Bright personality required??

Nurses General Nursing

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I recently talked to an RN because I was interested in becoming a nurse and she told me that I should reconsider nursing if I am not a natural "people person." As in, very talkative, bright, cheery, and smiley.

I'm not really an extroverted person. I am more introverted. And I am not the type of person who likes to talk and talk and talk. This is not to say that I am mean or cold though! I do warm up to people and I am nice (at least I hope!). I'm just more on the quiet side. Basically what I'm saying is that people would definitely never describe me as "lively" or "perky."

That nurse kind of just implied that she doesn't think I would make a very good nurse and it rubbed me the wrong way because being a nurse is my dream. It's not my fault that I am not as outgoing as her. I never have been like that.

Do you agree with this? In your experiences, do you find that nurses who have more extroverted personalities are more succcessful? Should I try to be more outgoing?

Specializes in Med-surgical; telemetry; STROKE.
Another introvert here. It's never been a problem. Being a good nurse is more listening than talking. :)

I had to log in to say, agree, agree, agree!

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don't be influenced by someone who may not be good at 'reading' other people

do what you feel you want as a career

QFT :D

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that nurse is a liar. still water runs deep! they are all kinds of different nurses out there and they are all nurses.

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I am an introvert too, and I can work as a nurse just fine.

There is not just one way to be a nurse.

I do work with the bright and cheerful, the quiet, the serene, the moody and all the rest.

I do get tired out by a lot of contact with people, but I manage. I wind down with my favorite music CD's during the drive home. I schedule lunch during the off-peak times so I am likely to have the breakroom to myself and can turn off the wretched noisy TV and read a book.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PSYCH, PP, CEN.

Please don't let the uneducated comment of one person change the plan you have for your life.

Who is she anyway,that you would put such weight on her words.

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Specializes in dialysis (mostly) some L&D, Rehab/LTC.

Put on a red clown nose and they will change their opinion:clown:

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I really can't stand over the top bubbly people! Last year I crashed my motorcycle at the track and got run over by the bike behind me. This happened right in front of a couple of track workers.

A young blonde, bubble head runs up to me and says in her cheery and infuriatingly annoying chipmunk voice, "Did that hurt?"

***!:angryfire

"Weren't you paying attention!"

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I am not a people person either. My thing is I don't smile alot, therefore before people even talk to me they assume that I am either mean, unfriendly, in a bad mood, etc.

It really bothers me because I think deep down I am a really compassionate person! I get asked everyday, "what's the matter with you?", "why are you in a bad mood?", "are you having a bad day?" and somedays it makes me want to blow my bloody brains out, LOL! (not really)

Long story short, I would rather be MYSELF, and be a great nurse then be fake and bubbly. Don't let people tell you what you can and can't do, you are the only one that gets to decide that.

GL!

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I am not a nurse yet, still in school, but I have been working as an aide/tech for a couple of years now.

I, too, am an introvert. My coworkers always comment on how I'm "too quiet!" because while they tend to congregate around the nurses station talking, I'm usually off working on my charting or cleaning/straightening a patient's room or a public area. I'm still friendly and I get along well with all of my coworkers, but it's just not in my nature to talk a lot.

That said, I am great with my patients. I don't talk their ear off and I listen to what they have to say. I converse with them, but not in that overly loud cheery way that some people do. I do my job well and thoroughly, and once I become a nurse, if I fail to do the same it won't be because I'm quiet!

As an added perk, the time everyone else spends chatting, I spend doing the small tasks that most of the others have to rush around and do at the end of their shift...and as such, I am one of the few who always gets out in time.

So, don't worry about it. Your effectiveness as a nurse depends on nothing as much as how well you care for your patients...and I have found that most of them are HAPPY to have someone around who's willing to just listen, or even sit quietly with them.

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Specializes in LTC, Med-SURG,STICU.

I am an introvert and it serves me well at work. I do not talk much so people are less likely to drag me into the politics that goes on at the work place. People just assume that I do not know what is going on because I do not spread the juicey gossip around. Not so I just sit back and keep my mouth shut. In the end, I just want to do my job and go home to my family.

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Oh, and I will agree with those who recommended night shift! I've worked all three shifts and by far prefer nights.

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I am not a people person either. My thing is I don't smile alot, therefore before people even talk to me they assume that I am either mean, unfriendly, in a bad mood, etc.

It really bothers me because I think deep down I am a really compassionate person! I get asked everyday, "what's the matter with you?", "why are you in a bad mood?", "are you having a bad day?" and somedays it makes me want to blow my bloody brains out, LOL! (not really)

Long story short, I would rather be MYSELF, and be a great nurse then be fake and bubbly. Don't let people tell you what you can and can't do, you are the only one that gets to decide that.

GL!

I know this is an old post, but I had to reply. I agree w/you 100%- I'd rather be REAL than some pseudo hap-hap-happy fake person! I am compassionate & caring, and have never been 'bubbly'- I am optimistic, but also a realist!! One of my coworkers is an over-the-top fake happy person. She starts in very LOUDLY first thing in the a.m. with a resounding "GOOOOOOD MORRRRRRNING!!!!!!!" every single day!- she then launches into her 'happy chatter' which is about 10 subjects in rapid succession. "hi it's snowing out there! oh I like your hair what's that you're drinking? I wish I'd had time to stop for coffee is today horrible? how many patients are there?" followed by a HUGE "happy sigh"!!-- you get the picture. Before I can formulate a thought I'm totally irked & wish I'd called in!! & she is the SAME way w/patients!! The long shifts make working w/this person very stressful in a mind-numbing way, & it's very difficult to detach from her since we work closely in a small unit. I've been a nurse for many many years, and there are always difficult people, but this one takes the cake- how can you say someone's "too happy"? I don't even know how to begin to deal w/a person like this- I know I can't change anyone, so I'm working on changing my reaction to her- which is NOT easy! & I pray a lot!!

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