I met a mean nurse!

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I was at weight watchers last night when I overheard a person talking about how she is a nurse. I asked her what kind of nurse she was and how long she had been working. She said that she was a nursing supervisor and had been working for over 30 years. I told her that I was finishing up my first degree and trying to get into nursing school. Unfortunately, all she could do was snap at me the answers and then abruptly turn her back to me. She didn't say another word. All I could think was, I sure hope she doesn't have to work with patients much. I mean, it wouldn't be good for a sick person to get that kind of attitude. I guess I just don't understand why someone who has been a nurse for so long and was even talking about the nursing shortage would be so rude to someone who was eager to join the same profession.

Actually my husband is on shore duty now. My son is 15 years old. My step-daughter is 4. I guess I wasn't clear enough when I said I had gained weight from pregnancy. I just meant that it was the beginning of many things that compounded to make me overweight. Well, that, some depression and a whole lot of denial. I really appreciate your supportive and caring e-mail though. It did make me feel better after what has really not been a very good day due to complications arising from my son's tourette's syndrome and some very poor choices he made today at school. I am just trying to not lose it too much as I have IBS from anxiety (big surprise there, huh?) and stuff like this tends to make me feel very sick. I am getting better at dealing with it though. I was on Celexa for a while, but have been off of it for about a year now and am still working on keeping it under control without the meds. Thanks again for the support.

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A nurse w/ 30 years under her belt may look at a newcomer with a little envy or jealousy that you're just starting out and are eager to learn and go get 'em. I've found that older nurses sometimes see that as a threat, their notch on the totem pole is being threatened.

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Specializes in Cardiac/telemetry.

I guess I am taking the nurse's response differently than most of you. As an MT of 25+ years, I have had MT-wannabes and newbies, etc., that are all excited and want to talk about a job that I have been doing forever. Often my answers are brief (could be taken as short, abrupt, sharp). I mean no disrespect to these "students," but I have answered questions from MANY who think they are gonna light the world on fire - when they haven't got a clue. Maybe the well-seasoned nurse was just wary of starry-eyed students.

She probably doesn't even realize that you think she "snapped" at you. I try not to take others' moods personally. It makes life a lot easier.

Just a thought..... :)

(just my MT-editing perfection kicking in!)

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Specializes in Cardiac/telemetry.

I guess I am taking the nurse's response differently than most of you. As an MT of 25+ years, I have had MT-wannabes and newbies, etc., that are all excited and want to talk about a job that I have been doing forever. Often my answers are brief (could be taken as short, abrupt, sharp). I mean no disrespect to these "students," but I have answered questions from MANY who think they are gonna light the world on fire - when they haven't got a clue. Maybe the well-seasoned nurse was just wary of starry-eyed students.

She probably doesn't even realize that you think she "snapped" at you. I try not to take others' moods personally. It makes life a lot easier.

Just a thought..... :)

(just my MT-editing perfection kicking in!)

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