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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you judge me? Was i unprofessional?

131 replies

magentapink3 · 06/08/2023 09:03

would you consider this unprofessional/would you be annoyed at this?

if you were in a healthcare appointment (not whilst getting an invasive or risky treatment btw, and during the talking part of the appointment eg whilst explaining things during a podiatrist, audiologist, optician, dietician etc) and the healthcare professional fainted, would you complain or consider it unprofessional? And if you were the collegues of the healthcare professional would you think that person should be embarrassed at all or would you judge them for it?

Just for further context- I’m the healthcare professional and fainted. It was mid conversation and realised I really wasn’t well so I said to the patient excuse me I’m sorry I’m going to go and get someone else (so I could go out quickly and get some air as I thought I was maybe just hot!) and I stood up and whilst walking out I fainted to the floor. I’ve never done it before, the patient was lovely about it and was seen by a different colleague and all was fine but I went home from work afterwards and I’m back tomorrow and I’ve been scheduled a meeting with my slightly scary boss to discuss how unprofessional it was. I just wanted to ask here to gauge some opinions on whether I was unprofessional etc and should prepare for a bollocking or not!

OP posts:
AndIKnewYouMeantIt · 06/08/2023 09:05

I don't understand. You can't choose to faint or not faint. What would a "professional" have done according to the person who wants the meeting?

redcans · 06/08/2023 09:05

Not at all! I mean what could you have done to prevent that from happening? Absolutely nothing. Hope you're feeling better now x

Assignedtoworryyourmother · 06/08/2023 09:06

Fainting is not unprofessional, it's a 'can't be helped' kind of thing. If you were unwell and went to work too ill to be there, that's not great.

Wheatear · 06/08/2023 09:07

It can’t be ‘unprofessional’ because that refers to a behaviour. Your body just did something you didn’t expect, and you’d just realised you didn’t feel well, and were going to remedy it when you actually fainted.

Your manager just presumably wants to talk about whether this is due to an ongoing health condition, whether it’s likely to happen again, what can be done etc.

Gnomegnomegnome · 06/08/2023 09:08

Have they said that is what the meeting is about?

matchamate · 06/08/2023 09:08

Are you sure it's to discuss how unprofessional it was and not to check you're OK and if you need anything to stop it happening again?

If you'd had a heart attack that's what they'd be doing.

NEmama · 06/08/2023 09:09

You were poorly. How is that unprofessional

JMSA · 06/08/2023 09:09

My only feeling would be concern for you!
Unprofessional behaviour is something that we choose, that we can control. You didn't ask for this to happen!
Flowers

matchamate · 06/08/2023 09:09

Maybe if it is to discuss how unprofessional it was perhaps you could ask how to handle fainting at work professionally?

lap90 · 06/08/2023 09:09

You're a health professional yourself so will know how ridiculous it would be for any claim to be made that you were unprofessional due to fainting.

Fraaahnces · 06/08/2023 09:09

Good grief! Can you ask exactly how you could have fainted professionally? I’m an ex opera singer. I could teach you. What an idiotic reason for a meeting!
Ask them to put this in writing and send to your union.

Bearbookagainandagain · 06/08/2023 09:09

AndIKnewYouMeantIt · 06/08/2023 09:05

I don't understand. You can't choose to faint or not faint. What would a "professional" have done according to the person who wants the meeting?

Yes this, you don't "choose" to faint or not. What is your boss suggesting you should have done beyond trying to leave get someone else to take over?

TenOhSeven · 06/08/2023 09:09

If I was the patient, I'd be sorry that this happened to you and hope you were OK. I definitely wouldn't complain! It's not unprofessional in any way. You can't help fainting.

matchamate · 06/08/2023 09:10

I'm not trying to work out how one would faint in a professional manner

Janieforever · 06/08/2023 09:10

I don’t understand the question either, unless you chose to faint for dramatic purposes and they suspect that then fainting isn’t a choice and as a health care professional I’d expect you to know this.

Dotcheck · 06/08/2023 09:10

If your boss doesn’t understand fainting, they really should be in healthcare in any capacity.

Hope you’re feeling better💐

Purplecatshopaholic · 06/08/2023 09:11

Good grief, of course something like that isn’t unprofessional! I hope/assume the boss just wants to check you are ok, discuss potential support if it might happen again, that type of thing.

gannett · 06/08/2023 09:12

If I was the patient I wouldn't judge you, wouldn't think it was unprofessional and would just hope you were OK.

If I was managing you I'd also be concerned about your health and would want to see if there was a cause or how it could be avoided, because it'd be fairly suboptimal to have it happen again. I'd particularly want to check to see if you were feeling burned out or if there was anything else going on in your life that was affecting your work.

I guess it'd only be unprofessional if the reason behind the fainting was that you were hungover or had been ignoring medical advice, presumably neither of these apply to you.

POWL01 · 06/08/2023 09:13

It's not unprofessional, to be classed as unprofessional it would have to be a conduct issue i.e. something you planned to do. Fainting is a medical issue, your boss should be meeting with you to check you're ok and able to work and try to determine why it happened. They should be concerned for you not considering any disciplinary action, that's outrageous!

Changingplace · 06/08/2023 09:14

I hope you’re feeling better OP?

No, I wouldn’t consider it ‘unprofessional’ at all, I’d be concerned whether the person who fainted was ok, fainting isn’t something you can help doing & a health care professional should know this more than most!

Are you sure the meeting isn’t to check you’re ok and well enough to be back at work?

User63847484848 · 06/08/2023 09:15

This is a weird thread.
why is your first thought that is was ‘unprofessional’? Did you have any control over it? I’m guessing not!
perhaps your boss wants to discuss your health?
is it a regular thing? Could you have foreseen it eg was it connected to not eating or drinking enough or another issue?

BCBird · 06/08/2023 09:15

Hope u are feeling better OP. How can u be deemed unprofessional? Ur boss may ask if you were well enough to be at work,whether you took reasonable precautions re being fit and well etc but unprofessional is not an adjective they can use as there was not any deliberate choice in fainting. Was the environment too hot?

ShiteRider · 06/08/2023 09:15

So has your boss told you they think it’s unprofessional or are you guessing that’s what it’s about? Because I would have assumed it was to make sure you’re well enough to be at work rather than for a bollocking.

WaltzingWaters · 06/08/2023 09:17

how ridiculous. Not something you could control at all (assuming it’s not because you’d not eaten for ages or something like that of course).
I hope your boss is just concerned and will ask if it’s an ongoing medical condition. Get what he says in writing if he does give you a bollocking for something beyond your control.
Obviously if it were to become an ongoing problem you may need to adapt roles, but as you said it’s the first time it’s happened - don’t accept it if he’s harsh on you!

hope you’re feeling better 💐

mrsDracoMalfoy · 06/08/2023 09:17

Unless you're Gillian McKeith, you don't choose to faint.