To think this maskless woman should not be working in a hospital?

[PeachyBottom]

Went for a blood test this morning. The area leading to where they are taken is very cramped with small cubicles running off there.

There was a phlebotomist working in the next cubicle to mine without a mask on. She was standing at the opening to my cubicle chatting loudly and laughing to the phlebotomist taking my sample so three of us in very enclosed quarters (no windows) and her breath everywhere.

I was shocked someone would be working in close quarters with lots of members of the public in a hospital without a mask. The ridiculousness of it made me quite angry actually!

AIBU to think that if this person couldn’t wear a mask in these circumstances, she shouldn’t be at work?

I bet she had an exemption but it does seem like a bad idea to work with patients if you can't wear one!

@stablefeet

I think it would have been better to speak up at the time. Nothing nasty, just hold your hand out in a "stop" motion and say something like "hold on, I'm not comfortable with you being so close and chatting here. Could you move further away please?" actually no need to mention the lack of mask.

Have you ever tried asking people to socially distance? It usually leads to a lot of aggression, people don't like being criticised in public and health care workers are in a position of power over patients. I definitely would complain to someone else rather than risk a confrontation with this person.

I was shocked someone would be working in close quarters with lots of members of the public in a hospital without a mask. The ridiculousness of it made me quite angry actually
Do you realise that teachers who work closely to small, snotty members of the public are actually not allowed to wear masks? Although I agree this woman should have worn one.

Yanbu to be angry. I agree that's absolutely terrible.

@TheGoogleMum

I bet she had an exemption but it does seem like a bad idea to work with patients if you can't wear one!

Then she should not be in a patient facing role.

Bizarre. In our trust, anyone who truly can't wear a mask can't be patient facing.

You can’t discriminate against someone working In a hospital and not wearing a mask. They don’t have to and you need to suck it up. If you were truly unhappy with her being there you should have just said you weren’t comfortable her being near you and she would have moved away.

@CaptainMyCaptain

I was shocked someone would be working in close quarters with lots of members of the public in a hospital without a mask. The ridiculousness of it made me quite angry actually Do you realise that teachers who work closely to small, snotty members of the public are actually not allowed to wear masks? Although I agree this woman should have worn one.

And that has nothing to do with healthcare workers putting their patients at risk.

She might have had a good reason not to wear one, but if so she should take extra to minimise the risk of contact with others, eg staying in her own cubicle/ work space and not stopping for a chat at the edge of a small, occupied cubicle.

There is no valid reason for a phlebotomist not wear a mask.

Why, do they have some magical powers that protect them against all the issues that might need a mask exemption?

@CharlotteRose90

You can’t discriminate against someone working In a hospital and not wearing a mask. They don’t have to and you need to suck it up. If you were truly unhappy with her being there you should have just said you weren’t comfortable her being near you and she would have moved away.

Re-deploy to a non-patient facing role - patients should not be put at additional risk by staff.

If she is medically exempt from wearing a mask she should not be in contact with the public. It gives a conflicting message

Yes YABU.....and very judgmental. You have no way of knowing why this lady wasn't wearing a mask.

Far too many interfering busybodies around these day.

@MaxNormal

There is no valid reason for a phlebotomist not wear a mask.

Why, do they have some magical powers that protect them against all the issues that might need a mask exemption?

Re-deploy to a non-patient facing role - patients should not be put at additional risk by staff. Phlebotomy clinics are full of clinically extremely vulnerable patients.

[quote OverTheRainbow88]@Indecisive12

Isn’t that discriminating against a potential health or mental health issue?[/quote]
Nope, you need to make reasonable adjustments for physical and mental health issues, which would mean redeployment to a non-patient facing role rather than firing her for being unable to perform a core requirement of her role.

If you can’t wear PPE in an area that requires it, you can’t work in that area. This isn’t a new issue for the NHS - you would not be employed as a theatre nurse if you couldn’t wear a mask either.

If she can't wear masks, she could have worn a visor, surely?

@BeaSmithers

Yes YABU.....and very judgmental. You have no way of knowing why this lady wasn't wearing a mask.

Far too many interfering busybodies around these day.

Would you be happy to be treated by a healthcare worker without a mask if you had an extremely compromised immune system?

@Spidey66

If she can't wear masks, she could have worn a visor, surely?

Visors are pointless without a mask.

Government advice from June is very clear:

www.gov.uk/government/news/face-masks-and-coverings-to-be-worn-by-all-nhs-hospital-staff-and-visitors

@leafygarden42

33% say you're being unreasonable! Utterly ridiculous. Of course she should have had a mask on.

No ifs or buts.

Nurse here.

Talking and especially laughing will force any potential virus out quite fast. I was impressed by Waitrose door staff.. Two young laughing chatting women in front of me were not allowed in.

You only have to look at the Perspex screens post offices and banks have to see the spittle spray dots from non mask wearers.

It is quite gross.

@Spidey66

If she can't wear masks, she could have worn a visor, surely?

Current guidance is that NHS staff should wear both, plus an apron and gloves, in all amber and red pathway patient-facing roles.

The hospital I worked at, we had to wear a mask and goggles/visor at all times. Even in the staff room we had to wear them unless eating!! (I know things differ from hospital to hospital)

If you walked around the corridors with your goggles off, other staff would sometimes report you! Especially in AE.
Exempt staff were given a more admin type role
if possible or were not allowed to come in at all to prevent them coming in to direct contact with patients.

@Spidey66

If she can't wear masks, she could have worn a visor, surely?

Visors, alone, are no use. A covid outbreak in my mother in law's sheltered housing complex was traced back to the volunteers in the shop who only wore visors. 25% of residents and staff then caught it.

@CaptainMyCaptain and @SycamoreGap
Fair enough, it would have been better than nothing though!

[quote Spidey66]**@CaptainMyCaptain* and @SycamoreGap*
Fair enough, it would have been better than nothing though![/quote]
No it wouldn't. Visors alone offer no protection.