How did she/he get through nursing school?

Nurses General Nursing

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I have more than one coworker that I'm amazed that they got through school. I really like them, but marvel at their cluelessness. These are not new nurses, to say the least.

Specializes in NICU.

How do you ever get your work done from up high on that pedestal?

Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.
How do you ever get your work done from up high on that pedestal?

Who, me? By delegating.

Specializes in ER.
Who, me? By delegating.

By lording over my inferior minions! ;)

Ahaha! inferior minions - love it.

Specializes in MCH,NICU,NNsy,Educ,Village Nursing.
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That last one! Oh my.....I taught a few, thankfully very few, of those when I taught full time. I never passed them, but the 2 times and then you're out would take it out of my hands, and that was very frustrating. I always have a fear that I'm going to wake up one day on the patient side of things and see someone who failed the course I taught........

How do they stay in their profession if they aren't skillful in their practice/unit? I mean, I can't wrap my head around with this issue that some nurses are clueless despite their several years' experience in their practice. Who does their patient care? Do they sit around while other nurses take care of their assigned patients? Please elaborate on why some nurses are clueless in their own specialty. How many patients do they get almost killed or killed annually?

I know I will get to see it myself, but I just hope I will not end up the one take care of their work--babysitting them.

Yes, I know I can learn effectively by accepting constructive criticism, and many others to make me a better nurse.

Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
How do they stay in their profession if they aren't skillful in their practice/unit? I mean, I can't wrap my head around with this issue that some nurses are clueless despite their several years' experience in their practice. Who does their patient care? Do they sit around while other nurses take care of their assigned patients? Please elaborate on why some nurses are clueless in their own specialty. How many patients do they get almost killed or killed annually?

I know I will get to see it myself, but I just hope I will not end up the one take care of their work--babysitting them.

Yes, I know I can learn effectively by accepting constructive criticism, and many others to make me a better nurse.

Some of them spend the majority of their lives sitting around chatting while someone else does their patient care. They do the barest minimum to get by.

But I think the majority of nurses who, over time, have made me wonder how they ever made it through nursing school were just average, competent nurses who were having one of those days that we all have when we're incredibly stupid or forgetful or so mired in trying to solve one problem we completely check out on critically thinking through another. What we're seeing, usually, is just a snapshot of someone's career and we're noticing because they just did something stupid. For instance, Cathy, who was usually astute and aware just gave all the IV push medications through the patient's femoral arterial line instead of through the CVP taped to his thigh right next to the art line. The resident thought she was an absolute moron, and that opinion lasted through his entire rotation in our unit . . . and the next. She wasn't a moron -- she was just having a brain fart which was completely understandable as her brother had just had a stroke. I'm sure there were people who wondered how I had ever made it through nursing school when I was changing IV tubings and flushed the line that had the nipride in it. Blood pressure instantly bottomed out, and every nurse in the ICU was running into my room to help. Fortunately, nipride is short acting . . . . A few of my colleagues thought I was stupid and incompetent for a LONG time.

Unless we're working next to (or following) someone long term, all we usually see is just a snapshot of their critical thinking skills (or lack thereof), just a bit of their knowledge base. And even those genuinely ditzy and incompetent nurses have the occaisional flash of insight or tidbit in their knowledge base that you can learn from.

I was grateful to work with a few of these nurses while i was a LPN going through a RN bridge program... they always made me think to myself that if they could get through school then I could too!! They also always provided examples of what not to do/how to not behave. Sometimes it's difficult to work with people like that but I often think of it as motivation to make sure that I'm never that jurse on an unit.

***On a different note, there is a difference between being ignorant yet willing to learn and being oblivious yet confident. I would much rather work with the first type of people because they can at least be somewhat coachable.

I don't know you so I wasn't sure whether this was serious or you were being facetious. Must be just awful to be so much more intelligent than the majority.

LOL!

Lol indeed. :D

I did read your post well the first time but just re-read it once more just in case. If you read mine again as well, you will be able to see that my point is that although they are not new grads.... they may be nurses who may be new to ANOTHER area/unit. As we know there are infinite areas and units within the giant umbrella that is "nursing".

Well, that's not actually true though, is it? ;)

"Infinite" and "literally" are two words that are often misused. Overheard the other day: "I was so tired I literally died when I got home."

Forgive me for being pedantic. I understand the point you are making. :)

Specializes in Med-Surg., LTC,, OB/GYN, L& D,, Office.
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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
You know how I went through Nursing School?

I opened the door in the front of the building and walked out the back door!!! That's how I went through!

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