To tell you about my first week as a HCA in a hospital?

[atronger]

I am gobsmacked.

I didn't get any training. I did an online video training series, that lasted about an hour. Then done.

Some competencies like blood pressure checks etc signed off by a RN during my shift. And that's it

Second day in and I was asked to administer paracemtol twice by two different doctors! I said to them both I'm not a nurse. I cannot administer drugs but I can ask someone to do it. They both told me off, and the last one told me I was 'just being useless'

I was on a morning shift today and a senior nurse was extremely rude to me because I couldn't fix a cast (fracture clinic). I am not trained to! More snidey remarks

Yesterday I was on a night shift and asked by a senior nurse to help clean a wound. Didn't really feel it waa my place to do so, spoke out about it but she showed me once and I got it, so did the other leg for this very lovely patient. All fine. But felt pressured to do it when I wasn't really sure I was allowed. Was completely brushed off like I was being ridiculous and of course I could. Then got a telling off by ward sister for doing so

I came into this because I'm very interested in becoming a Nurse when the time is right in my personal life. But I'm shocked at how some medical staff speak to their colleagues

@MrsHMarsh I said 'I've never been shown or taught how to. Really sorry'. He just tutted at me and said something under his breath

I felt so useless. But I was the called over to help someone into x ray and had to do that, so moved on very quickly

That sounds bad. A friend of mine has just started working as a HCA and they had a week of classroom training and then time was allocated for training on the ward (they were an extra person for a certain amount of time).

It’s pretty funny that as a hca in the nhs I wasn’t allowed near a paracetamol. But as a (more lowly) home carer I can administer warfarin/insulin etc.

Have helped with toileting a good few times and bothers me none. But even as a basic HCA, I am finding myself too busy to even chat and reassure patients which just goes to show how busy some hospitals are

I'm A&E for example I was helping clean up a bloody wound that was everywhere on this poor man's skin and hair etc

It's definitely more hands on than I thought I'd get to do which is really nice actually

.

Damn right you can't administer drugs to patroness without the correct training and support/supervision. The cast well that's just ridiculous without the above and the same with wound cleaning you did the right thing speaking out. Well done OP stick at it and don't be afraid to say if you are not trained as it's your job on the line and that patient deserves the correct treatment.

I do really feel for you OP. I once had a healthcare assistant come and prepare me for an ECG. I had to undress from the top and had nothing on underneath and she was desperately looking around to find something to help me cover myself but couldn’t find anything. When she tried to get a nurses attention she was blatantly ignored. She was very apologetic and lovely, and so stressed.

An hca in a carehome should only administer meds once they have completed their medication training. Community is very different to a hospital where hca do not give any medications and nurses can get disciplined by their trust or the NMC for asking them to carry out tasks they are not covered to do. OP, how long have you worked as an HCA, is it just one week or were you in gynae before.

HCAs come in all degrees of capabilities and some of the more experienced seem to do the day-to-day running of some wards. Some though are chucked in at the deep and end and have no idea (no training or shadowing) which is very unfair to both them, their colleagues and the patients.

I have great respect for the majority who do what seems to be mostly a thankless task.

I'm speaking from the sharp end and am extremely grateful.

Gynae and A&E are completely different worlds.

Welcome to the NHS. Very much a case of "see one, do one" in some places.

@Keyansier it’s not about knowing how to give paracetamol. It’s that only registered staff, ie nurses, can give medication to patients.
get your facts straight before criticising the OP

As a frequent gastro ward inmate I concur 🤢

A friend recently started a job as an HCA. She had at least a week's training before starting. She opted to work as a Bank HCA in the end rather than be stuck on one ward plus it gives her flexibility. She can pick and choose shifts so doesn't have to return to any where the staff are rude.

I won't give in. I really enjoyed the environment so will be returning despite these rude staff members. Really felt like I was making a difference to very unwell people and enjoyed myself

Gynae definitely my favourite so far though, and seems slower paced (nurse I worked alongside said she enjoyed her job a lot there)

There's a difference to cleaning a wound at home to doing it in a medical setting For example my daughter had a bad cut on her shin. It tore into her layer's of flesh was awful. They didn't think she would sit still long enough for stitches because of autism and ADHD. So they used lot's of steri strips instead and bandanged the bottom half of her leg and foot. I have often patched her up myself but in this instance I couldn't. It was hard for me to even look at it never mind clean and dress.

I had to take her back to the hospital every 3 days for a dressing change. If the dressing started to come off they told me to take her back not to do it myself. It wasn't someone who has had an hour's online training could have done. They have to know what to use to clean the wound and the correct dressings to use to prevent infection etc.

You wouldn't be allowed to administer medication in any care home I've worked in.

Really not surprised you've experienced this. NHS is full of arrogant staff who don't care if it's your first day on the job. One of the many reasons why I left.

This just sounds completely nuts to me. I'm a nurse but I don't work in the UK. You need to do a one year course here to become a HCA and HCA's don't even take obs, they help with personal care, assist with feeding, stocking up supplies etc. They would never in a million years be expected to administer medication or do wound dressings. Things sound very different there.

I found when i was a HCA every just assumed u knew what to do despite the whole role being based on experience not training. I worked various HCA roles and did everything i could from wound care to bloods and all realms of personal care known, but never once did that entail administering medication, even paracetamol, i could assist a patient taking it, but not sign off of take it from meds trolleys. You have to be a qualified nurse or associate for that.

Alongside my nursing degree i work as a HCA and its amazing once people see my ID that says student/bank hca how many people ask me to do things i cant when working as a HCA. Its so fast-paced though, i don't think senior staff stop and think about the task they are asking you to do at the time sometimes.

You're new. You need to give your colleagues time to get to know your abilities. Equally, you need to give it time to get to know your colleagues' personalities. Guaranteed, some of the ones you think are rude now will actually turn out to be the best people you'll ever work with.

I was an inpatient last year and actually it was the HCA that were the nicest most caring staff it was like the rest of the staff didn't give a shit. Oh and one ward manager who was brilliant and told me they had done a massive drop in steroids which was questionable.

This needs escalating OP!!!

HR, matron, maybe even PALS?

Check your Trust’s staff intranet page to see if they have any “Freedom to speak up guardians”. You will be able to raise your concerns in confidence.

Also contact your Trust’s education/training department. They will have a record of all the training you have completed (this includes eLearning modules that you just do online). They will also be able to tell you what mandatory training is applicable to your role.

Do not let senior staff and doctors bully you and make you feel inferior. Do not be a pushover. Your patients and their well-being should be every staff’s number 1 priority, sadly some senior staff don’t think like that.

The NHS is notorious for miscommunication. Bullying is rife. But stand your ground and if you ever unsure of anything ask someone you trust. There are a hell of a lot of dickheads but there are also a hell of a lot of caring, kind and compassionate people. People who will be willing to help and guide you.

You sound like you will make a fantastic HC and nurse if you take this further. Your treatment from senior staff just needs to be nipped in the bud now.

Yes but the NHS treats whistleblowers appallingly. The OP would be out on her ear.

I worked in fit testing during the pandemic, PPE fitting basically. Dressed in a suit and heels as im basically an IT bod on secondment, the nurses were most put out I couldn’t clean on my hands and knees or do other jobs they tried to find me between appointments rather than focus on my admin so i wasnt up til midnight doing that.

my experience from the front line is this a half the staff work like dogs and the other half a lazy bastards. If they could find some way of meeting in the middle, I’m sure everybody be happier.

Of course she would.