You know when you are a good nurse when...

ReWritten · Apr 23, 2011

Don't become too focused on what others say. I don't know anywhere where there isn't day shift vs. night shift. I work nights on Med-Surg and I don't know when there is a shift where we don't make a negative comment about days. But for what it's worth, they're so crazy busy I can't imagine keeping up with all the admits/discharges and keeping up with orders. (When I visited my ER, there was also day vs. night, which I found kind of hilarious)

That being said, time management and critical thinking kind of come with time. I'm almost at a year of experience, and there isn't a night that goes by where I haven't learned something (which is the biggest reason why I love nursing). I typically have time management under control, but when I'm given an admission it throws off my "schedule" I've set for myself. You just have to adapt to what's given to you. There's only 1 of you and about 5-7 patients that you're responsible for.

My advice is, even though you may feel like you're a burden to your coworkers, they rather have you ask questions then to just do something that may potentially be wrong/harm your patient. You're never going to learn unless you ask. Even the most experienced nurses on my floor ask each other for advice/opinions.

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 23, 2011

"you know when you are a good nurse when..." you are finally able to leave the catty, vicious, unprofessional behaviors of your co-workers in a bedside nursing position behind to care for patients directly or indirectly in professional nursing positions!

did i make myself clear? if not here you go: you are a good nurse when you know that your work environment is too toxic to continue to provide excellent patient care. so rather then continue to force yourself to work there you either get another staff nurse job or you leave bedside nursing. i am choosing the latter.

i am done with changing one bedside nightmare for another. positions away from the bedside require your co-workers to behave professionally because they have no choice. they work with non-nurses all shift in a business like environment and in order to succeed, he/she must be professional.

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Apr 23, 2011

...you aren't affected by the static and pollution spewing from hateful people who just want to bring you down, and can concentrate on giving 100% of your focus on each patient that you encounter.

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Apr 23, 2011

BTW, expect a response from Ruby Vee...where are ya girl?!?

Chin up · Apr 23, 2011

"you know when you are a good nurse when..." you are finally able to leave the catty, vicious, unprofessional behaviors of your co-workers in a bedside nursing position behind to care for patients directly or indirectly in professional nursing positions!
did i make myself clear? if not here you go: you are a good nurse when you know that your work environment is too toxic to continue to provide excellent patient care. so rather then continue to force yourself to work there you either get another staff nurse job or you leave bedside nursing. i am choosing the latter.
i am done with changing one bedside nightmare for another. positions away from the bedside require your co-workers to behave professionally because they have no choice. they work with non-nurses all shift in a business like environment and in order to succeed, he/she must be professional.

i have been reading all of your our post and yes, it is time for you to leave. you will feel better and become the person you used to be. heal yourself and find your peace now. don't wait another day, i know it is killing you softly. i knew when i had to leave and could not do another day. i felt so suffocated, and beyond miserable. my joy was nil and void. i never thought i would be happy ever again. at my lowest point, an opportunity came and week by week, i got more joy. by week three my old self came back. looking back, i can't believe i waited so long. my sincere advice to you, go now. peace!

jammin246RN · Apr 23, 2011

You know you are a good nurse when you can critically think and solve a situation with the supplies available... and when you don't dread going to work. For example applying bucks traction when you don't have a boot, or cord.... but you do have ace wrap and tape! For time management I can give you some tips on that. When I see my patients to start off I pop in and spend 1 min with each patient to see each of them and ask how they feel, any n/v pain? Then I make a note and move onto the next patient until I have seen all of my patients in the first 15 min. Those who have pain or n/v get the meds and while I am passing their meds I am doing their head to toe assessment, and making notes. Med pass time on the floor is 2100 so at 2000 I grab the patient's meds, give them, do a full assessment. Try to group everything together. If someone needs something that isn't urgent I make a note of it, finish what I was doing and then see to the matter. Using this strategy I can usually get my assessments done, meds passed, and everything charted by 2200.

kayern · Apr 23, 2011

We were all novice nurses at one time or another and senior more experienced nurses need to remember that once upon a time they were the new-bee. If they were smart instead of talking about you (or whomever is their victim of the day) they should be teaching and advising.

Perhaps it is because we are primarily a female workforce and so goes the gossip thing. My staff and our Management team welcome the new grads...........keeping our eyes and ears open for an opportunity to jump in, teach and offer assistance. The novice nurses know each and everyone on staff is there to help them. I'm very proud of my staff for this reason, my new-bees are happy and very successful!!!!

NCRN2010, BSN, RN · Apr 23, 2011

Just being concerned enough to evaluate your practice shows me that you must be a good nurse. It takes years to get to a place where you can reflect on your day and say...I was a great nurse today. Dont let all the seasoned nurses backstabbing get your down. Keep doing what you have been doing. You have to be true to yourself. When ever there is a place with women are the primary employees, there is going to be alot of competition and backstabbing. It is just the nature of some women, unfortunately. Good luck! :nurse:

FancypantsRN · Apr 23, 2011

You know you are a good nurse when you care enough to question if you are a good nurse or not. All the other things come with time - we all had to learn critical thinking and time management. Just be patient with yourself :)

elizabethgrad09 · Apr 23, 2011

I am a second career RN, recent graduate, whose first career was software engineering. So I went from working with 90% men to working with 90% women. I agree that there is a huge difference, for whatever reason. My sister in law once told me that "men are friendly like dogs whereas women are competitive and catty". Huge generalization I know, but it does seem to be that way in a lot of cases. What I have observed with the unfriendly nurses I have worked with so far is that they are insecure. Perhaps this is more of a female trait because of women being historically oppressed and disrespected.

When I was a software engineer working for a large corporation, everyone treated each other with respect (management, workers, etc.). It was a much more professional environment. Also, there was almost no focus on rank or hierarchy. I had brilliant co-workers who had a B.S. or no degreee at all (just came up through the ranks) who had been promoted to higher positions than someone with an M.S. or even PhD. Apparently this would never happen in nursing, where there is so much emphasis on the degree rather than the talent. Thank God I am now working for a supervisor who treats everyone with respect and is encouraging rather than punative.

canesdukegirl, BSN, RN · Apr 23, 2011

i am a second career rn, recent graduate, whose first career was software engineering. so i went from working with 90% men to working with 90% women. i agree that there is a huge difference, for whatever reason. my sister in law once told me that "men are friendly like dogs whereas women are competitive and catty". huge generalization i know, but it does seem to be that way in a lot of cases. what i have observed with the unfriendly nurses i have worked with so far is that they are insecure. perhaps this is more of a female trait because of women being historically oppressed and disrespected.
i am also a second career rn. i used to be a graphic artist, and the employees were mostly men. that job was so fun that i felt like i got paid for playing! we would literally sit around the conference table and draw, sketch out storyboards, throw ideas out wildly and then put them into a format.
being the only woman in my family, i can tell you that men are highly competitive. they are just not as passive aggressive as women. when they have a beef with you, they tell you and then get on with life. women tend to let something bother them, then let it simmer...and simmer. but i digress...
when i was a software engineer working for a large corporation, everyone treated each other with respect (management, workers, etc.). it was a much more professional environment. also, there was almost no focus on rank or hierarchy. i had brilliant co-workers who had a b.s. or no degreee at all (just came up through the ranks) who had been promoted to higher positions than someone with an m.s. or even phd. apparently this would never happen in nursing, where there is so much emphasis on the degree rather than the talent. thank god i am now working for a supervisor who treats everyone with respect and is encouraging rather than punative.

it is always more productive to encourage staff rather than berate them for mistakes. to 'lord over' your staff just makes for a toxic work environment where nobody is happy. i find that a positive work environment must start at the top. if a supervisor is constantly making catty, snide remarks, then the staff has this vortex of negativity around them. who wants that?!?