Unfriendly Nurses.....

Tweety, BSN, RN · Aug 29, 2008

I've heard this before and I don't get it. You're there to help them.

People don't like outsiders and they are jealous you make more money. Who knows. It's petty.

But not all Travelers are friendly. Perhaps they are jaded by your predicessors who make the famous "that's not how we do it up North", "I can't wait to get out of this hell hole I can't understand how any of you people can' work here", etc. type of comments.

Acosmo27 · Aug 29, 2008

one of my instructors in nursing school told us to be cautious with making the decision to be a traveling nurse. She warned us that many of the staff will make no effort to be nice or make friends because of two things. One, you are not permanent, two, you are making more money doing the same job. People are ridiculous, rise above it... I would love to be the student nurse working with you!

PiPhi2004 · Aug 29, 2008

In our unit, I dont know of anyone who treats travelers like this. I have never seen anyone be unpleasant to them and we really have gotten some great ones who I, being a permanent nurse, ask questions to. Plus some of em are from different units and being on a MICU, this helps when you have someone specialized in a SICU or CVICU to help with things you dont see everyday. I find them to be a helpful tool and they make the big bucks because they are willing to go out of their way for these jobs. We have had some really great ones and some mediocre ones, but I have all in all had a positive experience with them. My guess is some people wish they could travel but cant, so choose to be a complete turd to anyone who they think has it 'better' than them. The grass is always greener I guess for some people. Maybe they want to test you to see how good you are at your job and it comes off as abrasive (which it usually is) as they think you arent as good at working on their unit as they are. That attitude stinks and its kind of sad that people have to be that way!

nurseshepherd · Aug 30, 2008

When a relative of ours was hospitalized in central FL my sister and I (both of us nurses) went to visit. Our patient needed a couple things so we jumped on it and had a little trouble finding her nurse so the charge nurse was happily summoned by the folks at the desk who seemed a little too eager to help (they learned we were nurses from our patient). When the charge nurse came to the room she did little to address our family member's needs because she was too busy bashing the nurse who she explained was a travel nurse and said "You know how they are." I redirected her to our original request after I informed her I had worked with some excellent travel nurses and told her I thought her comments were unprofessional. Sometimes we are our own worst enemies and I don't think I will ever understand why. :banghead:

Bortaz, MSN, RN · Aug 30, 2008

My guess is some people wish they could travel but cant, so choose to be a complete turd to anyone who they think has it 'better' than them.

And some people are just plain old turds with no other reason except that they want to be turds.

mhr2133 · Aug 30, 2008

Hi Dianne,

I have no experience wih traveling being a new nurse myself but I wanted to tell you that we watched travelers come and go in our clinical site . I got to see from a unique position , on the inside but not one of them. The permanent nurses treated the travelers terribly, so much so they wouldnt even sit at the station to chart. They pretended like the permanents were all the best of friends, but after the traveler left and there was no one to find fault with, they spent all their time smiling to each others faces and talking behind their friends back. It probably has nothing to do with you just toxic people.

lyceeboo · Aug 30, 2008

Sorry that you're encountering this Dianne. :redpinkhe:redbeathe:heartbeat

Wish I had some good answers about why this occurs. (All I can think is maybe the regular staff is burning out from all the general bs and stuff acute care RN's have to contend with on a daily basis.)

I've never done the travel RN thing but have worked in many hospitals that depended on travel staff. Especially to fill night shift openings. Sometimes these travelers have asked me basic questions, ie where to find something... or could you please show me how to use some new device....Several times the travel nurse then thanked me (emphatically)...and it seemed as if they were just grateful for any helpful or kind response from staff. Geez, if nobody can take a second to help....then we need more staff.

Like I said, I have no answers. Maybe if all RN's were just treated a little better by management.

bagladyrn, RN · Aug 30, 2008

I've been a traveler for 12 years now and have run into these unfriendly people in some places. I see a lot of reasons: some are resentful of our "freedom" and supposed "big money" - an attitude fostered by some administrators like the one who told the staff nurses at one contract that they wouldn't be getting a pay increase "because all the money was going to pay for the travel nurse"! Sometimes it is because they have dealt with one of the "bad egg" type of travelers before you. Sometimes it is just that they are miserable unhappy people who are nasty to anyone they can be - and we are a perfect target because we will never (in their mind) have any power or influence over them.

I just let it roll off, or even "play" with it - I'll say "That's right - blame it on the traveler - she'll be gone soon" or "That's right, you know how we travelers are" - usually gets them laughing and disarms them. The places that the attitude is pervasive, I can smile and remember - I'll be out of here soon and never have to come back. The good places I come back to - and let them know it's because they are friendly and that I'll recommend them to others.

NursePeace · Aug 30, 2008

I HAATE bad attitudes. I just wanna tell so many of them to get over themselves. But, heres a thought. Working in a LTC facility we use a lot of agency. Which get treated horribly. My bosses are always bashing them saying that they have no commitment to our facility, so why should they really care about our residents?? In turn, the staff treats them like crud. Its different in ways but the same in alot. I wouldnt let anyone bother you too much. Your the one with the flippin awesome job, TRAVELING :)

Virgo_RN, BSN, RN · Aug 30, 2008

I haven't seen anyone on our floor behave in this way with travelers. We generally like them. I'm sorry you're experiencing this.

AnnaSL, BSN, RN · Aug 30, 2008

Ummmm... People are used to GENERALIZING THINGS... Like what's happening here... One Travel nurse being MEAN.. before you know it words spread and, VOILA, all of them are MEAN, unfriendly, they are these and that....

Honestly, we can never really take all of that OUT.. It's part of it.

But let's see... We have our UNCONCIOUS way of BEING MEAN.. When does that happen.. Umm let see.. when there's a lot of px, when the doctor yelled at us or generally woke up in the wrong side of the bed and definitely to sum it um, A BAD DAY..

Some people can handle and seperate their bad day at home and not bring it TO WORK.. But A LOT, can help but TELL THE WHOLE WORLD, I have a bad DAY so dont MESS with me.. "Oh so you're a TRAVEL NURSE or something, why should i care" Attitude..

It's a matter of understanding each other, after all we are all colleagues.. Dont get tired of dealing with these kind of Nurses.. It's easier said than done but hey, it's worth the try..

My Advice: Don't get tired of dealing with them.. Besides, you'll encounter a lot of it since you're traveling.. Approach them with no judgement even if they do it to you.. In time, they will realize... you're one of the good ones.. If they realize.. Just dont give up...