I just finished replying to another thread
https://allnurses.com/t55628-10-4.html
which had the unfortunate effect of tearing up some emotional scar tissue and consequently opening up some old wounds. Since I come to this BB to vent from time to time in hopes of better understanding certain things I offer up the following:
Why is Nursing Culture so Convoluted?
I came to nursing as the "All American Boy" on a military scholarship so awarded because of past noteworthy job performance and academic history. As a former surgical technician my goal was to become a CRNA and I set forth to make that goal a reality.
Long story short, in pursuit of that goal I experienced the things that many people do such as sexual harassment, hostile work environments, blatantly biased supervisors, and other offenses that motivated me to leave nursing and pursue opportunities elsewhere that offered a more positive, supportive environment. Consequently I have done well.
The issue? I would have thought that nursing culture (i.e., the nursing profession); would have been more proactive and sympathetic on grievance redress for those issues noted above. What I found was a profession (and culture) pretty much unsympathetic to my experiences and reported concerns when grievance redress was pursued. Why is that?
Success is the best revenge (nobody gets hurt so to speak) and I do take some satisfaction in pointing out my achievements to those who caused me such misery in my past. Yet I still have an emotional (maybe spiritual) connection to nursing that brings me back to various nursing forums such as this in hopes that by better understanding my past I will somehow improve the future for myself, my family and perhaps others who follow in our footsteps.
For those of you coming into nursing I wish you well. For those of you who have elected to stay in nursing I wish you continued success. For those of you who made my life a living hell while I endeavored to be a "good nurse" I offer you this:
**Thanks to the original poster for the image above. It was the best image I could find on Google to adequately convey the message.
Thanks for listening.
-HBS
:)