Entitlement/ superiority attitude of some nurses?

Nurses Relations

Updated:   Published

I work alongside nurses and am in the process of becoming a nurse myself.

While I have great respect for the profession and my coworkers as well as a passion for it (hence my reason for going to RN school), I've noticed nurses (many but not all) have this superiority attitude like their job is the only job in the Healthcare field that matters. They talk down to all the other professionals (respiratory therapists, social workers, occupational therapists, etc) and disregard any of the hard work they do and just expect a pat on the back for every little thing. I've even heard some nurses say they should get paid more than the doctor because their work is more important.

Also, I hear many nurses complain that they have too much to do, and then when anyone tries to give them a hand they have this turf battle and think everyone is trying to take over their job and isn't competent enough to do so even if it's something as simple as helping bathe a patient.

What's your opinion?

Specializes in Psychiatry, Forensics, Addictions.
Been there,done that said:
You forgot kissing family's butt, answering the phones while the HUC get's a break, and discharge teaching.:laugh:

Excuse my ignorance, but what is a HUC?

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Tele, Interventional Pain Management, OR.
Infofreak411 said:
Well I agree you have too much to do, in fact I do the same thing. We actually had a consulting firm come on and asked why the the techs were the ones running around doing everything while some of the nurses sat at the station on their cell phones. So I know about the time crunch while giving reliable and safe care. But, at the same time why do nurses (some not all) complain about having too much only to get defense when anyone tries to help.

If you seriously think that as a tech you're "doing everything..." you haven't been a nurse yet!

Get through nursing school, pass NCLEX, come off orientation in your first nursing job. Then I bet your perspective will be different.

Good luck!

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.
SarahMaria said:
Excuse my ignorance, but what is a HUC?

A unit clerk or secretary.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Quote
intervene during a severe vago vagal episode

Dang...should say "vaso vagal episode." Grrrr....

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Horseshoe said:
Dang...should say "vaso vagal episode." Grrrr....

I thought it was a new lady parts thing.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

This is accurate, unfortunately.

Before becoming a nurse, I worked as a "lowly" secretary. (I say it that way because that's how some of them made me feel) I remember The way that some nurses talked and treated people like me, as if we were beneath them... And I would wonder: how in the world were they actually caring for their patients if they are treating people that way.

Now that I am a nurse, I am lucky to work with many nurses who are caring and actually nice.

I strive not to be the nurse that I despised before I became one. I smile and acknowledge the doctors in the same way that I do the cleaning crew.

But, I also work with some who think their "-sh-" doesn't stink.

They speak to coworkers, patients and family like they are slime.

Just don't become one of the bad ones...

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×

Again, yes. Not all people are great. It's called humanity.

Ish heads can be found in every profession.

2
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Telemetry.

Why is it no one raises an eyebrow at the thought that a partner in a law firm might not be all fuzzy and warm to a new associate but nurses are expected to be saints???

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
Infofreak411 said:
Well I agree you have too much to do, in fact I do the same thing. We actually had a consulting firm come on and asked why the the techs were the ones running around doing everything while some of the nurses sat at the station on their cell phones. So I know about the time crunch while giving reliable and safe care. But, at the same time why do nurses (some not all) complain about having too much only to get defense when anyone tries to help.

What percentage of your shifts do you skip a dinner break and/or stay late to complete documentation, and for how long? Since you do the same thing we do, I'll eagerly await your answer.

Sometimes if I only have one pt I'll tell the CNA I'll empty his foley myself, esp if s/he is very busy. Other times I will take advantage of down time, because I figure the hospital owes me some of my paid breaktime that I only take if I'm breastfeeding, and which our CNAs do usually take.

You'll have to forgive our lack of awe at the healthcare consultants' assessment. There is no greater armchair quarterback than the healthcare consultant. Actually the one time my hospital used them, some time later our CMO/CNO admitted their advice was poor. One of the RNs whose unit was audited said their documentain wasn't even accurate. They sat outside the rooms and recorded when the RN entered and exited. But you know those pts who are on the call light like whte on rice? Soooo many entrances and exits were too difficult to record...so they just didn't record it. Those falsely low numbers ended up increasing the RN-to-pt ratios on our med-surg floors. Awesome, huh?

As for getting defensive when someone tries to help, I have no idea what you're talking about. Everyone I've ever met responds with either "Thank you!!" Or "No thank you, I just have to call a Dr and then get caught up on my charting."

3
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Nurse Leigh said:
Why is it no one raises an eyebrow at the thought that a partner in a law firm might not be all fuzzy and warm to a new associate but nurses are expected to be saints???

Nurses take an oath and vow to care for others.

Treating people like dirt doesn't fall under the scope of caring and healing.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have only worked in Corporate America (thinking of switching to nursing) and I have seen these 'jerks' in action over and over.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Telemetry.
jrwest said:
Have your consulting firm come see where I am. We don't have time to sit period or be on a cellphone. We're lucky if we even get a break- I'd say we don't get a lunch more often than we do.

This is why studies are flawed. They only view something at a given time. That doesnt mean that is how things are ALL the time.

I get the feeling that if a consultant ever *did* recommend that the unit needed more staff (which we all know without a study) I imagine C-suite would manage to ignore it. I don't think most consultant firms are hired because they encourage an increase in direct patient care staff.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment