Any INFP nurses out there?

loriangel14, RN · Nov 2, 2008

I am an INFP as well and I can relate to what you are saying. The sensitivity part is tough to deal with. I have issues with coworkers that cut corners and don't give the care they should. I love my job but some of the girls I work with are much more hard hearted than me. If a nice lol asks me for a cup tea or a warm blanket I get it for them.Some of the others just give them a lecture about how this isn't a hotel and we are not maids. I feel like saying" oh for heavens sake, just get the blanket". Of course if i am busy it doesn't happen but if I have time I don't mind. We have some rehab pts in our hospital and it is hard to tell them"you have to get up and do your exercises, even if you don't feel like it" That takes practice but you have to remember that it is for their own good.

I know it is nice to take your time and do things correctly but in the real world there sometimes are time constraints and you have to the best you can quickly.I have only been a nurse for a year(I am 42) and I am still learning the ropes. There is nothing wrong with wanting to give the best care that you can but you have to learn to carry your pt load as well.

I applied at my workplace because I knew it was the kind of place that fit in with my values. It is a 26 bed hospital that is a satelite site for a larger hospital in the next town. We handle physical rehab,palliative, some med-surg if they are stable and admit seniors waiting for nursing home placement. Our work load is relatively light(usually) and we have time to give good personalised care. The down side is that as a fairly new grad I am not really expanding my skill set and some days are actually pretty dull, but you know what? - I don't care.I love most of my coworkers, have a great charge nurse and laugh and have fun every day. I need to feel like I make a difference in pts life and i do.

Look carefully and you can find what you are looking for. Best of luck.

ijuanabhappy, ASN, RN · Nov 2, 2008

Loriangel,

Thanks for your reply. You sound a lot like me. I have found that some of the nurses I am around in clinical seem to be harsher. I, too, would just give the lol a cup of tea or a blanket. There was a nonresponsive elderly lady that I was helping the nurse tech give a bath to. I was holding her hand, talking to her, and I felt so bad because she had all of these bed sores from being at the nursing home. The nurse tech was just moving her around like she was a piece of meat and never spoke to her. The peri-care was done rushed and not a good job at all. I also, like you, found that some of the care seemed to be lacking and it really bothered me. Maybe working in nursing would give me thicker skin, but sometimes I just have doubts if it is for me.

loriangel14, RN · Nov 2, 2008

I too talk to the unresponsive. I was taught that hearing is the last sense to go and a gentle touch can express caring. I try to be as caring as I can even when others aren't.

The thing I struggle with is being firm when the pt HAS to do something they don't want to. It takes practice. You will also have to learn to deal with the bell ringers that take up all your time.After your fifteenth time down the hall you will not feel so bad explaining that you are BUSY and the call bell is for urgent needs only, not because they want their pillow moved 2 inches.

ERNurse752, RN · Nov 3, 2008

I am INFJ/INFP - my J is pretty weak/close to midline, however you want to say it.

I can definitely relate to this thread.

I've been a nurse for over 7 years now. It does get a bit easier as you gain experience, and you start to gain confidence in your own skin and how you give care. If possible, find someone (whether through observation or talking to them) who seems similar to you, and see if they can teach you. That would help make you more comfortable, I think.

I am also hypersensitive to my surroundings, and to my patients' feelings...it can be a blessing and a curse. You pick up on things other people don't, but we tend to get more stressed out in the process. I think the actions of other people (staff not pulling their weight) tends to bother us more. I haven't mastered dealing with any of these things...they aren't really an issue in my current job, but I suspect they will be again in the future. :rolleyes:

dream'n, BSN, RN · Nov 3, 2008

I also am a full-blooded INFP. I struggled more in clinicals than in class work during nursing school, the class work came very easily. I haven't had any problems setting limits with my patients. Maybe because as a group we are so sensitive and get hurt easily, we learn our lessons quickly after being manipulated by a patient or two and are able to distance ourselves emotionally somewhat. You will grow as a nurse over time and be able to empathize, but not necessarily sympathize with your patients. My main issue is that I am a somewhat slow learner in a new position. I'm not a jump right in kind of person. Once I learn something though, I understand it through and through, which is a must for me. I also seem to need to understand the whole picture before I can comprehend the sum of its parts. Which means I don't grasp doing things by rote, I have to understand the big picture, the rationale, etc.

loriangel14, RN · Nov 3, 2008

Thank heavens for your post. Now I feel much better. I struggle with the manipulation thing at times. I am definitely a big picture person too. I have to understand exactly why everything is done before I can learn and execute something properly.

allnurses Guide · Nov 3, 2008

I too fluctuate between being an INFP and an INFJ. I tend to dislike conflict and/or making other people mad at me, so I have a hard time speaking my mind. My environment affects me greatly.

ijuanabhappy, ASN, RN · Nov 3, 2008

I also am a full-blooded INFP. I struggled more in clinicals than in class work during nursing school the class work came very easily. I haven't had any problems setting limits with my patients. Maybe because as a group we are so sensitive and get hurt easily, we learn our lessons quickly after being manipulated by a patient or two and are able to distance ourselves emotionally somewhat. You will grow as a nurse over time and be able to empathize, but not necessarily sympathize with your patients. My main issue is that I am a somewhat slow learner in a new position. I'm not a jump right in kind of person. Once I learn something though, I understand it through and through, which is a must for me. I also seem to need to understand the whole picture before I can comprehend the sum of its parts. Which means I don't grasp doing things by rote, I have to understand the big picture, the rationale, etc.[/quote']
I am not a jump right in kind of person either. That is why I get apprehensive about clinicals. I am a slow learner with hands-on tasks as well and ask a lot questions which probably seem stupid, but I also try to get the big picture. Once I learn something I am good at it. When they told us on the second day to "Go and do a bed bath on your patient", my anxiety kicked in full force! Huh?? I need to watch someone else do this a couple of times first. I have only read about it in a book and practiced once in lab. I need to know the how, what, when, where, and whys before I start anything! I'm surprised how so many people can just jump into a task with little instruction and just go with it. I wish I was more like that!

ijuanabhappy, ASN, RN · Nov 3, 2008

I too talk to the unresponsive. I was taught that hearing is the last sense to go and a gentle touch can express caring. I try to be as caring as I can even when others aren't.
The thing I struggle with is being firm when the pt HAS to do something they don't want to. It takes practice. You will also have to learn to deal with the bell ringers that take up all your time.After your fifteenth time down the hall you will not feel so bad explaining that you are BUSY and the call bell is for urgent needs only, not because they want their pillow moved 2 inches.

I can see where I would struggle with this too... being firm with a patient who doesn't want to do something that they must do. I am friendly when I interact with people and I want them to like me, but I think my knowing that something is vital to the wellbeing of a patient will override my desire to be "nice" and liked. This will definitely take practice for me though.

loriangel14, RN · Nov 3, 2008

Yesterday I had no trouble with that though. I had a pt with "princess syndrome" that refused to do anything for herself and wanted to stay in bed all day.I am getting better at telling that kind they are getting up and no, you are not going back to bed in 10 minutes. You have to practice being firm but you still want to be nice. I had to take away a lady's "air freshener spray". She was using it liberally ever time she was on the bed pan because she was embarrassed about the smell.

kythe, LPN · Nov 3, 2008

I'm INFP, although my "p" is close to being a "j". I took the Myers-Briggs test in a college psychology class.

I have really enjoyed working in the group home environment, and I can see myself doing home health care. I like being able to work in a small environment where I can really develop a relationship with our residents. I have trouble separating myself from my environment and I am very sensitive to the emotions of others, so I have to keep myself in check regarding workplace drama.

I have trouble completing tasks if I don't understand their purpose and how they fit into the big picture. This can be a weakness at times because the job has to be done regardless of how you personally feel about it. I've noticed several of us have said the same things. It's interesting to see these similarities in perspective because I often feel different from those around me.