Bullying Within Capital Health
In the hospital walking to the locker room in civilian clothes I always receive smiles, doors being held open for me, and friendly nods. Emerging from the locker room, clothes changed wearing that black and white striped shirt; the friendly exchanges also change.I was a housekeeper with Capital Health for about seven months. Being twenty-eight years old I have worked in many different work environments over the years. I can honestly say that I have never felt more like a second class citizen than I have within the Capital Health environment. I started my job in housekeeping with the intentions of going to school. This was never a career option for me. Unfortunately for others this is their career. Don’t get me wrong being a housekeeper isn’t something to be ashamed of but how we are treated within Capital Health is something to be ashamed of.I read the article a housekeeper had placed in the Coast. I was surprised at first by the angry tone in which it was written. After thinking about it for a while I agreed with that article. Something needs to be done. How did classism become part of our society, just like it did hundreds of years ago? I started my job as a housekeeper happy, headache and stress free. Seven months later I didn’t have any of those things. It’s amazing how being unhappy in the workplace effects your whole life. Being a happy, energetic person I now found myself becoming angry and impatient over silly things as well as being lethargic. I would wake up in the morning, with a pit in my stomach, dreading going to work. Once at work I would count down the seconds until the next break, and the hours until my next day off. This is when I realized it was time for a change. Yes, the money is great for someone that is in school, but being made to feel worthless isn’t.No more would I smile when a nurse or ward aide would belittle and degrade me to the size of an ant. I am a good person that doesn’t deserve being treated this way. None of us do. This is the day I quit. No matter what we put on in the morning…whether it is a white lab coat, scrubs, or a black and white striped shirt….we are all the same on the inside. We all go home to our families at night, we pay our bills, and we shop at Sobey’s or Superstore: we are all human. Whether we went to high school and got a diploma or university for four years and got a degree: we are all still human. Whether we make twenty- five dollars an hour or eleven dollars an hour: we are all still human.Remember when we were in elementary school how everyone was our friend…no matter where they came from, what they looked or dressed like, or what they had for lunch? Where have those accepting children gone and who have they grown up to be?My point is the hospital is a team environment. Without bullying and classism wouldn’t things run a lot smoother?There are a lot of great people that come and go within Capital Health. Until this issue is addressed a lot more great people are going to come and go.
By Niki the ex-housekeeper
