Advice for the new hire (hint: don't show your faults for awhile 😇)

[Emergent, RN]

A coworker and I were discussing a gal who was let go during the probationary period. She was dumb enough to show her slacker side way too early in the relationship.

If you were dating a hot guy or gal, wouldn't you clean up your place before a visit? You wouldn't want to show what a slob you are until you'd reeled him in a bit. You wouldn't criticize his nosy mother, loudmouth brother or irresponsible friend too soon in the relationship.

The same with a new job.

[amoLucia]

Smart words!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I completely concur.

Here's a truth that I am self-aware enough to reveal: I can be the laziest employee west of the Mississippi River. However, I act as if I'm a team player and hard worker during the probationary period. As time passes, my slacker side inevitably shows.

[SmilingBluEyes]

Also: You just might not want to run to management immediately about so-called "bully" coworkers/preceptors as a brand new hire until you understand the relationships with which you are dealing and know for sure that is what is really going on---- or you will have painted a big ole bulls-eye on your back and may as well quit.

Seriously, get a lay of the land, so to speak, before you go running around making accusations and running your mouth to management or you will find the terrain in which you find yourself is full of land mines. And it's hard to come back from making that sort of deadly error as the new kid on the block. You won't have another chance to make that first impression and it's hard to come back from that sort of thing. I have seen a lot of that here on the site lately----people rushing to management and basically screwing themselves before their career is even started......

If a unit is toxic and some are, then you move on.

Just my 0.02 worth.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I have seen a lot of that here on the site lately----people rushing to management and basically screwing themselves before their career is even started...

Yep. It seems as if some people have forgotten that the chain of command starts with the other person. Many interpersonal workplace problems would be nipped in the bud if people had enough conflict resolution skills to approach the other person instead of running to upper management to complain.

I make no secret of the fact that I despise people who report issues to management that could have easily been handled without managerial intervention.

[Nonyvole, BSN, RN]

And don't show up and expect people to change to suit you. I swear, I've had to bite my tongue so many times with this latest hire that I'm surprised I still have one left. (Yes, I know that a few of our practices seem inefficient, but trust me, they aren't.)

[SmilingBluEyes]

What the commuter said x1000..

My husband used to tell the people he supervised,

" First, have you tried to work it out yourselves?, NO? then don't bother ME til you do. In other words, GROW UP, talk to each other and if you can't resolve it as adults, THEN and only then, come to me, WITH A SOLUTION ---not just a PROBLEM".

He did not just want to hear whining, you better have some solutions in mind when you went knocking on his door. It fostered growth and communication. I thought it wise.

[cupcakeluver]

To anyone....

So does it usually work? Is the person typically receptive and willing to discuss the issue? Or do they just ignore you or worse, behave in an even worse manner?

I'm genuinely curious. I'm graduating in 55 days and I'm trying to gather all the information I can about being a successful new hire. Of course I was taught in school to speak with the person directly first. I just wonder how that goes over.

My main question is....do you think most people are willing to work things out on their own terms? Does it just make the situation that much worse to tell that person you have a problem?

I'm guessing it depends on the individual. Perhaps one should wait and scope out the individual before deciding to discuss the issue?

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Reminds me of this thread:

https://allnurses.com/nurse-colleague-patient/have-you-ever-1040706.html

[jinki]

Thanks to OP and the other nurses chiming on this thread!

Other than attitude and personality issues, are there common mistakes or annoyances newbies make? It doesn't necessarily have to be strictly clinical. It could be something like, "they don't know how to use the phone." I know that was me during my first day as a student preceptee in my last nursing school semester.

Nurse: (From across the unit) Are you talking to Dr X? I need to talk to him, too. Transfer him to me when you're done.

Me: (Mouthing) I...I don't know how to do that. I'm sorry!

(((

Nurse: Oh, Just press the button on top and press 2. *demonstrates it from a distance from which I have no hope of clearly discerning which button she's pushing*

Me: *trying not to sound stupid to a doctor while deciding whether to play russian roulette with the 5 buttons on top or maybe she just means the topmost top button but maybe not because she could have said that or maybe it was implied but really there should be labels on this phone and it's really not that far of a walk for her is it?*

Me: Doctor, Nurse Y needs to talk to you, too. Could you hold on while I pass the phone to her? *extends the phone, signalling Nurse Y to just walk over to me and use my phone please and sorry*

Fortunately, I was WAY more annoyed by myself than she was.

I just got a job offer as a new grad new hire in the DOU night shift (with 2 weeks of preceptorship during the day and another 2 during the night), and I'd like to make a good impression. Doubly so because I most likely got in because of a recommendation by a personal connection who works in the hospital where I'll be working, and I'd really hate to turn out to be a dud.

Fortunately, none of the advice thus far has totally surprised me, so at least I have that going for me. I have to be actively encouraged to slack just the tiniest bit at work (though at home, I could as easily turn into a hobo sasquatch if left to my own devices), and un/fortunately, I've never had enough of a personality to stir drama. (Luckily, even the most cuckoo militant of instructors and nurses seem to take kindlyIto that!)

I'll definitely ask how to use their phones.

[springchick1, ADN, RN]

My main question is....do you think most people are willing to work things out on their own terms? Does it just make the situation that much worse to tell that person you have a problem?

What will make the situation much worse is going to the manager when the person you have a problem with doesn't even realize you have a problem with them. It also makes you look like a trouble maker to the boss.

The first thing my boss says to someone who is complaining about a coworker is, "Have you talked to them about this?"

[klone, MSN, RN]

The first thing my boss says to someone who is complaining about a coworker is, "Have you talked to them about this?"

That's my favorite line as a supervisor. What I actually say is "And when you talked to her about it, how did she respond?"