Already have to assert myself?? (long)

[mommyX2]

So I have been off of orientation for approx. a month now and within the past week I have had to assert myself. I knew it would happen but I just did not expect it to happen so fast. I am proud of the way I handled each situation but I really wish that 1) we understand people are doing a new job and they could use constructive criticism, not telling other nurses what a poor job they do and 2) we stop complaining and instead of clock watching we take care of our patients needs.

First I had a very experienced nurse telling nurses (who had no direct care with my patients) how much I ruined her nights because I didn't do my chart checks right (yeah we are still in the stone age with paper charting). To rectify the problem I waited until we were alone and told her that I had heard from other nurses that she thought I was doing a poor job and that I would appreciate her telling me so that I could fix my mistakes and that I understood if she needed to tell mgmt, the next nurse, or the physician but that I should not be hearing about this from another random nurse. She of course acted like she had no clue what I was talking about...

Then a few days ago I had an aide complaining that her replacement was not there to take over. When I looked at the clock I was surprised to see that it was only 5 after the hour. I asked her what time she worked until...she said 23 after the hour (doing the old 7 minute rule). I went on the insinuate that she was actually scheduled until 30 after and she got so mad. She walked down the hall and a few minutes later I hear her talking about the exchange. Then a few days later (yesterday) I go in and she is my aide. I then hear her telling another person about it. So I calmly went up to her when she was alone and asked if we needed to talk privately and that I had heard her talking about this "situation". She of course claimed to know nothing and just said my tone of voice offended her. No, what offended her was that I am right! You are scheduled until 30 after not 23. If my patients aren't taken care of and you leave at 23 after you can be sure that your name will come up with management. I just shrugged it off and apologized for my tone of voice (not my content) and we got along the rest of the shift.

I guess the point of this thread is that I never would have thought that I would be tested this soon. Is this like prison where they need to see what you are made of before they turn down the heat?

[NeoNurseTX, RN]

Surprised you didn't have to assert yourself in nursing school! That's one of the first things I learned there.

[tryingtohaveitall]

That's great that you went to the nurse directly to ask her about the things you were hearing back.Hopefully she'll come to you in the future, and if not, at least she knows you'll call her on it.

The thing with the aide, eh, you're right of course, but since she was just running her mouth, I'm not sure I'd have bothered with the clarification, esp as the new girl, kwim? It's one thing to address problem like people talking about you behind your back, it's another to go looking for places to be confrontational.

GL!

[Jules A, MSN]

I agree because "asserting" yourself before you are sure who everyone is and what their place in the pecking order might be isn't always the best plan. Of course I was the nurse and had final say in how things were done but truthfully in the beginning my techs totally knew the patients far better than I did so not respecting them and asking for their insight would have been a disservice to my pts imo. It seems in my experience that sometimes the nonlicensed staff is kind of leery of a new nurse coming in and pushing their weight around so I was careful not to fall into that role. Its just not cool, imo.

[Bortaz, MSN, RN]

Surprised you didn't have to assert yourself in nursing school! That's one of the first things I learned there.

I didn't learn it there, but I certainly put it to good use there.

[Valerie Salva, BSN, RN]

"Is this like prison where they need to see what you are made of before they turn down the heat?"

I've never thought of it in those terms, but you know what? That describes it pefectly.

[Bortaz, MSN, RN]

Good. I spent the better part of 15 years as a prison employee and supervisor...I'm set!