are there nurses who ACTUALLY care ?

Nurses Relations

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After a couple of months of volunteer time in the ER, I declined a near 6-figure promotion (another field) to reenter the classroom. I spent my weekends there instead of getting plastered at bars or clubs. Corporate America's unethical work culture burnt me out. I picked up 3000 miles ago, acquired a couple of loans, and here I am. A Nursing Student in my first semester.

I had the worse experience in class. We had a group presentation due and my group members voted to cut MY presentation short (an hour before the presentation), in fear of breaching the time limit (for the sake of their OWN grade). My minutes basically went to seconds of senseless broken English.

déjà vu Corporate America? I spoke to my professor afterwards and was told not to sweat it.

During orientation, the presenters/faculty emphasized a "comradery" only nurses encompass that no other profession/professional possess.

I understand we are students, but people never (hardly) change. I have dealt with this state of mind before; in and out of the hospital. 1 made me take a wheelchair from an elderly lady. Maybe I am comparing apples to oranges... But I find it hard to believe one can hang a classmate out to dry (under my circumstances) and expect to provide quality care. At the moment, I feel I am mistake in my belief that nurses have a genuine interest in people and their well being.

SIDE NOTES:

Their "reason" to shorten my segment was "you have no idea what you are presenting."

I am in a cohort of 4.0 students that "know everything" so I am the idiot. I find it ironic (a bit funny, actually), they delegate (the most difficult topics) actual medicine/medical practice to me, even though I come off as a person who does the minimum to pass.

I have a 90%, at the moment.

I understand how you feel. You realized your calling and made that sacrifice to follow you passion for caring. Honestly, nursing school can be brutal and it does not reflect the professional at all. Even though you are dealing with overachievers, they will have the difficult time adjusting upon graduation. Most of the "book smart" nurses are the ones miserable because they strive perfection when they need just need critical thinking with care. My advice....don't let them corrupt you. It gets better after graduation and YES we care just as much as you do. Good luck!

Such a great response that I'm sure the original poster will appreciate!!!!

a group of 6 with a maximum of 21 minutes. the other 5 people spoke for 4 minutes and i got 1 minute, if not less. it was the principle... and it screwed up all i prepared for. i did not have enough time to readjust, since we role played 30 mins. before class. we never practiced before it went live. my professor could have not been understanding... and this would have been a different story.
Well, yeah, I guess they should have allotted the time so everyone had a more equal part. I don't know if it was a deliberate snub or that's just what they felt they had to cut. What I, and I think others, took issue with was the fact that you insinuated anyone who puts their grade first is a "bad (potential) nurse". This is like when people complain about nurses who "got into it for the money". Of *course* they got into it for the money. That's what a job *is*. compensation for services rendered.

I'll answer your question OP. No, nurses aren't all lovey-dovey, do-gooders, we aren't those sweet little helpers pure of heart and soul everybody thinks we are. You won't be entering this wonderful group of team-workers and friendly types. Actually we probably couldn't be farther from what the public thinks we are. Except maybe for Nursel56, she's just truly all rainbows and sunshine.

This comes as a shock to everyone usually. Really, no lie.

I'll also add this: Early on I met a nurse, a second career one just like me. She told me that I'd meet the most maladjusted people as I continued on through school and work. They are all bat-**** crazy - just wait you'll see she said. We'd laugh and laugh about these people over a beer every so often. Reminds me to call her.

Actually we probably couldn't be farther from what the public thinks we are.

This comes as a shock to everyone usually. Really, no lie. Except maybe for Nursel56, she's just truly all rainbows and sunshine.

From my experiences over the past year and a half my perception of them has changed a lot and not for the better:)

Specializes in ICU.

I'm confused. Because some classmates decided to cut your presentation shorter, you came to the conclusions most nurses don't give a ****? If your going to make a big deal over something like that and jump to generalized conclusions, you are going to have a hard time. Forming that comrederie in nursing you speak of.Which is present. I had the best team in the icu I worked in. We are still friends. And get plastered in the clubs once a year in Atlantic city. And we are honest with each other and give constructive criticism and different point of views.But there is also the same corporate bs you left. So if you are going to miss that 6 figure salary with the expectation that all nurses are going around hugging each other, you better rethink. So, did you go into nursing for wanting to help patients? Because you love science? Or you just thought all nurses are smiley happy people to work with?

Specializes in ICU.

And I apologize for my lack of paragraphs. My I pad gets rid of them for some reason.

Shrug it off! If it doesn't effect your grade and you spoke to your teacher then just move on! I work with a nurse or two that would hang anyone out to dry to cover their butt. Are all nurses like this?? Heck no! I've been in a couple emergency situations where a cna calls stat and we all run to the room, we all care for the resident, and we all do the paper work! Nursing school and nursing is hard, it sucks your part was cut short but when clinicals and harder subjects come around this will be small potatoes. Don't sweat the small stuff! Good luck!

trust me worse things will happen as you go on in nursing school so for the sake of your sanity shrug this off. Nursing programs have a reputation of being some of the most competitive schools for a reason you know.

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Actually we probably couldn't be farther from what the public thinks we are. Except maybe for Nursel56, she's just truly all rainbows and sunshine.

:roflmao: I'm trying. I suspect those who know me well spit their beverages all over their screens when they read that one, though.

I'm confused. Because some classmates decided to cut your presentation shorter, you came to the conclusions most nurses don't give a ****? ... So, did you go into nursing for wanting to help patients? Because you love science? Or you just thought all nurses are smiley happy people to work with?

no... i wish i could edit my initial post. a bit of all (3) i wanted to help people, ultimately. all water under the bridge now. some of these post actually bug me more than what happened in class. i thought twice about mixing my emotions with the internet. haha~! not yours... no offense to you. i am still trying to figure out what i posted to receive all this negative in some of these replies:

Many of us choose nursing as what we wish to do, based on beliefs and experiences. What you chose to leave behind, is your business and has no bearing on this situation. Many of us left behind good and bad life situations .....that has no bearing on how we will/should be treated in nursing. And to dwell on why we believe our personal sacrifice means more, serves to just annoy others and push them away.

i understand where this was coming from... nobody knows this information but you folks on here. just an FYi.

I suspect that if your part of the presentation is anything like your post, that your group members had good reason to cut you short. ?

how does a person correlate what i posted into "good reason" for cutting me short... without stating the reasons? do i owe you money? or take your seat on the bus, once.

beeker: "Your post screams of righteous indignation and "holier than thou"

if people feel this way about my situation... it is not my fault. it was not meant to come off that way. i should have left that part out.

somebody in another post... basically, called me stupid... ("i believe true intellect lies within those who realize their own ignorance...") human nature is... if "I" do not understand, THE OTHER PERSON must not know what they are talking about.

Asystole RN: i like this post the best and waiting for a reply from my previous post.

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

startingoveragain I considered giving a heads up when you said you didn't expect to get many replies because it's a touchy subject. Touchy subjects tend to get the most replies. I'm looking forward to asystole's reply, too.

OP,

OK, so you think business can be cutthroat? Listen, live, and learn. Nursing is mostly run and worked by women of whom a significant number of them is extremely insecure. You are making a mistake to believe that just b/c someone goes into nursing (or medicine) that person is doing it for altruistic reasons--or at least mostly so. Nah. Yes, there are those that do think somewhat like that--altruistically. But there are a number of nurses that are insecure, trippin, trying to climb ladders and stepping on others--or trying to polarize people against other individuals out of jealousy or whatever.

What you describe is less than a pebble in the pond compared to when you actually work in the field. Buck up, but just decide to be better and rise above it all.

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