Giving report - experienced nurses make you feel foolish

Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN · Oct 22, 2006

You're doing great. Don't let 'em get to you.

Be polite and just do your thing.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Oct 22, 2006

It always seems like they are giving me harsh criticisms, even when I don't feel they are deserved. It's like - "well, did you do this?" or "why didn't you do that?" I do everything that is best for my patients within my abilities, and I just feel like I am constantly being accused of laziness. They come into it with an attitude that I DID make mistakes, and they are just trying to find them.

Usually when someone did this to me (when i gave report as a student, this happened twice), they were also interrupting me in the process. When someone interjects with "well did you do this" i would reply "well, if you would please let me finish what i am saying, i can answer that question w/o it being asked" smile and pick up where i left off.

newohiorn, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Oct 22, 2006

Agree with the other post about just being polite and do your thing. As long as you're doing the best you can and getting done what needs to be done, don't sweat it. I think some people will say the "why didn't you do this or that?" to anyone, not just a new nurse. I've noticed that the day shift nurses think night shift doesn't do anything but I've noticed plenty of day shift nurses doing the bare minimum and leaving the 2nd shift nurse behind the eight ball--it happens on every shift.

I'm sure I leave stuff undone sometimes, never intentionally. I do my best to leave the nurse following me in the best situation possible--as I want the nurse before me to do. Do I always succeed--no, but I'm doing the best I can and then I just let it go.

cardsRN · Oct 22, 2006

sorry to report that this does not end with your new grad year. this is part of the "cool kids" vs "new kid on the block" thing that happens whenever you are new. even if experienced rn on a new unit. (as i found out). just keep your head up and remember you will not be the new kid forever. soon there will be someone else to pick on. and if you keep your focus on you and your patients in the meantime, you will prove yourself to these entrenched insecure biddies.

oh yeah- my other favorite is when they completely ignore you (look through you, walk away from you) when you're trying to tell them about the pt they're assuming care for! it's great! so professional!

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · Oct 22, 2006

Sigh.....this has happened to me almost every night I give end of shift report. They are questions that I, quite frankly, don't even care about. While my pt is venitlated and on levophed, I didn't really have the time to review the chart to know what kind of profession my pt did for a living. But, sure enough, I was asked what they did for a job, and when I said I didn't know, I got the roll of the eyes. :uhoh3:

I'm so tired of nasty nurses.

RNLisa · Oct 22, 2006

I have had some nurses who don't even want much for report. I give them all the info, they say, "Ok" and just either stop me or ignore me and look at their med times while I am talking. Then, there are nurses who want the whole 411 on the patient. I am damned if I do, damned if I don't. So, I usually just ask "Have you had this patient before?" and if they say yes, I just give them the bare minimum. Etc.

Hoozdo, ADN · Oct 22, 2006

oh yeah- my other favorite is when they completely ignore you (look through you, walk away from you) when you're trying to tell them about the pt they're assuming care for! it's great! so professional!

Oh yeah, I give report to one like this. She won't even look at me.....like I am so beneath her that she won't bless me with her gaze! Unbelievable :trout:

She constantly comes in late too, such a joy to work with **NOT**

bigmona · Oct 23, 2006

LOL... I had one nurse flip open her cell phone to look at it while I was giving her report. She didn't write a thing down or acknowledge anything I said. She was also 25 mins late. I should have just left without waiting, would have saved both her and I some time.

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · Oct 23, 2006

When I was a tech and I had to give report to people like this, I would jsut write out the report and tape it to the desk. Of course, I can't do this now, but maybe I will just write out report and hand it to then and then ask, 'any questions' while I'm holding my purse and lunch and clocking out!

Hoozdo, ADN · Oct 23, 2006

When I was a tech and I had to give report to people like this, I would jsut write out the report and tape it to the desk. Of course, I can't do this now, but maybe I will just write out report and hand it to then and then ask, 'any questions' while I'm holding my purse and lunch and clocking out!

I could do that, but I refuse to do any extra work - such as written report, just because the nurse is late and won't look at me! My new philosophy is to stay and wait for her, give her report, and then call the nursing supervisor for overtime :trout:

MIA-RN1, RN · Oct 23, 2006

im still pretty green and some of the nurses I report off to are really great, and others are really not very nice. I find that if I check who is assuming care of my patients, I can plan my report accordingly, a nice normal report for the easy-going nurses, and very detailed report for the ones who give me grief.