New nurses wanted.

We need new nurses. We need people with strength of character, intelligence, and drive. So who says they're being driven away? Nurses General Nursing Article

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Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN

1 Article; 20,908 Posts

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
I have just read a post in a Nursing Specialties forum on Staff Development that makes reference to the need to recognize and nurture new nurses because the nursing-eat-their-young attitude is so widespread. I went to respond to that but realized it might see more eyes here.

As a clarification, it is critically important to know that someone who has a bad experience is likely to tell the story 25 times, while someone with a good one is likely to tell that story only 5 times. If therefore you apply this algorithm to the posts complaining of wretched treatment at the hands of old meanies who don't remember what it is to have a dreeeeaaaammmmm and passsssssiooonnnn, then you come out with a more realistic picture.

Language is also critically important. Using words like, "It has been a chronic problem that has driven new nurses to leave nursing areas they had aspired to work in, and oftentimes caused new nurses to leave the nursing field entirely. No one knows how many talented people have been driven from the field of nursing, but it seems to be a widespread problem if all the articles and discussion in nursing forums is representative of most nursing environments" makes assumptions on facts not in evidence. "Seem(ing) to be a widespread problem" only works if you believe that "all the articles and discussion is representative of most nursing environments." (emphasis added here and below). Data, please. What's the source of that information?

There are many threads and posts on AN that describe awesome experiences and workplaces, yet this assertion of "all the articles and discussion" clearly ignores them. There is ample evidence of older nurses here and at work supporting, teaching, and mentoring younger ones, on their own time, for free, late at night when they ought to be in bed, precisely because they want to nurture new nurses. We know they are our future, and we want them to be good. At the same time, there are multiple posts from new nurses that can bitterly dishearten the seasoned thoughtful practitioner, posts that indicate low levels of preparation, high levels of neediness and entitlement, unrealistic expectations of the realities of bedside work, and inability to adapt to the labor market.

Those older, seasoned, and experienced practitioners express their dismay at these attitudes in many ways, from light-hearted banter to bitter and heartbroken rant. The resulting wails are instructive-- and demonstrative of a problem that has generally nothing whatsoever to do with young-eating. Perhaps some of those "many talented people" (in whose estimation? their own?) are "oftentimes" "driven" away by other factors than this seriously-overused and incredible (in the definition of the word, meaning, "not believable," not "rad, totally awesome, duuude") sound bite. Beware the shallow thinker who prefers sound bites to thoughtful analysis; do not be that person. We need better critical thinking in nursing. It can start here.

Those of us older and more seasoned nurses know better than to discourage all new nurses from practice. We, better than they, have a clearer vision of being in those beds rather than beside them; we, better than they, have a larger perspective on the world of nursing care. We have already been new nurses. We have already been managers. We have already taken the responsibility of being charge nurses. We have been years at bedsides. We have already seen and participated in disasters, codes, deaths, family tragedies, fights, and labor actions. We know what it takes. We know we need more of us, as we age and leave because we are not able to do it anymore.

We can be pardoned for being scared to death of those soi-disant (this means, in translation, self-described) "talented people" who are unable to (for lack of a better word) hack it at the bedside and do not understand, or try to understand, from whence we come. The perennially-aggrieved give us heartburn; we have no patience with them, we don't have time. We are scared of what will happen to us and our loved ones when the self-esteem movement leaves us with caregivers that need more validation from their patients than they have the fortitude to learn to give them.

We welcome whole-heartedly, unreservedly, new nurses who are willing to put their education in its proper place, planning and providing competent care. We love the one who doesn't come in and say, "I'm just working here for a year so I can go to ICU and then go to CRNA / NP school." We want good nurses; we are willing to help new nurses who want to work wherever there is a need even if it's not their dreeeeaammmm job, and work hard, to grow. We want to work with people who don't have such a twitchy trigger finger, ready to go off with a bang over the least perceived slight. We want colleagues who believe this:

Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted. (~Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Anyone who wants to be a nurse who has the strength of character to do that, we're ready for you. Are you ready for us? We are already here.

3D_emoticon_S202.gif3D_emoticon_S202.gif3D_emoticon_S202.gifI'll be referring to this post.

My new favouite quote....

Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted. (~Ralph Waldo Emerson)

madwife2002, BSN, RN

26 Articles; 4,777 Posts

Specializes in RN, BSN, CHDN.

Wonderful well written article! Thank you! You put into words what I see everyday, especially where you imply we are scared of the future and that we don't need nurses who use everyday nursing as a quick stepping stone!

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN

1 Article; 5,115 Posts

Are you kidding me? A Nicki Minaj quote? That is awful haha. But in all seriousness, I think the older ******* nurses only discourage the new ones because it makes them feel better. If they are still on the floor at age whatever 50 or 60. They have probably applied and not gotten a few management positions. Those are my thoughts after 5 months in as a new grad on a med surg floor.

This is parody or misplaced sophomoric humor, right? If not, I will disparage this because it deserves it.

Five whole months, huh? Gee, whizzikers.

amygarside

1,026 Posts

This is a great article! It really makes quite a statement.

allnurses Guide

Nurse SMS, MSN, RN

6,843 Posts

Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
Holy hell! Where have you been hiding my whole life?This!This!!!So brilliant. So marvelous.Might I stalk you a little? Follow you around murmuring bits of poetry in your ear and spreading banquets of chocolate chip cookies before you? May I mention my cunning ability to sprinkle ekg dots (fresh out of flower petals....sorry. Plus, you know, seasonal and all that.) at your croc covered feet?And should you hear Peter Gabriel echo over your facility speakers, be assured that I am out on the lawn with a boom box (that's like a big ass iPod with speakers, kids) held aloft over my head.
Geez Louise you crack me up!!

As a nursing student I take anything I get from my preceptors, I already feel as if I am in their way because they are there to care for their patients not teach me, so that being said I completely honor any little bit of attention I receive and I really appreciate it so very much. I will say though, most of my experiences have been filled with nurses who do teach me. Nurses are teachers afterall... sort of naturally happen. I once was paired with a nurse who flat out told me she wasn't there to teach me and she would not explain anything because she's not a good teachers and whatnot. I respect her choice. I would have plenty of other opportunities. Well she sure did explain things after all.

So to all those nurses.... when you get a nursing student.... we really really appreciate and admire you because as you go on about your day I often question myself.... HOW on earth will I be able to do what so and so is doing.... all the time management, decisions, and interventions. So Thank You for taking time to teach us.

Pamiesue22

21 Posts

Anyone who wants to be a nurse who has the strength of character to do that, we're ready for you. Are you ready for us? We are already here.

Thank you. As someone who went into nursing and thought of it as purely a career to support my family, I thought all through nursing school the only nursing I would ever do would be OB. I ended up getting hired on a cardiac unit with supportive older nurses who have harbored a nurturing learning environment for me and have realized that this is my niche 9 months into my career. I am starting to gain confidence in my abilities and I owe it to my co workers. They are awesome and have been totally accepting of ' the baby ' who is 23 on our unit ( me ) ... :)

joanna73, BSN, RN

4,767 Posts

Specializes in geriatrics.

Nurses eat their elderly, too. Just recently, in another post, someone commented that if a nurse works until she/he's 70, they must have to work. I know for a fact this is not true. Aside from that, some new nurses are unrealistic and expect too much hand holding. When I was the new nurse, a few of the senior nurses were somewhat cold to me. So what? I had to prove to them that I could hold my own. I wasn't on AN complaining about bullying then, either. I do believe that horizontal violence exists, just not as often as people claim.

somenurse

470 Posts

Are you kidding me? A Nicki Minaj quote? That is awful haha. But in all seriousness, I think the older ******* nurses only discourage the new ones because it makes them feel better. If they are still on the floor at age whatever 50 or 60. They have probably applied and not gotten a few management positions. Those are my thoughts after 5 months in as a new grad on a med surg floor.

oh sure, every nurse wants to be a manager, yeah, that's right. How did you get so much knowledge about what nurses really want, in only 5 months!! wow!

Yeah, the idea of being the rearend to kick if anything goes wrong, being the one to run to, if anyone is honked off about anything, yeah, being the one to squeeze in tons of 'meetings' with all kinds of boards and people, being the one to make sure everyone did this or that latest CEU or whatever, being the one to sweat out the next JCAHO exam or many other exams your unit must pass, and tons of other duties, hearing tons and tons of endless complaints and whining, every single day, trying to please both those above you, and those 'under' you, doing tons of overtime for free cuz you are salaried, staggering home at 7pm with a headache,

ALL done for a measley amount more than your floor staff is making,

oh yeah, huge mass appeal THERE!:lol2:

yes, nisteber, no doubt, your 5 months in nursing have equipped you with deep insights into why a nurse whose kids are in college would still be working...mmmHmm. yeah, that's it, they are all just inept or something. NO way anyone actually loves what they do, nope.

btw, who mentored you when you arrived? and why oh why do you think it is only 'older' nurses who could be unwelcoming? or only 'younger' nurses arriving as new employees? why would anything lead you to believe that being mean ever makes anyone happy? I don't think being mean ever makes anyone happy, but, maybe that is just my own frame of reference speaking.

Anytime i have ever been anything even close to mean, i felt like crap, and ran to apologize, sure did not make ME happy. But, to each his own.

but, have hope, no doubt, in month#6 of your profession, you will gain even more knowledge of what is going on!! Hang in there!!

somenurse

470 Posts

This is parody or misplaced sophomoric humor, right? If not, I will disparage this because it deserves it.

Five whole months, huh? Gee, whizzikers.

OHhh, maybe it was just a joke. oh!! ha. all righty then!

RN 12/12

7 Posts

Hi GrnTea,

Thanks for the great article! As a new nurse (became one a year ago, but have had hardly any work experience), I appreciated the perspective from someone who has been in the trenches. I agree with what someone else said on here to that throughout nursing school, I often found more support from those who had been nurses awhile than from newer nurses who liked to lord their position over us students.

I just want to say to those seasoned nurses-- we appreciate you! How I long to be trained by an "older" nurse! Years of experience, learning, and wisdom that I would LOVE to tap into. If you have an opening for a new nurse that is willing to work their way up the ranks the hard way, please let me know!!

Specializes in Home Health,ID/DD, Pediatrics.

Great article! I think that there are more experienced nurses out there that want to help us newer nurses learn and become seasoned. Yes there are nurses out there that are just plain mean, but that is more of a personality issue than an experience issue. In any field there are all kinds of people. I thank God for those more experienced nurses, especially having worked in a company where I was the ONLY nurse. I can't tell you how many times I wished for a more seasoned nurse to talk to when things happened. Especially when faced with a non-nurse manager who attempted to manage or rather micromanage and enforce ridiculous policies I knew a more seasoned nurse would have better been able to squash. I really wanted a seasoned nurse with tons of experience to be able to say "you have no protocol for trying to require this, and this is why your policies are not applicable to a nurse" sooo many times. I want to know when I'm doing something wrong, or could just be doing something better. Would I prefer the guidance to come from a kinder mouth, sure -- but bottom line is that I need the guidance since I've only been an RN for two years. If any seasoned nurses in Southeastern Virginia have openings, let me know I'm serious about my job and want to learn and work hard!!!!