Experienced Nurses' Attitude Toward New Grad Nurses and Students

[laynaER]

I'm a new graduate nurse, just graduated with BSN. In my experiences throughout nursing school I have often met resistance when trying to get an older or more experienced nurse to help teach me/show me/explain to me somethings. I know there are times when you are just busy and overwhelmed with work and you may be stressed out but there are times when the older nurses are just plain rude and not helpful to young nurses coming in. Plenty of times I have arrived on a unit and nurses are rolling their eyes, you ask them a question, they give you an attitude, yell at nursing students or either just plain out tell you "I don't want to teach you anything.", some will intimidate you, walk right up to you and ask you certain questions they probably know you don't know and embarass you in front of everyone when you don't give a right answer. Then just walk away.

Why is there so much animosity between new grad nurses and older, more experienced nurses? I think both groups bring valuable information to the table: Theory knowledge in conjunction with practice and experience. We're arriving on the scene to help the so called "nursing shortage" so why all the friction?

[laynaER]

llg, there was no reason. they had been coming there to the same place every saturday at the same time. the problem was, the DON had no idea what was going on, who was supposed to be there, and who was supposed to be doing what. When the students came back to school that monday and complained about that hospital the clinical coordinator said she wasn't surprised, especially from that hospital because nobody ever knows what's going on there and they're usually hostile toward students. Some hospitals are more student friendly, and some are just not.

Roxie, that sounds really good. I just hope I have a good experience.