Attitude Towards NP Students

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Specializes in Perioperative; Cardiovascular.

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to vent about nurses' attitude when one of their own becomes a NP student. I get it....there are situations when you are truly happy for your fellow colleagues or bestie. As for the frenemies, it is pure elementary. I don't discuss (brag about) my school schedule, projects or my fatigue from cram sessions. if i do, it is because you initiated the conversation. I leave my assignments and textbooks at home. Until I graduate and pass my boards, I am the same nurse with a new role. Plain and simple.

It's just awful how nurses take out their inner frustrations on those who are advancing as Nurse Practitioners. Be inspired, instead of envious. Worked for me!

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How sad you feel this way. I work in an academic setting in a hospital with lots of residents. I have had much encouragement from nurses and residents. Like you I don't talk about class unless asked but I do take my books and work as able. I am frequently asked how classes are going and I appreciate the interest shown by my peers. I also have switched shifts with peers for clinicals. I am grateful for the support from my peers and wish you could have this as well. Keep the faith. It will be worth it in the end!

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Specializes in Transplant, step down, MS, ER.

Don't sweat the haters, they're just jealous;) Congrats and keep working hard!

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I do almost all of my classwork while I'm at work and have books laying all over the desk. I'm at work now actually. I take an extra day off here and there to do school stuff. I'm trying to get through all of this without disrupting my personal life, and so far I'm doing it. Envy, hostility, interest...I couldn't care less what my coworkers think about me furthering myself for THIS is the only reason that I entered nursing to begin with. If I couldn't pursue my intended career path I'd quit entirely, forfeit my RN license, and go back to what I was doing before.

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Specializes in Family Practice.

I have just started my classes and I think it depends on the culture of the unit you are working in. I am in the NICU and the staff consists of many young and new nurses. When we get on the subject of school I tell them I am going back to school to pursue my advance practice degree, many of them were very positive and wish me the best of luck. On the flip side my close friend works in the NICU in an another acute care facility, where they are much older, some are about to retire. Though she doesn't discuss her endeavors she overhears them discussing how they feel it is a waste of time and accusing their fellow co workers acting as if they are better than them because they want to advance in their practice. I would have expected this from a younger group but no I am finding this toxicity is in the mind set of nurses who are bitter in their profession, not making any efforts to improve his or her situation. The only advice I tell anyone who wants to advance in their career is to steer away from toxic people who drink haterade on a regular basis.

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Specializes in SICU/CVICU.
I do almost all of my classwork while I'm at work and have books laying all over the desk. I'm at work now actually. I take an extra day off here and there to do school stuff. I'm trying to get through all of this without disrupting my personal life and so far I'm doing it. Envy, hostility, interest...I couldn't care less what my coworkers think about me furthering myself for THIS is the only reason that I entered nursing to begin with. If I couldn't pursue my intended career path I'd quit entirely, forfeit my RN license, and go back to what I was doing before.[/quote']

What kind of job do you have that allows you to do your school work while you should be working? How do your coworkers feel about this?

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I agree that it depends on your setting. I work at a doctor's office. Everyone is very supportive and asks how my classes are going. They will be sad to see me go, but are not intentionally trying to hold me back. I wonder if there is more resistance in a hospital setting, or where people tend to have less job enthusiasm.

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What kind of job do you have that allows you to do your school work while you should be working? How do your coworkers feel about this?

You sound perturbed. I'm in charge of a shift of a medical unit. The patients are sleeping. My workers are sitting across from me looking at the internet, and another is reading a book. Rounds are made where appropriate, meds are given when ordered, and we get the job done. But yes, I do most of my classwork at work. What else have I got to do? I've worked on the other night shift and both day shifts. The other night shift is the same. It's as dead at night as mine. The reason I took this job was just so I could get my classwork done. We're really only busy from around December to February. Most of the time we have around five patients in the unit. Still upset?

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Specializes in Nursing Education, CVICU, Float Pool.

You sound perturbed. I'm in charge of a shift of a medical unit. The patients are sleeping. My workers are sitting across from me looking at the internet, and another is reading a book. Rounds are made where appropriate, meds are given when ordered, and we get the job done. But yes, I do most of my classwork at work. What else have I got to do? I've worked on the other night shift and both day shifts. The other night shift is the same. It's as dead at night as mine. The reason I took this job was just so I could get my classwork done. We're really only busy from around December to February. Most of the time we have around five patients in the unit. Still upset?

Still upset?....... Lol.

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Still upset?....... Lol.

She seemed to be so I wanted to console her, LOL.

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Specializes in APRN, ACNP-BC, CNOR, RNFA.

You sound perturbed. I'm in charge of a shift of a medical unit. The patients are sleeping. My workers are sitting across from me looking at the internet, and another is reading a book. Rounds are made where appropriate, meds are given when ordered, and we get the job done. But yes, I do most of my classwork at work. What else have I got to do? I've worked on the other night shift and both day shifts. The other night shift is the same. It's as dead at night as mine. The reason I took this job was just so I could get my classwork done. We're really only busy from around December to February. Most of the time we have around five patients in the unit. Still upset?

I worked nights too during grad school. There were 3 of us in NP school, and we laugh when people say we finished our grad degrees on the clock. My response was, "In 3 years, when you're still reading recipes on the Internet and playing games on your iPad, I'll be an APRN doing what I want to do.

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Specializes in Peds Med/Surg; Peds Skilled Nursing.

One of my clinical sites is at the same hospital i work at...just in a different unit/setting. Most of the nurses don't know i work at this facility as a RN too. But they know i'm a NP student and never help me out but they help out the Residents, PAs and Med students. When i ask for something or need help finding something they don't even make eye contact, continue to look at a computer screen and say they don't know where it is or tell me to go look somewhere else, etc. Even though i work at this hospital this unit is very huge and 3 different patient care areas and the set up is very different than my own unit so difficult to find stuff i need for patient's im seeing. Most of them are very rude to me. There's like 2 out of 20 that are nice, helpful and supporting. oh well i have one more day there lol.

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