pennijar
Well-Known Member
I was wondering if any of you would give me some advice, as you know I work for a charity cutting toe nails for the over 50's, please excuse the next part but I feel a bit of background is needed before I air my problem.
Each client on their first visit pays for a nail kit which contains a pair of toe nail cutters, a metal file and a long round file (I think it is called a Rhalls file if wrong I stand to be corrected) for filing into the corners and removing gunk. Once the tools have been used on the client they are theirs to keep and bring back to each appointment each set is only used on the same client, we are not able to sterilise them as we have no way of doing so the only cleansing products we are given to use are skin cleansing wipes and Alcohol hand rub, I have never been happy with this and I have tried to have my say but have always been told that this is all we need, my collegue who works in another area doesn't even have running water in her clinic, and when mine moves I won't have either. This I have been told is not a Health and Safety issue as long as we use the products provided like hell it isn't.
Ok now for the nitty gritty of my post, today I have been informed that the service is being extended to include finger nail cutting, wait for it using the self same pedicure tools that we have just used or have previously used to cut their toe nails (would you fancy trying to cut finger nails with toe nail clippers) I know I don't and my poor collegue had never done nails before she got this job, she had 1 days shadowing a podiatrist an exam and a 1 day course in theory I told my boss (who admits that she knows nothing about nails herself) that finger nails should be filed and not cut and metal files should not be used and that in using the same tools we could spread infections from the toe nails to the finger nails. In answer I was told that I was not qualified to tell her what to do the Prodiatry Dept had told her this was fine.
So my NVQ level 2 in Nail Services counts for nothing, nor does my knowledge of Contra Indications etc etc. I nearly walked out there and then, but as things stand I can't afford to. It is wrong oh so wrong but I don't honestly know what I can do, I pride myself on doing a good and thorough job as hygenically as possible, and I am really worried about my own reputation and I really do not want to do what I am being ordered to do if I go higher I risk losing my job as it will be seen as going over her head. I am not a happy bunny, I am between the devil and the deep blue sea and I don't know which direction to take. Any ideas? Best of all has anyone got a job I can have?
Joan
Each client on their first visit pays for a nail kit which contains a pair of toe nail cutters, a metal file and a long round file (I think it is called a Rhalls file if wrong I stand to be corrected) for filing into the corners and removing gunk. Once the tools have been used on the client they are theirs to keep and bring back to each appointment each set is only used on the same client, we are not able to sterilise them as we have no way of doing so the only cleansing products we are given to use are skin cleansing wipes and Alcohol hand rub, I have never been happy with this and I have tried to have my say but have always been told that this is all we need, my collegue who works in another area doesn't even have running water in her clinic, and when mine moves I won't have either. This I have been told is not a Health and Safety issue as long as we use the products provided like hell it isn't.
Ok now for the nitty gritty of my post, today I have been informed that the service is being extended to include finger nail cutting, wait for it using the self same pedicure tools that we have just used or have previously used to cut their toe nails (would you fancy trying to cut finger nails with toe nail clippers) I know I don't and my poor collegue had never done nails before she got this job, she had 1 days shadowing a podiatrist an exam and a 1 day course in theory I told my boss (who admits that she knows nothing about nails herself) that finger nails should be filed and not cut and metal files should not be used and that in using the same tools we could spread infections from the toe nails to the finger nails. In answer I was told that I was not qualified to tell her what to do the Prodiatry Dept had told her this was fine.
So my NVQ level 2 in Nail Services counts for nothing, nor does my knowledge of Contra Indications etc etc. I nearly walked out there and then, but as things stand I can't afford to. It is wrong oh so wrong but I don't honestly know what I can do, I pride myself on doing a good and thorough job as hygenically as possible, and I am really worried about my own reputation and I really do not want to do what I am being ordered to do if I go higher I risk losing my job as it will be seen as going over her head. I am not a happy bunny, I am between the devil and the deep blue sea and I don't know which direction to take. Any ideas? Best of all has anyone got a job I can have?
Joan