To wonder how you'd have dealt with this (rude colleague)

[Poppiesinautumn]

This morning I was helping lift an elderly gentleman in hospital and I was chatting a bit as I did so.

Then we went to put the soiled sheets in the laundry.

Colleague turns to me and said in a really exaggerated tone 'Woah. Chill.' I was [ hmm] 'what?' 'Chill. You're babbling. Shush. Just - chill.'

I didn't say a word, just sort of raised my eyebrow.

I wish I'd said don't be so rude or something now - but the moment passed; what would you have said?

I wouldn't have said anything then, but I might have a quiet word with her away from the patients to see if she has a problem with chatting while working.

Saying 'chill' implies that you are crazy or hot headed so that's weird....

My first thought would be that maybe I was talking too fast or too loud. She sounds like she was abrupt but it is a pretty specific thing to say...so I wouldn't just tar her as rude. I'd look at my communication

cheeky bugger; you weren't babbling at all but exchanging friendly chat with an elderly gent, because "that's what normal people do...right?".

You have to ask yourself if the criticism was justified first, before calling her rude. It may have been either inappropriate content of conversation in her opinion or maybe just too much , or maybe while doing personal care she felt just reassurance was more appropriate .
Ask her first what was wrong and if needed, then ask your line manager for guidance.

You have to learn to take criticism if its justified.

Gate Well she MAY have been babbling. We weren't there were we? It seems a pretty specific way to criticize someone to me.

Without knowing what you said it's impossible to say whether or not your colleague was rude or OTT.

I would probably have just shut up...because it's a very specific comment (albeit rude) so you probably were babbling.

I honestly wasn't babbling :)

To be honest even if I was I think it was rude but it was just good morning and then I said something like whoops, excuse me! as I was rolling him over and he chuckled and said (jokingly) my wife might as well be here throwing me round like that and I laughed and said ooh I won't tell her you said that don't worry! So there was a bit of a laugh and a joke (I know the gentleman pretty well as he's been in since July.)

I know it can be annoying with people who won't shut up and I can be chatty but not in an annoying way. Well most people say I'm nice!

She does have form for being a but difficult.

Hmm. It doesn't sound as tho she was trying to be rude to me either tbh.

Maybe she had a headache and really just wasn't in the mood to listen to you wittering on.

Were you chatting to your colleague or to the man?

Were you babbling away to your colleague or the patient? We're either of them able to get a word in edgeways or was it you giving a monologue?

Sorry, cross post!

not really helpful - but if someone tells you to chill or calm down then to be honest it's just the sort of thing that would wind me up hugely. as in- don't tell me what to do, i AM chilled. aka i'd be thinking "fuck off colleague

Well it does not sound like you were babbly. I HAVE to ask though..do you have a "Special Work Voice"?

My old colleague in a theatre bar was nice but when she spoke to customers her voice would go really high and annoying.

Maybe she was hungover and couldn't take any more!

The thing is ladies (well I am assuming you're all ladies! ) - I have never had one complaint. I'm always spoken of highly and my recent appraisal says 'cheerful, compassionate, reliable and competent.'

I am honestly not posting to try and be told I'm annoying or babbling - if someone has 'taken' my chat as babbling then I regret that but to be honest I'm not going to change because one difficult person has an issue.

What I'm wondering is how best to respond when people are just rude and you're a bit

I realise it's tempting to speculate on whether i was babbling or not but that's not my question :)

Maw I'd be seriously worried if she was hungover and working with critically ill people. I work in a hospital not a supermarket.

But do you have a special work voice? Do you?

In all honesty, I would have just smiled at this(? Patients) comment instead of taking it further.

How well do you know this colleague? Have you worked with her before?

Sounds to me as if you simply have different styles, and she perhaps interpreted your cheerful banter as the sort of babbling that can happen when people are anxious/nervous.

No it wasn't the patient. It was my colleague. I don't think I do have a special work voice at all no.

Um - can anybody advise me on, you know, what I asked

'Maybe she was hungover and couldn't take any more!'

At work?

It sounds as if the gentleman enjoyed your chatting OP. Your colleague is probably in the wrong job.

chatting/babbling puts people at ease.
dont take offence, she is obviously in the wrong job, not you

Early bird a few times yes; she is known to be difficult (I'm not saying I am perfect!)

I suppose I don't like feeling I've been told off like some naughty kid for doing my job and doing it well. Obviously I won't say anything now. But I'm wondering for future reference I guess.