Difference Between a New Nurse and an Old Nurse

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The new nurse throws up when the patient does.

The experienced nurse calls housekeeping when a patient throws up

The new nurse keeps detailed notes on a pad.

The experienced writes on the back of their hand, paper scraps, napkins, etc.

The new nurse will spend all day trying to reorient a patient.

The experienced nurse will chart the patient is disoriented and restrain them.

The new nurse loves to hear abnormal heart and breath sounds.

The experienced nurse doesn't want to know about them unless the patient is symptomatic.

The new nurse thinks people respect Nurses.

The experienced nurse knows everybody blames everything on the nurse.

The new nurse looks for blood on a bandage hoping they can change it.

The experienced nurse knows a little blood never hurt anyone.

The new nurse works for a chance to work with the family

The experienced nurse tries to avoid the family

The new nurse will spend days bladder training an incontinent patient.

The experienced nurse will insert a Foley catheter.

What differences can you come up with ????????!

Specializes in geri, med/surg, neuro critical care.

A new nurse is eager to ask the doctor's advice and follow it accordingly.

An old nurse gives the doctor advice and tells him/her what should be done.

A new nurse is very upset over his/her first "mistake".

The old nurse isn't too upset because he/she has most likely "been there, done that".

Specializes in Med-Surg, mostly.
The new nurse wears T-shirts and carries a bag with "RN" printed all over them.

The used nurse doesn't want the public to know she's a nurse so that she doesn't have to perform CPR on her day off, or answer health questions at a party.

The new nurse is actually excited about her first NG tube, and lays out the needed equipment in precise order just like she was taught in nursing school.

The used nurse knows the most important piece of equipment is the emesis basin, and tosses everything else on the bedside table.

The new nurse knows how to calculate IV drip rates for every type of tubing.

The used nurse just fetches an infusion pump.

The new nurse will spend half a shift attempting to re-orient a dementia patient to reality.

The used nurse figures the patient's reality is probably a lot better than her version of it, and at times will even join him ("OK, how many ducks have you shot today? Wow.......looks like good eatin' TONIGHT!!").

:lol2:

That is so true! Too funny!!

And "Used" nurse..I've never thought of it that way!!

Specializes in Med Surg, House Manager.
OH I forgot one..LOL!

A new nurse will actually administer a suppositiory for constipation.

An old nurse knows to place the suppository on the bedside table within site, with a tub of lube and ...........

I leave the room muttering about having to go get some extra large gloves! (I'm 6'4", 250 lbs and regularly rip "large" gloves in half while trying to put them on.)

The new nurse worries her patient might die.

The old nurse knows that there's worse outcomes than death.

The new nurse feels a little uncomfortable when her crazy patient makes sexual allusions.

The old nurse is flattered that she still brings the heat!

The new nurse wants to help people in their time of need.

The old nurse wants a raise.

The new nurse stops at car wrecks.

The old nurse stops for coffee.

The new nurse wants to go to grad school. (it seems like they all do)

The old nurse wants to go on vacation.

The new nurse spends months planning the perfect wedding.

The old nurse spends days planning the second (or third) wedding.

haha.. i'll share your opinion to my friends.. anyway..im a nursing student..:idea:

Specializes in Hospice, ER.

So true and so funny! I fall into the old nurse category after a year! I'm just started attending RN school and the students are soooo enthusiastic. Last week one said "we have to be the pts mother & father and I almost choked on my coffee!

A new nurse charts too much about stuff that you chart in school and her penmanship is neat. An old nurse charts the pertinent stuff, not neuro checks on an appy patient and hopefully it is legible. A new nurse will have every instrument, kellys, scissors, etc stuck on her waist band handy and accesible. A old nurse is lucky to have tape and a pen in her pocket because she's lost the kellys and her scissors a long time ago. A new nurse will call a Dr at 3am for an enema or for a couple of tylenol. A old nurse will call the Dr. at 6am and tell him I need an order for the enema and the tylenol that I gave your pt at 3am.A new nurse doesn't know what nursing judgement means, A old nurse does! A new nurse hasn't been abused by patients, doctors, the lab, the family members and who ever else there is and maybe made her cry. The old nurse has done that, heard that, been there!A new nurse has not mastered the art of poop cleaning and hasn't given a pt charcoal down an NGT yet or walked in a room with a pt with bm from head to toe and dripping off the bed onto the floor. A old nurse says" oh crap not again "!

I guess I must be a new nurse...:imbar

Specializes in Ortho and Med/Surg.
The new nurse worries her patient might die.

The old nurse knows that there's worse outcomes than death.

The new nurse spends months planning the perfect wedding.

The old nurse spends days planning the second (or third) wedding.

This is so true! We have a new nurse on our unit that is FOREVER trying to send hospice patients to the ICU because she is terrified they will DIE. :bow:

And so many of them are planning that perfect wedding with their perfect fiancee and their perfect new house. 6 months later..they are perfectly divorced :)

Specializes in Ortho and Med/Surg.

A new nurse wants patients with a pain rating of 2/10 to have 2 mg dilaudid.

An old nurse knows better. Here's two Tylenol. Call me when it's over 5 and we MIGHT talk Lortab.

I know that this is an old post but I can't help adding:

A new nurse will run like the wind when a code is called

A used nurse will amble

A new nurse will go out of his/her way to help rehabilitate a drug addict

A used nurse knows that only the addict can rehabilitate themselves

A new nurse will fall for the "corpse reanimated" every time

A used nurse will probably be said "reanimated corpse" - it never gets old LOL

A new nurse will say "Gee it's quiet tonight."

An old nurse will throttle the new nurse and make sure all the crash carts are stocked because all sorts of ills will now occur

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