[pebbles]

Originally posted by ClariceS
I'm also seeing it with brand new (inexperienced) nurses. I don't see nurses wanting a particular facility because they've heard it is a good place to work. It's all about who will give them the bigger sign-on bonus or the $0.50/hr more. Then, the minute their contract is over or another place will give them more - gonzo. If you're only in it for the almighty dollar, then you are not going to support your co-workers.

Just a comment - I saw a documentary on differing work attitudes among young people today vs the older generations. One point that was made is that today, people don't live to work, they work to live. New grads find satisfaction in so many areas of life other than work, plus they have high debt loads from school, etc. It's easy when you are young to follow the money.

Also, there are many reasons new grads don't stick around long enough to build a supportive "community" of co-workers. Some of it has to do with the way they are recived into the workplace, and how the workplace was when they arrived in it. Hard to expect a new grad, who is just coming to grips with nursing skills in general, to independently look beyond his/her nose and build a supportive team environment. Do senior staff patiently reinforce and verbally explain the little courtesies we show each other in the workplace? Or do we just get *****y when the new kid doesn't fit the mold?

[cheerfuldoer]

Hey, micro! Wassup!

And, "Amen Pebbles"!

Night all!

[micro]

more often the "senior nurses" just get .....y and then everyone gets ....y and then morale is ..ll.
good patient care, not............wassup!!!!!

[tracib]

Well, here I am....a "senior" nurse (after being on this merry-go-round for >20 years). I sort of resent the above comment about "senior nurses getting *****y"....the implication that it starts with us. Hmmmm. Maybe the young are eating the old here.

Seriously, I do find that we tend to eat our young, but I have made it a crusade for a long time to help and nurture the younger (or less experienced) nurses as much as I can. They are the ones that will care for me when I end up old and sick.

And, whether they stay with the institution or move on, I like to think I made a diffence in their lives.

[pebbles]

tracib, if it doesn't start with us, who does it start with? Who teaches the newbies how to conduct themselves in this profession? I didn't mean to lay blame, but just point out that sometimes new staff are not only not supported, but actively shot down - whether us senior staff realize what is going on or not! Too often, egos get in the way, I think.

I'm glad you make it a point to nurture new staff - we need more people like you to welcome those who are the future of this profession. I think those of us that are already working also need to encourage the idea of teaching and nurturing the newbies within our own more experienced groups... it IS a skill to mentor someone, and a skill which must be learned and reinforced.

[tracib]

You make a good point about ego getting in the way. It does seem to be a major factor in the medical profession - whether you are talking nurses or doctors!

I also think that the push for "productivity" these days takes away the motivation to take the time to nurture our coworkers. It seems that the whole emphasis (corporately, that is) is on how quickly we can accomplish tasks. Be it turn over time or length of stay, I know many of us feel backed into a corner to cut out the "niceties" and just do the minimum so we can move 'em in and move 'em out....and courtesy to each other (let alone nurturing and teaching) seem to fall by the wayside.

[aussie oi oi oi]

Do nurses still eat their young, well yes and no I guess. As a new graduate a few years ago, I hated being introduced as the new grad, I found I still get the stories about in my day when I trained............. I still hate those immortal words, however, I found regardless of how or when you trained we are still all nurses. I have had situations where I have had my harshest comments come from other new grads while I have found the more expereinced nurses can be a combination of both. I think there will always be this differences of opinion between hospital trained and uni trained nurses, but at the end of the day, we are all there to do the same job regardless of how we got there.

I love talking to the more 'cultured' nurses, as some of the not so recent practices are still worth it. The experience that these people can offer is invaluable. Some of my best friends trained more than 20 years ago ( including my mother, and she used to be my loudest, well girl when I trained.......... here we go ok mum tell me about when you trained and about what is wrong with new grads today, I am in trouble if my mother finds this website, she will have me on toast). However, I have found generally support you but this relies on how you treat them, and how you respond to them. Nursing is after all a 24 hr job and I have found that if you give the impression that you want to work as a team, and pull your weight, and look after your co workers then people will support you. We all know the stories of a certain nurses being on duty and you know that she/he will not lift a finger to help you, while others you could easily be stranded on a desert island with. If you see that a co worker has a heavy load even making a bed can help. People remember those who help you you when you are busy and those that don't and you never know when you are going to need a favour. At the end of the day nursing is teamwork, and it is one profession where you can't lock yourself away from your colleagues, If all else fails remember your colleagues may be looking after you one day and you don't want to give them revenge material!!!!!!

As one nearly ready to retire nurse put it, unless new grads come out of the ranks, who is going to take the place of the nurses that are retiring. It is well known that there are more nurses leaving the profession than those that are choosing to enter into it. As nurses we should encourage young adults to follow in our foots steps but it can be difficult when you know the struggles that they face. I am pleased to be a part of this profession and it is my prayer that all nurses recognise when they are being less than supportive and at this point pick up those who are struggling, it is amazing what a difference it can make to someone when you are having a bad day and a colleague tells you what a good job you are doing, if they could bottle it they would make a mint............

[night owl]

I'm a senior nurse and I don't consider myself .....y. When I can't do the work anymore, that's when I'll become .....y. So far, so good. The nurses I work with are very supportive of each other. I had to work days for two days to attend a couple of mandatory classes, and the day nurses were unreal...it was like a big competition...who can out-do who. I couldn't stand it and I couldn't believe the lack of support. I'll never work days!!!

[micro]

sorry if offended anyone................
no most nurses don't just .......y, but it does happen.......and great for you and your unit if it doesn't occur..........
there is such a difference among nurses that believe in teamwork, patient centered care and professionalism.........than the high school high jinks.........that can occur.........
many factors here.......but again apologies and many apologies.....no feelings intended to be hurst........just discoursing on the subject.........

hey Renee, wassup!!!!!

[crazedredhead]

[quote]Originally posted by victoreia
[b]I am relatively new here but from what I have read so far I like this site. However, I see a lack of support from one nurse to another. In the hospital the doctors are bad enough to work with but when you have no support from other nurses it can make a job you might have onced love pure he^%. Do any of you feel there is a lack of support from other nurses and if so what kind of problems do you think this causes? any suggestions for solutions? Your input would be appreciated.