What makes you nervous about or irritated with a new grad or orientee?

Nurses General Nursing

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I've noticed alot of threads lately from new nurses who seemed quite stressed out, which I can totally understand, I've been there for sure. So I thought I'd start a thread from the other POV. This shouldn't be an opportunity to be sarcastic or uncharitable, but maybe it can help a new grad to see the other side of the story.

I get nervous by a new nurse who doesn't ask questions. I also will have misgivings about a new nurse who asks a question and then argues with my answer. Also, a new nurse who knows it all makes me nervous.

I get irritated by a cocky new nurse. A little bit of deference and humilty is a good thing. But someone who grovels makes me unsettled. I also get annoyed if a new nurse is too bossy with the pts.

From day one when I precept I beg them to please ask me questions, no matter how silly, that it's never a bother, that I'm never too busy, that I am there for them, that this is their experience, not mine. it's not about me and if I get irritated, it's up to me to deal with it without degrading the GN or senior student.

Boy, Tweety. I wish I could have you or any of the other nurses in this thread who like students to ask questions. I am a question-asker. I want to know everything. Not only because I'm curious, but because I think I should know what's going on. I frequently get comments like, "My, you're certainly inquisitive" or "You sure do ask a lot of questions", and during one of my clinical rotations even got written up about it because the instructor thought I was challenging her. I posted about it here because I was crushed. In the write up, the nurse said I could ask a question once and after that I would be disciplined. Can you believe it? Needless to say, I appealed and the course instructor stuck with me, God bless her. I graduate in May and will carefully select my nurse manager because I will always ask questions. The day I stop will be the day I quit being a nurse!

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Specializes in Utilization Management.
Boy, Tweety. I wish I could have you or any of the other nurses in this thread who like students to ask questions. I am a question-asker. I want to know everything. Not only because I'm curious, but because I think I should know what's going on. I frequently get comments like, "My, you're certainly inquisitive" or "You sure do ask a lot of questions", and during one of my clinical rotations even got written up about it because the instructor thought I was challenging her. I posted about it here because I was crushed. In the write up, the nurse said I could ask a question once and after that I would be disciplined. Can you believe it? Needless to say, I appealed and the course instructor stuck with me, God bless her. I graduate in May and will carefully select my nurse manager because I will always ask questions. The day I stop will be the day I quit being a nurse!

I'm shocked that you got written up for wanting to learn. I love to precept students like you--if I don't know, I'll find out and we both learn something new.

Part of my job is to teach you how to be an independent nurse by teaching you where to find the information that you need.

Information is not static; it's dynamic. It's always changing and you have to ask lots of questions to keep up.

Given the proper nurturing, you'll make an excellent nurse.

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I am in the weird position of being a new old nurse. I have experience in geriatric LTC. However 2yrs ago I was injured and after surgery and long intense PT I am finally back to work. So now I feel like a new nurse all over again. I feel very insecure and unsure of myself. I have no problem with the patients and their needs. That all came back just like riding a bike. The problem is the LTC that I am working in is a small but very unorganized facility. I can't make heads or tails of where everything is and exactly what is expected of me. I work 3rd so Iknow a lot of the cleaning and organizing falls to me and I am very good at it. The problem is everything is a mess for example we are suppose to count and send back meds of patients that have been discharged or expired. It hasn't been done in ages there are two huge piles and in the two nights I have worked I haven't even touched it. I am not even getting done with my med pass on time. I am doing the med pass correctly and am confident that each and every patient was properly medicated and greeted for the morning. All my assessments were completed, treatments done, small crisis everted and such. However I don't know what happened these last two yrs to my speed and confidence. I am fearful that I may be getting on my coworkers nerves. They have been kind and encouraging but I can't help but feel bad. On top of that like an idiot I let my MD take me off of my HRT a month ago and I am a great big ball of tears. I try to hide it but they obviously see it. Also having probs with administration. I am very intimidated by the admin. and now I have a mark on my record. The DON told me one thing concerning my schedule but then put something on the schedule without telling me and noone ever gave me a copy of it. I checked and rechecked with her and wrote down exactly what she told me and that is what I did. So I ended up being a no call no show last night and didn't even know it until 2hrs into my shift when they called me. I was not terminated but was told that it would remain on my record as a no call no show and that regardless of what I was told it was my responsibility to find a schedule and make sure there were no changes. I feel like I am failing badly and am also worried that on top of it I am annoying to my coworkers. See even this post sounds annoying. So what do you all think?
Bellcollector, this sounds like a post that belongs in the LTC section of this forum.This is very typical of LTCs .Not at all unusual, but definatly wrong.
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I suspect that some who are uncomfortable with questions feel put on the spot, probably because they don't know the answer. If a new nurse or anyone else asks me something I don't know, I just say that I don't know the answer, let's look it up (on the internet, lol)

I remember many times listening with the other nurses to a taped report, and the reporting nurse mentions some unusual procedure or condition. I'll be the one to pipe up "Anyone know what that is?". Turns out nobody knows, but they are keeping their mouths shut.

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Specializes in Pediatrics (Burn ICU, CVICU).
Well ... I don't want to turn this into another nightmare preceptor thread ...

But I really do salute the RN's who appreciate the fact that some of us new grads are trying to do the right thing.

And thank you for encouraging us to ask questions because, there are some RN's who discourage us ... a lot.

:typing

You are very right about that. When I graduated, my first preceptor told my supervisor that I would never make it, I was too cautious.

Anyhoo, my 90 day eval came and I was told by my supervisor about the "too cautious" stereotype. I was actually devestated because I didn't know that someone (especially a new nurse could be too cautious). However, she said that she didn't consider me to be too cautious but rather one of the "safest" nurses. That really made me feel better.

I only had that preceptor a few weeks, thank goodness, because the week after I changed preceptors this nurse allowed her orientee to write a dialysis order and the orientee wrote it so that they were pulling off an extra liter of fluid per hour. Needless to say, that preceptor doesn't precept anymore. I ended up with a preceptor that was wonderful and to this day is still more than willing to answer my questions (because I still have plenty after 7 months).

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Specializes in Pediatrics (Burn ICU, CVICU).
Lizz sometimes I'm amazed you've made it so far.......your entire experience from day one has sounded dreadful. You should have said "yes, I do, but despite that I'm performing the five rights......isn't that what you do?".

From day one when I precept I beg them to please ask me questions, no matter how silly, that it's never a bother, that I'm never too busy, that I am there for them, that this is their experience, not mine. it's not about me and if I get irritated, it's up to me to deal with it without degrading the GN or senior student.

I've learned to deal with all kinds of personalities, the "know it alls", the fearful ones who are slow and ask too many questions, etc. but mostly people who have worked their tails off to become a nurse and just want to be the best that they can be. They do have some responsiblities, however, it is my job to adjust myself, my attitude and my teaching style to them and make sure that at the end of 12 weeks they are ready to hit the floor on their own safely.

Tweety, I think you must be the most wonderful nurse ever created!

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Yep, know-it-all new nurses bug me. When I try to show them something (ie: "They're going to extubate Mr. Smith-why don't you go assist?" or "Mrs. Jenkins is going to have a c/s and btl, why not scrub in and assist or observe?") I get back "No, I saw one last week." or "We did that in clinicals."

WTH? Take each opportunity you can to learn. No one expects you to know everything. Nurses are never done learning. I can say with honesty that I've never seen two identical deliveries. Even now, I still learn something with almost every patient, be it better positioning for comfort...better technique for procedures...different emotional reactions...more words or phrases in Spanish...side effects to meds, etc.

I am really not trying to pick a fight here or start an arguement....however, I must say that being a student...I have also responded with "I already saw that procedure" I didn't say that because I thought I knew everything about the procedure from seeing it once or twice.

The reason I said that was because I knew that we (my clinical group) had a very limited number of times actually at clinical facilities -and I wanted another one of my classmates to have the opportunity to see the procedure as well.

It has been my experience that only 2 or 3 students were allowed to view the "procedures" at one time---so it seems that the students who are a little more organized and where caught up (as best you can be) got to see all the "cool stuff". I tried to keep a mental list of who didnt get to see such and such or so and so...and if I had already seen it once or twice--I would try to give someone else that opportunity--even if it meant I had to cover there patients as well as my own. JMO

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Tweety, I think you must be the most wonderful nurse ever created!

Yeah ... I think we should give him an award.

;)

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Specializes in cardiac/critical care/ informatics.
I've noticed alot of threads lately from new nurses who seemed quite stressed out, which I can totally understand, I've been there for sure. So I thought I'd start a thread from the other POV. This shouldn't be an opportunity to be sarcastic or uncharitable, but maybe it can help a new grad to see the other side of the story.

I get nervous by a new nurse who doesn't ask questions. I also will have misgivings about a new nurse who asks a question and then argues with my answer. Also, a new nurse who knows it all makes me nervous.

I get irritated by a cocky new nurse. A little bit of deference and humilty is a good thing. But someone who grovels makes me unsettled. I also get annoyed if a new nurse is too bossy with the pts.

:yeahthat:

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I'm shocked that you got written up for wanting to learn. I love to precept students like you--if I don't know, I'll find out and we both learn something new.

Part of my job is to teach you how to be an independent nurse by teaching you where to find the information that you need.

Information is not static; it's dynamic. It's always changing and you have to ask lots of questions to keep up.

Given the proper nurturing, you'll make an excellent nurse.

Thanks, Angie O. It's people like you, GardenDove and Tweety on allnurses who keep me going!

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Thanks, Angie O. It's people like you, GardenDove and Tweety on allnurses who keep me going!

Wow, I'm honored to be on your list! :)

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I suspect that some who are uncomfortable with questions feel put on the spot, probably because they don't know the answer. If a new nurse or anyone else asks me something I don't know, I just say that I don't know the answer, let's look it up (on the internet, lol)

I remember many times listening with the other nurses to a taped report, and the reporting nurse mentions some unusual procedure or condition. I'll be the one to pipe up "Anyone know what that is?". Turns out nobody knows, but they are keeping their mouths shut.

That's because you were right on with this comment. Thank you! :balloons:

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