All Bad Nurses - Please Stand Up

[bcelzo]

how can you tell if the nurse your dealing with is bad nurse or good nurse?

[purplemania, BSN, RN]

define "dealing", "good" and "Bad", please

[SWFlorida]

Perhaps the key here is the word "dealing" Is this as in Poker? In general most nurses are great poker players because they have mastered the art of the stone face stare, as in "I can't believe you came into my ER with a complaint of sunburn" Never ever play poker with a nurse, the nurse will win everytime.

Question answered..... who is our next contestant?

[lisamc1RN, LPN]

My opinion is based on my own experiences with what I felt were "good" nurses and "bad" nurses. The things I list aren't all encompassing of the qualities that make a good or bad nurse to me. They are just some things that I saw that made an impression with me.

good- didn't talk down to me or my family, was patient, sympathetic, asked me questions and listened to my answers, did not act bothered by my questions or like they were stupid,

bad- impatient, grumpy, not really listening to what I have to say, assumes that I am either unintelligent or uninformed, talks down to me, pushes or applies pressure to make a decision that the nurse wants, not necessarily what I want, doesn't seem to view me as a person, just a job that needs to be done.

These are vague, I know. What constitutes a good nurse or bad nurse is highly subjective, unless she/he is making repeated mistakes that put a patient's life in danger.

[boggle, ASN, RN]

The ones in tha white hats are the good guys.

:chair: sorry, I couldn't resist.

Lisamc. I'm not sure where you are going with this thread. I think you may already have the answer to your question. Just list for yourself the personal and professional characteristics you would want in yourself, in your coworker, or a caretaker of a loved one. Then compare your ideal list to what is realistic in todays healthcare atmosphere, (and is humanly possible). Cross off everything else on your list and you have a good start.

And remember, keep checking the color of their hats.

[boggle, ASN, RN]

Oh, and lisamc, good luck with your studies. :)

[susanna]

I'm guessing those who are patient?This shows that they are willing to focus on you as a patient and not you as a creepy crawler with some illness?

[Darlene K.]

Perhaps the key here is the word "dealing" Is this as in Poker? In general most nurses are great poker players because they have mastered the art of the stone face stare, as in "I can't believe you came into my ER with a complaint of sunburn" Never ever play poker with a nurse, the nurse will win everytime.

Question answered..... who is our next contestant?

:chuckle You are so right!

[lisamc1RN, LPN]

Oh, and lisamc, good luck with your studies. :)

Thank you! :) I'm not the OP, though. I was just trying to enter the conversation. I have had some excellent nurses in the past, and some ones that left a sour taste in my mouth! :chuckle I was just sharing what it was that made them good or bad, IMO. It's totally subjective, of course. And who knows? Those "bad" nurses that I had may have just been having a bad day or trials and tribulations of their own. :)

[chris_at_lucas_RN, RN]

I think that the qualities of a good nurse are the same as the qualities of a good person.

Take responsibility; if you make a mistake, say so!

Care about others.

Don't act like you know it all if you don't, ask for the info!

Listen to and respect the other person.

Be honest, forthright, honor your commitments.

....stuff like that.

The bad nurses are the ones that don't do that stuff, most of the time. (Every body has an off day...)

Actually, I thought it was kind of an interesting OP. (If it had been posted to stir up stuff, why respond, right?)

[SmilingBluEyes]

I feel I am GOOD nurse. If you want, you are welcome to ask me why. meantime, I will sit back and see how others define "good" or "bad" nurses here.

[chris_at_lucas_RN, RN]

Okay, SmilingBluEyes, I'll bite. Let's have your definition of a good nurse.

Thanks!