Changing one's spots

1. Inability to admit when you're wrong
   
2. Inability to admit when you don't know the answer
   
3. Inability to admit you don't understand something
   
4. Refusal to accept advice from more experienced RN's. You don't have to accept everything they say as true, but if you don't listen at all, you won't learn and you won't be a good coworker.
   
5. Not asking for help.
   
6. Not realizing that in your first year, you know just enough to be dangerous. You won't realize it until the year is over, but it's true anyway.
   

Good luck.

Not being teachable.

Thinking you learned everything you need to know while in nursing school.

Not accepting responsibility for your mistakes.

Coming up with excuses when your mistake is pointed out to you.

Not being humble.

Not realizing you don't know what you don't know.

Thinking you DO know everything.

Not being a team player.

Not being able to accept constructive criticism.

1. Inability to admit when you're wrong
   
2. Inability to admit when you don't know the answer
   
3. Inability to admit you don't understand something
   
4. Refusal to accept advice from more experienced RN's. You don't have to accept everything they say as true, but if you don't listen at all, you won't learn and you won't be a good coworker.
   
5. Not asking for help.
   
6. Not realizing that in your first year, you know just enough to be dangerous. You won't realize it until the year is over, but it's true anyway.
   

Good luck.

This sounds like my lab partner who is trying to get into the program this fall. It's ever so annoying. (I doubt there will be an acceptance letter in the mail this summer though)

Thank you, guys.... Awesome input!!!

:yeah:Thank you for those; they are very good things to think about; I will make sure I keep my ego in check. I've also seen the passive traits of people who let fear, self-doubt and timidity get in the way of how they deal with patients, other nurses, and especially doctors and I don't want to be like that either.

Nursel56.....that was incredibly insightful and objective. I sense some struggle in there, but it sounds like you know where you need to be in your head to deal with it. My best to you and thank you so much for your input.

All of the above. I would add being judgmental. In nursing you will have to take care of people whose choices you do not agree with (at best), and some who are bad people (at worst). You will have to put your personal feelings aside and give them the same care that you do to everyone. It will be easier on yourself to care for these "unlikeable" people if you are able to see them as human beings whose own struggles and path have lead them to where they are, and while you may not agree with their choices, you can accept them for where they are without judging their situation.

All of the above. I would add being judgmental. In nursing you will have to take care of people whose choices you do not agree with (at best), and some who are bad people (at worst). You will have to put your personal feelings aside and give them the same care that you do to everyone. It will be easier on yourself to care for these "unlikeable" people if you are able to see them as human beings whose own struggles and path have lead them to where they are, and while you may not agree with their choices, you can accept them for where they are without judging their situation.

Exactly. This is something I have had to work on. It's hard, especially when it's the same person coming back after not taking their BP/DM/CHF meds with fluid on their lungs, or with a diastolic over 110...

Ugh, we have a lazy night nurse. It drives us all nuts, but because nobody wants to be the one to rat her out, we just shut up and live with it. We're hoping she'll move on on her own.

All of the previous posts were right on the money. I would like to add: going into nursing purely for the money. Money is nice but, I believe, it shows in the type of care you give to your patients if that is your sole reason for pursuing nursing as a career.

You must have some sort of desire to help and to teach. I am not speaking of the old stereotype of "angels of mercy". Nurses are intelligent beings who think independently and use their critical thinking skills to add to the collaboration of care along with physicians, social workers, case managers, etc..

You must possess the ability to empathize.