To call in sick or not go in due to safety concerns

[AnIdiotSandwich]

Currently working in a nursing home. I'm 22 weeks pregnant and I'm finding things pretty difficult with little support from the company.

This evening I was kicked in the stomach by a service user, who had lay on the floor and we were trying to get up. I obviously left the situation and operated the lifting equipment at this point to take myself out of harm's way but I'm quite upset.

Owners only really interested in making money, so are taking in clients with high needs and not giving us adequate staffing, think 3 staff to 30 residents. Lots of these residents need hoisted, several are violent, several are falls risks and several are at risk of absconding. We can't provide decent care and are hit/attacked on most shifts.

I've brought this up before but head office unwilling to pay for extra staff. I also go on maternity leave soonish and they won't let me use my remaining annual leave before I go, meaning I would have to return before end of holiday year or forfeit annual leave. Waiting to hear back from pregnant then screwed regarding that.

So AIBU to call in sick for my next shift? I'm so worried about getting injured it's making me really anxious. My heart rate has been 115 BPM resting this whole shift and I just don't know what to do anymore.

Thanks for listening. Sorry for the rant.

I’d probably email bosses documenting your concerns and what they suggest to put in place to prevent it.

This sounds actively dangerous.... I'd do whatever i can to leave... Surely ANY job is better than working with violent service users when you're pregnant.

Id also call the CQC... You can do this anonymously.

I'd give them your notice and go off sick immediately.

I didn't, when i was working years ago in residential, not pregnant, but ended up with chronic pain from theur utterly unsafe working practices. Violent service users /few hoists /badly designed environment...

PS decades on, i really regret not doing this. I've needed loads of surgery as a result.

No amount of lost annual leave compensates for destroying your health /risking your baby.

@IamtheDevilsAvocado yeah you're probably right. It's just so galling they can get away with screwing you out of what you're entitled to. I do have a bank contract with another home which is much nicer. I know what you mean about the pain. I'm only 30 and get bad back pain at times as a direct result of my career I think. Thanks for the wake up call, I know I need to do something

My first thing to do would be to email CQC regarding the staffing levels and any unsafe or abusive practices.
I would certainly be phoning in sick. The health of both you and your baby comes first.
Operating hoists, assisting with moving and handling is certainly not something that you should be doing, furthermore, if there is a threat of violence then you shouldn't even be out on the floor, particularly with a shortage of staff, which leaves you further vulnerable.
Please do email CQC tomorrow. If you think that any of the service users are being put at risk, particularly from violence from another service user, then you must report it to adult safeguarding.
For now though, safeguard yourself and your baby by going sick.

@ToeJammed you're totally right. I just couldn't leave this lady on the floor, I felt too guilty and essentially there was nobody else to operate the equipment. But yeah the welfare of the residents comes first and we just don't have enough staff to meet needs. I'll get in touch with CQC. Thank you for your reply

I understand, but please don't put yourself at risk. Demand that the manager move their arse onto the floor and assist please.
Report, report, report.
Good luck.

call in sick today and go get your midwife or GP to check your baby bump first thing. Have the incident documented by them.

The health and safety executive might need to be notified? https://www.hse.gov.uk/mothers/

reading the linked information, they should have carried out a risk assessment and moved you internally to a safer role if the risk is too great.

put everything in email so it’s written (the incident, the increased level of risk, your visit to the GP to get your bump checked). Keep it factual. Ask for a copy of the risk assessment undertaken and point out the legislation which recommends a role change.

Be aware of when you reach the 'qualifying week' for maternity pay, ggogle says it's the 15th week before you are due.

There was a thread here the other day where a poor mum was on sick leave that week so didn't earn the qualifying amount to get SMP.

Keep yourself safe, just wanted to post to point on the potential affects of sick leave at the 'wrong' time.

Keep a log of incidents and near misses. Who it was, where other staff were at the time, photos of any bruises or marks.