Little Miss Know-It-All ?

Nurses New Nurse

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Geriatrics, LTC.

I am a new nurse in a LTC facility. :nurse: Now I'm no spring chicken, this is my second career and about my 10th job, I'm "older". Anyway, I have trained and oriented with excellent nurses, and I'm so grateful to them for their patience and professionalism.

However, being short-staffed is a daily occurrence and we almost always have "agency" nurses on the floor. One day the agency nurse was assigned to "baby-sit" me on the med cart. She was very impatient, took a lot of scary shortcuts, rushed through, skipped things she deemed unimportant like vitamins and iron pills. Worst of all she expected me to chart for insulin's she gave, when I found out she had not given two of them!! :down: :confused: I said "I'm not charting for something I didn't give" and she got soooo angry! :devil: Called me little miss know it all in front of the charge nurse! And "must be nice to be so smart when you've been a nurse for all of one month, you need to learn the real world isn't like the books". :eek:

I know that. I know real world is never like school, but come on, something as basic as doing your own documentation? I'm sorry, but some things I'm not going to compromise. I'm trying to learn the RIGHT way to do things especially at first!

Will I become unpopular because of this? Not that I care about popularity in the high school way, but you know, will people start to talk behind my back and not want to work with me? Did I do the right thing or do I try and fit in? If doing things wrong is what experience brings I am worried about my future...don't want to alienate my co-workers.

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Honestly, I wouldn't worry about her thoughts. Agency nurses come and go rather quickly so it's unlikely her opinion holds that much weight with your coworkers anyway.

I wouldn't document that I'd done something that I hadn't either. The other night another nurse accidentally charted under my name (oops on me for not logging out properly) and I went back and added a note to the documentation what happened. I can't afford to lose my license--especially with the ink barely dry!

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Good for you!:yeah: I wouldn't chart something for someone else if I didnt' see them do it! And if people start talking, just remind them that unless they are gonna start paying you bills, you aren't gonna lose your job, or worse you license behind some lazy nurse how clearly doesn't care about her patients safety!!!

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Specializes in ED, ICU, MS/MT, PCU, CM, House Sup, Frontline mgr.

she is an agency nurse for a reason!!! not to say that all agency/travel/temporary/seasonal nurses are bad. however, i have seen a pattern in my all-but-over-one-year of work experience as a nurse. if there are any bad/scary nurses on the floor, it is usually almost always an agency nurse! sometimes their preparation and training with the facility is poor. other times, they are not good nurses and i suspect many left a full-time job with benefits in another state just before being fired to work some place else.

do not worry... protecting your license does not equal being a know-it-all!! every nurse with experience will tell you the same as you continue to work. that nurse was hoping that you were meek, weak and inexperienced enough to do whatever she told you to do as if you were still in nursing school! she was shocked and angered that it was not the case. like the others wrote, good for you! unfortunately, this will not be the last time an experienced nurse tries to bully you into doing something she/he would not do because she/he would fear losing her/his license. thus, continue doing what you are doing and you should be fine.

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Specializes in Oncology, Med-Surg, Nursery.

Good for you!!

I wouldn't do it either! If she skips out on things she doesn't find important that you know about, Lord only knows what she does that you don't know about! Protect yourself. Who cares what she thinks - she obviously needs a refresher course on her job!

Re: Agency nurses -- I had a good experience with them. I liked the few I worked with at my old facility. One was an exceptional nurse and I was so sad to see her go. She taught me so much. There are bad apples in every bunch though!!

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Geriatrics, LTC.

Thank you all for your support! Your answers made be breathe a sigh of relief! I feel so much better and maybe have a glimmer of confidence starting !

Thanks again!

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Specializes in LTC Rehab Med/Surg.

I would not have charted something I didn't do. Ever.

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Yep, don't do it. I just say, "Yep, I am a spaz like that, I have to pull the med to chart it...etc etc". I know it's going to be hard sometimes to stand up for what I believe is right, but it's so worth it to me to be able to sleep at night.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Never chart for anything you didn't give. And if you're called a "Miss Know-it-All"...well then, at least you'll be a still licensed Miss Know-it-All :)

As far as fitting in, the most important thing at work should always be protecting your license and your patients--that means doing things the right way. If people are going to get petty over your doing that or expect you to take unsafe shortcuts because they are lazy...well, see the previous sentence.

IMO, I'm not at work to make new BFFs...I'd rather be called names and have an intact license even if it means I'm not the most popular one of the crowd. But I'm older and my skin is thicker ;)

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Geriatrics, LTC.

yup, I agree with all that. I am probably older than you..lol, I'm 52 even though "new"...but still have somewhat thin skin. I will protect my license and patients against all invaders and not care about petty BS! My pledge! Thanks everyone this was very helpful!

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Specializes in Med-surgical; telemetry; STROKE.
I am a new nurse in a LTC facility. :nurse: Now I'm no spring chicken, this is my second career and about my 10th job, I'm "older". Anyway, I have trained and oriented with excellent nurses, and I'm so grateful to them for their patience and professionalism.

However, being short-staffed is a daily occurrence and we almost always have "agency" nurses on the floor. One day the agency nurse was assigned to "baby-sit" me on the med cart. She was very impatient, took a lot of scary shortcuts, rushed through, skipped things she deemed unimportant like vitamins and iron pills. Worst of all she expected me to chart for insulin's she gave, when I found out she had not given two of them!! :down: :confused: I said "I'm not charting for something I didn't give" and she got soooo angry! :devil: Called me little miss know it all in front of the charge nurse! And "must be nice to be so smart when you've been a nurse for all of one month, you need to learn the real world isn't like the books". :eek:

I know that. I know real world is never like school, but come on, something as basic as doing your own documentation? I'm sorry, but some things I'm not going to compromise. I'm trying to learn the RIGHT way to do things especially at first!

Will I become unpopular because of this? Not that I care about popularity in the high school way, but you know, will people start to talk behind my back and not want to work with me? Did I do the right thing or do I try and fit in? If doing things wrong is what experience brings I am worried about my future...don't want to alienate my co-workers.

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The best defense mechanism is to attack your opponent.

This nurse was obviously very defensive and took everything very personally. In her opinion your saying meant that you didn't trust her. In my opinion, you were absolutely right.:yeah:

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Specializes in Acute Care, CM, School Nursing.

Good for you! I would never sign for something I didn't personally give... To me, it sounds like the agency burse feels threatened by you. Stick to your guns! :)

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