Back-stabbing in nursing?

[Iflew]

Hi,

I'm an airline pilot who lost his job due to company closure, and have no hope of finding another flying job in the near future thanks to our wonderful economy. I'm seriously considering becoming an RN, but have some concerns, and reservations.

I'm shocked to hear about all the back-stabbing that seems to go on in nursing - both from my sister (RN), and through this site. It is so ingrained in me, and I am so used to pilots watching each-others backs, that I have a hard time believing so much goes on. Professionalism is of paramount importance.

I would think that most go into nursing to help. Why then, do you help patients, but stab each-other in the back?

Is it a personality trait of those that go into nursing?

Is it because most nurses are female? A good number of our female flight attendants enjoyed trying to get each-other into trouble. I would assume those in nursing are not like this as becoming a FA is a few week course, and nursing is years.

Is it just a small minority that do such things, and make it seem worse than it is?

Are male nurses less susceptible to being stabbed?

We always stuck together, and it was us against the company who was breaking the rules. It would be tough for me to go into a work environment with scheming co-workers. I would assume that anyone on a site such as this is not a back-stabber, but a helpful type - let me know what I would be in for.

Tell me it isn't true!

Thanks!:)

[ohmeowzer RN, RN]

Does anyone ever "call them out" when they are trying to make things difficult for others?

yes i do ... i tell him how uprofessional he is... he walks away and shuts up for awhile... then he starts all over again

[Iflew]

Every few months we would get an "admit" at altitude. I was listening to the Medlink frequency one day, and it was very frustrating as there was a big communication gap. The captain was the one having a heart attack (assumed), and Medlink just could not understand that it was the pilot, not a passenger. It seemed like it went on for minutes with the captain describing extreme chest pain, tunnel vision, shortness of breath, etc. They finally understood it was the captain having the problem. As luck would have it, it was the co-pilots first flight after IOE (initial operating experience).

Two weeks later, another major airline pilot had the same thing happen, only this time they understood. I'm always happy crews are two or three!

Oh - this is a response to one of the first replies. I didn't know replies aren't chronological.

[Katnip, RN]

The first unit I ever worked in almost ran me out of nursing. The people who worked there were so nasty that agency nurses refused to work there. That's bad.

Fortunately, I found a new job and the people were incredible. Few socialized outside work, but everyone treated each other with respect and we minded our own business. There wasn't gossip. I find the same in the mental health facility where I work. Oh, there's a bit of gossip now and then, but it's never malicious, and dies quickly.

I have confronted someone in my first place about the ridiculous things they would say. There was a rumour going around that the new manager had "spies." Everyone was going around asking everyone else who the spies were. I told them to grow up, this was not middle school. Of course, that instantly made me the spy. I just laughed at them and found a new job. Few places are that bad, though.

[Christen, ANP]

Nursing is like any other profession - you have good coworkers and bad coworkers. A lot of time a poor morale leads to bad attitudes, and you probably won't want to work at a facility with poor morale. Just be careful with your choices when you get out of school. And try to not judge an entire profession by the actions of just a few people.

What makes you want to be a nurse, btw? That's quite the change in careers!

[HonestRN]

Just remember he who gossips to you gossips about you......

I avoid all workplace gossip and my last NM even mentioned that when I left. I guess she was surprised that anybody would walk away from a "juicy" conversation.

[Christen, ANP]

Me too - I'm always woefully out of the loop and happy to be there.

[JB2007, ASN, RN]

All I can say is some of the nurses I work with can stab you in the back while telling you that they think you are a great person. You will learn who to trust very quickly. Those people will have your back in the times that count. By the way, not all female nurses are gossips. I know plenty of male nurses that could gossip with the best of them.

[Iflew]

Christen, the reason I am considering changing careers to nursing is that my field (being an airline pilot) has totally tanked. It may take me a year or two to find any flying job, and the longer you are out of it, the less marketable you become.

I'm thinking of nursing for a number of reasons. Ok pay for a relatively short amount of schooling. The outlook is good as far as job stability. You don't have to start at the bottom pay wise when you change jobs as you do at airlines (I'm talking about $20,000 second year at a commuter airline). I've always had some interest in the medical field. In the airline, I had the status, but didn't feel like I was making a difference.

Thanks again!

[Christen, ANP]

you could always be a flight nurse And you'll definitally make a difference as a nurse pretty much every day that you work. :)

[Iflew]

Not quite sure I would want to be a flight nurse - I flew air ambulance for a number of years, and from what I understand is pretty tough to break into as there aren't that many jobs in the Twin Cities (3.2 million metro area).

Thanks.

[1styearsucks]

i have a aunt who was a flight attendant for 10 years and could she gossip up a storm... my grandmother use to say " she talks like a old hen in a chicken coup".. my grandmother called her motor mouth....

people are people... you find people who gossip and back stab in all professions. i am a RN and have been a nurse for 23 years... gossiping i s a human trait... not a good one... but never the less .. it is done.... oh well.... you just go to work , do your job... and keep your nose clean....

believe me ... working with gossiping nurses is the easy part of the job..... and i am to busy to care what they say......

just keep your patients alive and breathing... and safe

Yes, your bottom line is the bottom line. i think this all the time while at work

[mpccrn, BSN, RN]

horizontal violence is found in lots of professions....nursing included. i'm been at the receiving end of it at one institution and left. now i work at a hospital where i see very little of it and have not experienced any myself. we look out for each other and the staff is a family in a sense. the biggest thing is to come to the profession with a willingness to learn, help and a work ethic beyond reproach and you should do well.