Coworkers "you sure you've been trained up here?"

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I'm in my 4th month of nursing. Been trained in the nursery and admitting Nursery. Went up to admitting today, haven't been there in the longest. As soon as I got up there, had 3 babies waiting for me, a normal delivery came about 30 minutes into the shift, and at the same time I got called for c section.

One of the nurses was on my butt about getting things done. Saying things like "you said you had training here?" "How long was your training?" She was questioning my ability to do my job.

As I said. It's been a while since I floated up there, and being bombarded at the beginning of shift wasn't fun either. She made me feel inadequate. As if I disn't know what I was doing...

How do we deal with such people and not let what they say get to us?

I do know what I'm doing. I did what needed to be done the best I could. It had just been a long while since I've been floates.

I WAS CLEARY FEELING OVERWHELMED and she didn't help me feel any less overwhelmed. Made me feel worse.

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Specializes in PACU.
I'm in my 4th month of nursing. Been trained in the nursery and admitting Nursery. Went up to admitting today, haven't been there in the longest.

If you are only in your forth month of nursing and its been a long time since you've been in admitting, then you didn't get a ton of training.

I think the best response would have been "I've been trained and feel confident in my skills. I did get 3 new babies at once so if you are able to jump in and do (specific assignment) with Baby C, that would be great. If not, I've already done everyone's initial assessment and I'll be caught up soon.

I'd say to watch your tone as you deliver it... but people that are looking to find fault.... the tone won't matter because they will take it how they want too. A nurse that is truly wondering if you are drowning and wants to help will. If she is just there to criticize.... then what you say is more for you then her, so by outlining that you feel confident and will soon have it under control... you are reinforcing that in your own mind, it may help calm the feelings of being overwhelmed.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Emergency, CEN.

So I've had an almost identical experience when I started at my current job. I have 4+ years of ED experience with certifications, BUT I didn't know their computer charting program, where to find anything, anyone's names or roles (CNA, tech, RN..) when one of the other RNs tells me "I thought you were an ER RN before this." I looked her in the eye and replied "I was. Does that give me ESP to find your equipment or do things your way?"

My suggestion is to square your shoulders, stare them down and ask them just exactly what they would do if they were in your shoes. If that doesn't work, tell them where they can stick it! :wideyed: :cheeky:

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Specializes in Utilization Review.

This person is what I would call, a huge jerk. They're obviously on the "eat your young" bandwagon and should probably take a good long look in the mirror. It's OK if someone is new, or struggling, but to dismiss them and not reach out to help is inexcusable. Ignore them and know that you are doing your job. Ask for help if you need it, but don't feel ashamed that after a short 4 months it is hard to juggle sometimes. It will still be hard a year or two or seven down the road when everything happens at once. But you are one person. Don't sweat the small stuff :)

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I do feel confident in my ability to take on the job. But it was just a lot at once, after not being floated up there for a long while.

I did what I needed to do. I didn't get to chart till late. But in regards to my patients, which come first, I did itt.

I do admit I felt overwhelmed, and her being on me didn't help me eitherr.

When she asked me those things, I simply said that yes I was trained and I knew what I was doing.

Once the extra nurse came in (I wasn't even supposed to be floated...they were going to float someone with no experience upstairs...schedule mix up) I stayed behind to make sure everything was done and sent down as many babies as possible so I wouldn't leave her with a workload to do.

Before I floated back down, she reminded me that next time other nurses (very friendly nurses who help when one is drowning) won't be there to help me.

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I got about a month of training in admitting. Which I don't think a month of training for anything is really enough training....

But I felt confident in what I knew and what I was doing.

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Being a brand new nurse, no actually just being new to the dept, I might have stated that I had a brief orientation and that it had been a couple of months since I worked in that dept, and invited her to direct me if she saw me missing something.

Is there a reason not to say something like that?

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Being a brand new nurse, no actually just being new to the dept, I might have stated that I had a brief orientation and that it had been a couple of months since I worked in that dept, and invited her to direct me if she saw me missing something.

Is there a reason not to say something like that?

Oh. I did tell her. I mentioned I haven't been up there in a while and to let me know if there's anything I'm missing or needing.

I'm not ashamed to ask got help when needed. Patients lives at risk.

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