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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:
FOJN · 06/08/2023 09:46

Lol got it in one, he’s from the HR route not clinical

He works in HR and wants to talk to you about how unprofessional fainting in front of a patient is rather than to check if you are OK?

Not a clinician AND shit at HR. Does this person serve any useful function to the organisation.

If your boss has explicitly used the word unprofessional to describe you fainting at work then I would email to ask if the meeting can be rescheduled and could he give you availablity so that you can arrange for your union rep to accompany you. I would insist on following through with it too.

Handsnotwands · 06/08/2023 09:47

The dentist once fainted and fell on my face. I’d also just had a cartilage piercing and Jesus that hurt as she went down

i didn’t complain or consider it unprofessional. I went out to reception to get help with my mouth full of cotton wool sticks while the dental nurse tended to her.

MiMiPies · 06/08/2023 09:47

A HCP fainted during my c section thankfully it wasn't the surgeon Grin but I didn't think it was unprofessional or anything really I just hoped they were okay.

billy1966 · 06/08/2023 09:48

OctogenarianDecathlete · 06/08/2023 09:30

Take someone else with you to the meeting. Even better if it's a union rep.

Write down EVERYTHING that is said during the meeting (the other person could do this) and then after the meeting type it up and email it to the HR man.

Get it in writing that he thinks an uncontrollable medical event is "unprofessional" and can be avoided.

If he doesn't let another person accompany you, decline and reschedule the meeting.

Absolutely this.

Bring someone with you.

Huge red flag for you to be reprimanded for this, even more so if through busyness you missed breaks and food.

Stand up for yourself.

ACAS would be good to call about this too.

Scary boss should be very careful of how he handles this!

Stand up for yourself.

Do NOT go in alone.

Ask to record the meeting on your phone.

THAT will give him a heads up that you are not to be bullied.

WasJuliaRight · 06/08/2023 09:48

Unless there’s something else that you’re not telling us like you hadn’t eaten all day or you had been told to take a break because you previously mentioned feeling unwell to a colleague. If there’s nothing else then I wouldn’t worry, if there is something else, fess up…

Youdoyoutoday · 06/08/2023 09:54

Ask your boss for the staff handbook on fainting and next time you'll follow those rules instead! What a twat!!

Take someone with you, if you can't, record the conversation, and I'd go above his head to complain if he told me I was unprofessional for fainting!!

Hope you're OK!

Canisaysomething · 06/08/2023 09:59

Disciplined for fainting due to working conditions that don't allow enough time to eat and are too hot for comfort!? If you hadn't told us you were an NHS employee I'd think you were working in an illegal Bangladesh sweatshop.

LemonLymanDotCom · 06/08/2023 10:05

I had a dental nurse faint on me once, and I mean literally on me. I had to hold her up while the dentist was injecting sedative into my other hand. Apparently she was new and I guess like seeing injections maybe?

Anyways, unprofessional was the last thing I thought. Wouldn’t have occurred to me to complain about her. I was just worried for her, and somewhat concerned she might’ve chosen the wrong career!

LemonLymanDotCom · 06/08/2023 10:06

LemonLymanDotCom · 06/08/2023 10:05

I had a dental nurse faint on me once, and I mean literally on me. I had to hold her up while the dentist was injecting sedative into my other hand. Apparently she was new and I guess like seeing injections maybe?

Anyways, unprofessional was the last thing I thought. Wouldn’t have occurred to me to complain about her. I was just worried for her, and somewhat concerned she might’ve chosen the wrong career!

*I guess didn’t like seeing injections

shelbaby · 06/08/2023 10:09

No of course not. I'd realise the person obviously wasn't feeling very well. U can't stop urself from fainting so how can it be unprofessional.

If my boss was saying it was unprofessional I think I'd be asking HR to come to that meeting! Ridiculous.

Sameold23 · 06/08/2023 10:10

Yes, he should be very worried about you putting this back on him regarding poor working conditions. If he steps one foot out of line I would go this route.

TestingTestingWonTooFree · 06/08/2023 10:12

If he says you’re unprofessional make sure you now arrange your diary to allow for breaks for a drink and snack throughout the day from now on.

MolkosTeenageAngst · 06/08/2023 10:14

Why were you so hungry and thirsty you fainted? Are you purposefully skipping meals? Are you not getting breaks at work? I don’t think it’s ‘unprofessional’ to faint but if it’s happening because you’re missing basic self-care (eating, drinking) then I don’t think it’s unreasonable for your boss to want to find out why. If it’s because you don’t get a break then it’s in him to change it, if it’s because you’re skipping meals it’s on you to eat and not put yourself in that position again. I think it’s okay to want to look at why you were so hungry/ thirsty/ tired/ hot you fainted at work and try and avoid it happening again as those are mostly preventable factors that could be avoided in future.

SadieOlsen · 06/08/2023 10:15

I fainted at work and collapsed. I was sacked the next day as the boss said I was not safe around the machinery if it happened again. I was very disappointed, but it's nothing to do with being "unprofessional". Professional mean you get paid for it. The "professions" are a specific set of occupations where people have a practice, Other uses of "professional" are just nonsense to make people feel important.

Janieforever · 06/08/2023 10:20

Op is there a back story, have you fainted before, had you eaten sufficiently? In certain circumstances you actually can plan not to faint, Ie if you know you suffer from low blood sugar if you don’t eat and are liable to faint then don’t eat. Or prone to over heating and working in a hot environment and turn up in a thick jumper and boots.

it’s such an unusual thing you’re posting, most folks would be concerned if someone fainted, but the fact he’s taken a different route makes me wonder if there is a back story here.

Ireolu · 06/08/2023 10:21

No sure how fainting is unprofessional. You didn't chose to faint at that precise moment. Surely work shd be checking in to make sure you r OK.

Rainbowshit · 06/08/2023 10:23

Not unprofessional at all. Yiu can't control when you are going to faint FFS.

Are you sure your boss is really going to pull you up for being unprofessional?!

PegasusReturns · 06/08/2023 10:23

Of course it’s not unprofessional, it’s an involuntary action.

Potentially actions that led to fainting could be unprofessional (deliberately not eating, being hungover, coming to work sick) but since none of those apply you need to be very firm with your boss.

Ask him to clarify what you should have done differently; ask him to specify what steps should you have taken. Follow up in writing.

What. A. Dick

MsRosley · 06/08/2023 10:25

I'd be tempted to tell your boss that harassing someone for a medical condition is not a route he should go down.

Shinyandnew1 · 06/08/2023 10:27

Canisaysomething · 06/08/2023 09:59

Disciplined for fainting due to working conditions that don't allow enough time to eat and are too hot for comfort!? If you hadn't told us you were an NHS employee I'd think you were working in an illegal Bangladesh sweatshop.

I have fainted before at work, just before lunch as a teacher on a very hot day, in a room with just one opening window with a class of 30 and no break-It’s not just illegal sweatshops where you might be in that situation.

This meeting is just odd though. Has the word ‘unprofessional’ actually been used, @magentapink3 ?!

MintJulia · 06/08/2023 10:27

You fainted - not a choice.

Your boss should ensure you are seen by a doctor, make sure you have taken your holiday allowance, and had been given a lunch break and the chance for a drink that day.

If any of those things is not so, the boss is the one who is unprofessional....and they know it.

Janieforever · 06/08/2023 10:29

MolkosTeenageAngst · 06/08/2023 10:14

Why were you so hungry and thirsty you fainted? Are you purposefully skipping meals? Are you not getting breaks at work? I don’t think it’s ‘unprofessional’ to faint but if it’s happening because you’re missing basic self-care (eating, drinking) then I don’t think it’s unreasonable for your boss to want to find out why. If it’s because you don’t get a break then it’s in him to change it, if it’s because you’re skipping meals it’s on you to eat and not put yourself in that position again. I think it’s okay to want to look at why you were so hungry/ thirsty/ tired/ hot you fainted at work and try and avoid it happening again as those are mostly preventable factors that could be avoided in future.

This. This is the big question. Why was the op so hungry and thirsty when she claims it wasn’t a busy day that she passed out.

is she deliberately not eating and she basically caused this and he knows it so needs to speak to her, or are the working conditions so harsh there is no opportunity to eat or get some water.

Justrolledmyeyesoutloud · 06/08/2023 10:31

Bloody hell l thought you were going to say you were texting your mate or something
Of course this wasn't unprofessional and as a patient, l woukd just have been concerned about you.
Ask your boss for advice on controlling fainting if he/she is a dick about it.
Hope all ok xx

KimberleyClark · 06/08/2023 10:39

Are you sure this meeting is about you allegedly being unprofessional? It might just be a routine back to work after being sick chat to check you’re ok and whether any adjustments need to be made etc?

dressedforcomfort · 06/08/2023 10:39

How on Earth is it unprofessional? it's a physical reaction that you have no control over - like sneezing.

Surely your manager's first responsibility is to check on your well-being and check you were fit for work?!!

OP, if your manager is so unreasonable about this sort of thing, should you have another person present with you in this meeting? A union rep or a colleague to act as witness?