Changing one's spots

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I'm curious...what personality traits have you seen in people that stand in the way of their quality of work? If I have any of them I want to start working on them before I even sign up.

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Specializes in CVICU.

  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.

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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.

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  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)

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Specializes in Volunteered in an ER.

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

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: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.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

Being overly competitive with peers in clinical. Nurses as a group are highly intelligent and driven by the pursuit of excellence, which is good and not a problem in the academic area of nursing school unless you annoy the hell out of everyone by crowing about your test scores.

However, I've learned that the pursuit of "better than" in the clinical setting is very counterproductive and sometimes manifests itself as the dreaded "eating their young" syndrome. It's been hard for me, quite honestly to get over being the sole proprietor of my knowledge and skills and genuinely give it all away even if someone else might appear to be "better". I get back much more I've found when I practice the principle of generosity with newer co-workers. Best of luck to you!

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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.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

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.

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Specializes in CVICU, ER.
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...

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Basic intractible laziness. When you come to night shift to sleep for seven out of eight hours, it shows, even to the supervisors, even though they may do nothing about it.

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Specializes in CVICU.

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.

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