Poor nurse role models.. is this what I have to look forward to?

Nurses General Nursing

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At clinical today we were at the hospital we go to regularly for our clinical rotation. I am a positive person, I do what I can to help and stay busy. I often hear the nurses talking bad about patients amongst each other. Hospital policy requires a bedside report and they do the bedside report AFTER they speak their mind to each other. Cussing included, and all before 7 a.m! They bully other newly licensed nurses and talk about them too. Their bedside manner is atrocious.

It's like the unprofessionalism has spread through the unit because today the RN was gossiping rudely about patients with the charge nurses. The last thing I heard from the nurse today was, "Just go ahead and call the police because I'm gonna throw that b***h out the window." speaking of the patient crying for pain medication.

Is this just what they do?! Can I do anything?

You also have the power to stop this. As a mandated reporter, you have to protect the patient whether from themselves, yourself or colleagues. It is important that you understand how powerful you are in the nursing profession. When we see evil and do nothing, we let the evil doers go and perpetuate the cycle.

I say this because the nurse abusing the patient is wrong, for sure, but how you deal with that defines you.

There will be loads of times when you have to be an advocate for your patients. More often than not, it is a healthcare provider such as yourself or a doctor, will not see eye to eye. It is essential that you develop the skills to be assertive without being aggressive.

Are these nurses using very harsh, unprofessional language? Yes.

Is there a very bitter, stressful environment in that hospital? Most likely.

Is there clear patient harm and abuse? We don't know. For all we know, the nurses in that unit gritted their teeth and did their job well enough when they exited the station.

As a student only armed with textbook knowledge, I saw many things in hospitals that I considered "wrong" or "bad practice." As a more experienced nurse, I no longer have a black and white view. I did not have the insight to know what I do not know, what I would do when faced with the same stressors and how people cope with the difficulties and ambiguities of patient care. There is a blurry line between unprofessional behavior and truly harmful abuse that warrants reporting, but there is one.

How would you deal with the situation the OP presented? Talk of advocacy is well and good but I would like to know specific actions you would or have taken in the same situation. I am having a problem seeing how a student has the power to stop the negativity.

Specializes in E/R, Med/Surg, PCU, Mom-Baby, ICU, more.

Take everything in perspective. If a patient is smiling away, eating like they have been not fed for a month, and howling for pain medication think about it. Especially if they go off on you for not waking them up for PRN pain meds...

Yes. This is what you have to look forward to. It's nursing. Not a trip to Disney Land.

Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I have to agree with Wooh here on this one. This is probably a result of burnout. Is it an excuse? No but it happens very easily. Everyone starts out bright eyed and bushy tailed with the goal of saving the world one tough patient at a time. Unfortunately, The Real World comes up all too quickly to beat you down and smack you in the face with reality. Who knows though maybe you can be the nurse who stays optimistic.:twocents:

Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

if you think a patient is being abused physically or verbally you need to report it. In fact I would ask your instructor to report it anyway. We had a dept like that in a hospital I worked in years ago. Finally just got rid of most of them and dispersed the rest. Some of those quit but it was not a real loss. That type of attitude is poisonous.

Ok, after seeing multiple posts saying to REPORT ABUSE, I re-read the op. There was no abuse listed. Saying "I'm going to throw that person out the window" is not abuse. Abuse would be throwing the person out the window.

I've often said that I'm going to kill my husband. But I'm home sitting on my couch rather than in jail because I've only SAID that I'm going to kill my husband. He's still alive and well. There is no reason to contact the authorities and report me for murder.

From what I have witnessed since I've been in the nursing world (I finished my BScN last May), including my time in school, this type of carrying on goes on more than most would like to admit. I'll tell you why this goes on. Nursing is a hard career, and sometimes, it will feel like just a job. I don't mean to discourage anyone, but I feel you should probably know this now. There are wonderful hardworking and diligent nurses out there, and there are some nasty petty b***** too! The later is everywhere: you can't escape them! My best advice is nuance yourself the work environment you can co-exist with these pariahs in. Also, refuse to work on bad poorly staffed, overworked and miserable units. I did and it really almost just turned me off of nursing; I really came so close to leaving nursing after I quit that place, with my self-esteem in the toilet. Also, there are some very self-righteous personalities in the nursing world. Don't subscribe to their BS, that is their perspective you have to keep your own. Look for employers that have a nursing specific page on their websites that explain their philosophy on nursing as a career and if they value their nursing staff. Not every hospital values nurses: it largely depends on the CEO and senior management.

Most likely, this is just the nurse venting to another nurse about patient that's being a PITA. Not every patient is frail and fragile. A lot of them are great actors and will take you for a wild ride. Learn this lesson before you get your license, because they will eff you up. They'll either complain to your boss about you not giving their pain medication, or the report you to the BON at worst.

Specializes in Cardiovascular, ER.

I have heard lots of threats of "pillow therapy" over the years, have yet to see it occur. I have said some outrageous things myself when extremely stressed. Not the most professional - but I erase that and smile when I walk into the pt room. Sometimes venting outside the room helps me cope with going in the room.

Just as certain that you can see negative, you can also see positive. it is contingent on each of us to decide what it is that we seek. I choose to seek positive role models and therefore find them.

Life in the real world of nursing is far different from what it's like in the classroom. I saw stuff that shocked me, including overhearing a nurse slap a three year old in Peds. I try to do the best when I work, but there are some days that giving the minimum is all I can muster.

Wow. A nurse struck a three year old? Termination and filing of charges for battery would be in order. just WOW

Specializes in Trauma, ER, ICU, CCU, PACU, GI, Cardiology, OR.

certainly, the reality of nursing is not always the best example. however, one can't judge one bad apple for the rest of the bunch, there are still some of us that have dignity and pride on what we do, and don't carry themselves like trash. therefore, learn from the exposure, then chose which type of nurse will you mold yourself after. wishing you the best always...aloha~

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