Job Situation - WWYD?

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

I work in a Hospital as part of the Float Pool. I was hired as a "direct patient care" employee but there have been times they have needed someone to do computer work in the staffing office.

It never once occurred to me to tell my boss "No, I wasn't hired for that." They needed the job done, so I did it.

There have been too many people let go in this job market for me to even consider giving my boss a reason to fire me. And even if you don't plan on staying at this job for much longer every positive reference comes in handy down the line.

 

[Carly_Roach]

Thank you for all the replies. I just wanted to stress that I am in no way refusing to do this job. I started my shift on Friday at noon and the schedule for this upcoming week was not up. When I left at 5:45 I saw the schedule but the director was gone so I could not ask her about it then. Also, the girl who was in the kitchen was gone for the day so I could not ask her any questions either. If I had more warning or time to figure out what was going on then I would be much more comfortable.
They knew for months that the person who usually cooks, I'll call her Sara would be on vacation so they had plenty of time to make better arrangements than this (even if those arrangements were that all part time floaters need to be oriented with the kitchen). I looked it up and it does not seem like I would need a license to do this. However there are a lot of rules about safe food preparation and even the maximum amount of food that the kids can get. There are also several allergies and a lot of new teachers who do not know the allergies as well as Sara does.

Sometimes employers who are cutting costs without realizing the consequences of those cuts need to learn the hard way. You don't throw someone into a job and expect stellar results the first time that employee tries to do the work. Especially if the employee has no training for that job. It sounds to me as though the company or managers believes anyone can go in and do that job. They will find out on Monday that they were wrong.

I will never understand the risk management mindset. They are figuring a $40 to $100 training experience is worth cutting from the budget and are gambling on the fact that they probably won't have to pay for:

• An ambulance ride to the hospital
• Medical costs for a child who has a reaction because they ingested a known allergen
• Legal defense costs when the parents sue the center
• Other parents pulling their child out of the center (loss of revenue)
• Center shutdown

I see this penny wise and pound foolish mindset all the time. It's sickening when the risk management people have figured out how many people would have to die before it becomes unprofitable to produce a product. It never used to be this way - even ONE person dying because of a company's actions was cause for shame, embarassment and massive changes.

OP, you're in a no-win situation. The only thing you can do is go in on Monday and follow any instructions that were left for you. Do the best you can and if you fail, then explain that you were set up for failure from the start. You had absolutely no training for this task before you were thrown into it. If you lose your job, well you were planning on leaving anyway.

 

[gnargle2988]

I work in a Hospital as part of the Float Pool. I was hired as a "direct patient care" employee but there have been times they have needed someone to do computer work in the staffing office.

It never once occurred to me to tell my boss "No, I wasn't hired for that." They needed the job done, so I did it.

There have been too many people let go in this job market for me to even consider giving my boss a reason to fire me. And even if you don't plan on staying at this job for much longer every positive reference comes in handy down the line.

I hope I quoted that right. Anyway, they don't provide references. If a future employer calls them all they will do is confirm that I worked there and the dates I was there. They will not even comment on rehire status. That is per the handbook which is sitting on my desk right now. I do have positive references from the two teachers who I have worked with this whole summer who agree with me that this is crazy (especially because the one teacher has no permanent assistant and gets a new floater in her room almost everyday).

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

Well if you already had your mind made up (which you obviously do since you have an "excuse" for everything posted here) than why did you even bother asking the question?

Do what you are going to do and then deal with the consequences. If what you are saying is true, then there wont be any consequences and you are good to go.

 

[dimimi]

I used to be the director at a daycare. I am sure your meals will be easy to prepare . Just do your best. If you generally like your job, show that you can think on your feet and be flexible. Do you know what the meal will be? I would be all of the ingredients will be there.

At our daycare, the food would be 5 chicken nuggests per child, fruit and a vegetable. It really wasn't difficult. Just give it a try.

 

[JoiseyMom]

I used to be the director at a daycare. I am sure your meals will be easy to prepare . Just do your best. If you generally like your job, show that you can think on your feet and be flexible. Do you know what the meal will be? I would be all of the ingredients will be there.

At our daycare, the food would be 5 chicken nuggests per child, fruit and a vegetable. It really wasn't difficult. Just give it a try.

It wasn't like that at my DD daycare.. They had a chef and food was freshly prepared and cooked from scratch daily! So it all depends. I would think since they are throwing a floater (very stupid and irresponsible move in my opinion) who wasn't told she was to do this, no training, just fly by the seat of your pants, then I would say that they food is already prepared (poor kids).

OP, can you leave/email your supervisor over the weekend or somehow contact her/him and ask if there are detailed dircetions/receipes etc, and your concerns? You want to do the job, but if you don't know how then there is an issue.

You just can't say, hey you are going to do xyz's job and you have no idea what you are doing, that is just assinine!!

 

[gnargle2988]

Thanks for the helpful responses. I am contacting the girl who was in the kitchen on Friday via facebook so hopefully that will give me a better idea of what to expect. I guess I can just figure out what I am doing from there. I also emailed my director and explained my concerns and uncomfortableness with being in the kitchen, asking her for any advice or reassurance she could give me. I did not say I was refusing to do it, just expressing valid concerns.

And yes, it is all prepared foods like mac-n-cheese, etc. The cooking of the food itself is not my biggest concern, it is all the other details such as storing the left overs, making sure every child with special meals gets what they need, making sure there is no cross contamination and that food is cooked thoroughly, that it is served on time (because the teachers tend to not care who is in the kitchen, they tend to be very rude to anyone who does not get them their meals to them at the right time).

I don't mean to sound like I have excuses for everything so I am sorry if it is coming across that way. But several posters seems to assume that I am refusing to do this job and a bad employee because I do not plan to spend the rest of my life at this job. I am trying to explain why that is not true and I guess I am just not coming across the right way.

 

[Cinderella94]

I don't mean to sound like I have excuses for everything so I am sorry if it is coming across that way. But several posters seems to assume that I am refusing to do this job and a bad employee because I do not plan to spend the rest of my life at this job. I am trying to explain why that is not true and I guess I am just not coming across the right way.

I can tell what you meant from your posts. Don't take it personally, this is the DIS...there always have to be a few people...

 

[disneyfans95]

I don't mean to sound like I have excuses for everything so I am sorry if it is coming across that way. But several posters seems to assume that I am refusing to do this job and a bad employee because I do not plan to spend the rest of my life at this job. I am trying to explain why that is not true and I guess I am just not coming across the right way.

Not staying at a job for a long does not make you a bad employee.

The point that is being made, that you have not really answered, is that picking and choosing what YOU want to do at a job makes you a poor employee.

There is nothing in what you have said that makes it look like the request from your job is difficult or beyond your ability. I am sure you can do it. If you want to, well that is really the issue.

And remember, there is a ton of things an employer can do about your future hires. Just by giving nothing but your hire dates, rate of pay they are telling someone you really were not that great. There is reading between the lines with that. If an employer expands with positives attributes, that sends a whole new (and better) message then a company that just gives the "by the law" response of tenue, rate of pay and eligable for rehire.

 

[dakcp2001]

Thanks for the helpful responses. I am contacting the girl who was in the kitchen on Friday via facebook so hopefully that will give me a better idea of what to expect. I guess I can just figure out what I am doing from there. I also emailed my director and explained my concerns and uncomfortableness with being in the kitchen, asking her for any advice or reassurance she could give me. I did not say I was refusing to do it, just expressing valid concerns.

And yes, it is all prepared foods like mac-n-cheese, etc. The cooking of the food itself is not my biggest concern, it is all the other details such as storing the left overs, making sure every child with special meals gets what they need, making sure there is no cross contamination and that food is cooked thoroughly, that it is served on time (because the teachers tend to not care who is in the kitchen, they tend to be very rude to anyone who does not get them their meals to them at the right time).

I don't mean to sound like I have excuses for everything so I am sorry if it is coming across that way. But several posters seems to assume that I am refusing to do this job and a bad employee because I do not plan to spend the rest of my life at this job. I am trying to explain why that is not true and I guess I am just not coming across the right way.

I think just the opposite, I think it demonstrates that you do care, and do want to be able to do a good job. I would be MORE concerned about the people that say "whatever, do what you can" because they obviously do not care about being able to properly do the job. Your concerns are valid, you had NO orientation or anything. Hopefully you will get in there and see that it is easy to prepare food and it will be ok. Do come back & tell us how it went and what you had to make!

Dont be offended by the miserable disers, they show up on every thread. Try not to take it personal, you could make a post about something completely benign and totally non controversial and you will still get people that create controversy and drama.

 

[gnargle2988]

Not staying at a job for a long does not make you a bad employee.

The point that is being made, that you have not really answered, is that picking and choosing what YOU want to do at a job makes you a poor employee.

There is nothing in what you have said that makes it look like the request from your job is difficult or beyond your ability. I am sure you can do it. If you want to, well that is really the issue.

And remember, there is a ton of things an employer can do about your future hires. Just by giving nothing but your hire dates, rate of pay they are telling someone you really were not that great. There is reading between the lines with that. If an employer expands with positives attributes, that sends a whole new (and better) message then a company that just gives the "by the law" response of tenue, rate of pay and eligable for rehire.

I do not understand how I have not answered a point that is being made. I am not picking and choosing what I want to do as an employee. When they put me with the school age children one day, I did it even though I usually work with the toddlers or infants, did not know any of the school age children, and was in the room by myself. When I am told to clean out the supply room because that is what needs to be done, I do it. When I have to close out 3 or 4 rooms in a row, all of which look like mini-tornadoes whipped through, I do it. When one of the infant room teachers was put on immediate bed rest in May, I was put in her room for a month, by myself, expected to do the functions of a lead teacher with absolutely no training. I accepted that as part of my responsibility. I take out garbage, clean out the parent lounge, come in early when needed and stay late without complaint. I do not like all these things but I do them. Cooking is not something that they ever brought up when I was hired and it is not something that I am trained for. I am not picking and choosing what I do, I am just aware that they are putting me in a position that is set up for failure. It's thing like this that explain their insanely high turnover (approximately 25 people since February) and why people quit via email or not showing up for their shift. I take pride in my job and my integrity so I am not saying I would resort to those things.

You also mention that there is a lot my employer can do about my future hires. I am reading my employee manual right now and it specifically says they will not comment on any of those positive attributes and furthermore will not even mention rehire status. I also know from talking to people who I used to work with (who left on good terms) that they will not provide any sort of reference no matter how good of an employee you are. So it is not a matter of legality, it's just their policy. My director was not even allowed (per company policy) to be a reference on a volunteer application I was filling out (because all she could comment on is that I worked there, nothing about work ethic, etc which is what the application wanted).

Anyway, this was a very long post and I did not mean for it to be. Thank you for all the constructive replies. I have some homework to do so I will be back on Tuesday to update everyone with how it went.

 

[twinmomplus2new]

I am sorry I am not Serv safe certified and can not do it for you on Monday.

 

[disneyfans95]

I am sorry I am not Serv safe certified and can not do it for you on Monday.

The problem is that Servsafe is not required for daycares. Their website recommends it (along with basically anything that has food, because they want the business) but you don't need it to operate the kitchen in the daycare.

 

[Pumbaa_]

I would not want that responsibility. One thing to pour juice in a cup, another to be able to prepare meals for children with life threatening allergies that you are not trained!

 

[dimimi]

Sorry, I still don't get it. She said she is serving prepared mac and cheese. She will need to put in the oven. Storing the left overs should not be a problem. It sounds like this is a large daycare, with a parent room, etc. The menus are probably posted.

There will probably be limited left overs, hopefully the menu was made with allergies in mind. If you have questions, ask in the morning.

It will work out. Day care should be run perfectly, with all staff knowing the kids, etc. HOWEVER, this is not how it happens, people call off sick, staff is moved throughout the day. Staff is moved to meet ratios, etc. Most things the parents don't even know because they aren't there. Really, typically it all works out.

 

[disneyfans95]

Sorry, I still don't get it. She said she is serving prepared mac and cheese. She will need to put in the oven. Storing the left overs should not be a problem. It sounds like this is a large daycare, with a parent room, etc. The menus are probably posted.

There will probably be limited left overs, hopefully the menu was made with allergies in mind. If you have questions, ask in the morning.

It will work out. Day care should be run perfectly, with all staff knowing the kids, etc. HOWEVER, this is not how it happens, people call off sick, staff is moved throughout the day. Staff is moved to meet ratios, etc. Most things the parents don't even know because they aren't there. Really, typically it all works out.

Bingo..

 

[luvsJack]

Serv Safe is required for one person in the facility, so the director could be certified and that would pass even if she does not work in the kitchen. Not sure about other states but I was required to get this for our license.

If you have been hired as a floater, you were expected to fill in WHERE EVER needed, the kitchen is an important part of the child care center.

Its not that hard, don't worry about it. Believe me, I spent many days in 12 years teaching my 4 year olds and then running to cook lunch. When people don't show up to work, you do what you have to to get the job done.

If any of the children have food allergies, it should be posted in the kitchen of the center. Just check for it in the early a.m. And the menus should already be taking that into consideration. Menus should be complete so that there is no question of what will be prepared. Just stick to the menu and if you are worried about not having enough, just remember it is better to have too much than not enough.

As for training, including myself and my mom, we had 4 different cooks over the 12 years. I never had to actually "train" anyone. It was the same kind of food you cook at home, just more of it! They just had to remember to follow the menu (exactly) and review the list of allergies every morning (mainly precautionary, as like I said we made the menus to take the allergies into consideration).

 

[Carly_Roach]

And remember, there is a ton of things an employer can do about your future hires. Just by giving nothing but your hire dates, rate of pay they are telling someone you really were not that great. There is reading between the lines with that. If an employer expands with positives attributes, that sends a whole new (and better) message then a company that just gives the "by the law" response of tenue, rate of pay and eligable for rehire.

Sorry. Wrong. Nice scare tactic, though.

It may be different in your world, but here in Michigan the dates of employment and eligibility for rehire are the Standard regardless of whether employee was a stellar employee or a bad employee. Anything else, positive or negative, opens the employer up to lawsuits.

It's the eligibility for rehire that most companies look for here in Michigan.

 

[gnargle2988]

I emailed my director over the weekend, explaining my concerns about my ability to do this job and asking her if she could give me a better idea of what I would need to do and how much was explained clearly vs. how much I would have to figure out as I go. She replied this morning that she would have no problem switching me with someone else who has worked in the kitchen before. So as of now it looks like I am not in the kitchen tomorrow.

 

[Carly_Roach]

I emailed my director over the weekend, explaining my concerns about my ability to do this job and asking her if she could give me a better idea of what I would need to do and how much was explained clearly vs. how much I would have to figure out as I go. She replied this morning that she would have no problem switching me with someone else who has worked in the kitchen before. So as of now it looks like I am not in the kitchen tomorrow.

WTG! If I were you, I'd take this opportunity to ask that you be placed with someone in the kitchen sometime this week so you can learn how to do the duties. That way you can truly "float" to any job.

Nice going! I'm glad it all worked out!