The Student Room Group

Incident on placement

So I'm a PA student on psychiatry placement, today was my last day so I had to do my end of placement meeting. I went on a different ward to find the one I am on to find the consultant and just I was coming through the door an elderly patient stops me and asked me what I'm studying what it is and then she jut switched saying she hates the NHS and I have no future and she was jut blocking me way. I stood there and had to listen to her and I just gave her a confused look to why she she is blaming me when I'm not involved in her care or even working on the ward and she thought I was smirking and she goes to me "do not smirk", I was honestly not smirking and I said that to her as well. Then she went on about how a medical student did something to her.

There was a F2 on the ward who saw and just ignored it.

My worry is if she complains about me to the consultant that I was smirking when I wasn't
Like I;m really worried
I'm not sure what kind of ward you're working on... but I've been working in acute/PICU services for about 3 years as a bank HCA and full-time OTA 😊

I don't think anything would come from that, or nothing at least in the way of your consultant reprimanding you. If you've never met her before....she may not remember this interaction, and instead relay the incident she is focused on, or voice her general frustrations🙁 I have definitely been insulted by a disgruntled patient, who was frustrated at his experience as a whole, ergo myself and others got a few swears as he disagreed with the decision to section. Another colleague of mine got snapped at by a lady experiencing mania for essentially licking her lips a couple of times. Essentially, anger can be projected at the wrong target, or be disproportionate, so staff understand that you may not have done anything to cause offense😊

There is plenty of allegations that might be thrown about, or comments made. People that are under section (or not) have the right to complain about their care or treatment, but people do make statements about staff that can be based on irrational beliefs or misunderstanding situations due to their current mental state. For example, I experienced patients talk about staff taking their belongings whilst experiencing paranoia. Or people saying they've been raped by police or healthcare staff. Rightfully, if these issues got raised they would be investigated, but evidence would be needed to charge anyone of specific crimes.

Hope my answer made sense and wasn't too long... I do understand that feeling of questioning whether you behaved wrongly or worrying you'll be told off..
(edited 2 months ago)

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