You Know You're a Young(er) Nurse when...

Nurses General Nursing

Published

...You realize what area of specality you want to go into and are then able to skip the trenches of bedside Med-Surg that many Old(er) Nurses tell you is mandatory just because they want to put you through the back-breaking Hell they went through before they realized what field they liked. We have Med-Surg Clinicals and Preceptorship already. And I've have a Nurse's Aide job for years. And I am a Sitter...

:mortarboard:

:idea: :redbeathe: :studyowl:

:nurse: :heartbeat:

... When you work 3- 12's in a row and come back the VERY next day and pull a 16 hour shift because the NM called you in and you felt guilty.

.... When you have to decide whether to take a $10K sign-on bonus or go work on the unit with the really cool staff!

...When you plan you wedding/baby shower/ first kid's birth/ Toddler's birthday party around the hopsital patient census.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

... When you have to stop yourself from using Tweety, Trauma, Nurse Karen any of the other mods or allnurses as a source in your research paper. It wouldn't be proper APA form.

...When you can tell your preceptor/ nursing clinical instructor how nursing students/new nurse 1500 miles away in Dallas do things! (NB- The El Centro/North Lake threads are Dallas threads and some of the largest on allnurses)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

.... you won't tell anyone, but just like everyone else you are trying to decide whether to become a traveller or go to CRNA school.

... you KNEW you wanted to become a CRNA or a traveller before your first clinical class.

:rotfl:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Neuro ICU, Neuro/Trauma stepdown.
.... you won't tell anyone, but just like everyone else you are trying to decide whether to become a traveller or go to crna school.

... you knew you wanted to become a crna or a traveller before your first clinical class.

:rotfl:

uh oh, that would be me, totally busted.

:smiletea2:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
...We have Med-Surg Clinicals and Preceptorship already. And I've have a Nurse's Aide job for years. And I am a Sitter...

You know a younger nurse/student because they state that and THINK that having been a sitter/NA/tech/diverse clinicals shows them the extent of responsibility of a MS nurse.

It ranks right up there with those that believe that they should be able to charge/travel/manage/teach without actually working as an nurse for a bit first. Yes, a few are successful, but the vas majority are misses.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Developmental Disabilities, LTC.

It's your first clinical ever & @ the end of the night you're freaking out because your dialysis pt still hasn't voided...then the nurse you're reporting off to laughs at you when you tell her how, "OMG, I'm sooo sorry! I shouldn't have waited until now to tell you, but....he still hasn't voided yet!" :smackingf

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
If you learn and share new things, the Nursing profession will get better for all within..." :studyowl: "... FYI - This thread was started in response to the Long-Standing "You know you're an Old(er) nurse if...). peace

The "Older Nurses" thread was started as a reminiscing thread, from what I have gathered, not as a way to put down younger nurses.

"Older Nurses" also feel that if you learn and share new things, the Nursing profession will get better for all within. If you get a piece of advice that doesn't work for you, just don't take it, it's fine.

For instance, I learned that in Community Nursing, you need to speak on a 5th grade level so that those people can understand you.

Cristina, there are those to whom you need to speak that way, and you will find out when you do your assessment, but I would also say that if you speak to some OTHERS as if they are at a fifth grade level, they might DECK you for being condescending or for stereotyping THEM! :idea: The general rule about generalities is that it is rarely profitable to generalize. So stereotyping doesn't really work, whether I do it or you do it. :monkeydance:

Peace and God bless,

Zoe

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
For instance, I learned that in Community Nursing, you need to speak on a 5th grade level so that those people can understand you.

I'm sorry, Cristina, and please don't think I am harping - I wanted to say one more thing about what you said above. If you use the expression "those people", ten to one you are stereotyping and generalizing, and aren't going to be as helpful to them as you COULD be.

Peace out

Z

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
... When you have to stop yourself from using Tweety, Trauma, Nurse Karen any of the other mods or allnurses as a source in your research paper. It wouldn't be proper APA form...

You must be cheating - did you already have a list written out?? ha ha ha!

I especially like your quote above ;)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, Peds, LDRP.

*When u work for a home health agency (where u are supposed to choose your shifts!), and get stuck working weekends for a family who thinks they own you, are are too chicken to take a stand and tell them you no longer wish to work weekends bc they will hold a grudge

.......who works weekends if they dont have too? apparantly me! lol

*When u need someone to proofread your charting to make sure u signed/initialed everything

*When having to suction a trach patient/do trach care, and u are busting a sweat and your hand is shaking

*when you talk yourself thru sterile technique (ok this hand is sterile, this one is clean....)

*When you practice what you are going to say to coworkers the next time they talk down to you or treat you like an idiot

*when changing the diaper of someone on tobi abx makes you gag

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Geriatrics, Pediatrics, Home Health.

You knw you are a new nurse when... you get report from the ADON and acually admit that you are scared!! [EEK!]

when you spend all day in one pts' room because he keeps yelling loud enough to be heard on 3 different units and the other patients want you to tranquilize the pts.

when you listen to a more experienced nurse advising you to crush said pts'. meds and put them in hot water because he will drink anything. Only to realize that he will NOT drink crushed iron and then having to waste an avtivan and an Endocet.

When you finally get the ativan and endocet finely crushed and in a chocolate drink, and watch the pt. drink it right down to the bottom of the cup and all the powder is still in the cup!!

When you have to ask the CNA's where your pts are so you can give them their meds! :D

That's pretty much how my shift went yesterday!!

_________________________________________

In His Grace,

Karen

Failure is NOT an option!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Alzheimer's, Geriatrics, Chem. Dep..
*When u work for a home health agency (where u are supposed to choose your shifts!), and get stuck working weekends for a family who thinks they own you, are are too chicken to take a stand and tell them you no longer wish to work weekends bc they will hold a grudge

.......who works weekends if they dont have too? apparantly me! lol

*When u need someone to proofread your charting to make sure u signed/initialed everything

*When having to suction a trach patient/do trach care, and u are busting a sweat and your hand is shaking

*when you talk yourself thru sterile technique (ok this hand is sterile, this one is clean....)

*When you practice what you are going to say to coworkers the next time they talk down to you or treat you like an idiot

*when changing the diaper of someone on tobi abx makes you gag

I can identify with all of the above, to some degree, as an "old" nurse LOL -

I love the "this hand is sterile, this one is clean ..." You should try working in the OR - this table is clean, that bottom is dirty ... lol

Good luck to you!

BTW, I never knew that Tobi can make you gag when you change a diaper...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment