AIBU to be really upset about this work situation?

[JumpingUpsideDowm]

Hi

I had an awful situation at work last week and tomorrow is my first day back after it.

I don’t want to be identified obviously, but I work in healthcare and have to prescribe for patients. It’s rarely medication and even then it’s not stuff that’s life or death, usually we prescribe other non medication things but it’s still something that can’t be legally prescribed without my signature or without my degree. That’s probably the best way I can describe it without being too identifiable!

99.999999% of the time we can’t prescribe without a consultation first. Very occasionally (in special circumstances) we can prescribe remotely without the patient being there but it’s very much practitioner discretion and not ideal if it can be avoided. I’m not a doctor, and it’s difficult to explain why without giving my job away but some things we prescribe have a financial profit to the company. Eg we make sure it’s the right thing and then the patient can buy it.

last week my manager wanted me to prescribe for a patient remotely without seeing them. I didn’t feel comfortable with it and the patient needed to have an appointment first. We could have seen them the following morning onwards so not a long wait. But my manager kicked off and basically tried to bully me into doing it remotely there and then (so the patient could then buy the thing I’m prescribing)

I told my manager i wasn’t comfortable with it at all and my clinical advice was the patient needed to be seen first because that’s the law and it wasn’t something I could prescribe remotely for. He kept telling me to do it and was really forceful. I refused and he said he would just tell the patient to come in at 5.15 and I could squeeze them in. I had plans immediately after work so I said I couldn’t squeeze an extra consultation in. I barely finish my last patient on time as it is without an extra consultation on top.

my manager then kicked off at me saying how I need to communicate better with them if I want to knock off early and don’t want to do my job properly. I told him once again I’m not trying to leave early but on time. He then started saying how if there was an emergency what would I have done. I was like yeah obviously I’d have stayed and cancelled my plans for an emergency but this isn’t an emergency. I’ve stayed late SO many times for patients if it is a genuine emergency (I stayed back an hour a few weeks ago because I had an emergency hospital referral and it took a long time to get through). I don’t get time back or extra pay when that happens. I’ve never complained about it, it’s just one of those things and part of the job

it really shook me up how forceful he was. I stood my ground and said stop trying to bully me into doing it, I’m not doing it, it’s me who will be hauled in front of a fitness to practice and I’m not comfortable with this etc. But he kept telling he was telling me as my manager to do it and the way he spoke to me was awful.

my manager is a lot older (I’d say he’s around 40s and I’m early 20s and newly qualified) and he’s repeatedly made jokes where it’s clear he has a chip on his shoulder. Stuff about how (my profession) are all full of themselves and how we think we are better and are antisocial and stuck up. He’s not clinical himself, he’s like general clinic/sales manager

the whole thing just made me feel so uncomfortable. I’m not that long qualified and it’s the first time I’ve ever come across this situation and I’m absolutely dreading going back to work tomorrow now. I don’t even know what my AIBU is, I’m just so stressed and worried about going back. Has anyone else ever experienced this in their job and have any advice? X

Are you in the RCN or Unison? I would get advice from your union rep because this is bullying. He's trying to get you to prescribe illegally. I'm assuming from what you've written, you're not an NHS worker. Please stand firm, adhere to your code of conduct, and get support from your union.

I am afraid that I have no advice particularly relevant to your situation but I want to tell you how terrifically impressed I am that you stuck to your professional guns in the face of such unprofessional bullying and intimidation. It’s not easy and all the more so if you are relatively new and your boss has more experience (apparently). Bravo you for sticking up for correct practice. 💐

You need to speak to your union who can support you if you decide to raise an official complaint with your hr team.

Well done for standing your ground.

Yes, you need to speak to your union and possibly submit a formal grievance to HR.

Your bosses behavior is completely unacceptable and you did well to maintain your professional integrity. You need to address this as he may try and bully you again and as you know you are professionally accountable to your governing body.

You did the right thing, his behavior is disgraceful!

I just wanted to say well done for holding your ground and not prescribing without a consultation. Your manager was wholly in the wrong.

Union. HR. Professional body

If your manager is not a clinician and is not qualified in this specific sphere, his judgment is null and void

Well done for standing your ground

Well done, you behaved professionally and with integrity in the face of some very unpleasant behaviour.

I’d seriously be going on record with this to nip it in the bud, be that your union/registering body or company headquarters. You just need to describe exactly as you have in your post, it speaks very clearly of their poor conduct.

Do you work for part of a chain? If so I’d try and take this up with head office and make a formal complaint about his behaviour.

The best thing to do, if you can, is to take the drama and emotion out of the situation. You can either have it out with him and tell him that the comments and pressure are unacceptable or leave it, but if it comes up, repeat that it is your license and you will not do anything which does not fit with your understanding of the law.

You did absolutely the right thing - in fact, most professional codes of ethics require you to stand up to management if they are asking you to act in a way that is unprofessional.

If he gives you shit, you may have to put in a grievance.

Oh, this absolutely! I would put it in writing to him to say that you were not comfortable with the way the conversation was held, that you will never prescribe in these circumstances without a consultation, and that if this is against company policy, you would appreciate him showing you where, as this is at odds with the law.

I'm so sorry this is happening to you. Would echo PP contact Unison ASAP. Well done for standing your ground. And you're right, you are liable for prescribing any equipment so you have to be sure of your clinical reasoning.

You did the right thing, and it was something many young, freshly qualified people would have struggled to do, so well done.
With anything like this again, I'd follow up with an email at the end of the day such as "just wanted to clarify I will see patient x tomorrow, I know you were very keen for a prescription to be made remotely but this would be against x legislation/guidance".
Try not to let this get you down or fill you with dread, you did the right thing and have the knowledge to back up your decision making. Hold your head high and keep doing what you're doing, maybe whilst keeping your eye on other vacancies.

Who are you responsible to professionally? Who does your supervision, revalidation etc? I would be speaking to them first thing, explaining how he was trying to get you to work outside of your code, and how you will feel obliged to report the companies shoddy practice to the regulator unless something changes this week. Don't back down. He sounds like an absolute melt.

Well done. You should be incredibly proud of yourself.

Your union rep should be able to support you with this.

It sounds like either he’s on some crazy commission or he was getting this prescription for a friend / family? I’d report this as suspicious to HR just to say you feel there may be a conflict of interest here. They’ll pick up on all the rest.

As well as what others have said, tell him that any time he is instructing you to act illegally, he needs to put it in writing and sign it, or send from his email address. Bet he doesn't want an audit trail. Obviously still don't do the illegal thing!

I don't have advice but well done for standing your ground at the end of the day its your licence and reputation

Contact your union and start the grievance route. This won't be the last time he behaves like this towards you.

Document everything by keeping notes of what he said, date, approx time etc. and how it made you feel - coerced, under pressure, worried about consequences of saying no to him?

Well done for standing your ground, you did the right thing.

I can imagine as an OT that your non clinical manger has asked you to prescribe something that o ly people of your profession can prescribe. If you are not comfortable with it never do it. You are right you'd be hauled over hot coals by HCPC. I do frequently order things after thorough telephone assessment, consultation and pictures and measurements but I do this after 22 years experience across adults and paeds. I never would have done this a s newly qualified OT. I imagine it's a similar or same situation or job for you.

This! Well done, fair play gal. I think I'd have caved tbh which definitely would have been the wrong move, be so proud that you stood your ground.
DO NOT let this slide, make sure he's pulled on this, it is not ok for him to speak to you like this. He's a bully boy and needs to be challenged on his behaviour, get advice from union and Acas perhaps, they were really good with me, good luck x

You need to speak to your professional body who will be able to help you, it won’t be the first time they will have encountered this. Unfortunately this is what happens when money and medicine mix

You absolutely did the right thing in spite of the pressure exerted by that bully. You should be proud of yourself, and he should be ashamed

Do not go to this meeting alone! U absolutely need to take a union rep with you and if u can’t then you need to have a witness with you. Then u asked for a complete breakdown of the meeting if you do go ahead. You have ABSOLUTELY done the right thing. Don’t be bullied into this meeting. If he verbally asks you to attend email him and say as per your request I cannot attend this until my union rep is with me and I am currently awaiting advice and guidance from the NMC. You are well within your rights to do this. He is a pig. Well don’t for standing your ground.

I thought exactly the same! Well done you for standing your ground! Amazing skill demonstrated there.