Be nice to new nurses!

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Hi all,

When I first got out of nursing school 15 years ago I received my first job at a nursing home. I was called all sorts of names by my preceptor. Incompetent, stupid. I'd leave the orientation crying..

I stuck it out for a year. Even after orientation the other seasoned nurses were just MEAN. Over worked probably played into the equation. But perhaps there wouldn't be such a revolving door if nurses were NICER. I just always felt stupid. If I asked for help, a nurse would tell me I should know it already and just curse me out and I got to the point I didn't want to ask for any help...Heck, I was scared to say good morning to most of my coworkers.

One Christmas I came into the nursing home to find out the 5 other nurses were "sick". (there were 3 floors, 2 nurses to a floor). 50 residents EACH floor. I cried the whole shift. I remember calling MY DON, and she was telling me that agency nurses were coming. They didn't show up until an hour before my shift ended.

I left there and for the past 14 years-I got a nice cushy job at a methadone clinic. This pretty much means my skills got rusty while I dished out methadone from 6a-3p. I had great hours,(great for me since I am a morning person)great pay, actually got to sit down and use the bathroom when I wanted, and was pretty complacent. What I should have been doing is done some floor nursing on the weekends, and been prepared for when funding was cut to the clinic.

And then the clinic was closed. 15 yr Lpn with basically no skills. SCARY. It was either pay my bills or go out in the street. I had to relearn. I couldn't be scared even though I was. I wondered if I would feel stupid and incompetent like last time.

Well, I applied to a different nursing home and my experience was VERY different than last time. I let her know I had worked methadone and was VERY rusty. At first I thought she'd give me a hard time, especially being an LPN for so long and yet being so rusty. I had my tissues ready for when I would cry afterwards. Didn't need them. Actually she WAS SO Patient. SO NICE.

I fell in love with bedside nursing again.

All the skills I was afraid of? I felt like a VERY different nurse the 2nd time around. Soon I was running circles around the other nurses.

Well, I am now doing home health nursing dealing with primarily vent dependent patients every other wekend(if you had told me I'd be doing this 2 years ago I wouldn't have believed it!) and doing my nursing home gig M-F. LOVE IT! LOVE IT!

What a difference a kind nurse preceptor makes! Sometimes the administrators at the nursing home get on my nerves..but this time i get along with my nursing coworkers, unlike last time. That makes all the difference to me.

Well, at the home health nursing agency I also work at- they sent me to a new assignment a few months ago. Patient had round the clock nursing and also a round the clock nurses aide.

While I was working I found out the aide that was working with me, the aide I was delegating duties to - was an RN.

I wanted to know why was she working as an aide (under me!) when she could be working as an RN??!!

She told me she graduated a year ago, and felt incompetent. Cried every time she went to the hospital because other nurses would yell at her.

She said she decided to work as an aide to feel more comfortable. But still, she felt horrible. Her self confidence was torn down.

I saw myself in her. And i realized this was one less nurse on the work schedule so that the rest of us really have to bust our ****!

So I let her observe me doing things, talking to her about why I did so and so,etc. without tearing her down.

She now left work as an aide and is working as an RN. I hope she remembers me...she may be my boss one day!

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Specializes in 4.

You sound like an amazing nurse & an asset to the nursing community!! You did a wonderful thing & if she doesn't thank you then I will THANK YOU for taking the time to teach & paying it forward. I hope she remembers this, to do the same one day.

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Well said!! Thanks for pouring your heart out and letting people know how it is and there is a light at the end of the tunnel!! Moral of the story BE KIND!!!! :yes:

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She was a sweet aide, but I know she'd be sweeter working what she went to school for- as an RN. I know and have faith that she will be a wonderful nurse and a wonderful mentor. She knew her stuff...but being torn down everyday by one's peers really affects the psyche.

I am glad she decided to be the nurse she wanted to be. All she needed was a little positive encouragement. I am glad I had such a bad experience when I started. It taught me to be the kind of mentor I wish I had when I started. Granted, I had a WONDERFUL mentor the 2nd time around. Makes me wonder how far I might have come in nursing if I had that kind of great experience the first time.

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Specializes in OR.

I wish everyone could read this thread. People need to learn that there is no reason to treat your new coworker like they're an idiot who doesn't stand a chance of learning. When you scare that coworker away, not only are you hurting them, but you're hurting yourself as well because you've just lost out on needed help. What has never made any sense to me though is that these very rude people will scare someone off and lose out on that help, and then when someone else comes along to replace the other person, they do the same thing to them. Maybe people's lives wouldn't be so miserable if they just treated others the way they expect to be treated.

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I can truly appreciate this, I am not a new nurse but am starting in med-surg for the first time at a major city hospital and can only hope my preceptor will be encouraging and helpful...I tried to remember how I felt as a student when nurses didn't want to give you the time of day. There is no need for that kind of behavior!! Us non-new nurses influence/set the standard on our units more than we even know, we can make it a supportive environment where working is pleaseant and truly feels like teamwork! I find most new nurses/new hires are very happy and comfortable quickly when I orient them in a down to earth way, and encourage them, not yell at them or harp on them like many nurses do to students!!! Thanks for sharing your story :) It's something I care very much about!

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Thank you for a wonderful story!!!:up:

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Specializes in Pediatrics (neuro).

Loved your story!! We have so much to gain as a profession by building each other and instilling confidence and positivity. Thank you for sharing.

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Great story!

I love new nurses. It's the old, "I've been doing it this way for 30 years so it has to be the right way" nurses that drive me nuts.

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Specializes in Lvn to RN, new grad med/surg.

The same thing happened to me! However I am still in my nice "cushy" job. I'm not sure how long it will last, but while I am here, I am going back to school for my RN. There were days that I left so stressed out, I didn't have any idea what to do, but bills still had to be paid so I stayed until I found another job. I'm glad it hasn't left you bitter, because honestly I do feel a little bitter about it. Wonder if that's how they got that way?? I really hope that when I get back out there I have a good experience like you. :)

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Thank you for sharing your story. It is somehow sad that in the real world of the nursing profession, there are those who chose to not help their own colleagues. I just hope that your kind increase and help new nurses find more confidence in their work.

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As a new nurse... thank you! We were told the first year would be difficult; that turned out to be an understatement. We (new nurses) really do want to work hard, and believe me I am working hard. It does take me longer to critically think through things that you have critically thought through dozens/hundreds of times. To those of you who have supported us, trust me when I say we appreciate you!

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