Introverted Nurse

[mpgj83]

I think many people perceive nursing to require (or at least prefer) an outgoing, lively personality. But I tend to be much more mellow, subdued, and introverted. I like people, but I can best handle them only in doses, and preferably in smaller groups, if not individually. Otherwise, I think I will become overstimulated.

If you're an introverted nurse, how are you finding your job? Are you thriving? Are you merely tolerating? What are your coping strategies if you get overstimulated? And what qualities do you think you can offer to your patients that perhaps won't come as naturally to our more extroverted friends? I recently earned an RN license and am looking to start working as a nurse soon. I tend to think I am a good listener with a calmer, more gentle, soft-spoken approach, though I doubt this is necessarily exclusive to introverts.

=)

[RunningRn24]

I'm shy too! This might sound kind of silly but I look to Beyonce for my inspiration about how to combat my shyness at work. I heard that she has two personas, one is her normal self aka Beyonce, and two is Sasha Fierce, her stage personality. I try to put on my work face when I'm at work to be more bubbly and friendly because in my experience it is comforting to patients. It also helps to deal with tough days by having this mentality because it separates my home self from my work self.

Good luck!

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Please don't confuse introversion with shyness or avoidance of social interaction. I am, as measured on multiple well-known personality assessments, an extrovert. But I have an aversion to crowds, find intensely social situations very tiring and need solitude to re-charge my emotional batteries. But I love nursing.

My interaction with patients is not "social", it is part of my practice. Clinical encounters are very different from social ones. Trust me, I would never engage strangers in conversation about intimate details of their life, but this is a normal aspect of patient assessment. As you gain more experience, you will also become more adept at compartmentalizing - like the PP - and become more comfortable with your "at work" behavior as opposed to your "at home" self.

[DoeRN]

I'm introverted too but not shy at all if that makes sense. I don't do well with social interactions where there are a lot of people. Usually at weddings I attend the ceremony, eat dinner, cake and split after that. I don't like talking to a bunch of people. And small talk will bore me to tears.

I'm still very much introverted at work. I usually talk to people when it pertains to work. I am a float nurse and this is great for me. I can avoid the personal details about all my coworkers because I will admit I don't care and don't want to talk about myself too. To me I'm not there to make friends, I'm there to work. As far as my patients I talk to them of course but I'm not one for chit chat and talking about things that aren't related to their hospital stay. If they start talking about their dog or vacation or going on a tangent I listen of course. But I always redirect the conversation back to why they are in the hospital and the plan of care for that day.

There are some great threads about this subject on here. One member posted about an introverted motivational speaker and she was awesome. And also about Myers Briggs personality traits and being introverted. I am an INTJ.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

[RNBuni]

Honestly I think its always important to be true to yourself no matter how it is perceived by others. Sometimes it seems like something is wrong with you if you don't have something to say about the things other nurses talk about when things are a little slow. If you have something to say then chime in, if not then you don't have to. Find busy work, chart, do what you have to do the pass the time. And be the best nurse you can be...focus on your patients and embrace yourself no matter what!