Know It Alls: CNAs and Nursing Students- How To Handle?

[tokidoki7]

I'm a nursing assistant and because my unit is short-staffed as well as having people constantly calling off, I've been working with other nursing assistants who are also nursing students. There are some that I like working with because they have great attitudes and they share so much with me- when I ask. However, the others I've worked with really irritate me to no high end. They're constantly scrutinizing anything I do. It's always "No, it's like this. . ." "No, it's that way. . ." "You need to do this. . ." "Don't forget to always. . ." "You should be doing it this way. ." "You should always remember. . ." . I either ignore them or just say, " Thanks, but I know what I'm doing!" I've been a nursing assistant for almost a year now and everything I do is routine, so I know exactly what I'm doing! It's interesting how these students put on the nurse role when they haven't even graduated, pass boards yet, or had any REAL experience.

Here's the other side of the coin. I start nursing school in a few weeks and from threads I've read on here it appears that there will be know it alls of every shape and form, especially know it all CNAs. I have no intentions on letting anyone know I already work in a hospital. I've learned to keep things to myself.

I'm just getting irritated and I wanted to know if anyone has ever had experience with know it all CNAs and nursing students and what you did to handle them.

[cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN]

You need to watch your anger. You're expressing it through sarcasm. You actually like this back and forth bantering don't you? You seem to get off on it.

And nothing you said was helpful- at all.

Honey, I'm not angry at all. An internet message board is incapable of making me angry!

And yes, I do like back and forth banter. I'm good at it...

[BabyCatchr, ADN, ASN, RN]

I agree. If you think you already know how to do it, you are doing the same thing as them. As a first year teacher, I constantly had to deal with the same thing. I was told to smile and nod and say "thank you." And it really is the best thing you can do. You don't want to make enemies, and you may learn something in the process. Always be open to others' ideas and learning something from a new perspective.

That could get annoying...but have you stopped to look at the way you are doing things. Maybe some of this advice is relevant. A whole year of experience is not that much so maybe there is some good information they are trying to give you. You will probably have a different perspective once you get a few quarters into your nursing program. Your attitude probably isn't much better than their attitude since you seem 100% certain your way of doing things is always right!

[tokidoki7, ASN, RN]

I'm not saying I don't LIKE advice. I just don't like it when the person who is giving the advice is trying to seem like they are better than me, or like they are being judgmental. I have the type of personality that I like to do things and ask questions. If someone is being nice and giving advice in a kind manner, I don't mind at all. It is when they act like they know absolutely everything and I know nothing. It is not every Nursing student or CNA, it is just some. I don't treat people who are doing the wrong thing like they are stupid or incompetent, I ask if they need help and kindly advise them. I don't stand around and watch just so I can point out others wrong doings.

I got in this career so I can learn and become the best nurse that I can be, not to be put down by other people. I put up with enough of that with the know it alls in Nursing school.

You took the words right out of my mouth. It's all about RESPECT. For some reason, a few people don't want to acknowledge that. And it's funny that you can find dozens of post about CNA KIA, but as soon as someone says something about nursing student KIA, then all of a sudden that person's blamed for not being a team player and resisting change.

[mrsshifflette09]

Wow, maybe Chocobean is being a little overly sensitive about it. I mean, it bothers me but you seem to be really upset about it. You will always come into contact with people who tell you what to do, so you might want to consider just letting it go a little. I hope you don't let this get to you to the point that you no longer consider this career, because I have learned that it will never go away, as much as we both hate it.

[tnbutterfly - Mary, BSN]

Closing this thread for a cooling off.