Working at the VA hospital with Professionals!

[Brownms46]

On a travel assignment at the VA hospital here in Seattle, I floated to another unit. I was amazed at the helpfulness, the caring, and wonderful nurses I worked with on the Spinal Cord unit there! I was greeted by a nurse named Jaci! She was a ball of energy, and she was a BSN! I would have never known it! Why? Because she was as very understanding, and went about orientating me to the unit, and to my pts., without ever being condesending in ANY shape or form! Each nurse, caregiver on this unit, was there to help, not only the pts., but each other! Surprising to me, in this day, and age of that's NOT my pt. syndrome! She was team leading, and did an excellent job of coordinating, and being available for questions, and assistance! I was amazed at the way my day went, as I came in the middle of the morning, but was able to feel good about the kind of care I was able to give, and how much assistance I received, not only from the nursing staff, but the even the janitor who, whenever he saw me going in the wrong direction, or saw me looking for something, would take time to show me the where something was!

Believe me the work is hard there, but the pt. ratios are good, most of the time. But when it isn't, everyone kicks in to help, for the good of the Vet! I'm grateful that I'm in a place where I can finally say I feel good about the care I have given!

Thank you to all those who work there, and make it your business to provide, most of the time, if not all the time, an environment of caring! No place is perfect, but I'm again enjoying what I do for a living!

Brownie

[JennieBSN]

Nurs4-

#1) It's a nice, fluffy thought to say 'you can't judge a book by it's cover' when it comes to spelling and grammar, HOWEVER...when one is trying to make an argument or point, grammar and spelling count. Try using that kind of grammar and punctuation on a resume or term paper, and that philosophy just doesn't cut it. If one is attempting to assert one's point in an argument in writing, writing like a mental midget makes the whole argument seem comical.

#2) I find it interesting that you 'are shocked' by my post, yet say nothing to the myopic blowhard who has spent this entire post doing nothing but yelling and attempting to belittle me.

#3) I certainly DO NOT 'need' such an inarticulate, vehemently hostile, insecure idiot like the one who started this post. Fortunately, I work with people who do not feel the need to bash each other because they feel threatened by their degree, thus the definition of a true 'professional.'

Do not chastise me for defending myself against an unwarranted attack from an intellectual neanderthal. SOMEONE had to show some brains in this post, not just nonsensical babbling and 'LOL' over and over again like a giddy 4 year old.

[Brownms46]

Originally posted by nurs4kids:

I'm with JT, I think this whole thing of superiority is an institutional problem, not a nursing problem. My hospital recognizes us as "nurses", not BSN, LPN, ASN, etc. They will not allow BSN's to put "BSN" on their nametags, all RN's have simply "RN" behind their names. I'm an ASN and have never experienced this problem with the BSN's. I also think it's about how one perceives self. There is not a BSN, MSN or MD out there who could make me feel less a nurse simply because they have more education. I think RN's are often frustrated with LPN's not because of the abilities of the LPN, but because of the scope of practice that the individual facility or state allows them to practice. I have worked with some damn good LPN's in the past, but the institution I now work for has limited what a LPN may do to such menial tasks that it's very frustrating for a RN to work with a LPN. This is NOT the fault of the LPN, and I'm sure with the shortage their job descriptions will widen. As for other differences in the education, I agree that each education level should have perks above the other. Hell yeah, those who suffered through two+ more years of the torture of nursing school should make more than me and I have tremendous respect for their dedication to education. I can make excuses for why I didn't get a BSN, MSN, etc. but bottom line is that everyone has family/personal responsibilities and it's a matter of sacrifice and what's important to one as to whether he/she furthers the education. Sooo, we can argue this point all day, but the bottom line is it's about self. I've had the woman at the drive-thru window at McDonald's try to "talk down" to me. I'm sure it isn't because she has more letters behind her name, it's probably because she had a need to build her own esteem. You can't build yours by attempting to degrade mine. I am responsible for ME.

Kday, I am shocked by your previous post. You lost all professionalism. You did exactly what Brownie and other LPN's talk about. Spelling, grammar, etc does NOT make a person more or less intelligent. I'm sure there's things Brownie can do that you can't. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. My husband's grammar and spelling are pathetic, but when it comes to Trig, History, Science, etc. he can blow me out of the water. Don't be so quick to judge the book by it's cover!

Peace all! We NEED each other!!!

I totally agree with your post.

Brownie

[Brownms46]

Originally posted by kday:

Nurs4-

#1) It's a nice, fluffy thought to say 'you can't judge a book by it's cover' when it comes to spelling and grammar, HOWEVER...when one is trying to make an argument or point, grammar and spelling count. Try using that kind of grammar and punctuation on a resume or term paper, and that philosophy just doesn't cut it. If one is attempting to assert one's point in an argument in writing, writing like a mental midget makes the whole argument seem comical.

#2) I find it interesting that you 'are shocked' by my post, yet say nothing to the myopic blowhard who has spent this entire post doing nothing but yelling and attempting to belittle me.

#3) I certainly DO NOT 'need' such an inarticulate, vehemently hostile, insecure idiot like the one who started this post. Fortunately, I work with people who do not feel the need to bash each other because they feel threatened by their degree, thus the definition of a true 'professional.'

Do not chastise me for defending myself against an unwarranted attack from an intellectual neanderthal. SOMEONE had to show some brains in this post, not just nonsensical babbling and 'LOL' over and over again like a giddy 4 year old.

I feel it is time to end this, and to offer an apology for not trying to reassure you, my original post wasn't intented as a dig to anyone. I really did wish to relate a positive experience in that post, but unfortunately it didn't come out as I had intended it to. I should have tried to explain my rational for the post, and not immediately exposed my fangs.

Unfortuantely I became defensive, and I have no excuse for responding to you the way I did.

I was wrong in responding to your post with anger, and for causing you to intensify your anger. It was unprofessional of me to do so, no matter how I felt about your post.

I thought I was trying to make a positive statement about a nurse I had encountered. It never occurred to me, that what I thought was a positive experience, would be misinterpreted by my not taking more care in the way I stated it.

Hopefully I have worded this post in such a way, that it won't be offensive to anyone. I have no idea how I could have allowed this to disintergate into something so ugly, that it has affected others with all the negatively springing from it. Please let it end here, before anyone else is adversely infected by it.