Cutting my ties to this specialty

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Jul 23, 2012

My scribe training has served me well, no doubt. It helped me earn a unit secretary job on a medical floor, and I hope and pray it works out there. I would have loved to be an ED nurse, but the experience I had as a student in an ED that I worked in for 3 1/2 years as a scribe was terrible. I'm not sure what I did to earn the treatment I got.
The only way I'll ever work in the ED again is if I move to another place or the person I precepted with no longer works in that ED.

I think that might be the issue.....it is difficult to move from one position to another within the same department. They will never see you in that increased capacity. Most people who bully like that are threatened and are insecure.

I tell my my kids.....you didn't do anything to desreve that treatment....bullies are just sad badly behaved, ill-mannerd children. They treat other people the way they feel inside.

:hug: Don't let someone's personal issues keepyou out of the ED, if the ED is what you want.

Anna Flaxis, BSN, RN · Jul 23, 2012

There are crappy people everywhere, in every specialty. I don't mean to minimize your hurt, but that could have happened to you in any environment. Even so, the ED can be a tough place. My experience was that new people got the cold shoulder for the first few weeks, until the cliques had had the opportunity to size them up and see if they were going to cut it. Once "they" determined you could make it in the ED, then you'd be part of the group and they'd have your back. It's not always the most supportive environment to start out in.

My strategy was to size all of them up, and figure out who the "Queen Bees" were, so as not to make them feel threatened by me and thus invoke their aggression. I figured out who the nurses were who liked to work cooperatively and collaboratively and who stayed out of the cliques and just did their jobs to the best of their ability, and I sought them out as resources. Also, every clique has one or two who aren't fully immersed in the group-think and can maintain a little bit of distance from it. If you can identify and befriend one of these, then you have an ally within the clique and you're less likely to get grief. It worked well for me.

I think it might be a good thing for you to work in a different environment. The ED is not the end all and be all of nursing. Maybe you'll have better experiences elsewhere, and some day, if you still think you want to try the ED, you'll have more experience under your belt and be able to push back against mistreatment more effectively.

netglow, ASN, RN · Jul 27, 2012

OP, yes I could smell that one a mile away. Here you are, one on one with the docs. Maybe they taught you a thing here and there, were actually nice to you. Maybe this was noted by the RNs in that ER during the time you worked as a scribe. Lottsa crazy RNs out there. This "type" will think you are getting special treatment, or even think you might think you are better for some reason (see nurses are crazy comment). Now here you are as a nursing student. They want you to know that they are now your boss.

Yes. I would have to say on the whole, I too have never seen a profession that contains more immature and unprofessional people. Problem is the crazies like to hire more crazies (they know somewhat they are bat crap crazy, so they want the comfort of having more like them around). If you really wanted the ER, you just need to not work in that particular hospital. What happened to you is accepted and common.

I saw this during my student clinical when the time of year came and some new grads were hired (before the total freeze out of hiring new grads). Some of those new grads were treated like **** because they had previously worked on the floor as techs. As a student, I had had classes with some of them, and in clinical was aware of how they carried themselves and of what hard workers they were. Yes, I am able to evaluate an employee since I have had the position to do so in my past.

In the end what I am generally saying, is that why would you let a group of crazy women working in one department at one hospital determine your future goals?

ED_Chris_RN · Jul 27, 2012

It is good you have realized this before you started working there as an RN. ED is definitely not for everyone!

whichone'spink, BSN, RN · Jul 28, 2012

OP, yes I could smell that one a mile away. Here you are, one on one with the docs. Maybe they taught you a thing here and there, were actually nice to you. Maybe this was noted by the RNs in that ER during the time you worked as a scribe. Lottsa crazy RNs out there. This "type" will think you are getting special treatment, or even think you might think you are better for some reason (see nurses are crazy comment). Now here you are as a nursing student. They want you to know that they are now your boss. Yes. I would have to say on the whole, I too have never seen a profession that contains more immature and unprofessional people. Problem is the crazies like to hire more crazies (they know somewhat they are bat crap crazy, so they want the comfort of having more like them around). If you really wanted the ER, you just need to not work in that particular hospital. What happened to you is accepted and common.I saw this during my student clinical when the time of year came and some new grads were hired (before the total freeze out of hiring new grads). Some of those new grads were treated like **** because they had previously worked on the floor as techs. As a student, I had had classes with some of them, and in clinical was aware of how they carried themselves and of what hard workers they were. Yes, I am able to evaluate an employee since I have had the position to do so in my past. In the end what I am generally saying, is that why would you let a group of crazy women working in one department at one hospital determine your future goals?

OMG, yes that's exactly what happened. I did my best to be friendly with the RNs, and some even gave me nursing pointers. For the most part, I got along with the RNs save for a few, who I sensed were jealous of me. One RN would always try to flirt with the docs, trying to make herself seem like she was smart and witty. The docs saw right through her though, snickering behind her back after she went on her way.To be honest, I actually wanted to be placed in the ICU at another hospital. I did nothing to arrange for placement in this wretched ED. It's alright. I needed this experience, to give me exposure to a toxic environment, and to contrast it with the medsurg floor I work on, which is a good environment.I decided to keep my old JEN and ENA Connections issues. I might have a go at emergency nursing again. If I move to another city or if the RNs involved in this are no longer there, I might try again.

backagainround2 · Jul 28, 2012

Next week is my last week as a scribe. It's time for me to move on not only from that job, but from the ED in general. My rotten experience as a student has scarred me for life and I want nothing to do with the ED. I don't have what it takes to work in such a crazy-ass environment. I'm not vicious enough. If the fire risk wasn't so high where I live, I'd burn all my old issues of the JEN and ENA Connections. I'm just leaving it in the nurse's lounge instead. And I'm going to cancel my ENA membership. I'm done. Just done.[/quote']
You just had a bad day!!! Go back again and give it a whirl, it will be better! You will always have those days!!! Ups and downs it's normal in the ER!!