Being the "New Girl"

[MaggieMaggie]

Hello AllNurses, I had an account on this site years ago when I was a student and am just coming back. I hope I am posting this in the appropriate spot. Also, this is super long, my apologies but I have to get this all out.

I stayed in my first nursing job for 5 years. I just switched jobs for the first time a few months ago after applying for a job I thought was a good opportunity and a step up from my old job.

Back when I was a new grad I was too nervous with new grad woes to even care about colleague dynamics and it feels like before I even knew it I was a part of the unit.

But now at my new job, I am very aware of the judgement. I recently finished my orientation period at my new job and I feel like I am in high school, or not even, more like middle school. Person A will tell me that person B was saying I'm incompetent. Person B will tell me Person A has been telling people I have an attitude problem. Its just so frustrating.

And things like this keep happening: We change cvc dressings once a week. I had a patient who had been sweating so much that the dressing was slopping right off. So I changed it early (it was only day 3 of the old dressing). The nurse I reported off to lectured me that we only change it once a week to avoid unnecessary exposure/risk for infection, etc. I mentioned the sweating and how the old dressing was barely even on but she didn't care. I didn't want to "talk back" so I just thanked her for the education, even though I definitely wasn't feeling thankful.

I'm sure this happens at almost all hospitals. I guess part of me just wanted to come here and vent, but I also want to see if anyone has advice. I think my biggest problem is trying to balance having a good attitude, accepting guidance, advice etc. vs. trying not to appear clueless/like I actually need that excessive amount of guidance.

I know its really a very individualized sort of issue, but if you had a similar problem or noticed someone else with a similar problem, I would welcome any advice on how to overcome the issue. Or maybe I just need time? Maybe its just a new staff member rite of passage type thing? Also, thank you to anyone who read this long post all the way through!

[scottaprn]

For times like the dressing change.

"I understand your point about not changing dressings too often to help prevent infection. However, in this case when I performed my nursing assessment I believed the patient would have been at a higher risk of infection had I not changed the dressing. I am a professional nurse who assesses each patient individually and performs interventions as appropriate for the well being of the patient. Now let's move on with report."

Change the wording however you need to but make it clear you are a competent professional.

As far as the gossiping just tell whomever thanks but You don't have time to worry about who likes who.

[Mavrick, BSN, RN]

Been in nursing over 30 years and I have had several jobs in different hospitals in different states. I have gone from being a very competent ICU nurse to a newbie in PACU. That didn't seem so rough because I was with several of my fellow ICU transplants. Where it got tricky was getting a new job in another PACU. It wasn't quite so smooth but I had moved and just gotten married so ...... let it go. Then another job still in PACU but it was really rocky and involved a meeting with management about my "attitude" things smoothed out and I got over it. Another move, another new job and another rough spot (Charge nurse was yelling at me right over a patient's stretcher) WHAT?!? I changed my schedule a little, problem solved.

I finally figured it out with this last job. OK, it was my wife who said, "You know you always have a hard time with that first year".

Bingo! She was absolutely right. It takes me anyway a year to settle in and get used to them while they used get me. My idiosyncrasies become endearing or at least tolerable and I prove myself to be safe if not actually competent. Yes, it happened again even as I was prepared for it but I didn't let it be a big deal and now I'm one of the cool kids.

I haven't really changed and everybody knows I'm a little OCD about my workspace. We joke about it and they gave me a big cake on my birthday just like everybody else.

I think we're on to something. Just takes a little tincture of time. So, don't do anything rash and just wait it out.

[AJJKRN]

Time and turnover plus experience prove to be a good mixture for me!

[icuRNmaggie, BSN, RN]

This is petty nonsense.

CVC and PICC dressings are changed weekly and prn.

Focus on excelling at your job, modeling appropriate behavior, and avoid these troublemakers.

You are better than that.

another Maggie