Graduate Nurse vs Experienced Nurse

[betts]

A graduate nurse throws up when the patient does.

An experienced nurse calls housekeeping when a patient throws up.

A graduate nurse wears so many pins on their name badge you can't read it.

An experienced nurse doesn't wear a name badge for liability reasons.

A graduate nurse charts too much.

An experienced nurse doesn't chart enough.

A graduate nurse loves to run codes.

An experienced nurse makes graduate nurses run to codes.

A graduate nurse wants everyone to know they are a nurse.

An experienced nurse doesn't want anyone to know they are a nurse.

A graduate nurse keeps detailed notes on a pad.

An experienced nurse writes on the back of their hand, paper scraps, napkins, etc.

A graduate nurse will spend all day trying to reorient a patient.

An experienced nurse will chart the patient is disoriented and restrain them.

A graduate nurse can hear a beeping I-med at 50 yards.

An experienced nurse can't hear any alarms at any distance.

A graduate nurse loves to hear abnormal heart and breath sounds.

An experienced nurse doesn't even want to hear about them unless the patient is symptomatic.

A graduate nurse spends 2 hours giving a patient a bath.

An experienced nurse lets the CNA give the patient a bath.

A graduate nurse thinks people respect nurses.

An experienced nurse knows everybody blames everything on the nurse.

A graduate nurse looks for blood on a bandage hoping they will get to change it.

An experienced nurse knows a little blood never hurt anybody.

A graduate nurse looks for a chance "to work with the family".

An experienced nurse avoids the family.

A graduate nurse expects meds and supplies to be delivered on time.

An experienced nurse expects them to never be delivered at all.

A graduate nurse will spend days bladder training an incontinent patient.

An experienced nurse will insert a foley catheter.

A graduate nurse always answers their phone.

An experienced nurse checks their caller ID before answering the phone.

A graduate nurse thinks psych patients are interesting.

An experienced nurse thinks psych patients are crazy.

A graduate nurse carries reference books in their bag.

An experienced nurse carries magazines, lunch and some "cough syrup" in their bag.

A graduate nurse doesn't find this funny.

An experienced nurse does.

[mattcastens]

Quote

Originally posted by betts

A graduate nurse keeps detailed notes on a pad.

An experienced nurse writes on the back of their hand, paper scraps, napkins, etc.

Heh! When I first started in critical care I did a great job of doing all my notes on the progress pages as things were hitting the fan. I could juggle the code and chart in perfect form the whole time. My charge nurse and mentor kept razzing me about how neat everything was.

Then one day I had a patient that was circling the drain faster than a piece of toilet tissue. I couldn't find the progress notes to chart what I was doing, and I probably wouldn't have had the time anyway. So, I started charting on my pants leg, the bed sheet, and a paper towel. Once the patient was in surgery, I grabbed the linen from the hamper, changed out of my scrubs and grabbed the towel to transfer my notes to the progress record.

My charge came up to me and said, "Congratulations, Matt, now you're a real nurse."

[jschut, BSN, RN]

Love it! You guys are great!

[newgrad04]

Just graduated, and I'm lovin' this! Soooo true! ?

[Truly_Blessed]

Too funny, but probably true ?

[RedSox33RN]

That's great!!

I admit that I'm not a nurse yet, and take notes on my arm, hand, pants, etc. I actually learned that from an RN! ?

[Jen2]

Still a SN here, but I have wrote many vitals on alcohol swabs and 4x4's.. He He very funny

[maire, ASN, RN]

Cute. Printed that out and added it to my "collection."

[stormyocean]

This guy speaks the truth. I wish some of it weren't true, but some of it isn't true ALL the time.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

Great story ... love it!

[happystudent, RN]

So true, so true...........

[workhorse]

Too FUNNY and TRUE--after 30 plus years!!!!