Disgruntled with my BSN

[Bella RN, BSN, MSN]

I am a RN of 6years and have my BSN degree. I did my nursing training at a community college and loved it. Had great instructors. At the university level it was so-so but i was adamant about increasing my knowledge base.

Well I am getting disgusted at bedside nursing at times. :uhoh3:The lack of respect, the politics and the underappreciation of staff!! I for some reason by getting my BSN imagined that i would have a nice cozy job and thought i would receive the respect i was due.

I went to a recent interview and the one of the interviewers who was an educator had the same credentials as me and made a comment to me--don't think you are getting my job!! What kind of nonsense is this!??? What is going on with our profession??

I have been on countless committees at various levels trying to facilitate positive change--but i am seen as a threat. That my eagerness to learn is a threat--I have been told that by a superior.

I want to go for my masters in either nursing or public health. But i get upset when i see that i am working agency currently, seriously considering traveling nursing and i have my BSN. So where did i go wrong?? I am not discouraging others from pursing a higher degree, but i just am at my wits end.

I get so pissed when we have someone doing an inservice on some new device and they are treated like the king or queen bee and i look at their credentials and they don't have their BSN or sometimes they do and i think to myself-- here I am doing this...what gives?!!

I love nursing don't get me wrong, but i want to make a difference in a major distinctive way.

I just don't know what to think anymore........

Suggestions??? Starting to get a little depressed:o

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

I don't blame you. I've noticed that some people in management (not all) seem to mainly be interested in NOT ever working at the bedside again, but having a desk job and playing the politics necessary to protect their positions.

[llg, PhD, RN]

It sounds like you need to develop some interpersonal skills to help you successfully negotiate the politics of the workplace. It's not just enough to know the facts and to be enthusiastic -- you have to know how to establish productive work relationships with people. Only after you have established that positive relationship will you be in a position to have much influence.

How to develop those political skills? My recommendation is to keep a low profile for a while and focus on being helpful -- rather than being a leader. By being helpful to people, you earn their trust, respect, and affection. As they come to see you in a more positive way, they will be more receptive to your ideas.

I'd also suggest finding a mentor -- someone who is politically successful in your workplace. A good mentor can give you some constructive feedback on how you are perceived by others as well as some helpful tips on earning the respect and support of your coworkers. It doesn't matter how much formal education the mentor has -- you are looking for someone who can help you learn political skills -- not nursing theory and research.

[Bella RN, BSN, MSN]

Thanks for the reply--I have alot to consider. I thought being enthusiastic and helpful was a plus.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Thanks for the reply--I have alot to consider. I thought being enthusiastic and helpful was a plus.

It can be a plus ... but sometimes people don't interpret our behavior the way we intend it. You may intend to appear "enthusiastic" while other people view it as "pushy" or "know-it-all" or overly confident. What you think is "being helpful" may be perceived as being trying to push other people around. etc. etc. etc.

From what your supervisor said, it sounds like you are not being perceived in the positive way you would like other people to view you. That may be the root cause of some of your problems.

Good luck.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

I found myself in much the same situation as you are experiencing when I worked at a local community hospital. I don't think it is the fact that you have a BSN that is the problem. I think it is the overall feeling of the nursing community that you are working in. Change jobs. When I went to work in a large tertiary center that hired only BSNs, the atmosphere was much different than what you are describing. They wanted their RNs to participate in all kinds of different activities, make a difference and to be a part of the changes going on. We were part of committees, encouraged to get national certifications and attend conventions and a number of us held positions in national nursing associations and were encouraged to bring what we were learning to the workplace. I think you need to look for that kind of facility as well.

As for the interviewer who was an educator with the same credentials as you and commented, "don't think you are getting my job!!", I would just chalk that up to rude, unprofessional behavior. Not everyone learned their lessons when they were in school or practices them now that they are out of school. That's a choice they have to live with. You will see this kind of behavior in many mediocre practitioners because it is much harder to do things the right and ethical way and they just don't want to put out the energy to do things the right way. It's very sad because they make not only themselves, but the profession look bad.

If there is anything I've learned in all the years I've been working, it's this. . .finding a good place to work is really about working with a group of nice people. No interview can predict that you are going to end up working with nice people. That's because you never get to interact with the actual people you'll be working with at job interviews in the first place. It's the personalities of the people you work closely with each day that often make or break a job for us. It's not as common as we would think that a really good group of people that we can get along with comes together as a great team that we can enjoy working with. So, when it does happen, enjoy the ride. Until then, you just keep hope that it will happen.

[Bella RN, BSN, MSN]

Thank you Daytonite for your post. What you said made a lot of sense. It's funny that in the beginning of my tenure there my former manager knew that i came from a tertiary hospital and that was a teaching facility.

She knew i was a go getter and great at networking and would always remark at how detailed oriented I was. She placed me on very high profile projects for the small community hospital. I was on the policy procedure committee, central line blood stream prevention committee, chair of a house wide committee, and chair of the unit based committee. Writing articles, doing presentations,etc.....

Then i went up the clinical ladder and my picture was placed in the unit for all to see. Plus i received and outstanding eval. Then she wanted to put me on another committee and I had to say NO!! But then when it was reported to her that i challenged some of her coordinators. One in particuliar that didn't know basic things--kinda scary. And she gossiped quite a bit. I don't like to be around negative gossip.

So for her to tell me that my peers perceived me as negative was a shock:uhoh3:--I questioned her about that--IF that was the case why did i receive such an outstanding eval weeks before this discussion. NOt only that the VP of human resource asked the same question--and she made up something lame. I strongly feel that if you are not supported in your endeavors especially by your direct supervisor it is an uphill battle--and i just began to lose respect for them and I felt my self worth and what i have to offer is invaluable!! It is important for us to stand up for what we feel we are worth.

For all I was doing she was not giving me any form of feedback--but her superiors would say job well done with my presentations and when the new CEO of the hospital came the CNO wanted him to meet me personally and just went on about all my acheivements.This was in front of the other nurses--I felt embarassed because i didnt want anyone to feel that i was trying to outshine anyone--I don't operate that way. But it was not appreciated on the unit level.

You are correct!! Smaller community hospitals do not place much emphasize on this type of demeanor. Needless to say, I have learned alot from this experience. I will learn to continue to be enthusiastic but channel it in a more positive way. NOt to kiss butt--never have nor never will;but if i see resistance from my peers i will try to work with them to make the work place a much more healthy work environment!!:balloons:

Thanks everyone for your comments--very much appreciated!!

[llg, PhD, RN]

Good luck, Chica Bella813. A new work environment may be a good step for you. Take the lessons learned from your recent experiences and use them to succeed in the next. Also, be sure to assess the culture of the workplace before you accept a job there. Sometimes, the culture of a workplace is the most important consideration of all -- yet so few people assess that as they are job hunting.

If you have the flexibility to change jobs, seek a culture that fits your personality well -- but understand that there will be politics (and the need for interpersonal skills) everywhere. Even great places to work have at least a little interpersonal tension and politics to navigate.

[Bella RN, BSN, MSN]

Thank you LLG!! Right now i have decided to do some agency work and I am seriously considering traveling nursing. I have started one agency assignment and I am glad that I did because I had to tell myself to remain humble since the equipment they had was very old and out dated. The staff at this agency job are great to work with, but i think as i expose myself to different working environments as you have mentioned will definitely help me and I will learn new things along the way.

I am seriously considering going for my MSN or MPH but i haven't even really used my BSN so I think what is the point???Some days I am unsure what to do.

Oh i did resign from that other job--which sent shock waves in the entire hospital--I couldn't believe it. It was then that my former mgr candidly stated how much of an asset i am and blah blah blah--Now i understand why so many others left before me--Life is such a learning lesson and i have my pen and pad handy to take notes!!