This thread might draw ire, but I feel that it has to be said.
In my carefully considered opinion, one of the biggest things that holds nursing back as a profession is what I view as a high school dropout mentality. Those who have this mentality act as if being an RN gives you the right to bully others. It takes its shape in unprofessional behavior of all kinds, including publicly "calling out" other nurses on the floor, yelling at other nurses in front of patients, lecturing new people about their many years of experience on the floor, and constantly complaining about the facility, the people in it, and gossiping and backstabbing people. You all know people who fit this description to a T at work.
Here is what I discovered through my dealings with these types. Certain groups tend to have high numbers of individuals with this mentality, and they include nurses who were adult learners, community college students, former LPNs, former CNAs, and people who actually did drop out of high school in their teens. Meanwhile, BSN students and second degree nursing students tend to not have this high school dropout mentality. Is that because BSN and second degree students are just less likely to actually have dropped out of high school than the groups I listed above? Maybe.
"Getting my RN" and becoming a floor nurse is seen as the biggest accomplishment in the world by these groups. Becoming an RN is a worthy accomplishment to be sure, but acting like it's the highest honor in the world is rather pretentious. I am not bashing associate degree nurses. I myself graduated with an associate degree in nursing and am pursuing a BSN while working.
Before anyone says it, I realize that most people within these groups are normal, everyday people trying to make a living. But isn't that part of what holds nursing back? I want nursing to attract the best and the brightest. I want people who see it as more than a paycheck. I want people who are interested in professional advancement, education, and research, not people who are content with being a ratty, shat-on-her-scrubs floor nurse in a nursing home for twenty years in order to support three adult children who are on welfare. The kind of nurse who long ago forgot if your appendix is on your left or right side of your body. The kind who doesn't care about the science.
Does anyone want to weigh in? Use this thread to discuss your thoughts and feelings about the high school dropout mentality in nursing. Do you believe it exists? Or do you believe it is imagined? Use this thread to discuss ways in which we can raise the standards of the everyday nurse and stop low class, ignorant behavior.
Specializes in Orthopedic, LTC, STR, Med-Surg, Tele.
Here is what I discovered through my dealings with these types. Certain groups tend to have high numbers of individuals with this mentality, and they include nurses who were adult learners, community college students, former LPNs, former CNAs, and people who actually did drop out of high school in their teens. Meanwhile, BSN students and second degree nursing students tend to not have this high school dropout mentality. Is that because BSN and second degree students are just less likely to actually have dropped out of high school than the groups I listed above? Maybe.
Seriously? Is it lonely up there on that pedestal?
before anyone says it, i realize that most people within these groups are normal, everyday people trying to make a living.
what makes you think that rns aren't "normal, every day people"? they aren't immortal beings. they are just normal every day people trying to make a living.
does anyone want to weigh in? use this thread to discuss your thoughts and feelings about the high school dropout mentality in nursing. do you believe it exists? or do you believe it is imagined? use this thread to discuss ways in which we can raise the standards of the everyday nurse and stop low class, ignorant behavior.
oh low class ignorant behavior such as judging others and painting them all with the same brush?
Yes. I'm a student nurse and I actually saw that when a nurse went to a doctor to report that the patient did not want to take the meds prescribed and the doctor actually yelled at her and said, "Ok so what??? Document it! What the heck are you telling me that for?"
In my carefully considered opinion, one of the biggest things that holds nursing back as a profession is what I view as a high school dropout mentality. Those who have this mentality act as if being an RN gives you the right to bully others. It takes its shape in unprofessional behavior of all kinds, including publicly "calling out" other nurses on the floor, yelling at other nurses in front of patients, lecturing new people about their many years of experience on the floor, and constantly complaining about the facility, the people in it, and gossiping and backstabbing people. You all know people who fit this description to a T at work.
Actually, I don't. I don't work with anyone like that.
Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
Hmmm.
Adult learner here.
Community college educated (for one of my degrees anyway).
Got my ASN.
Here the thing: I believe what Eleanor Roosevelt said was true. Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission.
OP, I deny you permission.
I am compassionate, kind, smart and important in the lives of those who love me and in the lives of my patients. I believe in a better world and I believe in nursing as a profession. I believe in sensible, intelligent conversation on how to make nursing the best it can be and I believe that is never going to be a set goal or a fixed mark. I believe every nurse brings something to the table and that what someone else brings in no way negates what I bring. We compliment one another.
I believe insecure, tasteless, classless, ignorant people exist across all ages, races, religions, sex, education levels and professions. I believe all it takes for one person to be a bully is for that person to feel threatened. And I believe everyone has been a bully at some point in life as well as having felt bullied at some point. Sometimes you are the windshield; sometimes the bug. And I believe nobody really likes the way either one of those things makes them feel inside themselves.
I believe we are humans who have taken on the task of healing, comforting, advocating for and teaching other humans. As humans, we will fail. Often. Ourselves. One another. Our profession. All of us. Not just ASNs. Not just high school dropouts. Not just those of us who went to community college and not just those of us who chose to go to Yale.
My wish for you is wisdom. You have a questioning and seeking mind. May you find answers that speak to you of truth. And the best way to know something is truth is to recognize there are no absolutes.
The reason I say this is because I was bullied, but whenI wore my college hoodie or hat everyone was nice to me (a little in awe) and the bullying stopped.
Lol, what?! Do you seriously think people are "in awe" of a college hoodie? I'd bet you money they just think you are cold.
I think the op is combining unrelated concepts together based on some of the theories he has read about in a BSN program. The topics of bullying in nursing and critical social theory are both discussed in many BSN programs, and there is research on each of the subjects separately, but there is not research that demonstrates an increased incidence of bullying behavior in "high school drop out" nurses. Since there isn't research to support a causal relationship between the concepts, it appears that he is tossing ideas together, like he is making a salad.
I think this is a really ignorant post. I am definitely offended. I am venturing into nursing and am starting out as an LPN. I dropped out of HS and i grew up in the ghetto and i am none of the things you have described. I also have close friends who came from similar situations who aren't anything like that. I have come in contact with nurses with that same holier than thou attitude and that has to do with the person in general and not how they started their career.
My reason for getting into nursing was bc my mom spent the better part of 2 years in and out of hospitals fighting lung cancer before passing away. I was her caregiver. The nurses you described inspired me to get into nursing so that when a patient came in contact with me they would always have as pleasant an experience as possible considering they r already in the hospital, the last place anyone wants to be. I give the patients the care i would have wanted for my mom. The care she didn't get from the supposedly top notch nurses who graduated from the world renowned NYU school of nursing. Some of them beginning their nursing career as early as Clara Barton HS for health professions.
I am on the road to a masters in nursing and with my humble beginnings i am not at all arrogant. Actually I'm the complete opposite I want to soak up as much knowledge as i can from the nurses with more experience and who went to better schools and they are usually unwilling. I am not settling for just being a floor nurse and no one else i know is either. You need to rephrase the term used for this type of nurse. Yes it is low-class and ignorant but being a HS drop-out has not caused this. Having an arrogant entitled personality does.
My suggestions for changing these behaviors are workshops. There should be mandatory workshops on caring for the patients in a sympathetic way and in handling co-workers in a professional manner. There are people who need to be taught these behaviors and its up the the facility or hospital to ensure the nurses they hire keep a positive professional attitude. Its their job to make sure professional matters aren't discussed in front of patients. That's tacky in any profession and those nurses you described should be reprimanded for it. Scolding others on their years of experience is also tacky. If that mattered they would be using that experience to educate others. As i said previously its up to the managers to ensure their team wither it be nurses, LPN's, nurses aids, or maintenance have the best attitude especially in front of patients.
Really though i wish u would change ur title for this behavior. I am sure I'm not the only one offended by that.
Morainey, BSN, RN
831 Posts
Seriously? Is it lonely up there on that pedestal?