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Discussion

Am I in the wrong place?

Hi there-this is lengthy, but have to give some background:

I started in the ER in Jan, so will be 5 months this month. My experience is 1 yr as LPN and 1 yr as RN on med/surg floor before I went to the ER. My problem is, I'm not sure if this is the right place for me to be working. I keep telling myself that it will get better, and it has, but when a trauma comes in, I get nervous! Luckily I'm never alone in the trauma room (another nurse always comes in), but I feel incompetant in this area. I feel somewhat comfortable with chest pain, MI patients, Stroke pts, but when a code comes in, its like I almost freeze. I have taken ACLS recently, which helped a lot, but I can't help but wonder if I'm better off back on the med/surg floor. My other problem which doesn't help my job are the girls I work with. This ER is the worst environment to work it, the girls I work with have been there forever 25 yrs or so, and they don't take well to new people. They are very particular on who they will "accept" with them. They will hang you out to dry just to see how you do. but they're just "testing" me. They are a tight knit group, and they scare new people off. They think nothing of making you feel like a complete moron if you don't know what your doing, and they make sure that everyone in the vacinity can hear it. What should I do here? Should I stay and hope that I become more comfortable in these situations and deal with the "abuse" or should I pack up and move on? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Featured Replies

Only you know what is best for you to do. Not that I don't want to give you a straight forward answer, it's just that I personally don't work with you.

As far as feeling out of place in a certain situation; we all have at some point and still do at times. This is what keeps you on your toes, when you loose that feeling completely it's likely you will become dangerous because you will become complacent or burn out.

When it comes to your co-workers... Competence and Confidence

I would imagine that it's been 5 months and you haven't been run off yet so I would say you must be some what competent. Now you just have to show those 25 year nurses that you are confident. The person you really need to ask this question to is your Manager. Trust me... If your co-workers have anything bad to say about you, your manager has been told about it already.

Do you like the department? I do not know you, of course, but as long as you like the dept and you have a drive to learn more despite the others, stick with it. Do not let them get you down. As you said they are just testing you.

If at any point you feel it goes beyond that and may risk your license then think about moving on.

  • Experts

When I got hired to a level one trauma center in 1996, I had two years as an RN: one year in LTC and one year in an ICU. But...that wasn't good enough for SOME (and only a few at that) RNs. However, I stuck it out, kept my mouth closed (which for me is a quite a feat) and realized that I couldn't take myself too seriously. Yes, I made mistakes, yes I was very frustrated at times. However, I stuck it out and 10 years later left with many well wishes.

I think you have to really like what you do - at least that is my take on life. If not happy, move on. If happy, but frustrated, figure out what you can do to improve the situation.

Ah, meal time. And you are on the menu. Listen, my young friend, never let any old bytches drive you away from something you want to do. As much as possible, forget them. Be cordial but reserved, courteous but not obsequious. Do not seek their acceptance or approval. Neither try to reject them. Just do your work to the best of your ability, ask questions when you need to, and otherwise be quiet and keep to yourself. Unless you have the personality type that can very quickly and easily win everyone over but it sounds like you don't. People like that are rare. I'm not one of them, either.

Help them if asked, learn everything they can possibly teach you, then you can become their boss someday and fire all of them, LOL. Seek out their knowledge. Kill them with kindness, know what I mean? Take in some bagels or donuts or whatever once in a while for everyone but don't spend a fortune or do it often.

Absolutely do not share any personal information with them except perhaps the most superficial. It's ok to say you were late due to a flat tire but do not share info about your marriage, love life, family, etc. It is just grist for their gossip mill. That's a good habit no matter who you work with. Discuss the weather and that is it.

Only you know what is best for you to do. Not that I don't want to give you a straight forward answer, it's just that I personally don't work with you.

As far as feeling out of place in a certain situation; we all have at some point and still do at times. This is what keeps you on your toes, when you loose that feeling completely it's likely you will become dangerous because you will become complacent or burn out.

When it comes to your co-workers... Competence and Confidence

I would imagine that it's been 5 months and you haven't been run off yet so I would say you must be some what competent. Now you just have to show those 25 year nurses that you are confident. The person you really need to ask this question to is your Manager. Trust me... If your co-workers have anything bad to say about you, your manager has been told about it already.

The trouble is that she does not feel very competent or confident, also she does not feel accepted by her miserable *^%#@+= coworkers.

Talking to the manager about how she is doing is good. But to c/o to the manager about her coworkers - this will probably make things a whole lot worse.

  • Author

Thanks for all your replies. These ladies I work with seem to like me, but they are not very accepting to new people. There are 3 of us that started within the last year. Of the 3, they tell me I am the one that will stick it out because I have the personality for it, but at the same time, as I said in my last post, they make it well known when I don't do something right, or quick enough for them. A few of them are very rude to both myself and to the patients! Is this a normal behavior for er nurses, to be incredibly rude to patients too?! I've heard people say in the community (i live in a small college town ) that they would rather risk their lives and commute 25 miles to the next hospital than come to ours because of bitchy nurses. A few of the nurses here have taken me under their wing and are very helpful and nurturing, but when their not there, its like theses ladies want to set me up to fail. I just don't get it, seems like that would reflect bad on the whole er, not just me. MDs are good in our er, so are the PAs, but most of the time, I feel very unsure of myself around them in trauma situations. My orientation was very short, due to the need for bodies on the floor. Out of the 3 of us that are new, 2 of us are unhappy and ready to find a new job. These seasoned girls are just eating us alive. It really is sad, because if it weren't for these ladies, it probably wouldn't be a bad place to work. Nurse manager is well aware of these issues, as I am not the only one to have had these problems, she has done nothing, infact one of these ladies got into it with her! This nurse manager is actullly leaving this job next month. We are a union hospital and cannot believe that this is tolerated.

I just got a job offer at big city ER nearby and in the interview, the director of nursing, who is filling in for the empty nurse manager position, informed me to be prepared to not be welcomed with warmth, but to prove myself worthy and have thick skin more or less. Made me a bit nervous, but I'm likeable, pretty smart and I can hold my own pretty well.

This may sound silly but I suggest you go and buy the DVD " The Secret" at Borders. Ever since I saw the DVD it has helped me a lot with my confidence. I can understand the feeling you are going through since I had something similar but have confidence in yourself. Stop saying they are out to get you. Because that is exaclty what will happen. Good luck

  • Guides

Ah, I'm one of those 25+ year ones. It is perfectly okay for you to be nervous in a trauma or a code, especially after only 5 months. I'd been a nurse for a long time before coming to the ER, and it was like starting all over again in some ways; my night shift preceptors told me outright that it takes a least a year before you feel confident and others will trust you. That was 10 years ago, and they were right.

Frankly, if you weren't nervous, I'd be nervous about you because young "knowitalls" miss too much because they won't listen! Stick close to the helpful ones, avoid the others when possible, and try to be that nurse that goes in to help when something big comes in. That way you get experience, but don't have the ultimate responsibility. Mistakes happen, learn and move on. The ones that tell you they've never made a mistake are liars, or too dang dumb to ever realize when they've messed up. We're all human.

Sorry about the toxic ones, they live everywhere it seems, not just ER. No, it is not the norm to be rude to your patients. I call the down and out repeat flier drunks "sir" and "mr." If they notice, it helps!:lol2: If not, I am responsible for my behavior, not thiers. Hang in there, it's worth it IMO.

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