don't like it when people shout, it just makes me freeze. But also, I don't think I would have talked about it with my colleague. Next time take it to the manager.

BlanketsBanned · 19/02/2022 10:52

Instead of bitching about a nq who is waiting to get her pin why didnt you just sit down with her and her practice educator so everyone knows what she is expexted to do. This is someone you are going to be working with and you and your colleague moan about her behind her back which is really mean and unprofessional and report her to your manager already before she has even started.

ineedsun · 19/02/2022 10:56

You’re out of order, a- for bossing the new person about, b- for seemingly giving her shit jobs rather than sharing it out equally and helping her learn, c- for bitching, d- for throwing your friend under the bus