a--Re: Attendant woes...

[Guest guest]

Hi a,

My name is Peg and for over two years I was blessed and

honored to take care of the cutest little SMA angel named .

passed away in 1999. www.our-sma-angels.com/

You are not off base at all. The attendants behavior, however, is off

base and downright offensive. The nominal fee for the coffee isnt the

only issue here. The attendant has no right to be rude to you.

I have been a nurse for 26 years and a teacher for 20 and I would

never assume someone would or should pay for what " I " eat and drink.

I bring my meals and snacks with me when I go to work or I make plans

to have my lunch or dinner delivered. Your attendants are at work,

and no matter where they work, your attendants are responsible for

their own meals and snacks. You are not. If they were working where

you work, they would be expected to put " their share " into the coffee

fund. Like you, I dont drink coffee, so I dont contribute to the

coffee fund at my school, I just bring my own drinks. Actually they

should be glad that they are allowed to contribute to the coffee

fund, since they dont work at your place of work, but rather work for

you.

I would never just take food out of someone's refrigerator or

kitchen. That is stealing plain and simple. I havent read other

people's replies to you so I may only be restating what they said. If

the attendants were working in a nursing facility, usually they would

not be given a free meal or free coffee.

I teach a home health aide/nurse's aide program. When I address

ethics in the class, this was one of the points I made. I tried to

convey that when they are at work, they are in someone's home and the

home should be treated that way, as another person's home. I told

them to ask their employer if they can store something in the

refrigerator and not to assume that they have the run of the place. I

emphasized the employer's rights, especially their right to privacy.

Im sorry this happened to you. I am not sure where this feeling of

entitlement comes from but I have seen it in action, more times than

I would like to admit. I caught one person taking toilet paper from a

hospital I worked in and she said they didnt pay her enough so she

was going to make up the difference any way she could. Thats sad.

Just my two cents. Im on your side.

Good Luck!

Peg

> I usually don't vent much on this list but here I go...

>

> It happens that the people that take me to/from work and stay with

me for a small bit have been drinking the coffee at my workplace

freely. I noticed it seemed to be one of the " newer " ones so I

causally mentioned that if they choose to drink it they needed to

contribute to the coffee fund (which I don't because I don't drink my

work place's coffee). The newer attendant readily agreed to " split

the cost " ($3/month for unlimited coffee) with the other attendants.

When I approached the other two they declined and said " No, I don't

want to " . But the one attendant who has been here the longest became

very rude and told me in so many words that *I* should pay for the

$3/month for them to drink the workplace coffee...emphasizing that it

was " the kind-hearted thing to do...after-all they are there for me " .

I thought this was totally inappropriate and told her so and she went

on to accuse me of being on a " moral high-horse " and I should be

grateful that I have them there with me at work.

> What the HELL?!!?

>

> Am I totally off base on this one? -a

>

>

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