Was I overreacting or was this woman just very rude?

[Clubtropicanadrinksarenotfree]

It's agency work so thank goodness I don't need to see her again.
We're supporting a lady who's quadriplegic, 2 of us working at her supported living home. I'm agency and she's one of the permanent staff.

I've only done one night shift here before but never a day one, the other night shift staff member had been lovely and welcoming.

Anyway he had told me that some of his colleagues 'hate' agency staff, which didn't exactly fill me with confidence.

I arrived and l make some polite conversation with her, just 1 or 2 questions, then she instantly put in her headphones to make it clear she didn't want to talk. This is fine, I mean I don't expect to chat all day long but I thought she'd make the bare minimum of polite conversation.

She was mostly fine then and the actual work we had to do was very minimal, there was a lot of sitting around but still no conversation, maybe one comment from her and that's it. In 11 hours.

I then assisted her with moving and handling. I put some pillows in the wrong position for the client which I understand is annoying, but the colleague snapped, NO, I SAID under her feet. She then sighed and said 'jesus'.
I bit my tongue but I was very close to telling her not to speak to me like that.

Generally she would tell me if she'd need me to assist with the client or not as at one point I followed her to the lady's room and she said no you can stay here until I call you.

A while later she was with the client. She then came in and said angrily, "Are you coming?!" And pulled that exasperated face at me. I apologised as I genuinely hadn't heard her call me.

There's a sign at the front of the room which outline 'agency' jobs. Then it says 'permanent staff will give you clear instructions regarding what to do and when'.

About 15 minutes before the end of the shift she told me, "Next time, you need to make sure you clean the toilet and mop the bathroom at 7pm."

This information hadn't been passed onto me at all so I said I was sorry I hadn't been told that was my task. Then she went "That's why it's in big writing so you can read it."

I defended myself again but I figured she's just a nasty piece of work.
Also how she was talking about the client on the phone, the client's room is only next door. She was speaking like the client was 3 years old, not 35.

I didn't even say bye to her, just left and vowed I wouldn't be returning there.
I understand it's annoying to work with agency staff and we may get things wrong, but we are there to help. I didn't like her rude attitude.
Was I overreacting? What would you have done?

If this was in front of the client I would complain.

I’m an NHS nurse, we are currently surviving thanks to agency staff and we are really grateful.

Yes I should maybe. I mean I don't know if anything will come of it, maybe she will get a telling off. I'm not out for 'revenge' or anything, I just hate being treated like that. Luckily most people I've worked with are nice but I've had 2 or 3 like her.

She behaved like that in the home of the lady you were supporting? That's not on, I'd report it (and I saw that as someone who works in safeguarding)

You shouldn’t be treated like that at all. The client shouldn’t have to be around someone like that either.
So many people lacking empathy seem to be attracted to looking after people.

I mean she was saying on the phone that the lady 'wasn't very demanding today" and had 'given her an easy day as she didn't have to do much for her". The lady was in the next room and she is completely compus mentis, not that it would be ok if she wasn't either

I know, it's so strange. You do sometimes get people who seem pissed off at being there, maybe they struggle to find other work but it's not an excuse

It was rude but try not to take it personally and be glad you don’t have to work with her full time.
I have experience of being the permanent staff, expected to work with agency staff every shift and having to teach them every day. It’s mentally draining. Often it still feels you are working alone as it’s easier to do the tasks yourself rather than having to explain every single thing. Many agency staff aren’t proactive either.
Its really not your fault though and I’m generalising as I have experienced good agency staff too.
Also, If she has earphones in, does she not speak to the client??

Can you imagine someone creating that sort of atmosphere in your home. Sounds horrible, I would feedback to the agency.

So many people lacking empathy seem to be attracted to looking after people.

Thats a really good point - I think it's because the care industry is so desparate for staff that as long as you've got a clean record they'll give you a job.

OP - i'm sorry you were treated like this. I would just not go there anymore. Thats probably why they're using agency staff in the first place. It's unusual for a care environment that only looks after one client to use agency.

She had one earphone in (on the side that I was facing)
So she could still hear the client if she called her from her room
I can understand it's frustrating to work with lots of different people. It really puts me off doing the work as you feel you're a hindrance and I don't want them to have to keep explaining, but many places need constant agency staff in order to stay operational

Bit confused, how your colleague is going to hear the client calling for assistance if necessary when she has earphones on... not only unprofessional but neglectful?
This really does not sound like a happy supportive atmosphere for the client... so I would definitely be reporting this to your agency.

I only go back to places where I'm a regular, I don't think I will go to any new places as of now

It seems that the client is permanently bedbound, maybe they come to the living room in their chair sometimes but I haven't seen this happen so far.
The staff are based in her living room

You need to report her behaviour for the sake of the lady you were supporting. I a member of my team were behaving like this, I would consider it a safeguarding to the children in our care.

Please write a detailed description of everything you observed and send it to someone senior in the supported living complex, asking them to ensure that the family is informed if appropriate.

She was unpleasant and your feelings are totally valid. I agree that you should make them aware, she was behaving in a very unprofessional way, in front of a client and presumably does with all agency workers, if it known some people “hate” them. She shouldn’t be letting her personal feelings about the use of agency staff impact how she treats them (particularly in front of clients - it must feel incredibly awkward). If she has issues with agency workers she needs to speak to someone about her concerns/reasons rather than assuming the worst of all agency staff. Sorry this happened to you OP, I’m glad you don’t have to go back.

She was extremely rude and unprofessional and I would complain!

Thank you for the help. Sometimes I hate how we're referred to as 'the agency!'
In another place I went to they needed someone to go to another building for 15 minutes and the manager said, "I'll send the agency." Meaning me

Thank you for the help. Sometimes I hate how we're referred to as 'the agency!'
In another place I went to they needed someone to go to another building for 15 minutes and the manager said, "I'll send the agency." Meaning me

It seems like this client has a very poor quality of life. I imagine she doesn’t want to ask for anything as she knows how the staff feel about her.

The thing is she literally could have asked me to clean the toilet at 7 and I would have done so right away. I really don't know why she decided to just make passive aggressive comments instead, I'm not a mind reader.

The other staff member seemed great, very clear instructions, patient and friendly.

What would you have done?

Told her in no uncertain terms not to be so damn rude.

I would also complain in writing about her attitude and complete unprofessionalism. Include the examples you have listed in you opening post, there is NO excuse for that behaviour towards you or the client NONE.

I think you need to be more assertive with people like her and call her out on the way she is speaking to you. There are lots of care jobs and if she is going to treat people like shit she is going to make it harder for her team to find agency support when they need it.

I should have been more assertive, I think it's just because I knew I'd be going very soon and would never see her again. However she is probably like that to other agency staff so I need to speak up for their sake.

That's the reason I'll never work in care again, the people I had to work with are awful. And that's been my experience in two different care homes. Some are awful to other workers and some sickened me by the way they spoke about the residents.

I can see why you weren't very assertive in getting her told, you're way more professional than she is and she caught you off guard with the shitty attitude. I complained about a lady I was working with and was basically just sighed at (apparently she'd been complained about a few times but there wasn't a 'real' reason to sack her) so I left. It's ridiculous.