[Tweety]

If this is all you're seeing then you really are missing something. I'm not saying you should put on rose colored glasses but why so judgemental and looking at nurses with such superiority and negativity? If you constantly look for negative things about nurses from a student's perspective you're going to see negative things. Look a little closer.

Don't judge someone's insides by their outsides.

Sometimes after spending 10 demanding hours with a patient and their crazy family, I'm going to "vent" to my fellow nurses who understand.........."I'm sick and tired of this patient and their family.........". Judge me if you will, but that's what' going to get me through the final hours. Someone who happens buy will say "this is a dreadful nurse who gossips, I hope I never become like him." I work with trauma patients and sometimes they have to move and do things that are uncomfortable. Someone walking by will judge "that patient is groaning in pain, what a horrible nurse he is." I seriously feel for my patients discomfort as I turn them over when they are in obvious pain, my compassion isn't gone, but I understand too I've a job to do, and they gotta turn.


My point is what you think you see isn't always what you see. Personally my skin has toughened up quite a bit, but not my heart.

The posts above are great posts. Obviously gossip happens, nurses become hardened, lazy, stressed, and dreadful nurses. Maybe I have rose colored glasses but I'd still like to think that most of us are doing the best we can under stessful demanding circumstances, and we're still compassionate people. Don't let a few ogres jade you against the entire profession.

All you can really do is be the best that you can possibly be. Good luck to you!

[madwife2002]

Last week my neighbour took her elderly confused Grandfather to an urgent care center following a fall he had. The nurses was asking questions to her about her Grandfather, and he started answering the questions obviously in a confused disorientated state, the nurse turned to him and shouted 'Just sit there be quiet I am not asking you I am talking to your Grandaughter' my neighbour was very distressed but said nothing because she was afraid he wouldn't get treatment! She asked me what she should do about home care because she had been afraid to ask the nurse.

[DutchgirlRN]

Originally Posted by Tweety

Don't judge someone's insides by their outsides.
Sometimes after spending 10 demanding hours with a patient and their crazy family, I'm going to "vent" to my fellow nurses who understand.........."I'm sick and tired of this patient and their family.........". Judge me if you will, but that's what' going to get me through the final hours. Someone who happens buy will say "this is a dreadful nurse who gossips, I hope I never become like him." I work with trauma patients and sometimes they have to move and do things that are uncomfortable. Someone walking by will judge "that patient is groaning in pain, what a horrible nurse he is." I seriously feel for my patients discomfort as I turn them over when they are in obvious pain, my compassion isn't gone, but I understand too I've a job to do, and they gotta turn.
My point is what you think you see isn't always what you see. Personally my skin has toughened up quite a bit, but not my heart.
The posts above are great posts. Obviously gossip happens, nurses become hardened, lazy, stressed, and dreadful nurses. Maybe I have rose colored glasses but I'd still like to think that most of us are doing the best we can under stessful demanding circumstances, and we're still compassionate people. Don't let a few ogres jade you against the entire profession.

All you can really do is be the best that you can possibly be. Good luck to you!

EXCELLENT POST TWEETY! (thanks)

[madwife2002]

Sometimes after spending 10 demanding hours with a patient and their crazy family, I'm going to "vent" to my fellow nurses who understand.........."I'm sick and tired of this patient and their family.........". Judge me if you will, but that's what' going to get me through the final hours. Someone who happens buy will say "this is a dreadful nurse who gossips, I hope I never become like him." I work with trauma patients and sometimes they have to move and do things that are uncomfortable. Someone walking by will judge "that patient is groaning in pain, what a horrible nurse he is." I seriously feel for my patients discomfort as I turn them over when they are in obvious pain, my compassion isn't gone, but I understand too I've a job to do, and they gotta turn.

Whilst I aggree with you that you need sometimes just to vent about a patient who has drained you.
However There are nurses who vent at everything and it breeds such a negitive working environment, I knew nurses who complained when they had to go assist somebody with their toilet requirements-the patient had a stroke or brain injury what ever we call it these days, the pt couldnt go himself. I just cant abide this kind of moaning and complaining, and it does breed because before long the next nurse is complaining about the same pt.


I am sure we have worked with the nurse who moans so much we dread setting foot in work. I do believe when the new staff come on board we should kinda not discourage them so soon, they soon find out for themselves. Just my 2 cents

[CHATSDALE]

people go into nursing for all kinds of reasons and some are changed by the type of people they work with
keep your own ideals and don't take your work home with you, build yourself a good life away from work
glad to have you in the profession..i hope that if i need care it will be from someone like you

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by madwife2002

Whilst I aggree with you that you need sometimes just to vent about a patient who has drained you.
However There are nurses who vent at everything and it breeds such a negitive working environment, I knew nurses who complained when they had to go assist somebody with their toilet requirements-the patient had a stroke or brain injury what ever we call it these days, the pt couldnt go himself. I just cant abide this kind of moaning and complaining, and it does breed because before long the next nurse is complaining about the same pt.


I am sure we have worked with the nurse who moans so much we dread setting foot in work. I do believe when the new staff come on board we should kinda not discourage them so soon, they soon find out for themselves. Just my 2 cents

I don't disagree with you at all. Toxic whiners are.....well toxic. You see them everywhere, in line at the grocery store, in restaurants and at work. I didn't mean to imply they don't exist in nursing at all.

Would you say most nurses are like this and that experienced nurses have hardened hearts and no compassion, that the world of nursing takes it out of us?

[VickyRN]

Originally Posted by Tweety

Would you say most nurses are like this and that experienced nurses have hardened hearts and no compassion, that the world of nursing takes it out of us?

I am in a unique position as a nursing instructor, as I have the privilege to work with nurses in widely different settings. I have had clinical groups in 4 separate facilities over the past few years. The 7 units in which I have had student groups have varied from general medical surgical to postpartum to pediatrics to cardiac surgery stepdown (yes, I wear many hats ). Most nurses, I am happy to say, are compassionate and follow the highest standards of professional behavior. I have been awed by their knowledge and expertise. Only one unit out of the seven was toxic, with some of the most bitter, unsafe, and unprofessional nurses whom I have ever seen . This whole floor was so full of negative vibes - a very unhealthy clinical setting for the students (and patients!). I refused to go back. But the overwhelming majority of nurses are not this way.

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by VickyRN

But the overwhelming majority of nurses are not this way.

This has been my experience as well. I'm happy to hear I'm not the only one who feels this way.

[madwife2002]

Would you say most nurses are like this and that experienced nurses have hardened hearts and no compassion, that the world of nursing takes it out of us?

No I dont believe that these kind of nurses are in the majority more the minority. I do believe we all go through phases of where we get fed up with nursing, but then a kind word or encouragement makes you strong again.

[willdgate]

maybe you should send an annoymous mail or email to the nurse manager about the staff behavior. Just food for thought