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

So sorry, but not surprised, to hear this. I managed over 30 yrs in the NHS, shit management, and toxic culture, and left as soon as I could take early retirement. Qualified nurse and midwife. Walk and don't look back 😡

@BirdyWoof That sounds horrendous. Sorry you had to experience that, at what should have been an amazing time of your life. 😔❤

I hope you reported her vile behaviour or somebody else did and she’s well away from that role.

Oh no, no, no.....this is entirely unacceptable. Firstly you do have to be trained to clean a wound the correct aseptic way. I am delighted you know how to do it but it wouldnt be the NHS way of doing it and if the patient were to find their wound infected...you would be the first person in trouble. You are not permitted to undertake any procedures for which you have not be trained and then undertaken the task under supervision first. I was a senior nurse and would have frankly taken any staff member including the medics to task for asking you to do any of those things. You should ask to speak to the training officer ASAP and make it clear that you are being put into situations you have not been trained for. The NHS is under shocking pressure at the moment, entirely due to the present government, but scapegoating care assistants is only going to make the situation worse. If you have been allocated a senior member of staff to watch over you....speak out now, before you do something you shouldnt.

I'm disgusted to hear this OP, what a horrible experience. You have enough to cope with , you must have felt dreadful. I can only suggest you contact your manager and report to them. I assure you, most nurses appreciate HCAs, and are fully aware of their worth. It will get easier.

OP I'm currently training to become a healthcare professional and am about to go on placement. We were discussing earlier this week how important it is not to perform any tasks outside your realm of responsibility. You did exactly the right thing in saying no.

It sounds like you're doing a fantastic job. All the best for your future nursing career. It sounds like you're perfect for the job!

Sorry for your bad experience my DD2 is a senior HCA in our trust and a great deal of high-level training but qualified staff should not be asking you to do things you are not allowed to or have not been trained to do. My DD works permanently on A&E and its fast paced. It might be better to build your skill set up on slower paced wards first.

Melon, HCA should not be giving meds in hospital, unless the nurse observes it, supposing they had been last nights or another patient took them. it may sound reasonable to help a patient but is the nurses job and responsibility. You say you didnt check the tablets werent left over from the night before, why are tablets from the night before being left out in the first place, they should have been given and signed for by the nurse or discarded. All drugs have a side effect, controlled drugs can be "safer than a lot of trolley drugs and at least,east tney are checked by 2 nurses (hopefully).

Op. It’s hard but hang in there. It’s shit and the nurses and doctors are like that as they are so busy. It’s hard not to take it personally though. They are not your friends but colleagues. You are doing a good job and it’s blady hard as well. Keep talking to us.

So you’ve been wards and to a fracture clinic, done a night shift and a day shift straight afterwards. Very unusual shift pattern and placements whilst you’re supernumerary and in your first week. Have you spoken to your mentor about this?
Did you do any aseptic technique training?

why were the doctors asking for paracetamol? Was that in fracture clinic too? Did they not have technicians doing the casts. The hospital must have been very quiet to have a very senior nurse with capacity to spend time in a fracture clinic.
Is it in the U.K.?

Eh actually no you can't just administer paracetamol or clean wounds (regardless of whether or not you can do it at home). You have to be trained and signed off as competent, and actually there are procedures in place to ensure patient safety so she is quite right to refuse doing something she isn't trained to do and risk being struck off before she's even started!

I was wondering that myself, it seems a very bizarre first week, even if she is a bank HCA. She'd have a shadow shift in each area, I would have thought, and more training than an hour's online study. Maybe it's not the NHS but a private hospital, or, as you say, overseas.

Hospital environments are toxic and full of bullies and then they blame everyone but themselves for why their so short staffed

I was going to say exactly this atronger I value your role and ability to stand firm (and not put patients at risk too) and you sound like the type of person who will grow from this experience and remember to treat others well when you qualify as a nurse if you do choose to when it’s right time. All the best.

What colour are they in Scotland? Here in England RN wear blue and the HCA wear a teal colour. The there's tons of uniforms... doctors would easily ask anyone it is not uncommon.

Like a baptism of fire OP. Hang on in there and ignore all these numpties who have NO idea about how wards are run. If you can survive this then you’ll make a fab nurse.

You know this because??

@Mege2

I think anyone who’s ever worked on wards knows this. I mean it’s not some sort of secret knowledge. They can be incredibly toxic environments which is why so many nurses would rather work in the community.

It’s not as simple as that.
in many care scenarios you can’t give basic medicines without 2 members of staff signing it off, even if it’s just paracetamol.

everything needs to be properly documented

The RCN and NMC have also come under fire for bullying and not being fit for purpose.

This was my experience as a student ODP too.

Nurses eat their young.

From experience of myself,family and friends working in hospitals over the past 30 years

The toxic culture on hospital wards is also why so many student nurses drop out of their degree early on. It doesnt get better once you qualify either.
What you've seen OP is pretty standard everywhere, and the community isn't any better.

Sounds shocking but not remotely surprising.
I hope you stick it out. Hospitals desperately need people like you and given what you’ve said I expect many people do it for a day and never return.

@formulatingAresponse

True. It used to be that you did your time on the wards and then you had the joy of community nursing but even that’s not much better now.

Lots of similarities between the NHS and Education. Both sectors experience a lot of bullying and staff are institutionalised.

@Neanov

Again not strictly true.

Ive been in trusts where hcas were lilac, brown, and a light turquoise, teal was band 6 in one trusts where as in others it was a darker blue and grey.

Theres calls for standardised uniforms but it hasn't been implemented. So if you go between hospitals or trusts, knowing job role from colour of uniform is next to impossible