Heads up experienced nurses...What drives you nuts about GN's?....be brutally honest!

CardioTrans, BSN, RN · May 11, 2006

Congrats on passing NCLEX and on your new job!

The main thing that irritates me most about new nurses on orientation is when they dont want to listen to what Im trying to teach them. They may have been a new grad, or a nurse with experience new to my unit.

Ask questions if you dont understand something. There is no stupid question. Seek out opportunities to learn something new. Even if what is new is not with one of your patients. Go around and help other nurses when you are caught up. Sometimes you would be surprised at what you miss out on when you dont wander around to the other nurses. Do not pretend that you know everything.

Know that when nurses are stressed, angry or just plan out mean that they may not neccesarily be directing it to you. Do not take snappy comments, or rude comments personally. When we are stressed, it tends to come out at whoever is standing closest to us. Perfect case in point, not too long ago, I had a patient coding, a new orientee with me who was scared to death, and not handling the situation well, and things were kind of hectic to say the least......... one of my closest friends at work was trying to break the tension on my face and was making an inside joke to me.......... I snapped at him used a few choice words that I would have never in a million years used towards him. Hes a great friend and nurse, and I lost it. After it was all over with, I went and apologized to him, he knew when it came out of my mouth that it wasnt meant for him and he knew that I was stressed.

If you did do something to make your preceptor upset, confront it then, dont let it build over time. You may have to take a few minutes to compose yourself or calm yourself down, but handle it before you leave for the day. Know that not everyone is going to be friendly, know that you will not like everyone, and not everyone will like you. But we are there to take care of the patient.

Hope this helps, and I do sincerely wish you the best of luck with your new job.

llg, PhD, RN · May 11, 2006

My advice would be to always remember: "It's not all about you."

In the first episode of the TV show "ER," Dr. Benson tells a discouraged med student Carter that the patients' needs "are more important than how we feel." Several years later, when Dr. Carter was leaving the ER, he said exactly the same thing to a new young character. Now, I usually hate medical shows and no longer watch "ER" regularly ... but they got that one right. That was the message of the pilot episode and I was happy to see them echo that message years later. They did that because the writers recognized the importance of that message.

Focus on the patients' needs and on doing a good job of serving them and helping your colleagues. While it's OK to have needs yourself, if you are frequently focused on your own needs and desires, you will be missing the reason for your being there at work.

Some new grads forget that and act as if everything at work exists for their benefit. Conversations center on what they need and want -- not on what is best for the effective running of the unit to allow the unit to meet the patients' needs. A little of that is OK, but a little goes a long way. Don't make it all about you. Learn to meet many of your needs yourself and don't put the responsibility of keeping you satisfied onto your colleagues. They have their own problems and needs. Ask for help when you need it, but take responsibility for following through with your learning and for your professional growth yourself. Let the staff see that you are striving to be an inter-dependent professional and that you are continually growing and want to grow more.

You asked a good question ... and I tried to be brutally honest in the hopes of helping a few readers avoid that mistake. Good luck to you and to all the other new grads.

llg

jamielyn_1981 · May 11, 2006

Thank you so much for your time to answer my questions. I appreciate it so much! I will use these tips and suggestions the next few months! You all are so great on here!

Jamie

carachel2 · May 16, 2006

GN's who don't ask questions SCARE me. They either *think* they know it all or they are too scared to ask.........either one is very, very dangerous.

Good luck !

cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN · May 18, 2006

GN's who don't ask questions SCARE me. They either *think* they know it all or they are too scared to ask.........either one is very, very dangerous.
Good luck !

I got the distinct impression that my preceptor didn't like all the questions I was asking. Like I was asking too much. I wasn't rambling off all the time with questions, but if I felt it appropriate; I asked. It was almost like he was offended about what I would ask. For instance, I wouldn't ask, "What do you do now!", I would say, "if this were me, what should I be thinking of doing first?" or is it appropriate for me to do this.... his answer, "You wouldn't get this pt as a new grad." Gee, thanks!

Maybe that's why some new grads don't like asking questions. We don't want to be seen as dumb, ignorant, or a nuisance.

fergus51 · May 18, 2006

I'm happy to help a new grad with any questions they have. We're all still learning.

The only thing I can't stand is a new grad know-it-all who is disrespectful. I've recently come into two of them who don't seem to get subtle warnings about their attitude. I really enjoy new nurses for the most part and like I said I am happy to help them, but I will take out a newbie who gives me too much attitude. I've only had to do it twice in my career.