Hi all!!!
I am graduating nursing school in 3 weeks and just received the great news that I have been hired as an RN on the same psych unit that I have worked on for 3 years as a tech. Although I am very excited about beginning my career in nursing, I'm really worried about how it will affect my friendships with those that I used to work with and under.
I am really good friends with another tech that I work with (like we hang out on our off days and call each other several times a week) and I can already feel a rift between us. She says things like, "I'm not doing anything when your charge, you know how to tech so you'll be able to do it yourself." and "I think I'll just quit 'cause there is no way I'm taking orders from you." Problem is a) I don't want her to quit. I like working with her and she is a really great tech. The patients love her. and b) there is no way she can find another job that pays as well with only a GED, and she can't afford to take a paycut. I'm so worried that when I finish orientation and become charge nurse she will really resent me for delegating tasks to her and not always being able to pitch in with tech duties because I know I'll be sooo stressed and busy.
I'm also worried about the LPN's that I work with. Some of them already seem hostile about my soon becoming the charge nurse and having to report to me. In my facility, the RN has to double check and sign off on all duties that the LPN performs. When I told her about my getting hired she got real quiet and said, "I hope you don't think that I'm gonna be taking orders from you, I've been a nurse for 17 years and you're no better than me just because you have RN after your name." I just kind of sat there dumbstruck because I don't think I am better then anyone else, I know I am going to rely on the LPN's there for quite a while until a get my nurse legs under me. I tried to tell her all that but she still seems almost "mad" at me.
I'm really not an arrogant person, and I've never thought of myself as better than anyone. I love working on this unit, and before all this I got along great with all my co-workers. Sorry this is so long, I've just been really surprised about how harsh some people's reactions have been. It's not like I've been hiding the fact I was in nursing school.
So I guess my real question is how do you go from working along side someone to being their boss without hurting the friendship? Have any of you made the tech to RN transition on the same unit successfully? How did you do it?
Thanks for reading this super long post and I appreciate any responses.