Why Is It That Everyone Thinks They're A Good Nurse?

Nurses Relations

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i don't get it. people write about the horrible mistakes they've made that got them fired from work or suspended, and then they'll go on to say that they know they're a good nurse anyway because they try so hard. maybe the evidence shows that they're not a good nurse yet . . . but if they keep trying hard they will be some day?

or the nurse who writes that she's on her fourth job since graduation 16 months ago, and she hasn't found her "nitch" yet . . . and someone tells her to hold her head up because they know she's a great nurse. really? how could you possibly know that -- especially with the evidence provided that the poster has been through three jobs and is failing her fourth?

then there are the special nurses who know they're great nurses despite their many problems at work because they have a calling. or because they're compassionate. sorry -- that's not all it takes to be a great -- or even an adequate nurse.

what ever happened to striving to be a good nurse but knowing you're not there yet? knowing you need a bit more experience to be a great nurse but you're trying hard? how come everyone these days is a good nurse the moment they graduate?

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

New nurses who believe they know all there is to know because they earned straight As and passed the NCLEX in 75 questions scare people because nobody who is brand new knows all there is to know. The absence of questions suggests they are winging it for the sake of appearance.

I should add that there is a flip side to it, where someone who's been a crusty old bat for a long time might not ask questions of a younger colleague when confronted with an unfamiliar situation, for the sake of appearance. Best to strive to get egos out of the way altogether.

There's a pretty wide middle ground between being a simpering, insecure mouse and a brazen know-it-all (hopefully) :)

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Hehe, I like asking the new girls questions. They actually still remember some stuff from nursing school. :)

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When I became a nurse, I was told by a superior that most of my days as a nurse were going to be disheartening, but every once in awhile you would go home feeling you made a difference. Be kind, be patient, and try to be the best you can be. To error is human. Tomorrow is a new day.

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Even good nurses can make mistakes sometimes. All nurses make mistakes, and anyone who claims to have never made one is a liar. I think for the most part, most nurses are good nurses. Of course there are a few bad apples, but well, they never seem to self identify do they? I think that is true with all proffessions. And we are all good at different things, some people are excellent at charting but not very good at working with the patients, to the hospital they probably look like a better nurse then one who is less adept at charting but wonderful and great with the patients. It is all relative. Everyone is good at something, and no one is perfect at everything.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
why does that "scare" you? have you seen this? maybe their asking questions, just not you. when i was a new grad, i only asked strong nurses for answers, and ones that were approachable. something to ponder.

overconfident know-it-alls are often wrong and never in doubt.

self-doubt is good, it means you care about being sure you are correct.

of course be careful when asking questions. even that can be used against you by certain individuals, even if they are certified preceptors. it almost seems prudent to err on the side of arrogant know-it-all, or the wolves will eat you.[/quote']

​now this is really scary. if you're more concerned about being "eaten" than potentially doing harm to your patients, i sincerely hope you're not in my icu!

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I hope your ICU also does not devour new nurses (new grad or new to ICU) for asking questions, however dumb they may seem. Sorry, but I am still reeling from being treated like dirt. It's still acute.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
New nurses who believe they know all there is to know because they earned straight As and passed the NCLEX in 75 questions scare people because nobody who is brand new knows all there is to know. The absence of questions suggests they are winging it for the sake of appearance.

I should add that there is a flip side to it, where someone who's been a crusty old bat for a long time might not ask questions of a younger colleague when confronted with an unfamiliar situation, for the sake of appearance. Best to strive to get egos out of the way altogether.

There's a pretty wide middle ground between being a simpering, insecure mouse and a brazen know-it-all (hopefully) :)

When I started in oncology, almost everyone I worked with was younger than me...by a lot. I had no compunctions about asking them questions. I'll ask whoever has more experience than me when I have a question, even if that person is half my age. I will say that I do have a problem dealing with arrogant younger nurses who may have more experience than me in a particular setting. They may have worked in that area longer than I have, but I have more years of nursing exp. than me. I'm not stupid.

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[quote=wooh;6346356

Ask if you don't know. But think for a bit before you decide that you don't know. A lot of the time, you can actually work through it on your own. And the more you do that, the more you'll be able to do it in the future when things come up that there's nobody to ask. I have shifts where I'm the resource for the floor. And goodness knows, I don't know the answer to everything. That's the skill that nurses take with them to EVERYTHING they do. An ability to think through and figure out what they need to do, and even if they don't know exactly how to do it, they can figure it out.

It's not asking questions that will get you eaten. It's not even trying to answer them on your own before asking.

AH! Lately, as a new nurse, I feel like I have been playing twenty questions with my supervising RN.

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Specializes in Med-Surg; Telemetry; School Nurse pk-8.

I am a mediocre/border-line competent nurse.

*I like to set a low expectation ;)

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I think to be a great nurse, you not only have to master the art of the practice but be perfect in your charting and completing all the minutia. I have a lot of respect for people that can do that, although they tend to be incredibly OCD. I imagine them as the kind of people who, in their life outside of work, crap themselves with anxiety when their spice rack isn't perfectly organized.

I am not one of the those people, and I always get pulled aside an lectured about not crossing every T and dotting every I. That means I will probably never be a great nurse, however, I provide good care. I listen to my patients, take the time to make them feel comfortable and always ALWAYS double check what I am doing. I've even made a few quick decisions that have saved peoples lives, but I still don't consider myself a great nurse.

Maybe only a good one, but I am happy with that.

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Specializes in CCM, PHN.

Once again, the original point of Ruby's post is lost to narcissistic, self-absorbed comments that sound mildly defensive.....lots of self-reflective pondering about whether or not YOU are or aren't a "good nurse" isn't really the focus of this particular discussion. It's not what she was asking. I think she was asking more for a somewhat intellectualized discussion about why our society nurtures and rewards an inflated self-image and how people are incapable of accepting criticism. I was hoping for some really decent discourse about how self-esteem has become more important than honesty. Other than GrnTea & The Commuter (and a couple others), the majority of responses to the OP reflect EXACTLY the problem it addresses.....everyone is so conditioned to be focused inward-on ourselves......it has killed our ability to engage externally and discuss concepts on a philosophical level rather than just talking about ourselves individually. Sucks.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Once again, the original point of Ruby's post is lost to narcissistic, self-absorbed comments that sound mildly defensive.....lots of self-reflective pondering about whether or not YOU are or aren't a "good nurse" isn't really the focus of this particular discussion. It's not what she was asking. I think she was asking more for a somewhat intellectualized discussion about why our society nurtures and rewards an inflated self-image and how people are incapable of accepting criticism. I was hoping for some really decent discourse about how self-esteem has become more important than honesty. Other than GrnTea & The Commuter (and a couple others), the majority of responses to the OP reflect EXACTLY the problem it addresses.....everyone is so conditioned to be focused inward-on ourselves......it has killed our ability to engage externally and discuss concepts on a philosophical level rather than just talking about ourselves individually. Sucks.

Whoa -- you said it far better than I did. Why is it that people who are clearly failing have an inflated self-image? And what is it about the fact that people are becoming less and less open to accepting negative feedback, no matter how sensitively given or how warranted? And why is it that self esteem is not only more important than honesty, but seems to have completely overshadowed honesty or honest self assessment?

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