Gossiping amongst nurses

mom4josh · Sep 22, 2009

Yes, I agree that at times nurses can eat their young. And, in my working experience of 30+ years in all types of jobs, women can be more difficult to work with and for (don't jump on me for this). Gossip is rampant in any place there are more than a few people. But that is a subject that has been talked about way too much here.

Since you're still new, however, let me tell you about doctors. If they are rude, mean, arrogant, and think they can do no wrong, they will treat you like crap. Doesn't matter how you treat them. Some you might be able catch on a good day and they won't bite your head off. Others will snap at you no matter what. That's how it is. So don't think that just because you're nice to them they will be nice to you. That's naive.

MagsMom · Sep 22, 2009

Gossiping is everywhere - no matter what field you are in. My sister regularly complains about the troubles in the elementary school she teaches in. I actually LOVE gossip - however, I learned the hard way and now never ever contribute to the conversation. I just keep busy and get my gossip thrills by reading all of the star tabloids.

KAYBDT6, BSN, RN · Sep 22, 2009

No big deal in gossiping. Is everywhere, not only with the nurses. Just be NEUTRAL!

zuzi · Sep 22, 2009

Stay away...is not your business what people do, hystory bla, bla, bla.........do your job as best you can, enjoy, stay happy, comunicate in professional manner, go home. Is easy...stay away to gossip...

highlandlass1592, BSN, RN · Sep 22, 2009

Echo what others are saying about doctors. Many doctors have a terrible complex that nurses are an inferior life form. I think when you're rose colored glasses come off, you might see nurse/doctor relationships differently

Medic/Nurse, BSN, RN · Sep 22, 2009

Hmmm......

Hey there OP - QTPie86 (Really - cutie pie and I'm answering this question)

Where do I start? You have another thread about DATING THE RESIDENTS - come on. This is simple to me. Don't give 'em anything to work with and don't participate in making your life an accepted topic. With NOTHING to know/speak of - it tends to dry up the gossip machines.

If you make love and bacon at the same address - YOU WILL DESERVE WHAT YOU GET.

And no - I'm not old, fat and ugly. I just do not get the joy out of seeing folks screw up their lives and careers that some do.

Good Luck.

SunnyAndrsn · Sep 22, 2009

I've recently found myself in the situation of being frustrated with some of my new coworkers, and found myself complaining instead of helping.

Another nurse and I instead started by making a list of the problems that we found on our weekend, and took a little time to brainstorm. At shift change, we took one of the new nurses aside and talked to her about some of the things, and offered a couple of strategies to help her.

She got teary, we ended up making her feel so bad. So we stopped and asked her what WOULD have been more helpful. Turns out while she's grateful that we pointed the things out that we did, now she's wondering what else has been left and if ppl are upset with her work in other areas. UGH! In the end, I stayed for about another hour past my shift just talking about various training/orientation issues that we have in our facility, and although management has no plan to incooperate any of our changes, as nurses who are doing the orientation, we now know that there are different things that we can do to help set our new nurses up for success.

It's my hope that this will improve the dynamic and decrease the gossip...

We really felt bad that we made this new nurse so upset! I think nurses are perfectionists by nature, and "feedback" is typically heard as criticism and evidence of our non-perfection.

Is it just me that is really tired of nurses gossiping and backstabbing each other?
I've only been at my current job for 1 month now. However, I feel as if all the nurses know each others life story or they've backstabbed another nurse.
Also, so many nurses talk about how badly doctors treat them...Ok, if you treat them with respect...they'll do the same...but then again I'm only the "new young nurse".
I'm starting to believe the saying, "Nurses eat their young".

EmergencyNrse · Sep 22, 2009

Gossip?

Wherever you go. Whatever you do. The names & faces will change some but the stories are ALWAYS the same.

Better get use to it.

Oh boy.

Mulan · Sep 22, 2009

Reminds me of the two old adages:

Keep your mouth shut and your eyes and ears wide open.

If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything.

Gossip is addressed in the code of conduct in some hospitals.

Does JCAHO have anything to say about gossip?

Tweety, BSN, RN · Sep 22, 2009

If all the nurses are gossiping and backstabbing, it's not nurses eating their young, it's each other.

Take another picture and ask yourself "is every last one of the nurses I know a backstabbing gossip hound". Or are there some decent people in there. People gossip, but rather than look at everyone waiting on them to gossip and backstab to validate your negative opinion of them and set yourself apart, why not just brush off what you don't need, don't gossip and look for the good in people.

If they are all evil witches just waiting to eat you up, then you might find another place to work. All places have people who gossip, but not all environments are that bad, and not all people that bad.

retiredlady · Sep 22, 2009

I just would say, be careful in the gossiping. It can come around and bite you, even with people that you think are your best friends at work. Just listen and don't get involved and do your work and say postive things. The gossiping people tend to be very negative people and are not too happy in their lives.