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

OP I don't know what Trust you are working for but this seems very wrong indeed. I would not want to be treated in your hospital. This sounds really dodgy
DS1 worked as an HCA at Addenbrookes and they had at least a week of classroom based training before they were on the ward, if not more. They were made very aware not to do anything they were not explicitly authorised to do. There was then a Competency Certificate (?) that is work based learning and has to be completed within 3 months, which involves being observed doing tasks which are then signed off by a member of staff.

You are generalising. Never have I worked ina ward where there was bullying that I know of. However I am aware it happened in other wards.

@Mege2

Its not a generalisation I’m from a family of nurses and they all say the same. You can’t just dismiss that because you happen to work on a pleasant ward. It sounds like you have zero contextual awareness.

Here we go contextual awareness… now you are being defensive. Iv worked in many specialities over the years bullying does not happen everywhere.

Again it dosn’t happen everywhere.

@Mege2

Why do you think I am getting defensive? I disagreed with your comment re: generalising. I think there’s a huge, systemic, bullying culture within the NHS, particularly on wards and there are others who agree with me. If anyone is sounding defensive right now it’s you.

I don’t need to be defensive. What I have experienced is my experience.

@Mege2

That’s great news for you. You’re in the minority though. I can refer you to some papers about ward cultures if you like? Also bullying management? Blame culture? I mean you would be spoilt for choice. You’re hell bent on dismissing everyone else’s experiences, are you a senior manager? 😜.

As I say just telling my experience on wards. Didn’t you read my last post 😃

@Mege2

I’ll take that as a no to the papers then 😉.

Zero contextual awareness. Nada, zilch.

What an absolute load of shit. You must be a REGISTERED nurse to administer medication in hospital and wound care requires a high level of education on tissue viability and other issues.

How ignorant you are

I agree that bullying is systemic and widespread in the nhs. I work as a lecturer now with students spread between six different Hospitals and numerous wards. I would say that 95% of the wards where we place students have had accusations of bullying made my students. Not every student, some students have nice supervisors, some students just seem to fit in better. The majority of students won’t name individuals, won’t raise it officially so it makes it hard for us to raise it with practice. But I have students every single week ringing me crying, coming to see me crying or emailing me upset. I’ve been in this job a long time and it’s always been the way.

obviously some students either don’t have an issue at all or perhaps are more able to brush it off. And I’m sure it’s the same for qualified staff as well. But just because if you have been lucky to not be affected don’t think it doesn’t happen. You just don’t see it. In fact one of the Band 6s I know who says bullying doesn’t happen is one of the worst bullies to my students.

You really didn’t read my posts them. Oh well never mind. As you are… 🤣

@Mege2

You are not even making sense and now you are looking very silly. Perhaps you think there’s no bullying going on whatsoever because you are the bully.

Absolutely appalling.
You can bet your last pound that a vet would NOT let you treat any of their patients without a proper induction. But hey, human patients only in the NHS and we’re 10 a penny.

Its seems you are the one on here looking like a bully, as you fail to read my posts and make presumptions. Nevet mind as you were… 🤣

@Mege2 just because it "doesn't happt everywhere" and you've been fortunate enough to not experience it.. doesn't mean it excuses where it does happen, every day.

@Mege2

No.

I have read all your posts.

I have just simply disagreed with you in regards to bullying within the NHS. You’re lucky not to have experienced it but in my opinion (and many others) that is not the norm.

I never said it dosn’t happen. Have acknowledged I heard of it happen on other units upthread. However thats being ignored it seems. All I said was it hasn’t happened that I know of anywhere I have worked. Thats being ignored to while being attacked on here.

@Mege2

You were very quick on your first post to dismiss another persons experience. You then back tracked.

Anyway you really are boring me now.

Tara 👋.

And here you go again…. Used to being on the attack are you? Maybe you are one of those bullys you speak of.

Well then pull your horns in then… 🤣 your the one who keeps harping on 🤣

Thank you for this post.

I would often call/text my link lecturer in tears and wanting to jack the whole course in because of the staff. I felt like a freak that just needed to develop a thick skin. She told me that I was not alone and it happens a lot. I used to meet student nurses from other universities in the changing room during a break.. they would be in tears and wanting to give up. Often, names of qualified staff would be mentioned time and time again. I am not a gambler, but I bet the people saying there is not an issue with bullying in the NHS would be the same people that the crying students would be talking about.

As students (and in OP's case, an HCA), you want to be there for the patients. When you apply for a job/course, you almost don't think about having to develop a thick skin due to the staff.

HCA doesn’t really require a qualification although most have or are studying for NVQs and various modules of training depending on the area of work.
Ive had HCAs who can catheterise, take blood, do wound care from a plan, some injections under supervision and some who couldn’t take a BP.
The key thing to understand from this post I guess is that HCAs work to delegation under protocols and can’t make autonomous decisions outside of that

Im shocked OP at this treatment you’ve had. Is there someone who can speak to? Are you confident enough to bring it up in the team meeting?