To loose my shit over this...?

[malificent7]

On placement during a practical two of the students laughed as i made a silly mistake ...it was daft and i normally wouldnt sweat it but they kept laughing and talking as though i wasn't there saying things such as " she did this, this and this....." Basically having a joke at my expense. I know i wasnt making it up as another student touched my arm in a reassuring way and told me " its ok."
Ive noticed another occasion during lunch when they are talking about me as though im not there.
If it happens again should i say something or rise above it. Of course i don't want to show that it's got to me but i feel they could do with a good dressing down..
In context they are a good 20 years younger than me but i am fuming....

this sounds like shit, OP but i think it's better to try to ignore it if it's 2 out of a group and the others are ok. Do they laugh at others or just you? that could be due to your age - speak to your mentor or the instructor about it in confidence. It's up to them to shut this down.

you mentioned that you have to be nice to them? actually, you don't. You have to be professional. It is perfectly easy to be professional and surface ok and communicate the underlying tone that you think they're shit on your shoe without anyone at all being able to pull you up on it.

Keep going - you'll be fine in the end.

I would say. Don't talk about me like this, it's rude. They will inevitably say they aren't talking about you, or they can talk about what they like or something, but you can just repeat that and walk away. You don't have to be clever or sarcastic, just make it clear that you won't have it. It worked for me with my boss.

Hmmm...it's hard for sure dealing with these idiots.

Next time...hard glare, and something along the lines of 'oh I do so love being back at school...oh wait! This is a professional placement children...'eye roll.

Is it possible to pause and wait until they're finished talking?

Next time...hard glare, and something along the lines of 'oh I do so love being back at school...oh wait! This is a professional placement children...'eye roll.

And when they make a dig back at her age OP will say they it's age discrimination.
Seriously these responses are completely unnecessary.

It is a girl and a boy and i think she is trying to impress him as it's her that starts with the sly digs ...
I am pissed off as i was on the last placement and i was kind to her even though she isn't my kind of person
After placement she completely ignored me then the day before the next placement she texted me to ask where i was going to park. I was kind enough to shiw her a good place to park and a short cut in to the hospital.
Then the guy at uni..i overheard him say something to his friend about me in his own language ( heard him mention my name) i thought he was a dick and was nervous he was on my placement.
Turned out we got on ok ...quite well...i think this girls is jealous ....but now i think they are both dicks...
First instincts are right evidently.

Yes the age thing is irrelevant...immaturity however is not...we are all professionals.

Then deal with it professionally and follow the proper channels.

I used to get this when I was much younger, and starting out lecturing. It was a small group of low ability students who could not really engage with the curriculum, and so through chatting and heckling was ok. I shut them down with sarcasm, asking them if they were 'experts' on the subject and if so 'why they needed training?'. They all left my course and got their credits somewhere else as they didn't like being challenged. There are small pockets of these people in lots of walks of life, sadly. We all make mistakes, and in most job roles that is an important learning curve or point of reflection. If you confront them then you send a message to the other students about how to deal with abuse. You won't change the perpetrators...bullying is entrenched, entitled behaviour sadly and reflects their own deep insecurity about your knowledge and academic role.

through...thought

If you feel comfortable, could you say something like “you do realise I can hear you talking about me and if you’ve got feedback you think I’d benefit from, I’d prefer you gave it to me directly”

I’d gently make them realise I was aware of them and if they continued to make me feel uncomfortable, I’d raise it with the supervisor that the behaviour is distracting and unprofessional. You’re meant to make mistakes on placements, you can’t learn without going wrong sometimes!

Definitely don't lose your shit but do deal with it. I would show them how much more mature you are. I would approach it as if it was bullying in the workplace (which really it is). Confront them directly and let them know that their behaviour is inappropriate and unprofessional and that if they continue you'll escalate it and make a formal complaint about them.

That’s horrible. You need to have a firm word with these girls, they need to learn some manners and empathy. Some kids are quite frankly spoilt, they’re overpraised for the sake of their “self esteem”. You’ll feel better about the situation if you have words and they’ll learn a life lesson no one else has taught them.

It’s horrible and bullying.

I’d escalate this myself.

If you can, confront them and state clearly that their actions are bullying.

If that doesn’t stop them, take it to your supervisor for an informal chat.

If that doesn’t stop them, ask for a formal word.

Etc taking it higher.

Bullies are only stopped by being called out, in my book.

Don't say that! "I have noticed 3 times..." will be thrown back at you, hard !

Something shorter is required. A question that is unanswerable is good... very PA, easy to remember, causes no issues with anyone else...

Something funny?
What's the joke?

Tell them clearly "please stop laughing at me".

I think that's all you need to do.

Stink eye them and ask if they wear pink on Wednesdays........

Are there any other members of staff around when they are behaving like this? If the radiographers you are working with have noticed can they give you support or tell them to behave professionally? Clinical placement is as much about learning professional behavior as well as practical skills. I would speak to your clinicam placement tutor if it continues.

Either that or follow Foslady advice 👌

Why would you ignore people being rude to you? You are apparently all adults although they are younger than you. Being rude to soneone in a professional environment is not acceptable and should not be tolerated.

Simply say "stop being so rude". If they don't stop, escalate it.

Since you're all presumably in the NHS for your placement didn't you all have to sign something like doctors and nurses do, even as students, about professional conduct in the workplace and all? Didn't you all get a copy of various policies including bullying and harassment at least be made aware of where they are on the intranet? And don't radiographers have a code of conduct?

I'm guessing she didn't encounter many nurses yet as many of them would soon sit on behaviour like that.

And if the terrible twosome are behaving this way towards you what on earth is their attitude to patients like? Equally sneering? Not all the patients they're dealing with are going to be perfect 20 something specimens like they are who evidently (think they) understand things at a snap of the fingers, or hasn't that sunk in yet? I'd be inclined to say something along the lines of, thank you for your valued feedback, it's so good to know you know everything there is to know about your chosen profession already including appropriate standards of professional conduct towards other colleagues. I'm sure your patients will be equally reassured by your approach. Followed by the sweetest smile you can myster while looking daggers at them over your teacup.

And don't eat lunch with them, grit your teeth and have a conspicuously marked diary or calendar in red with the date when you wont have to put up with their sniping any longer that you leave open when they're around. And for God's sake stop helping this little snip with things like finding parking spaces and make her do her own work there as well or she'll continue to see you as a pushover instead of the kind and friendly person someone more mature would see. Sounds like taking the bus might do her good anyway, suspect she's spent her entire life getting others to do things for her.

How many more of these placements do you have to get through and is she likely to be on them?

You mention you're struggling, what are you finding difficult? Could you go and talk to your mentor about that in the first instance and just ask for clarification on the professional standards expected in the workplace at the same time? Good luck with the rest of your course and good on you for retraining when you're a bit older.

*muster not myster

Aaagh smartphones

"please stop laughing at me". Beg them to stop doing something they will deny? No.. you have to apply a bit more thought. People who do this are well versed in batting off criticism. If you respond normally they will have a tactic in place and often make their 'victim' out to be the bullier.

That's why I suggested short sharp non emotional questions like "What's so funny". How are they going to answer that when they have obviously been laughing?

Nothing...
Erm, mutter mumble
You, you're just so fucking awful at this aren't you?

Either one of those puts them on the back foot, shows them in a poor light...

And what Foslady said Maybe that first, really throw them off their stride

I’d ignore it. Seriously it’s only going to fall on deaf ears, they will twist it. It’s just ammunition for them.

Stipe being nice to them. Civil. But not nice.

And then if they ask and I bet the girl will ask “is everything ok” you can say something to her then. I would say
“I think if you want to take the piss and talk about me then that’s your look out, but I don’t know what you’re expecting in return from me”

HELP..
1st year midwifery student here. I am writing for some advice. So, I’m on my 6th week of placement (in total), so very new at this. I have 2 mentors in my community placement that I don’t feel really like me. Both have commented on the fact that I’m giggly and have deemed it inappropriate behaviour. I was doing a book in for a lady today, she was with her partner we were all having a laugh and chat whilst I was doing it. I feel like I can read the room and reciprocated the energy i got from them.

my mentor pulled me up afterwards and said I was unprofessional and she as a midwife felt uncomfortable sitting there. I am very upset by this. Didn’t really know what to say apart from apologise. Not even because I was hurt but she said that these women are putting their trust in us and I come across really unprofessional, and I didn’t want to make women feel uncomfortable or worried etc.

I am very bubbly and jolly, I of course can change if the situation is serious or I’m actively listening etc, like I don’t just burst into laughter for nothing. I’m scared now as I don’t feel like I can change. I don’t feel as if I was doing anything wrong? So now I’m wondering if there is something wrong with me? Am I deluded that I can’t see I’m doing something I shouldn’t be doing? Do I have a condition I don’t know about?

does anyone have any advice or opinion on what I can do to be better? Or understand if I’m being unprofessional? Thankyou x