Unsupported Healthcare Student Operating Department Practitioner

I wanted to find out if any other students have felt unsupported at university whilst studying nursing or other healthcare degrees?
I was studying a degree as an Operating Department Practitioner with Bournemouth University and was on placement at Southampton General Hospital. I reported what I felt was serious concerns with three surgeons and what I had witnessed. As I had been taught on my degree to do, particularly in my Human Factors lectures which were my favourite, I reported it to my lecturer. I was greeted with silence down the phone and no further action was taken. No investigation. No conversation. Nothing. I was later forced to step off my degree after being stalked and receiving threats to kill my family through my social media which I reported to the police.
Obviously I am not saying the stalking and threats were linked but I felt very disappointed in Bournemouth University and in my own personal opinion it felt like total hypocrisy on their part. Teaching one thing and in reality responding very differently. I found it frightening and I stepped off my degree at the start of the second year losing both financially, emotionally and mentally, not to mention the devastation of finding out what I was being taught was not how I should really respond. It was confusing and left me feeling very vulnerable.

Reply 1

WinterSky12

4

You did what a lot of other people would not have done and you advocated for a safe and honest working environment. You should have felt supported by both your education provider and your placement. In both cases you could report what you saw to an anonymous reporting line in your placements standards and compliance team and/or go to the regulatory body for surgeons/healthcare HCPC/GMC/etc. They also provided accreditation to your degree too so may help in that realm too. It's a nuclear option as both parties would be aware and face regulatory scrutiny. I'd also hope you reported your incident of stalking to the police. If not, better late than never. Further action from the police or even acknowledgement of what happened by the police could help your case and give you access to support services. Its had a blow to your motivation and aspirations. But don't let this impede on you making an impact on your career. The office for students may be able to help too. If all else fails consider your options of taking a break or changing education providers. There's support there from student services to help you adjust for change and make it gradual and less stressful. I just hope it all works out. All the best.

Reply 2

justwanttolearn

OP

1

Original post by WinterSky12

You did what a lot of other people would not have done and you advocated for a safe and honest working environment. You should have felt supported by both your education provider and your placement. In both cases you could report what you saw to an anonymous reporting line in your placements standards and compliance team and/or go to the regulatory body for surgeons/healthcare HCPC/GMC/etc. They also provided accreditation to your degree too so may help in that realm too. It's a nuclear option as both parties would be aware and face regulatory scrutiny. I'd also hope you reported your incident of stalking to the police. If not, better late than never. Further action from the police or even acknowledgement of what happened by the police could help your case and give you access to support services. Its had a blow to your motivation and aspirations. But don't let this impede on you making an impact on your career. The office for students may be able to help too. If all else fails consider your options of taking a break or changing education providers. There's support there from student services to help you adjust for change and make it gradual and less stressful. I just hope it all works out. All the best.

Thanks for your reply. I did report it to the police and the hospital. Nothing. I also contacted student Unison who I paid a subscription to. Nothing. I also contacted the student Operating Department Practitioner organisation of which I paid a subscription to. Nothing.

Healthcare students are vulnerable in a working environment and susceptible to criminal behaviour within the NHS. They need to be both protected and informed of the realities of working in the NHS, and that is, not everyone they go to work with has the same heart as them.

Unsupported Healthcare Student Operating Department Practitioner

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you