Clinical drama-question about personal property

[chiasmus100]

Just wondering, I am in a clinical group for the summer for clinical 3 days. There is a clique of girls in this clinical group. I went into the break room at the end of clinical and one of them was hitting my bag. My bag is a trendy bag which a lot of ppl carry. When I saw the girl hitting it I picked up the bag and said "That's mine" then sat at the table. The girl said "Oh I thought it was Kate's" (Kate is her friend who is in the click and has a bag similar to mine, since it is a trendy bag. Kate was standing there however.

I am worried about the safety of my personal possessions at this time since I have clinical with this group 3 days a week (its only the third week of school). Should

I let this slide or bring it up to the course coordinator? I am graduating next semester and don't want to make any waves. But, there is palpable tension between me and this group, so I don't want to let it go then have it blow up.

Thank you.

[OCNRN63, RN]

Because I need to eat lunch???? What the hell kind of advice is that.

So put your lunch in one of those lunch bags you can get, rather than putting your lunch in your "trendy" bag. Who puts lunch in a "trendy" purse, anyway? JustBeachyNurse was trying to help, and you jump all over her with all four feet? Sheesh.

[OCNRN63, RN]

What is motivating me to finish is graduate school. Their grades aren't that good and they hate school (Based upon what I have heard them say to each other about grades and hating school). That its the semester before last (and the last semester is allegedly cake) only means I am so close to finishing and I don't want to jeopardize it now.

What does this have to do with your OP?

Two words of advice: Grow up.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

It is a longchamp bag she was smacking the back really really hard to see how sturdy it was! She was saying "How sturdy(or some similar word) is this bag" This girl is a former athlete in high school. I was shocked she was hitting it so hard. This girl has so much animosity for me. I used to try to be civil towards her, now I just ignore her and her friends unless they disrespect me then I make a comment back. These girls are like very cheap looking (her friend carries a similar bag though it is very obviously fake) and none of them are going onto graduate school (since they are just barely passing), so they don't really get me upset. But, she is hitting my bag! How can I ignore that. Who knows what else she may decide to do.

There were other issues which took place in the first semester that made this girl dislike me.

I don't have a few weeks left! I work with them until August. They are in my clinical group for 3 clinicals all summer long!!!!

It's a bag...just a bag. They can't "hurt" the bag. If you let them know they are under your skin they will continue. Don't give them a response they will get bored and move on.. This is an accelerated BSN program you are in... I am shocked that women, meaning ALL OF YOU, carry on like a bunch of high school seniors.

Calling people cheap looking, that one carries a fake bag, and don't like school is essentially none of you concern.

Why lower yourself to their mentality? Be unfailingly polite. Be distant. Be professional. Carry a paper bag . Leave the designer stuff at home unless you can place it under lock and key...it has no place in the workplace.

As far as these women...you will probably never see them again...unless you become their boss.

This whole subject is petty. It's just a bag....Move on.

[ruralnurse84]

Kill them with kindness...if you show that their actions don't bother you and you can be nice to them and not judge them like you are portraying on this post, you will get much farther and have less conflict. Right now you are acting like a 12 year old and victimizing yourself over a bag. Don't come on here asking for advice if you don't like what people are advising you to do.

[RunBabyRN]

I'm guessing by your responses to this thread that you're engaging way too much and are way too concerned about what others are doing. There are cliques in every class. That's life. I wasn't part of the cliques in my program, either, but I kept myself out of it, focused on MY grades and MY future and MY performance in clinicals, and now I have a job offer in my dream unit.

If these girls make a comment, ignore it. Roll your eyes, don't engage (don't feed the trolls), and just focus on graduating. Their performance is their business. Let that be the concern of your instructors and their future managers. DO NOT carry this sort of attitude into practice, or you'll have a very hard time keeping a job.

Keep the bag in the car/at home, leave the textbooks at home (RELAX on your breaks, catch up on e-mail on your phone, whatever), and put your lunch in the fridge or lunch bag. Leave it at that.

[RunBabyRN]

What does this have to do with your OP?

Two words of advice: Grow up.

NETY!! NETY!! COB!

[Episteme]

These people own you. That is to say, you are on alert for the disrespect so you can respond to it. That's a kind of slavery and you're the one keeping the shackles on... and every episode of previous hurts lives on and on in your head because you reheorifice it and dwell on it and feel those emotions over and over.

If you're in a clinical setting you should be thinking about your patient(s). Free yourself. Choose to fill your head with more constructive, meaningful, weighty things.

[norlns24]

I would not bring this episode up with anyone in the clinical setting. Why? Clinicals are often considered a job rehearsal, and the medical community can be quite small. Clinical instructors often work in a variety of clinical settings at any given time, which means a person's name/ reputation can be cast far and wide by a handful of people (in both a positive and negative way). At our school, we have very strict rules about clinicals. As you point out in one of your posts, you are representing your school. You are also representing yourself. Consider clinicals a chance to show what you can do and mostly, what kind of work ethic and attitude you have. It's also critical to demonstrate you can get along with people. I would bet most new nurses who fail at their first attempt at a job out of nursing school do so IN PART because they failed to show the right attitude/ get along with others/ be part of a team.

Our school recommends that we send thank you cards to all of our clinical instructors (as one would post job-interview). It's sound advice and classy. The clinical instructors keep notes on you and file reports with the school. AFAIK, most school include these progress reports or evaluations as part of your permanent academic record.

I hope I have spelled out just how important it is to do your best in clinicals. I approach them this way: I assume someone is watching me every second of every minute of every day I am at clinicals. This way, I won't do anything that ruins my chances of a career post-graduation. Granted, a lot of people might try their luck 1,000 miles away from where they went to school, but at the very least, you are going to need references and letters of recommendations from clinical instructors.

[RunBabyRN]

I would not bring this episode up with anyone in the clinical setting. Why? Clinicals are often considered a job rehearsal, and the medical community can be quite small. Clinical instructors often work in a variety of clinical settings at any given time, which means a person's name/ reputation can be cast far and wide by a handful of people (in both a positive and negative way). At our school, we have very strict rules about clinicals. As you point out in one of your posts, you are representing your school. You are also representing yourself. Consider clinicals a chance to show what you can do and mostly, what kind of work ethic and attitude you have. It's also critical to demonstrate you can get along with people. I would bet most new nurses who fail at their first attempt at a job out of nursing school do so IN PART because they failed to show the right attitude/ get along with others/ be part of a team.

Our school recommends that we send thank you cards to all of our clinical instructors (as one would post job-interview). It's sound advice and classy. The clinical instructors keep notes on you and file reports with the school. AFAIK, most school include these progress reports or evaluations as part of your permanent academic record.

I hope I have spelled out just how important it is to do your best in clinicals. I approach them this way: I assume someone is watching me every second of every minute of every day I am at clinicals. This way, I won't do anything that ruins my chances of a career post-graduation. Granted, a lot of people might try their luck 1,000 miles away from where they went to school, but at the very least, you are going to need references and letters of recommendations from clinical instructors.

This is SO true. My offer comes from a NM who liked my performance in clinicals.

[IrishErin]

I For starters, you might be careful about how your decision to look down on them might be showing in your tone of voice, body language or other indicators. People pick up on those things and react accordingly. Just a suggestion.

This, this, and this! Even if you don't realise that you are giving off that vibe, they may be picking it up and feel disrespected by you just as much as you feel from them.

Time to be the bigger person and drop whatever part you have in this seemingly ongoing feud and walk away from them. If you are as motivated to pass school as you say, start throwing all that energy at your studies and don't give 'the clique' a second thought.

[OCNRN63, RN]

NETY!! NETY!! COB!

I calls 'em as I sees 'em.

[mushyrn, BSN, RN]

Because I need to eat lunch???? What the hell kind of advice is that.

Attitude ... adjustment? Anyone? Rude. Maybe it's you, and not them, who are causing problems with that kind of response to helpful advice.