Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Work

Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.

Original poster

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

195 replies

Strawberriess · 26/05/2023 20:38

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 posts:
pinksurfer · 26/05/2023 23:07

BounceyB
You can't take iron supplements if you have a history of liver disease, alcoholism or kidney infections. I think it causes iron toxicity. It's possibly about knowing the patient history and understanding drug interactions which is information OP may not have had access to.

I don't agree with this. If anything, the medical diagnosis you have mentioned cause low iron, not toxicity.

Cerealkillerontheloose · 26/05/2023 23:09

Onepotatoetwopotatoe · 26/05/2023 21:25

teach English to foreign students online. Easy to get and well paid

Wouldn’t you need to be bilingual?!?!

TeenLifeMum · 26/05/2023 23:10

I’m an nhs manager and something like that would ring alarm bells and highlight a significant gap in our induction training. I would have had a meeting to explain and would have made a decision about your future based on your willingness to learn. I would have then updated the induction training.

Learning from mistakes can only happen if colleagues feel safe to be open and honest. Mistakes shouldn’t be punished, cover ups should.

This was not a good workplace so lick your wounds, take a deep breath and know that tomorrow is another day and there’s a different place to work where you’ll be happy. Good luck op!

Whenisitsummer · 26/05/2023 23:11

I’m sorry that this has happened to you but I think you have had a lucky escape. You were working in an admin role and were asked to give a patient abnormal blood results. Completely inappropriate because that patient will obviously have questions. Only a qualified health care professional should be informing patients of abnormal results, not admin staff. How ridiculous!

NoraBattysCurlers · 26/05/2023 23:12

WhereTheSuburbsMeetUttoxeter · 26/05/2023 21:15

Hemachromatosis (sp) iron overload, potentially fatal advice.

I have too much iron in my blood. I can't even eat fortified cereals.

Show quote history

If the patient has low iron levels as above, this is an impossibility.

tonyatotter · 26/05/2023 23:14

Strawberriess · 26/05/2023 20:38

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.

You made an error, you should have been told you wern't allowed to do it, so don't beat yourself up.

In fairness I don't think you put the patient in harms way, you shouldn't of given advice clearly, but an OTC iron supplement won't harm anyone and iron defficiencies are generally long term issues, not something you just drop dead of. You told the patient you wern't in any way qualified, so as an adult its up to them if they think i'll try that or get a professional opine.

Had the patient seen the doctor, or did your advice take the place of the doctor, that is key in some respects.

Anyway, its done. As others have said, get another short term job to get shot of that reference. If you want to see what they will say about you, if you know someone who has a business ask them to write in for a reference for you to see what comes back!

tonyatotter · 26/05/2023 23:19

I'm going to guess the GPs practice will give a very neutral "x worked here from Y to Z" kind of response, because it seems their training was flawed leading to a receptionst giving medical advice, I'm guessing they won't want to broadcast that!

WomanUnknown · 26/05/2023 23:30

Shitsandwiches · 26/05/2023 21:40

OP it's ok, I work in a hospital - mistakes are actually important because how do we learn otherwise? We have a whole reporting system for things that go wrong which they do all the time and they have to be documented for improvements and a secretary chatting with patient and telling them maybe they could try some vitamins is NOTHING compared to some of the clangers I've seen.

Yeah - don't do it again obviously, but you're not a bad person, you're not a bad employee, it sounds like you're well out of there actually as it's toxic - is it a GP practice? I worked in a GPs once for 3 months and OMG never again, it was it's own little universe of petty bullying, cliques and the knives out for each other. I hated it.

I agree with others who say just don't mention it to a next employer - you're a SAHM looking for your first job! Flowers

This, 100%.

Honestly OP, compared to some of the stuff/shit I’ve seen working in a hospital- your mistake is minuscule. Please relax. It sounds like they had already decided the role wasn’t a best fit for you. Oh, and as NHS admin for years- I’d probably take a break from paid work entirely rather than take an admin role in a GP surgery! It may not feel like it now, but you’ve probably dodged a bullet.
There are lots of nhs admin roles that are a lot less stressful, with better training, easier to please patients, and overall more rewarding than GP surgeries.

Original poster
Strawberriess · 26/05/2023 23:31

I'm sorry I can't reply to all the comments but I have read them all and taken everyhing on board.

I understand why some people think I did the wrong thing and others think it's unfair. I can't change what's happened, only learn from it.

I think I've stopped crying about it now. My headache is gone and I don’t feel as numb. It was all just a huge shock.

I've only every known the NHS and loved helping people. I think I am going to sign up for a few agencies next week and see where it goes. It may be a good idea to explore a few other areas.

I've got no leg to stand on being there for less than 2 years.

I really appreciate so many of you offering advice. I feel like there's light at the end of the tunnel ❤

OP posts:
louderthan · 26/05/2023 23:32

OP it sounds like you'd be great in a customer service advisory role, like a pharmacy technician where you'd be properly trained to give advice.

JandalsAlways · 26/05/2023 23:33

I wouldn't put this job down at all. Pretend it never happened

Original poster
Strawberriess · 26/05/2023 23:36

@louderthan I've always been a bit skeptical about going for a role that has so much responsibility. I'd be worried about saying the wrong thing which I'm evidently great at 😳

OP posts:
Run31 · 27/05/2023 00:00

Don't declare it on your cv or tell any future job. I wouldn't worry about them finding out, the chances of that are quite slim.

DaSilvaP · 27/05/2023 00:04

GCWorkNightmare · 26/05/2023 22:20

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

Show quote history

... as long as it’s true and they can prove it!

And also don't mind the risk of being dragged into a lawsuit for "diffamation" of the ex-employee. UK libel laws being what they are, very few want a taste of that.

anomies · 27/05/2023 02:12

I am a clinician working in a GP surgery and the people saying your advice could have been pOtenTIAlLy fAtAl!!!! are being very silly. Apart from in the vanishingly rare case of haemochromatosis or suchlike (where iron levels are not going to be low anyway!) there is practically no circumstance in which otc iron is likely to cause problems. I can only imagine this as a serious error if you didn’t tell the patient they also needed to discuss with a clinician and substituted your advice for clinical advice wholesale. Even if you did that then a one-off innocent mistake can be remedied by training. Various receptionists I’ve worked with over the years have on occasion got it wrong in various ways when talking to a patient but unless it’s a recurring pattern and they’re resistant to feedback it would never occur to anyone to sack them! I guarantee you that every nurse and every doctor you have ever worked with has made a mistake or two in their career! You learn from it and move on. Sounds like this was just a toxic work environment. You were lucky to find out early. Leave it off your CV as pp have suggested, take a few days to process it, and move on. 💐

Spottedsox · 27/05/2023 02:21

pinksurfer · 26/05/2023 20:45

Oh im so sorry. Do you have a HR person can contact?
It's not like you gave unsafe advice. Im a nurse myself albeit in secondary care. But seriously this all sounds unfair and over the top.
It is only 3 month though. Sounds like you are better away from there Daffodil

Sounds like you are better off elsewhere.
We all strive to go to work and do well for our family, some co workers unfortunately have games to play.
I am sure whatever happens once you move on you will be glad you did.
Why was the job available?
Chin up, work out your next move forward and be glad your out.
Self centred world - know your rights and be yourself.

Kyse23 · 27/05/2023 03:09

You'll be ok. Take a couple of days to be upset
I lost my job after 10 years
Ended up taking whatever I could get just to pay the bills and get another reference which I did until I applied for another job
Now been in that job for 6 years. I was honest at interview and it paid off

Snoopsnoggysnog · 27/05/2023 06:07

SheilaFentiman · 26/05/2023 20:54

There’s a good chance the only reference they will give is to confirm your dates.

References are usually taken when you are offered a job. If you want, you could raise this in the interview if they ask reasons for leaving - “unfortunately, I made an error in advising a patient on a minor matter when I should have referred them directly to a nurse.”

You absolutely do not need to say this

Bunnycat101 · 27/05/2023 07:14

In all honesty I suspect there was something else going on and this was the reason to let you go. They could have given a warning, used it as a training issue etc rather than jumping straight to dismissal.

SchoolShenanigans · 27/05/2023 07:16

Just don't put them as a reference, you've only been there 3 months. I would just forget about the whole experience and find something else. GPs are crying out for admin/reception staff so if that's what you were doing, just find another? (Perhaps within a different PCN).

Daisiesandprimroses · 27/05/2023 07:40

I’m a bit bemused by those saying did they explicitly tell you not to give medical advice and it’s a gap in the training. It’s like McDonald’s having to say their apple pies are hot or anti freeze having to have a label saying don’t drink this.

im afraid I think if you want to be a receptionist but need to be told not to medically advise patients , then you probably aren’t suitable for the role.

the op said she was listening to them and trying to identify those who are vulnerable, this is the doctors job, the receptionist should not be engaging in lengthy conversations and getting involved like this. It goes without saying. Some may like it but many will find it deeply intrusive.

id be horrified if I phoned by surgery and the receptionist started trying to have a conversation with me about whatever my medical issue was. I answer that question solely so it can be noted for the doctor. Not so she can have a wee chat with me to see how I am feeling, find out if I’m vulnerable and propose solutions for me. I do not want her help other than get it booked and take a note.

I suspect sadly that as much as the op thinks she was doing a sterling job, with all her helping patients, there is wider issue with over stepping and that’s why they have used this instance to terminate.

whereaw · 27/05/2023 07:47

My friend had a very similar thing happen (she was dismissed for not asking a caller certain details like full address). Within a couple of months she had a different role, still in the nhs but at a hospital and is far happier now.

It is not the end of the world.

Everything feels better in the morning. Make a cup of coffee, start looking what else is out there.

Also, I've had receptionists say similar things to me at the doctors when I've been worried about my children. I know they are just trying to be helpful and it's a sign that they are a good person. I wouldn't report them and they never got the sack.

Tulip2478 · 27/05/2023 08:07

HI OP. Haven't read the whole thread but just wanted to say please don't be too hard on yourself. If anything the training you received was inadequate. You sound like a lovely and conscientious person who was just trying to help. I'm a support worker in the NHS and have seen far more serious mistakes. Of course there has to be some accountability, but they are also seen as an opportunity to learn and grow. It sounds like you have just become a scapegoat. I also have a lot of nurse friends who joined GP practices and left very soon because of the bitchy environment. You are probably best out of it. Good luck in the future OP.

SeasonFinale · 27/05/2023 08:14

Scary how many people seem to think it was ok for the OP to give clinical advice to a patient. That patient might have assumed the advice was correct because someone at the doctor's surgery told them to do this. Mind boggling how many don't see this is gross misconduct and therefore worthy of instant dismissal. I am unsure why anyone thinks this is due to lack of training. Anyone would know they can't give medical advice.

Coffeeandcards · 27/05/2023 08:14

I think you sound like a potentially great employee who was a bit too keen and made some mistakes. I’d second the advice to go and get some temp/agency work for a couple of months whilst looking for your next move. You’ll be ok. Chin up x