To recommend or not to recommend?

[CNL2B]

Recently was told in confidence by a co-worker that my NM refused to write a brand new (less than 2 months off orientation) ICU nurse in our unit a recommendation for a CRNA program and she was HOPPING MAD, making statements like "My b#$%^ of a nurse manager", etc. etc. This particular nurse is 24 years old and in no way has mastered ICU practice in her two months (from my humble observation, and everyone elses.) I think it makes sense that she didn't write her a recommendation -- how do you do that when you know this person is a novice ICU RN? FYI my NM is not a b@#%(. She is one of the best and fairest bosses I have ever had.

Said nurse is very book smart, but she has a bad work ethic from what I've seen. She wants the sickest patients -- not unusual from a new nurse wanting to jump right into ICU, but she really expects us all to back her up (and basically do 75% of her work while she observes and charts) -- and we do, for the patient's sake. In her two months, she has been out sick for an extended period of time (2 weeks) once already (a shoulder injury outside of work -- couldn't lift), and she has expected us (her coworkers) to accommodate her when she has had to go to urgent care TWICE at the end of her shift in the last 6 weeks for non-work related health problems (once, a bad rash, the other time, to get an epi pen because she was going out of town the following week. So really, we are supposed to cover your leaving 45 minutes early when you could do that on your next day off?) We all know that s#$% happens, but this is getting ridiculous.

I got a feeling we have a bad egg here. Anybody else know someone like this they work with? What did you do?

[anonymurse]

And what's wrong with doing anything for the money, anyway? Like we'd all go to work for free if we suddenly didn't get paid.

[HappyNurse2005, RN]

I am less willing to say that it is a socioeconomic thing--that those who grew up poor/working poor are more likely to have a strong work ethic. I've met many a person/patient/etc who is of a low socioeconomic status (very poor/poor/working poor/etc) who is very entitled and expects to be given everything, or to get stuff for nothing.

i think it has more to do with how you were raised in teh sense of how your parents raised you, and not how much money your parents had

[HyperSaurus, RN, BSN]

I am less willing to say that it is a socioeconomic thing--that those who grew up poor/working poor are more likely to have a strong work ethic. I've met many a person/patient/etc who is of a low socioeconomic status (very poor/poor/working poor/etc) who is very entitled and expects to be given everything, or to get stuff for nothing.

i think it has more to do with how you were raised in teh sense of how your parents raised you, and not how much money your parents had

I agree. I grew up middle class, but as the eldest of 6 with a stepmother suffering from RA and a dad going to school and work full time, I was expected to pull my weight and then some--I helped hold my family together. But, I know some people who grew up poor and yet still don't seem to want to work to pull themselves to a better place in life. They like their handouts. And, I know some people who grew up rich thanks to daddy, but are quite lazy and are floundering on their own.

It seems to be a matter of what sort of expectations one has been taught to live up to...

[MInurse.st]

I am less willing to say that it is a socioeconomic thing--that those who grew up poor/working poor are more likely to have a strong work ethic. I've met many a person/patient/etc who is of a low socioeconomic status (very poor/poor/working poor/etc) who is very entitled and expects to be given everything, or to get stuff for nothing.

i think it has more to do with how you were raised in teh sense of how your parents raised you, and not how much money your parents had

Well, I would say there's a difference between poor/lower class and working class. Some, not all, people who live in poverty do have an entitlement mentality when it comes to government assistance (I'm currently in social work), but I think that working class families, while possibly living close to poverty, tend to instill a work ethic in their children, whether it be by example or necessity. At least, this was what I experienced growing up in a working class community.

But yes, I agree that upbringing plays a role, ie. a middle class kids may have parents who didn't hand him/her everything in life.

[MInurse.st]

I am less willing to say that it is a socioeconomic thing--that those who grew up poor/working poor are more likely to have a strong work ethic. I've met many a person/patient/etc who is of a low socioeconomic status (very poor/poor/working poor/etc) who is very entitled and expects to be given everything, or to get stuff for nothing.

i think it has more to do with how you were raised in teh sense of how your parents raised you, and not how much money your parents had

I see where coming from.. but SES is going to influence parenting style/upbringing..