A serious case of senior nursitis!

[snoopy29]

I really enjoy watching junior nurses climb up the nursing ladder but every so often I come across those suffering from a serious case of senior nursitis, symptoms of this syndrome include an over inflated ego and temporary loss of grasp on reality. The last thing they feel like doing is listening to the advice so hence the following:

Dear new senior nurse,

First of all congratulations, without doubt you have worked really hard to gain your new position, it is a wonderful opportunity so I hope you will listen to my thoughts.

Please do not expect that by putting on that uniform you will immediately know everything and can demand respect. The best senior nurses realise exactly how much they don't know and respect is earnt over time.

Lead by example. If you turn up incorrectly dressed in uniform it is unfair and hypocritical to criticise your nurses for the same thing. Equally if you extend your break by a comfortable ten minutes then expect them to do the same. If you treat your patients with kindness, dignity and respect that is the lead your nurses will follow.

We rely heavily on our nursing assistants so please don't misuse their hardwork and willingness. They can only work so hard and if they are already busy then there is nothing stopping you getting the commode for that patient desperate to go. Always remember that whatever colour uniform you are wearing we are a nurse first and a rank second. Never ask your nursing assistants to do anything you have not done or would not be willing to do yourself. If you overwork these already overworked nurses they will leave.

Last week the junior nurses were your peers, it is you that has changed not them. Never ever adopt an air of superiority because you are now higher up the rank. Our department could not function without these nurses and many choose to stay at a junior level wanting the direct hands on nursing experience. We may be senior to them but this does not mean we are better nurses. Don't fall into the trap of favouring old friends. It's not fair to give the plum jobs to your allies leaving the less popular roles to the rest. Stay fair or you will divide your team.

Change is good and you bring a fresh pair of eyes which is invaluable, but trust me if you try and do this en masse on your second shift it will fail. Earn the respect of your team and the ropes first then implement change. If you come from another hospital never ever prefix all your sentences with "Well at City we did....." I can assure you that your new colleagues will quickly be heard muttering that if City was that wonderful why don't you go back there!!

Please please never misuse your new power. It is the easiest thing in the world to reduce a nurse to tears and have them feeling stupid, it might make you feel more powerful for seconds but it's cruel. It takes so much more skill and investment to make your staff feel valued, appreciated and respected. Surely you want to be the more skilled nurse. Equally you are in a position of seniority now and your nurses will learn from you - good and bad - if your practice and patient care is good then that is what they will learn. If your practice and patient care is poor then expect this to rub off on your team.

If you are the nurse in charge if one of your nurses or nursing assistants is getting flack from patient, family or another professional then hiding in the sister's office is not good enough. They are your team and part of your role is about protecting them and getting between them and the firing line.

Make sure you remember your nurses are human and show them the same kindness we would expect for our patients. If they ring in sick, then they probably are sick, they will already know that will leave the shift short and cause problems they don't need reminding. Make sure they are ok, check they have everything they need and then go and cover the gap, it's all part of our job.

Lastly if an older, more experienced, more senior nurse offers you advice it is not to make you look stupid but probably because that nurse fell into many the same pitfalls she is suggesting you avoid. :)

Your senior nurse (who by her own admission learnt much by her own mistakes!)

[MandaTaye]

Very well written. Thank you :)

[emphyl]

:yelclap:

[mykrosphere]

excellent post!

if only......

[smarti15]

love it!!!

[NurseAdida]

Who is a junior nurse? Is it a new grad? Or a young nurse? When does one qualify to be a "senior" nurse...pardon my ignorance!

[nervousnurse, ASN]

that was GREAT!!!!!!!

[Fiona59]

Who is a junior nurse? Is it a new grad? Or a young nurse? When does one qualify to be a "senior" nurse...pardon my ignorance!

In the UK, nurses advance with experience. A junior nurse would be anyone from a new grad to a few years experience.

The system over there is more hierarchial (sp??). Not like mine, where any RN with six months experience gets trained as Charge and then the Charge position rotates every few days. There are charge nurses I dread working other for every reason listed above.