Title says it all . Second semester baby nurse in clinicals at a major hospital.
Patients = Awesome
Most Nurses = Very sweet and helpful
Some nurses are rude, terse, horrible with patients, horrible with students and horrible with each other.
To those nurses I say this, please retire.
Its only a matter of time before management figures out they can live without you and hire some very hungry and very competent new grads that want to be there to fill your dusty shoes....
word...
sadly the vast majority of the time these happen to also be charge nurses....in charge of what? Misery?
And what's with this provide "soda and snacks"? Ginger Ale is for the queasy and provided by the system.
You want a Coke? Find a toonie and plug the vending machine that you or your family member can walk to.
Snack? Are you diabetic? The kitchen provides them on rounds. Otherwise, we have popsicles, toast, or jello. If we are really lucky and day surgery sent up their leftover sandwichs, otherwise you are sol.
I can rustle up a cup of tea or instant coffee for a family member on deathwatch. If the visitor to a patient who is going to be fine (and we all know what I mean), they can find their way to Tims.
And Americans wonder why healthcare is so expensive?
Sometimes you have to be humble, and accept people for who they are. We all have distinct personalities. I remember when I started my job 6 months ago, one of the senior nurses was very cold to me, but it was really just a test. I learn fast, and the whole time I used to joke with her, until one day, she realized she wasn't getting to me and gave up. This went on for maybe the first 2 to 3 weeks, and we became work friends.
Now, we both laugh about my first days. I learn a lot from her, and she has come to respect me also. On the other hand, if I had a different attitude or labeled her as a "crusty nurse", the outcome would have been very different. Mindlor, you have to let those types warm up to you. You can't judge so quickly. You're the new guy....and those nurses won't care about how much management experience you have when you're new. Just give it time.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Now don't y'all go raggin' on us here or I mayyyyy have to start a thread about you mean ol'meanies up there ...
but it reminds of me of a thread long ago when an American nurse innocently asked "is it true you have to bring your own pillow with you to the hospital in Canada?" I think Fiona may have blown the biggest gasket . .
It was not that bad here 25-30 years ago. It makes me sick to see it now. It's almost as if the movers and shakers here were too busy shoring up unworkable ideas to notice.
I am proud to be an American. We have some of the most awesome research hospitals and innovative programs on the planet. But the erosion in support of nurses is a disgrace.
Now don't y'all go raggin' on us here or I mayyyyy have to start a thread about you mean ol'meanies up there ...
but it reminds of me of a thread long ago when an American nurse innocently asked "is it true you have to bring your own pillow with you to the hospital in Canada?" I think Fiona may have blown the biggest gasket . .
It was not that bad here 25-30 years ago. It makes me sick to see it now. It's almost as if the movers and shakers here were too busy shoring up unworkable ideas to notice.
I am proud to be an American. We have some of the most awesome research hospitals and innovative programs on the planet. But the erosion in support of nurses is a disgrace.
Oh funny story on that....My preceptor on my 5th semester and I had a patient with a bilateral knee. His exact words after day one post op were "Hey... you know the Hilton has better pillows" My preceptor mumbled to herself "Yes, but you can puke on ours"
I think in general the world has received amazing research hospitals. I love browsing through new health magazines. I can't imagine the stuff we'll find out in just a couple more years.
Support our nursing family because at the end of the day. at least we know we have each other:redpinkhe
Now don't y'all go raggin' on us here or I mayyyyy have to start a thread about you mean ol'meanies up there ...
but it reminds of me of a thread long ago when an American nurse innocently asked "is it true you have to bring your own pillow with you to the hospital in Canada?" I think Fiona may have blown the biggest gasket . .
It was not that bad here 25-30 years ago. It makes me sick to see it now. It's almost as if the movers and shakers here were too busy shoring up unworkable ideas to notice.
I am proud to be an American. We have some of the most awesome research hospitals and innovative programs on the planet. But the erosion in support of nurses is a disgrace.
Darling, nothing beats the time an American asked me if still put our old people on ice floes and pushed them out to sea.
Sure we do, right after we park the husky next to the igloo after watching the Mountie polish his boots and dust of his red serge after a hard day patrolling on his horse.
Our hospitals ain't slackers either when it comes to R&D. Remember insulin, the insulin pump?
Right.,..and insulin was pioneered by 2 researchers at University of Toronto (Banting and Best) many moons ago. Us Canadians are pretty fine researchers, too. We're not all igloos and hockey lol :)
I have a degree in management and tons of management experience, as soon as possible it is my goal to become a nurse manager and guess what, It is going to my mission in life to bring customer service back to nursing care. Remember the customer? Yes, the one in the bed, yes, thats right, the patient.
Good on you matey!! I SOOO admire people with a get and go attitude. Yes, as I tell my new grads - we are treating HUMAN BEINGS not THINGS in bed such-and-such down the corridor, not withstanding whingeing re the PITA patients we all have to contend with. I'm glad you had the guts to post this on here, and though I haven't read all the threads - I rareley get time now what with a full study load - I bet you meant many of the old and bitter nurses on here, the ones who think that if you DON'T have 20 years experience, you cannot possibly know ANYTHING about nursing or the health care system! Goodness, why would you BOTHER posting at all on AN?! Well hate to tell you, there are some very gung-ho grads out there who - like me - want and have tried hard, to change the nursing system and I think maybe one day it will happen (maybe not in my lifetime though). Patients are customers and are getting sick of not being treated like human beings. Well ye old, bitter nurses, as I say to my morose patients: nobody will charge you in hospital for just one smile! (then they usually smile at that). It doesn't take much to change your attitude and start being nice and polite to everybody. It just takes maturity, patience and a change in your thinking: you aren't the be all and end all of nursing, and we can all humbly learn something every day - even (gasp!) from new grads or new nurses!! I also think being open to listening to new ideas - even from new people - or new ways of doing tasks - is a sign of maturity, something I've noticed in my nursing travels that many older nurses seem to lack.
Sometimes you have to be humble, and accept people for who they are. We all have distinct personalities. I remember when I started my job 6 months ago, one of the senior nurses was very cold to me, but it was really just a test. I learn fast, and the whole time I used to joke with her, until one day, she realized she wasn't getting to me and gave up. This went on for maybe the first 2 to 3 weeks, and we became work friends.
Now, we both laugh about my first days. I learn a lot from her, and she has come to respect me also. On the other hand, if I had a different attitude or labeled her as a "crusty nurse", the outcome would have been very different. Mindlor, you have to let those types warm up to you. You can't judge so quickly. You're the new guy....and those nurses won't care about how much management experience you have when you're new. Just give it time.
See this is what baffles me and always will. Why DO older nurses have to be cold to newbies when they first start? Is it perceived as 'toughening them up?' I know people who have nearly given up their nursing careers from being treated in a harsh, cold way, and no, it did not 'toughen' them up - only made them doubt themselves. I think this is what the OP is getting at - it's the old, bitter nurses who act like this, cos they've been raised/taught this themselves. It's out of date and old fashioned. I don't see any need to act like this.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Took the words right out of my mouth!
Thank God, I don't work in the US.
Darling, nothing beats the time an American asked me if still put our old people on ice floes and pushed them out to sea.
Sure we do, right after we park the husky next to the igloo after watching the Mountie polish his boots and dust of his red serge after a hard day patrolling on his horse.
Our hospitals ain't slackers either when it comes to R&D. Remember insulin, the insulin pump?
. . . and the ice floe comment was serious? Now that is just ridiculous and it is hard to imagine it was not meant as a put-down whereas I recall the question about pillows was simply a clueless individual - ack!!!
As someone who hails from Southern California where the media/entertainment industry rules I love Canada for being the birthplace of Raymond Burr, Leslie Nielsen, Peter Jennings, Michael J Fox, William Shatner, and the list goes on . . .
Science, medicine and technology innovaters tend to be far more borderless than the citizenry of a country are. We would not have a telephone system without Bell who hailed from Scotland, radio without Marconi, etc world-class institutions offer fellowships to world-class professionals no matter where they come from and they don't seem to have the time or inclination to bicker about that is your side and this is my side.
I love this idea, let's just make it like the PCA's and the pt. can hit the button as many times as they want, then when it's time....automatic Vicoden with a complimentary beverage! I feel better already.
Yes, but you know how PCA's have the lockout feature after pressing the button too many times? Make it possible for the patient to overdose on the stuff so it's one less person to deal with.
I just wondering why you left a job paying six figures to be a nurse. I think the only reason you want to be a nurse is because you feel you can improve the customer service aspect. I don't think you'll have time to focus solely on customer service between keeping your patients alive, dealing with doctors, the pharmacy, trying to get someone to cover your patients so you can have a bathroom break, dealing with family members, and delegating tasks to ancillary staff.
I left my previous job because I came to realize that money was not important to me. I discovered that people were important to me and set out to find a new career that would allow me an outlet for all the love in my heart.
I settled upon nursing because during my periods of sickness I never forgot how many of the nurses treated me with such gentleness and kindness. I cannot remember their names and I am sure they dont remember me but that little bit of kindness was like the proverbial stone being thrown into the pond and those shockwaves of kindness still reverberate today even 20 years after the fact.
They did not go way out of their way but they did empathize with me and they used therapeutic touch and made it quite obvious that in that moment, the cared about me as their client.
So to all the nurses who have been so kind to me as a client, I dedicate the rest of my life to carrying the torch. I will treat my patients as I expect to be treated. Many previous posters have mentioned the Golden Rule and I agree that is a wonderful way to live.....
Many other posters have done nothing here except to provide evidence for my original point...to those folks I would say that I hope you are able to somehow find enough happiness in your life that once in a while those corners of your mouths will turn upward and that your eyes will brighten if only for a few moments each day.
Life is so short and so precious.....please find a way to be happy. Please realize that that patient and their family are quite probably at the very lowest point in their lives. Please treat them accordingly.....
Fiona59
8,343 Posts
And what's with this provide "soda and snacks"? Ginger Ale is for the queasy and provided by the system.
You want a Coke? Find a toonie and plug the vending machine that you or your family member can walk to.
Snack? Are you diabetic? The kitchen provides them on rounds. Otherwise, we have popsicles, toast, or jello. If we are really lucky and day surgery sent up their leftover sandwichs, otherwise you are sol.
I can rustle up a cup of tea or instant coffee for a family member on deathwatch. If the visitor to a patient who is going to be fine (and we all know what I mean), they can find their way to Tims.
And Americans wonder why healthcare is so expensive?