The Type of Nurse I Don't Want to Become

[Bloop23]

After completing numerous clinicals and working as an EKG tech, I have observed and often dealt with nurses that are a prime example of what I don't want to be when I graduate. I also concede that I am a mere senior nursing student with no real-world experience.

1.) Night shift nurse who sits on facebook: Since when did it become acceptable to go on a computer and use social networking sites whenever you don't have work to do. In the time that you have sat on facebook you could have filled charts, done further research on your patients' needs, read nursing journals, assisted another nurse or CNA, or just do something that might help the morning shift. Instead, you sit on facebook trying to see if anyone you haven't seen in a few years got fat.

2.) The "thats not my job nurse": This kills me because as a tech I constantly hear this. "Mrs. Smith needs to go to the bathroom can you help her so I can do the EKG?" The reply from the nurse, "Ask the CNA...thats not my job." The nurse should really take a step back and re-evaluate your career choice because by not helping me you are not helping the patient.

3.) The nurse who openly criticizes patients or gossips with other nurses at the station: Guess what, people hear what your saying. You are making a fool of yourself and instead of complaining how so and so didn't bathe this patient during their shift, why don't you do it yourself? Be a professional, do your job to the best of your ability.

4.) The nurse who uses personal problems as an excuse to not care: I'm partial to this because I'm young but I don't care that you have kids, I don't care that your child has the snuffles and you were up all night. If you are unable to successfully complete the tasks of your job DO NOT COME INTO WORK. I have no sympathy for you. If I was out late partying and had a hangover and used it as an excuse would you care? An excuse is an excuse, either do your job right or call out, you are only hurting the patient.

5.) The nurse wearing winnie the pooh scrubs in an adult acute care setting: Your an adult. Dress like a professional, talk like a professional, and people will treat you like one.

6.) Nurses who always apologize to doctors when they call them: It is a doctor's job to take your call, listen to what you say, make decions based on the information you give them. Get some backbone, speak intelligently, and stick to the facts. If you show them you are serious, they will take you seriously and not blow you off as some stupid nurse who bothers them at home.

[hazyblue]

Re: Winnie the Pooh scrubs

Though I don't have one of those, to the other nurses' defense, I believe you can still look professional even with cute-sy scrubs. It's just a matter of bearing. Our most senior staff nurse has this one scrub suit with teddy bears on it and she still looks like our superior...but then again maybe cool nurses just have that aura that attracts respect

From personal experience though, I must say don't be so harsh to non-monotonous scrubs, they make good ice-breakers.

Re: "that's not my job nurses"

How many times have you experienced this? If it happened once or something, I suggest you refrain from spiting that nurse even in the anonymous internet.

I had this happened in my life before although in a different scenario... As a junior nurse and a can't-say-no person, I ended up doing everything for so long and mind you it was all nursing work. That plus the fact that I'm the outcast nurse, let's just say I'd gotten a little ******. I wasn't really verbal though. xD

Re: parents

Well as others have said, nurses are humans too. Now if this has gotten more common for a really long period of time then that's different.

[clemmm78, RN]

Sigh.

I know you meant well. I know we all think certain things when it comes to what we will do once we have reached our goal, be it becoming a nurse, a parent, or even someone's neighbour. But you really didn't do yourself a favour here.

perhaps if you've said something like, "You know what folks? I've come across SOME nurses who do XYZ and I really aim to not be like them when I'm a licensed nurse," you would have had a lot more support. To come into a nurses' forum and outline the things the way you did, you insulted a lot of people.

I know you clarified later that you didn't mean *everyone,* and that we should have known that. How could we have known that?

By the way, I know some spectacular nurses, nurses who go way, way above and beyond, but even they say or do something once in a blue moon that would make someone else cringe. Ane if you only saw that nurse the one time, you wouldn't know it was a very rare occurrence and you'd be passing judgment on a nurse who has saved many lives, comforted many people and made an incredible impact on many lives.

Finally, I always apologize when I call someone else in the middle of the night because yes, I am sorry that I have to disturb them. It doesn't matter that it's their job to be called, I still always say, "Hi Dr. XXX, sorry I'm calling you, but your patient XYZ has......." or whatever it is. It's courtesy, it starts the call on the right foot because that extra second orients the person to the call, particularly if you've woken them up.

If I may make a suggestion, before you start working on being the nurse you want to be, you may want to brush up your communication skills and diplomacy. I've worked with really awful nurses and staff members, but if you know how to be diplomatic and polite, you often get them to do what it is you want them to do. It's a lot easier than getting angry.

[txredheadnurse, BSN, RN]

"....6.) Nurses who always apologize to doctors when they call them: It is a doctor's job to take your call, listen to what you say, make decions based on the information you give them. Get some backbone, speak intelligently, and stick to the facts. If you show them you are serious, they will take you seriously and not blow you off as some stupid nurse who bothers them at home."

As someone who has both worked nights and has been on call being awakened at night it is basic courtesy to acknowledge that you interrupted that persons sleep or off work time. It is not groveling or stroking their egos. In addition when working a night shift and placing a call by taking a few minutes to say something like Hello Dr So-n-So this is Nurse Nighttime. Sorry to wake you up......" I am giving that doctor a minute or two to wake up and be able to comprehend what the meat of my message is about. You try being totally coherent when aroused in mid sleep and hearing a stream of questions right off the bat.

We, both doctors and nurses, are human with lives outside the facility walls. A minute of basic kindness and respect goes a long way towards the doctor or on call nurse being receptive to my request or my information. In all the years I worked nights I never, repeat never had a doctor yell at me when I called them if I prefaced the call with the words I written. In fact they have come to me later and thanked me for being polite and giving them a minute to get it together when awakened or interrupted.

[delilas]

Bloop, you have to understand that nursing students constantly come on here and talk about who they won't be to people who think a facebooking nurse is a blessing compared to what they've worked with.

I've only been around allnurses for a year, and I can say, quite honestly, I've seen at least a half a dozen, and I know there are at least twice that. It almost always comes off as a non-nurse attacking nurses, as it does here, and every single time, it's likely to get flamed. Especially on scrubs, because really? I wear plain scrubs day in and day out, but I know my fellow nursing professional who wears betty boop and spongebob is a kick ass nurse who is always professional and has taught me a lot. She also happens to be my boss. Be careful about judging people for what they look like.

That being said, I know what you were trying to do. A nursing forums just...not quite the right place for it until you've done it yourself awhile. Best of luck to you in your studies!

[AtlantaRN, RN]

back in the day, I recall calling a physician numerous times on night shift because his patient had issues (and it was the hospital setting, and he wasnt one you could tell what to do).......he refused to come see the patient....he told me "you are calling me to cover your ass!" I said "yes sir, now would you like to come in and cover yours???" he never gave me anymore guff LOL

[Zookeeper3]

OP, when I clarified my post and you understood it was not attacking at all, you were kind enough to give me a "kudos", so then I understood, you can see another point of view, and I'm glad at that, it's very mature of you.

Some here seem to come across "snippy' for lack of better words, or "short" possibly is better? Your goals are altruistic and that's what I loved about your post, it was how I felt when I started, and still feel many days. 15 years in I still have that good feeling, crispy burnt out as I am at this point and honestly I'm overcooked.

It's so hard to explain to someone who isn't wearing those shoes yet what it is like, usually we lack the patience to try, (remember we're a crispy bunch) and usually there are simply no words to describe what being a nurse really is like. I understand what you were trying to say, and honestly it struck a nerve and I could have phrased my first post more carefully.

We don't mean to knock that altruistic side of you down, it's what keeps us old haggard nurses who train fresh nurses whole and gives us hope, but that's when I have you at my side teaching you... not reading your summary of "ill will" of short-comings of nurses whom shoes you've yet to fill. On top of that, nurses that you only encounter for all of 15 minutes, you cannot devalue their worth on such a short survey.

This is your future profession, and what you've seen and heard may be out of line, and I give you that, we're a snarky bunch. But we are your future peers and we do deserve the chance for you to work along side us, before you judge a brief interaction.

food for thought and I love the post about never speaking ill about each other, that what makes us family.

[chloecatrn]

after completing numerous clinicals and working as an ekg tech, i have observed and often dealt with nurses that are a prime example of what i don't want to be when i graduate. i also concede that i am a mere senior nursing student with no real-world experience.

1.) night shift nurse who sits on facebook: since when did it become acceptable to go on a computer and use social networking sites whenever you don't have work to do. in the time that you have sat on facebook you could have filled charts, done further research on your patients' needs, read nursing journals, assisted another nurse or cna, or just do something that might help the morning shift. instead, you sit on facebook trying to see if anyone you haven't seen in a few years got fat.

and sometimes, there's just five minutes of downtime that allows you to be on facebook. it happens. i know that i used five such minutes recently to organize a facebook event for a colleague's party. not everywhere are there paper charts to be filled. as a nurse, you can read about an unfamiliar diagnosis, but it's honestly not like you're going to do much to change the treatment plan -- especially in a teaching hospital where interns and residents are responsible for these type of things.

2.) the "thats not my job nurse": this kills me because as a tech i constantly hear this. "mrs. smith needs to go to the bathroom can you help her so i can do the ekg?" the reply from the nurse, "ask the cna...thats not my job." the nurse should really take a step back and re-evaluate your career choice because by not helping me you are not helping the patient.

is she the "that's not my job nurse" or the "i'm busy with other things nurse" and what she has to say just comes out the wrong way or you take it the wrong way? i've had plenty of off-floor teams come and ask me to hold a combative patient or help them to the bathroom right now and told them that i'd find them the cna. i don't necessarily explain i'm busy, because it's not their business, but i tell them that i'll get the cna, or that so and so can help them and that they're downby the room. am i helping the patient? yes. i've told you who can assist you in getting your job done.

3.) the nurse who openly criticizes patients or gossips with other nurses at the station: guess what, people hear what your saying. you are making a fool of yourself and instead of complaining how so and so didn't bathe this patient during their shift, why don't you do it yourself? be a professional, do your job to the best of your ability.

there's no room for talking crap at the nurses' station. that being said, your example sucks. if bathing is accomplished first shift, and i'm giving chemo and have a gigantic 9 pm med pass, then i'm not getting to a bath at any reasonable time of the evening. the bigger question is, and a question that you're not privy to the answer to, coming and leaving the unit quickly, does this happen often? has this particular aide or rn left bathing on the next shift for the fifth day in a row?

4.) the nurse who uses personal problems as an excuse to not care: i'm partial to this because i'm young but i don't care that you have kids, i don't care that your child has the snuffles and you were up all night. if you are unable to successfully complete the tasks of your job do not come into work. i have no sympathy for you. if i was out late partying and had a hangover and used it as an excuse would you care? an excuse is an excuse, either do your job right or call out, you are only hurting the patient.

you don't know the situation. maybe the nurse is on probation for attendance. maybe the nurse doesn't have any sick time left. maybe she's there because otherwise, the floor nurse to patient ratio would be lousy. and for all you know, when she walks into the patient room, she's a brilliant, smiling genius. if she's complaining when she's out of the room and saying she doesn't care, it doesn't necessarily mean she doesn't.

5.) the nurse wearing winnie the pooh scrubs in an adult acute care setting: your an adult. dress like a professional, talk like a professional, and people will treat you like one.

we are gifted to be in a profession where we can wear a variety of things. these include winnie the pooh scrubs. if the nurse in question is competent, able to accurately and adequately treat people, and speaks like a professional, then clothing should be one of the last things that anyone is concerned with.

6.) nurses who always apologize to doctors when they call them: it is a doctor's job to take your call, listen to what you say, make decions based on the information you give them. get some backbone, speak intelligently, and stick to the facts. if you show them you are serious, they will take you seriously and not blow you off as some stupid nurse who bothers them at home.

when you've called a doc for the fourth time in three hours, and you both thought you had the problem solved with the previous two phone calls, and she's gone back to sleep, it's frustrating to have to call again. you're darn skippy the first words out of my mouth would be "i'm sorry". i'm sorry i'm waking you, i'm sorry that what you thought worked didn't, i'm sorry that this situation is so frustrating, i'm sorry for myself because i'm on the phone with you again. but all i say is i'm sorry. especially because in a teaching hospital, they're covering multiple services. they've probably just laid down to sleep, and i've had to wake them, and until the acgme released their new guidelines, interns and residents did 24 hour shifts, and then were allowed to stay for another 6 hours for rounds -- 30 hours on no sleep isn't good for anyone.

my replies in purple. op, it must be difficult to have all of the answers. however, you sound awfully superior when you tell us what we do wrong. i worked in a hospital before i graduated nursing school, and i realized that i could learn a lot from all of the people there... even the people who did the things you so dislike above. but you certainly seem to write off a large segment of the population with these pet peeves. good luck finding someone who fulfills your criteria of a "good nurse."

[Zookeeper3]

Sorry, wanted to add, consider the nursing student forums. Your peers whom work in health care that come across similar situations like you... who are at a different stage from a practicing nurse may see more eye to eye with you than us walking the walk.

You see things on clinical that are wrong, simply wrong and need to chat about it? Yep, student nurses feel that way too. It's honestly apples and oranges until you're on your own doing it.. but there is no way for me to get you to see that until your there.

Same a I don't know what it's like to be the lab, pharmacy, the doc, the supervisor, or anyone else I habitually complain about. Smooch.

[anonymurse]

6.) Nurses who always apologize to doctors when they call them: It is a doctor's job to take your call, listen to what you say, make decions based on the information you give them. Get some backbone, speak intelligently, and stick to the facts. If you show them you are serious, they will take you seriously and not blow you off as some stupid nurse who bothers them at home.

If you wake up one of my cardiac surgeons at 0200 for a sleeping pill order and he can't get back to sleep and he's in zombie land when he starts cutting on one of my patients, I'll know who to thank. Get some BACKBONE? Get REAL!

[Zookeeper3]

chloecatrn, dang skippy I too apologize on my tenth call that night and my patient is still crapping out.... "I'm so sorry doc, I"m maxed on drips, out of options and I need you to come in and talk to the family, we're going to code soon. Yes I know you've been up 30 hours, please come talk to the family for a DNR"

"I'm sorry sir, I'm not getting anywhere with my standing orders, I know it's the middle of the night, but the family want's to talk to you to decide on a DNR"

and my favorite... "I'm sorry that I've had to page you three times before you answered me, but I've had to do a few things while I've waited for you and we're in a real tough spot here now":mad: "we need to talk".

my best, which i hope never happens again... "I'm sorry dr......, but if you still refuse to come in I will call the police to collect you from your house with the approval of the medical director, I can't keep him alive for you to get a good night sleep".

So yes OP, we are ALWAYS polite and apologetic, it takes the defensiveness out of the doc... vrs..."I've been paging you for an hour where are you???" This is a common courtesy you will learn, and they usually respond. It is not demeaning... these poor docs work 80 hour weeks, hold office or surgery hours, take call, are regularly sued and take umpteen BS calls that wake them up for no reason. Despite my need being legit, I respect them enough to at least begin with "I'm sorry".

Many don't feel this way, but when you learn what specialists really put up with, how little the make and how much they work... it becomes a team effort.

[DebblesRN, ASN, BSN, RN]

There aren't even words.

After completing numerous clinicals and working as an EKG tech, I have observed and often dealt with nurses that are a prime example of what I don't want to be when I graduate. I also concede that I am a mere senior nursing student with no real-world experience.

1.) Night shift nurse who sits on facebook: Since when did it become acceptable to go on a computer and use social networking sites whenever you don't have work to do. In the time that you have sat on facebook you could have filled charts, done further research on your patients' needs, read nursing journals, assisted another nurse or CNA, or just do something that might help the morning shift. Instead, you sit on facebook trying to see if anyone you haven't seen in a few years got fat.

2.) The "thats not my job nurse": This kills me because as a tech I constantly hear this. "Mrs. Smith needs to go to the bathroom can you help her so I can do the EKG?" The reply from the nurse, "Ask the CNA...thats not my job." The nurse should really take a step back and re-evaluate your career choice because by not helping me you are not helping the patient.

3.) The nurse who openly criticizes patients or gossips with other nurses at the station: Guess what, people hear what your saying. You are making a fool of yourself and instead of complaining how so and so didn't bathe this patient during their shift, why don't you do it yourself? Be a professional, do your job to the best of your ability.

4.) The nurse who uses personal problems as an excuse to not care: I'm partial to this because I'm young but I don't care that you have kids, I don't care that your child has the snuffles and you were up all night. If you are unable to successfully complete the tasks of your job DO NOT COME INTO WORK. I have no sympathy for you. If I was out late partying and had a hangover and used it as an excuse would you care? An excuse is an excuse, either do your job right or call out, you are only hurting the patient.

5.) The nurse wearing winnie the pooh scrubs in an adult acute care setting: Your an adult. Dress like a professional, talk like a professional, and people will treat you like one.

6.) Nurses who always apologize to doctors when they call them: It is a doctor's job to take your call, listen to what you say, make decions based on the information you give them. Get some backbone, speak intelligently, and stick to the facts. If you show them you are serious, they will take you seriously and not blow you off as some stupid nurse who bothers them at home.

[nursemike, ASN, RN]

I really like the advice to focus your attention on the kind of nurse you want to be, rather than the kind you don't want to be. There is perhaps no quality that so becomes a new nurse, or an experienced one, as humility. While some of the complaints you've expressed are undoubtedly valid in some cases, others seem, frankly, a bit stupid. For example, the "it's not my job" nurse. I know what you mean, but what I see far, far more is an apparent sense by everyone who isn't a nurse that, somehow, they are doing us a personal favor by doing the work they were hired to do. In school, you've undoubtedly been taught that pretty much all aspects of a patient's care are the nurse's responsibility.

True enough, but as a healthcare worker, you ought to realize that a CNA's scope of practice is not a nurse's. It doesn't take a great deal of critical thinking to grasp that a nurse may have other duties than toileting that the CNA can't do. When a patient needs assistance with ADL's, there is no particular virtue in deciding some other patient should wait for pain meds because you couldn't be bothered to call the aide. Many of the aides I work with work just as hard as I do, but many times they are working on things that could wait a few minutes while they attended to some other aspect of their job and free me to do things that may be at least as urgent, but only I can do.I am not, nor are many nurses I know, too good to put a patient on a bedpan or walk them to the bathroom. I do it a lot. But there are plenty of times when I am too busy, and if you expect to be an effective nurse, you might as well learn the difference sooner than later.

Your remark about calling doctors is similarly misguided. Again, most nurses I know have strong backbones--physically and figuratively--but there is nothing wrong with showing collegial courtesy to a first-year resident. Their accomplishment in becoming a doctor is worthy of respect, and I've had too many experiences where I could start breathing again when the docs arrived to forget that. It isn't my place, or yours, to tell a doctor what his job is. A little civility, on both sides, is essential to communicating effectively.

You can take this as a flame, if you like, but I've just put in a hard night, and I've put in plenty other such nights to know a lot more about it than you do. If you can't respect that, tough.