Dismissed from work today - I don't know what to do

[Strawberriess]

I made such a huge error at work and it cost me my job.
I accept liability and made a massive mistake. I work at a drs and a patient had low iron levels and I said I wasn't clinically trained but maybe it might be worth going to the supermarket to buy something fortified with iron so they didn't drop any further - I didn't know I wasn't allowed to suggest something you could buy off the shelf. I would never advise something if I thought I was causing harm. I had the best intentions.
On top of this I've been having trouble with a colleague who is so rude, condescending and snappy. Yesterday I asked a question and she was rude and I said there was no need for it. She has accused me of bullying to the manager.
I went in today and was pulled in to the office and told because I was still on probation my contract was terminated and there was nothing I could do. I've been crying for about 7 hours.
I dont know how this will have an impact moving forward. Putting a patient at risk and bullying sounds awful but not who I am at all. I don't know what to do 😭
I'd been a SAHM for 7 years and this was the first job I applied for and was successful. I've only been there 3 months. I feel like my future is ruined. How can I apply for another job when my reference is going to paint me out to be a monster.

OP was a receptionist, nothing about her being a nurse.

I went above and beyond to help as many patients as I could. Tried to challenge the stigma attached to gp receptionists and got no where

I wonder if there is a disconnect there, did they want you going over and above to help patients, or did they want you to answer the phone, book appts , relay messages and ask what was the issue so you could note it for the doctor?

to clarify if you’re idea if helping is discussing their medical issues and telling them to pop down Tesco’s then that’s very bad, if it was just trying ti get appointments then it’s good.

you must have used a doctors before, fundamentally you must have known as the receptionist your job is to take the note for the doctor, not to sympathise , discuss the medical issue, and tell the patient to pop down tescos.

id use it as a learning experience, first job back after not working for so long, and I’d consider if the colleague was rude and snappy or if she had an issue with your performance that was causing her issues.

They can say anything they like as long as it’s true.

Try not to worry to much and look at a different career. I am on a medication that can cause your white blood cells to drop, one of the symptoms is a sore throat so I went into the drs and told the receptionist I had a sore throat she laughed at me and said haven't we all she dud not even think to ask my name nor medication. I ended up walking out and have not been back since.

Just don't mention the role on your CV. It never happened!

Just leave this job off your CV

If you apply for anything in education or healthcare you would be sacked when they found out that you had omitted a job from your history.

@Daisiesandprimroses I was asked to give the patient their results. I wasn't trying to run my own surgery from the desk. I meant above and beyond by being a patients advocate, listening to them, trying to identify vulnerable patients and ask for appts to be opened up or signposting them to an appropriate service rather than just telling them to call back tomorrow. Following through on things that I said I would do where others would have not and haven't in the past. Getting prescriptions signed so patients wouldn't be without medication.

The other colleagues has just left school and started 2 months before I did as an apprentice. Every body else commented on how well I'd took to the job and how quickly I'd picked things up.
I guess I'll never know why she was the way she was.

Most references only give dates worked now as employers do not want to open themselves up to claims of defamation. I had a 6 month role that was awful and I just said it was a fixed term
contract.

@Thegoodbadandugly I'm sorry you were treated like this! No patient should ever be laughed at or symptoms dismissed

Yes.
They.
Can.

FFS, where do these ridiculous myths come from?

OP, I'm so sorry, especially as this sounds like your first job since being a SAHM.
You could ask for a FACTUAL reference, this would state the dates you worked at the practice, and your job title, nothing else. If it was me, I wouldn't mention this work as it was only 3 months.
As previous posters have stated, it sounds like there was little training, just think of it as bad experience and move on. Shame on your co worker for reporting you for bullying, when all you've done is challenge her behaviour.
Would you consider signing on with employment agencies?

Did they explicitly tell you that under no circumstances could you give medical advice?? I agree that it sounds like inadequate and quite possibly negligent training.

@Strawberriess

I don’t think you did anything wrong? You made it clear that you weren’t trained, you suggested something that anyone can buy over the counter? I’m sure you suggested to be helpful - no more than a google search would suggest the same. And the colleague shouldn’t be bullying, you did the right thing to stand up
to it.

Unfair dismissal. Had they given you sufficient training to then accuse you of a ‘big mistake’?

Honestly, don’t worry about it having an impact on your employment prospects because it absolutely won’t. I walked out of a job after a couple of weeks because they were obnoxious idiots and never mentioned them on my CV. A lot of employers when asked for a reference just confirm employment dates & if you think creatively you can always find a referee. It sounded like a toxic place to work and you’ll probably look back on this in the future when you’re settled somewhere else and realise you had a lucky escape.

OP I used to call handle for an OOH service and we were told repeatedly, certainly, in both written and verbal form never to tell the patient anything that might constitute medical advice. Examples we were given were things like do not tell a patient to take aspirin if they've got a headache - again because if patient had a history of e.g. stomach ulcers that could be detrimental to them. And several other reasons. So it sounds to me as if your training was incredibly inadequate. There really should have been a full induction package and that kind of thing should have been covered and they should have a written record confirming they told you this.

They will have to give a factual reference but hopefully it should be something brief just stating the dates you worked and that you left at the end of the probationary period. Honestly, I've come back from having to leave with an outstanding disciplinary against me. I left with nothing to go to. I signed up with temping agencies. I was honest with them about what had happened. It did not faze them at all and I got the impression it was quite a common story.

This is a bit of a setback but you'll get past it and move onto better things. They sound like very incompetent employers.

Good Lord, why would you say that? You say 'I felt that it was time to move on to somewhere I could develop my skills'. The GP won't bother to put chapter and verse down.

Ah sorry gutted for you.

I was told my by my GP to just go buy vitamin D over counter along with athletes foot problem solution for YEARS the last eat is to find a foot massager haha. They are sure the hospital will do nothing although being put in a hospital bed medical people were saying yuk how are your feet so swollen to me.

A recent scan the sonographer was allowed to blurt out anything from fibroids seen (even though I wasn’t ‘rolling around in pain’ and for having a spinal surgery how do I ever know I’ll feel proper pain there again) so called medical people are so dumb.

Very clever.

I agree with this advice. Just put it down as a temporary contract and move on. This will seem like one of those odd life experiences in time to come. You’ve learnt from it but as to to the others within the surgery, just bloody odd and dysfunctional. 💐

GP surgeries can be awful places to work - a friend of mine also had a shit experience and is very glad to have recently left. I also did NHS admin (hospital based for me) many years ago as a student job, and I was so glad to leave. You’re naturally upset, but in the long run you’ll find something better op. They didn’t train you properly and then at the first opportunity they’ve thrown you out - you’re better off out of there.

Yes I am a nurse
Also experienced in venesection for haemochromarosis for HIGH iron.
The op was trying to help.

This seems like unusual information @BounceyB - can you point me to a reputable source supporting those absolute contraindications?

Honestly OP, I know it doesn’t seem like it now but I think you’ve dodged a bullet with this job.

Yes, you made a mistake but you are new and learning so they should have at least given you a chance. However, they bullying allegation sounds positively toxic. Doctors receptionists are usually total dragons - did you really want to be one of them anyway?

I hope you find a job with much nicer people!

You work in HR yet you don't know what wrongful dismissal is?

Wrongful dismissal is dismissal in breach of contract - basically not giving the notice period where it is due. It's really unlikely the OP has any wrongful dismissal claim, but if she did if would only be for her notice pay which is likely to be one weeks pay (and we don't know she isn't being paid this).

Not giving warnings would be an indicator of unfair dismissal, and the OP cannot bring a claim for unfair dismissal with under two years service.

The probation period is not a "sticking point", it has no legal standing at all.