Are nurses becoming more negative on Allnurses?

Nurses General Nursing

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First of all I want to say I LOVE ALLNURSES!!! It has been the best resource for me for so many things.

Sadly, I have noticed in the last year or so that there are more and more negative postings. Some OP’s will post innocent topics and get torn a new one for nothing. Why?

We should be encouraging one another and not be putting people down. The saying "nurses eat their young"….I once thought it was not true, but I am beginning to think it is.

I am not trying to pinpoint nurses who have been in the field for many years; however, I have noticed many negative comments come from people who have forgotten what it was like to start out as a nurse. Other comments that are nasty I figure are from people who just have low self esteem and want to tear someone apart to feel better.

Maybe the economy is just taking a toll on people? Whatever it is I hate to see it. I love Allnurses. I would hate to see it become a negative place where people can’t share their thoughts without the fear of ridicule.

I'm a nursing student and honestly, I take everything online in general with a grain of salt. I don't think this forum is different from any other kind of forum. People with different experiences and different opinions. Lately there's been an influx of "don't go into nursing" posts by new grads, older nurses ect. Now as a nursing student, I could say "gee they're right" and run the other way or I can do for myself, think for myself and do whatever the heck I want because this forum only represents about 10% of the nursing population. I see it on forums all the time, people just going back and forth. I come to this site sometimes just to kill some time when I'm bored, to learn and explore specialties but I try to stay away from vents and rants because it's unnecessary drama. Point is IT'S ONLINE! You don't have to take anyone's advice you don't have to like what anyone says, just close the window if it gets you heated. Is it really worth stressing yourself out over an online post from someone you don't know and probably will never meet?

Even as a nursing student seeing some of the things other students and new grads post get on my nerves! The "New grad can't find job" seems to be a favorite and I understand they want guidance but is it really needed when the same exact thread is only two threads below yours? lol. Or "can I specialize?' "what type of nurse does this" things that are relatively easy by googling it and should be researched before even going into nursing. Or posts asking for requirements for programs. If I, someone who hasn't ever heard of the school or live anywhere by it can find the info on their website, you can too. Search is my best friend for all school and hospitals sites. It could be my personality, I usually just let things roll off like rain water. And I come to this site with an open mind.

There are only two things that really bug me sometimes. One is the grammar nazi's? Seriously? It's just unneccessary, some people type from their phone, some people made mistakes and only see it after they recheck the post and it's too late to edit it. I'm sure there are a lot of people who write just fine but aren't going to check their sentence structure, verbs because they are online and they don't expect a spelling lesson. I understand sometimes it can be to the point where the post makes no sense but one or two mispelled words?

The other is that I think the "real world" and "real nurse" phrases get thrown around too much. My real world might be different, we don't all live the same kind of lives, we don't all have the same kind of worlds. There are some nurses who love their jobs and some that don't. Some people do actually work in hospitals and on units where co-workers love eachother, management respects them and they work in safe conditions and unless you've worked everywhere in the world or know nurses from everywhere, you can't say things like "this isn't the norm" or "you're living in a fantasy world" or "I thought it was great too for the first year". As I said before, only about 10% of nurses are on this site.

Again I'm a rather mellow person so maybe that's why. I feel like sometimes people post things or read things that they KNOW are going to stir the pot or rile them and others up. Oh and I know that the search button can sometimes be a pain in the neck but honestly if you post something that has been posted 4532001 times before then you shouldn't respect a response.

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But for all of the advice, even that specific person's advice I did "kudos" it. And I did make sure to thank everyone for their advice.

So pedicurn, I apologize for telling you to get on with your life and stop judging me. Though I still think that some of the things you said were not appropriate or necessary, it was not appropriate for me to react the way I did and say that to you. I do appreciate the advice you gave me.

you're a classy gal, happy.

leslie:)

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
you're a classy gal, happy.

leslie:)

Yeah, she is.

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Aww, thank you leslie and nursel56. That's very sweet of you.:redpinkhe

I try, but as everyone else, I make an a** of myself at times. :bugeyes:

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

Well, yes, non-professionals can "come in and flame." However, they can and do also come in and contribute. I don't try to take part in the more technical threads (i.e., discussions of specific medical treatments) outside my area of knowledge or the nursing vent threads (except for an occasional joke or question). I do contribute to threads where I have experience, such as HR/employment situations, questions about disability laws and opportunities, FMLA, health information management (HIM) topics, ARRA, etc. I also read a lot of the threads, both past and current, to better inform myself of nursing-specific concerns, issues, frustrations, and wishes. I don't start obnoxious, read-the-same-thing-a-million-times-already threads and I certainly don't start homework threads (even though I take some of the same classes nursing students do).

My point is not to sing my own praises or be ultra-defensive, but simply to highlight that the site and its members benefit from having contributors from a broad range of healthcare-related backgrounds, as long as they don't try to blather about topics outside their areas of knowledge. That there are non-nurses who do so doesn't mean that all or even most of us do. I don't think the blame for flaming can be placed squarely and solely on the shoulders of the nursing students, allied health workers, and members of the general public who post here. There are plenty of threads in which nurses attack other nurses.

Thank you and agree. Health care is not just nursing, or just doctors. The whole point of IDT is Inter Disciplinary TEAM. Just try to do your do your job [nursing] without doctors, medical records, HUCS, secretaries, dietary, PT,OT,ST etc. I am sure you get my point.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.
This was never an all-RN site. The N in LPN stands for nurse. The N is CNA stands for nursing.

I do not like seeing my sisters (and brothers) in nursing marginalized.

As an CNA, you do NOT have the right to call yourself a "NURSE" . The title of "NURSE" only belongs to RN's and LPN's .

Oddball and a little off topic...but I read on another post that the title "nurse" is legally protected in several states. Crazily enough in the state of WI apparently an LPN isn't t even a nurse...somewhere on the ANA website and I am sorry I can't find the exact link. Anyway....the language of the amendment states that the the title "nurse" can only be applied to an RN! I am an RN, but some of the best and smartest nurses I know are LPN's, I can't imagine why WI doesn't seem to think LPN's are nurses???

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My quote has gotten mangled. The CNA part is not mine. I NEVER said that aides are nurses, but that NURSING is in their title. DIstinct difference. And they are a crucial part of the team.

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Thank you and agree. Health care is not just nursing, or just doctors. The whole point of IDT is Inter Disciplinary TEAM. Just try to do your do your job [nursing] without doctors, medical records, HUCS, secretaries, dietary, PT,OT,ST etc. I am sure you get my point.

Well, I've worked night shift. That's pretty much working without any of those people. :clown:

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Specializes in CVICU, Obs/Gyn, Derm, NICU.

So pedicurn, I apologize for telling you to get on with your life and stop judging me. Though I still think that some of the things you said were not appropriate or necessary, it was not appropriate for me to react the way I did and say that to you. I do appreciate the advice you gave me.

.

Thankyou happy2learn ...no offense taken.

Keep on questioning, analysing ....learning and growing ...and you will be a better nurse for it.

Wishing you all the best :)

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Thankyou happy2learn ...no offense taken.

Keep on questioning, analysing ....learning and growing ...and you will be a better nurse for it.

Wishing you all the best :)

Thanks! You too :)

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

Well, I've worked night shift. That's pretty much working without any of those people. :clown:

I've been a NOC Supervisor for 9 years + now and you are right, the other people are not there then. As much as we need them....why do you think I work nights? I like to stay out of their way!

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