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She needs to be less precious and more inquisitive.
If she asked the right questions she would almost certainly be told that she doesn't have to go near a pupil, will just be overseeing them doing self tests. So handing them a test, perhaps watching them doing it, making sure they chuck it away correctly and probably logging the result.
Its a global pandemic, lots of people doing stuff outside of their normal job, some shout about it, some quietly get on with it. Individuals choose whether or not be part of the collective effort to move us forward. Sounds like the OP's wife, and OP, are quite clear about where they stand.
Rather than kicking back against the college, how about offering to help them develop the testing plan and align with the national guidance?
Amazing how quickly it changed when queried.
Or maybe either your wife or her manager misunderstood what was required in the first place (as many on here have said)? All it needed was a conversation and 'hey-presto' - sorted.
I guess he could have gone running to the Union as it wasn’t in his job spec.
Or perhaps his employer handled/communicated the build up to testing differently.
needs to be less precious and more inquisitive.
Blimey, have you spent much time on STW? 😁 that probably applies to 50% of the threads on here.
She needs to be less precious and more inquisitive.
The insults continue.
dantsw13
Or maybe it was BS in the first place?
She needs to be less precious and more inquisitive.
If she asked the right questions she would almost certainly be told that she doesn’t have to go near a pupil, will just be overseeing them doing self tests. So handing them a test, perhaps watching them doing it, making sure they chuck it away correctly and probably logging the result.
Or maybe either your wife or her manager misunderstood what was required in the first place (as many on here have said)? All it needed was a conversation and ‘hey-presto’ – sorted.
Well, I saw the email saying they're administering the tests - it may have been BS, but I suspect if so it's come from the manager misunderstanding, rather than my wife.
Its a global pandemic, lots of people doing stuff outside of their normal job, some shout about it, some quietly get on with it.
And some smugly patronise others about it from behind the safety of their keyboards.
Her main concern is that I have a health condition which meant I am/was shielding and she didn't want to be exposed to unnecessary risk and in turn expose me.
footflaps
There are some very unpleasant people on this thread with a distorted sense of moral superiority.
Definitely agreed. Thanks to those who offered help and advice.
She needs to be less precious and more inquisitive.
Welcome to International Women's Day - Singletrack style
Her main concern is that I have a health condition which meant I am/was shielding and she didn’t want to be exposed to unnecessary risk and in turn expose me.
If that is the case surely she shouldn't be returning to the school at all?
I doubt that is an option. I know of teachers living with shielding people that had two options… move out… or quit…
johndoh
If that is the case surely she shouldn’t be returning to the school at all?
Are you genuinely asking this, or are you just hard of thinking?
The guidance in relation to shielding is as follows:
"This shielding guidance applies to clinically extremely vulnerable individuals only. Others living in a household with someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable are not advised to follow this guidance. They should instead follow the general advice and regulations set out in the national lockdown guidance that came into effect on 5 January 2021."
Schools are going back. She's a teacher. She has to go back, we're just trying to manage and minimise risk where possible. She was told she wouldn't be face-to-face teaching until the end of March, and as far as we know that's still the case, but now she's having to go in to deal with the testing etc etc.
She was never going to be actually administering tests, someone along the line has misunderstood or worded something badly in an email.
Home testing is being introduced for secondary age pupils (11+) and college students. It is important that pupils and students are initially supervised whilst swabbing to make sure they are doing it correctly. This is why testing will initially take place on-site
Well if she is going back to teach, she is going to be equally at risk as by standing 2m from someone taking a LFT unfortunately.
or are you just hard of thinking
Ohh, I like that one, classy.
This thread illustrates the good and bad qualities of STW very well.
Well if she is going back to teach, she is going to be equally at risk as by standing 2m from someone taking a LFT unfortunately.
Yes - I know - that's the point!
Ohh, I like that one, classy.
Thank you for proving me right so eloquently.
Send an email to her manager asking for written clarification as to whether it is mandatory or not making it clear that she would rather not do it but would be willing if it was mandatory.
Or just do it.
I am not taking sides but getting managers to write down what they have said to you has a strange effect on their memories and how they word things. I was once told by a manager that I had to get the 'dirt' on a couple of my colleagues and find any breach of rules. When I asked for written confirmation I was told I must have mis-heard and I was being asked to keep an eye out for the colleagues to make sure they were coping okay.
IT (obvs) – but I’m volunteering as a vaccinator – does that help?
Such smugness. But missing out the inportant point that vaccinators get vaccinated...
Teachers have specifically been told they aren't getting a vaccine as a priority.
If be telling them to piss off..
If the letter says it’s voluntary the manager has no chance, they should be finding out if the letter is correct and advising you wife to go with the letter for now. Mean time you wife can ask what it will involve and what PPE will be provided so your wife can make a more informed decision.
The kids are sticking swabs in their nose and mouth, you wife will be observing at a distance and recording the child’s name, test details and result. Maybe wiping down the surface afterwards, it’s probably no more risky than teaching.
Yes – I know – that’s the point!
I thought the point was that she didn't want to be involved in the testing because you have a health condition? As she is going to be just at risk by being in the school if she does or doesn't help out, why doesn't she just do it? As I said before, if she thinks it is that much of a risk then she shouldn't be going back in at all.
As I said before, if she thinks it is that much of a risk then she shouldn’t be going back in at all.
Did you not see this:
kelvin
I doubt that is an option. I know of teachers living with shielding people that had two options… move out… or quit…
She has no choice about face to face teaching because funnily enough we can't afford for her not to work and there's no right not to work, but as previously stated, that was going to be at the end of March, when hopefully testing would have identified any immediate infections and isolated those affected pupils, so lessened the risk.
But missing out the inportant point that vaccinators get vaccinated…
I know.... I got my first jab one whole week before everybody in my age group was entitled to it.
Such smugness.
So everybody who volunteers is smug and not doing it to try and help?
So everybody who volunteers is smug and not doing it to try and help?
I got the impression that was directed just at you. 🙂
So everybody who volunteers is smug and not doing it to try and help?
I'm not alone in thinking your comment came across as smug. Maybe it wasn't intended to..
I know…. I got my first jab one whole week before everybody in my age group was entitled to it.
Because I assume you didn't start in your vaccinator role until a week before your age group were entitled to it???
Off topic but I didn't think they accepted anyone in the first nine groups into a vaccinators role? Certainly a few folks on Twitter have claimed this..
This thread is awful. Some people are coming across very badly. Not sure if they are intending to or not, but some of you might want to reread your posts and ask yourselves “Am I possibly being a bit of a dick?” Trying to score points or look weirdly morally superior for some reason utterly unknown to anyone else other than yourselves.
This place is ace ninety percent of the time. This is the other ten percent of complete ballbaggery.
OP - I’m afraid your initial post/tone provoked the responses you got. Look at AA just above. A teacher, who didn’t want to do/help with in-school testing. Nobody is calling him out because he reasoned and stated his position.
It's an emotive topic that has been escalated on both sides. There are a few who need to wind their necks in; having a different opinion and challenging someone else's view is what defines debate but that's becoming a lost art it seems.
(stands back, awaits flaming for having a different opinion on the merits of different opinions)
OP – I’m afraid your initial post/tone provoked the responses you got.
The tone you're talking about is in your head, not in the post. There's nothing in the post to provoke the judgemental responses some gave.
Just access the tonsils via the nose on the first one.
The tone you’re talking about is in your head, not in the post. There’s nothing in the post to provoke the judgemental responses some gave.
Post 1 was fine, I also read as a little leading (unhappy, compulsory, etc.) but it's OK to have a position at the same time as asking for opinions "WWSTD?"
The next 2 took an opposing view; a little snippy maybe but not bad.
Then it escalated, including the OP's first response "wind your neck in" etc.
It's not as one sided as folks would make it out to be. More a case of sides being taken and then entrenched.
This below was the list we were sent when looking at setting up in work lateral flow testing. Doesn't cover training admittedly but clear on the screen, PPE etc. I would imagine schools would be following a similar principle.
Testing Requirements/Equipment
• A test area is required (separate from all activities) containing the following:
Table
Protective screen between test operative and team member
Healthcare waste bin
Paper towel
Pen / pencil
Timer / stopwatch
Permanent marker
Trays
Mirror
Sick bowl
PPE
Cleaning equipment
Flooring surface that can be mopped
The test area must be kept between 15 – 30 degrees Celsius
A smart phone to upload the Test & Trace app for logging results (can be the test operative’s)
• Full PPE must still be worn regardless of negative result whilst in the workplace
• The workplace waste contractor needs to be informed that waste from LFT will be disposed of
I have had 8 tests so far , and there is no way I would want someone untrained to do it . It is bad enough as it is .
I am not sure I would be able to do it to myself either . Surely a lot of those tests came back negative as people didnt push them far enough in their nose !
Not Uk based .
I am not sure I would be able to do it to myself either . Surely a lot of those tests came back negative as people didnt push them far enough in their nose !
Not Uk based
I don't know for sure but I think most tests in UK are self-administered (mine was at drive thru centre)
Surely a lot of those tests came back negative as people didnt push them far enough in
I've done a handful of tests, the ones I do have a line indicating that you've done it properly...then another line if you are positive.
OP, glad it's all sorted. All the teachers I know have been worried about today.
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cchris2lou
Full MemberI have had 8 tests so far , and there is no way I would want someone untrained to do it . It is bad enough as it is .
But in the OP’s wife’s scenario she is not being expected to test, just supervise 16-17 yr olds in taking their own tests and reporting the results back to the NHS
Hey, long time lurker, first time (I think) commenter.
I don't think anyone has mentioned this but for future reference, it might be worth giving Acas a call to discuss the situation. Their helpline deals in advising employees/employers about workplace issues.
Number is 0300 123 1100
For me it's really simple, no one should ask others what they aren't prepared to do themselves.
Oh, and is it safe - and I'd want to know this from an SME, not a politician or someone who's Google'd it.
And remember, volunteers can always be found, for any task...
For me it’s really simple, no one should ask others what they aren’t prepared to do themselves.
In general this. But these are exceptional times and people are being asked to do more than they may consider normal. We've all been asked to put lives on hold, particularly our young people, and now 'we' are being asked to contribute a bit more to allow them a return towards normality. Depending what it is, that may or may not be acceptable. OP asked whether we thought it was, got a mix of opinions.
Oh, and is it safe – and I’d want to know this from an SME, not a politician or someone who’s Google’d it.
As supposedly a SME in my area (chemicals, not Covid), first question I'd ask is what exactly are you going to do.
I'm not anti-teacher. I'm very pro, my wife works in a school albeit not teaching and has helped out with the admin side of getting this level of testing done, and sees first hand what other teachers are being asked to do to help. I also fully support that all teachers should be offered vaccination and while I understand why the Gov has chosen to stick to at riskers first, I think that is wrong*
* bit odd this one - as a scientist I 'follow the science' and on that the Gov is I think strictly speaking right. But from a visibility / how to win friends and influence people political side they got this wrong.
'We need you to return to the classroom, and in addition to take on an extra workload of LFT testing kids for a few weeks during the return. But before you go back you are all to be offered the vaccine in order to make the small risk even smaller. Deal?'
johndoh
But in the OP’s wife’s scenario she is not being expected to test, just supervise 16-17 yr olds in taking their own tests and reporting the results back to the NHS
To be clear, initially she was told she would be actively administering the tests to student, hence the concern.
what does actively administer mean?
If some told me I was actively administrring tests, I'd assume sticking oversize cotton buds up their schnozz until told otherwise.
It's the "volunteer in public, mandatory in private" thing and the lack of details that would annoy me.
To be clear, initially she was told she would be actively administering the tests to student, hence the concern.
Yes I know that, and it was suggested some time ago that may have been a misunderstanding by someone somewhere along the line (and that turned out to be the case).
I’d assume sticking oversize cotton buds up their schnozz until told otherwise.
You see the problem - I wouldn't. Especially with the additional knowledge that it's a sixth form. I'd assume it was handing them out and writing down details, etc. Maybe actually doing the extraction / timing the point at which they go onto the test strip (having the students waiting around for 30 mins until that time comes is inefficient, leads to crowding, etc.)
Point being made: before rejecting the proposal, find out what the proposal is.
Administer (verb)
- manage and be responsible for the running of (a business, organization, etc.).
- dispense or apply (a remedy or drug)
To be clear, initially she was told she would be actively administering the tests to student, hence the concern.
Could have saved a lot of time if she'd just bothered to find out - or even watched any of the many news articles on "in school testing" where its quite clear from the video/pictures that the pupils are swabbing themselves. Sometimes people are too busy reacting to bother to understand what they are reacting to.
You see the problem – I wouldn’t. Especially with the additional knowledge that it’s a sixth form. I’d assume it was handing them out and writing down details, etc.
If you ask me what, say, administering a blood test looks like, it's not a phlebotomist making notes while the patient hunts for a vein. But I ain't gonna argue about it.
If you ask me what, say, administering a blood test looks like, it’s not a phlebotomist making notes while the patient hunts for a vein.
But it is not the same, the testing method and the approach schools and colleges are taking has been widely reported in the press so if an individual has a vested interest (say, for example, a teacher) they can easily read about it. I know I have read about it and I only have children of testing age.
Wow what a thread....
Personally, regardless of the testing outcome, I'd be advising that she looks for another job.... By what the op has said, she (and he) have no confidence in her manager. It's sounds like the poor first email isn't the first time the manager hasn't explained things correctly or has expected more than the ops wife was prepared to do.
Regards the current testing situation I'm glad it's has some sort of resolution. Unfortunately it'll never be 100% safe, for the op or his wife (I'm in a similar situation).