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WorkSafeBC is holding a second public hearing this month on proposed changes to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation related to combustible dusts.
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Amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (OHSR), Part 5: Chemical Agents and Biological Agents – Emergency Planning came into effect on February 3, 2025. Changes include additional requirements to minimize the risk, likelihood, and harm caused by an emergency involving hazardous substances.   Hazardous substances include biological, chemical or physical hazards that may reasonably […]
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SCENARIO

Just Use Common Sense

Hua, a newly hired care aide, is assisting a resident to transfer from their wheelchair to an easy chair in the resident lounge. Hua hesitates, wanting to make sure she has the proper technique to avoid injury to both her and the resident. Mira, a seasoned care aide with 15 years of experience, sees her pause. She sighs loudly and mutters under her breath, “It’s just common sense.” She walks up to Hua and says, “I’ve told you before, just use your common sense! You don’t need to overthink everything.”

Hua, feeling embarrassed and belittled, fumbles her words, “I-I just want to make sure I’m doing it right.” Mira rolls her eyes and snaps, “This isn’t rocket science. If you had any common sense, we wouldn’t be wasting time here. Just do it.”

Hua’s face turns red as Mira walks toward the nursing station. She isn’t sure what “common sense” Mira is referring to and doesn’t feel comfortable asking questions anymore, fearing she'll just be labeled as incompetent.

As Mira approaches the nursing station, she calls out to Lily, the LPN. “I need these new care aides to start using their common sense, Lily. If they just used their heads, we wouldn’t be so behind with our tasks.”

Lily replies, “Everyone’s learning curve is different, Mira. Be patient.” Mira rolls her eyes, “Lily, this job isn’t that hard. I’ve been doing it for years, and it’s just common sense. They should know these things already. If they can’t handle it, maybe this isn’t the job for them.”

Question 1

What should Mira have done differently?

Further reflection: How should Lily respond to this situation?

· Acknowledge Mira’s frustration: Doing so shows Mira that her concerns are being heard, but also opens the conversation to explore how her behaviour may be affecting others. For example, “Mira, I understand that you’ve been in this role for many years, and your experience is invaluable to the team. It sounds like you feel the new aides are struggling to meet the expectations of the role. I want to make sure we’re working together to support everyone’s success.”

· Clarify what ‘common sense’ means in this context: Common sense is a subjective term, based on individual experiences and training. What seems like ‘common sense’ to an experienced aide, might be less clear to someone who is newer or less experienced.

· Encourage mentorship, not criticism: Lily can appeal to Mira’s expertise by framing her as someone who can lead by example and help new staff improve by guiding them rather than criticizing them. Encourage Mira to remember what it was like when she first started; for example, who were her mentor? How did it feel to be supported to learn? It takes time to move from novice to expert, and Mira has a great opportunity to ‘pay it forward’ in supporting new aides. Positioning Mira as a valuable mentor, also offers Mira a sense of responsibility and empowerment, rather than allowing

her to see herself as burdened by less experienced staff. Scheduling check-ins during shift changeover offers new staff the chance to ask questions as they adjust to the work. This gives everyone a chance to help troubleshoot.

· Promote open communication: Lily can emphasize the importance of fostering a supportive and learning-focused environment. She can highlight how the phrase “just use your common sense” can feel dismissive and make new staff hesitant to ask questions or ask for help. For example, “sometimes when we tell people to use ‘common sense,’ it can stop them from learning or asking questions. I want to make sure our team feels comfortable asking for help or clarification when they need it. This way, they’ll make fewer mistakes, and we’ll work more efficiently as a team.”

· Follow up on the situation: After her conversation with Mira, Lily should keep an eye on the team to ensure that Mira and the other experience aides are adjusting their approach. She can also check in with Hua, and the newer staff to ensure they’re feeling more supported. Following up with Mira a few weeks later will allow Lily to reinforce the new strategies.

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