How do you deal with ICU superiority complex?

[CaLLaCoDe]

I have to float to ICU occasionally and I just don't jive with the put - downs even if they are not said to me directly. I know the put downs exist when the shift leader gives me my assignment and then wispers an aside remark, something to the nurse to her left. How do you deal with this superiority culture of we're ICU and anyone who floats here is a second class citizen? I feel it is hard enough to float, but it is one thing to be thinking should I ask so and so's opinion about my giving this med or should I not because I'll look more like an idiot in his/her eyes? Seriously, total mind trips, I just want to be supported that's all, not given the 'snub.'

[b eyes]

I agree that there is going to be attitude werever you go, owever youdon not need to accept it. Do what you know and know what you do. If you have to ask questions, ask them.. You are there to help. Most people who treat you that way, treat everybody in their lives like that, not just fellow co-workers. You know what kind of a nurse you are and your patients know what kind of a nurse you are. when you walk out of the facility at the end of your day, you will either feel like you did a good job or you didn't. and you are the only one who can change that. unfortunately you will not be able to change a nurses attitude who feels like she is superior to you. She needs to change her attitude. When you do a good job, it gets noticed. Maybe not commented on, but believe me, it does get noticed! so keep being the wonderful nurse I am sure you are, hold your head high, and enjoy what you do! Good Luck to you!!!

b eyes

[RNperdiem, RN]

Sorry to hear of your troubles.

I have been a per diem for 5 years, and was in an ICU/Stepdown/Burns floatpool for 3 of them. I have never been given a bad assignment as a float. My assignments were always the lightest. The charge nurses always treated me like a welcome guest. I think this was because these charge nurses knew me as the transport nurse- I carried a beeper and would take patients for tests, thus freeing the nurse. Everyone is glad to see the transport nurse. When I had to staff a floor or unit, they were helpful.

[mim-o]

sometimes people are fortunate they work in a good enviroment-but yes alot of nurses love to eat their young:angryfire -at times even the young themselves:devil: -saw this time and time again on various floors, but thankfully very few times directed at me-i wish it was not so at all. i have always made it a point to be good to all those around me and you know just like bad attitudes catch on to those you work with-good ones do too, but ignoring the obvious does nothing. as a profession it is time we all realize each of us, with all our various skills are needed now more than ever.part of changing a problem is recognizing and acknowledging it is there-then change can begin. if we all did that imagine what could be. it may sound cheesy, but it is true.

the person who wrote that book ought to be boiled in oil! nurse's don't eat their young, but now everyone who has a bad experience anywhere spouts that phrase to excuse themselves from any culpability in the situation. sometimes people are nasty to us and we totally haven't provoked it. sometimes we have provoked it and either are totally oblivious or don't want to admit our part in the problem.

[blueomega28]

I have seen this everywhere especially as a student. Lots of nurses feel free to say what ever they want to about other nurses to each other and do not mind saying it where the student can even here it. It really has made it easier for me to decide on where to work and where not too. Also, I think the main problems with egos is the fact in our profession everyone can just be happy settling on using the abbreviation RN. No we must use RN, BSN, MSN and all letters of alpahbet soup that we can. I would be happy just with my name and RN and of course my speciality certification. Do we need everyone in the world to know that we have an ADN then we got our BSN or MSN or is it that we just want people in general to know that YOU graduated from a BSN program.

[vrobi2]

I would ask the person whispering about me to repeat her remarks outloud for all to hear so that I could address any concerns that she might have about me. Frankly, at my facility, we are extremely greatful for anyone who will come in and help, so maybe you might want to come out here? I would also address this concern with your manager and the manager of the unit where you are floating to... that should nip this childish behavior in the bud.

[nophun]

I'll be graduating in May as an RN and do not proclaim to know everything so don't worry about me having that "know it all" attitude that was said to exist with new nurses. I have a lot to learn, but it will never be boring as I love to learn. I'm also a LMT and love the holistic - good energy!

During my last two years of clinical experience, I have seen doctors yelling at nurses, and nurses being rude to other nurses and nursing students backbiting fellow students. Amazing behavior of professionals. In my opinion and as I found out through journal reports, this negative behavior towards others exists throughout the industry. Thankfully, it is not everywhere - my clinical group is a cohesive team and we have had a lot of fun working hard together. I also have many good (and bad) reports from nursing friends regarding their departments.

Interpersonal relationship was cited as one of the top reasons for increased stress and strife in the work place which has attributed significantly to nursing shortages. Teamwork (seen in many great departments) enables high performance and lessons stress significantly.

Research showed that due to the high stress in nursing colleges certain personalities that have been abused themselves or were survivors of stress (thank goodness it's not everyone as everyone really could qualify) react to the high stress inherent in nursing by abusing others to achieve their needed sense of power and control. And this abusive behavior then continues in the workplace. It's been allowed and never addressed so why stop doing a behavior that gives a person POWER and CONTROL!?

However, I'm someone that when confronted with a problem seeks a solution rather than just ignore it or sweep it under the rug. This is why problems perpetuate; if you don't do something about it then you become a contributor to the problem.

Therefore, at the MONSA state convention I talked to administrators of colleges, guest speakers, and MONSA leaders about a project that I did (required in Adult Health II) on Peer Aggression. Now, I'll be presenting this same program (with wonderful research already done on it as the problem is rampant in the nursing industry), at the NSNA convention in Anaheim, California in April 11-15th.

It has taken a lot of extra time during a very busy schedule (easy to relate to, I'm sure), but I now have a program on peer aggression that can be implemented in all nursing colleges tied into already funded Nursing Summer Academies used to recruit high school students utilizing successful steps of improving behavior by 1) recognition of the problem, and 2) teaching enhanced communication skills and assertiveness training at the ground level - in the nursing colleges.

As more people (especially in administration and nursing leadership - which includes everyone) become aware of WHY people act the way they do and WHAT can be done about it (educate, modify behavior, role model examples of appropriate behavior, consequences of required behavior modification) the stress levels will decrease.

There is a movement across the nation - now recognized by U.S. Congress - to improve how people treat each others. A United Nursing ideal can become closer to a reality as the ripple effect of change occurs - one nursing college at a time - one department at a time. Why not? If each individual recognizes the profound difference they can make it won't take long to see change and improvement. After all, look at what Martin Luther King did with his letter from the Birmingham Jail crying out for an end to racism - another example of people abusing others. So don't think this is too idealistic - the time has come for improved human behavior. The stress rampant in the allopathic industry is just one of the reasons people are driven to the holistic healing practices to gain improved health and well being - an improved environment for healing, IMO.

The next level of abuse to address? The doctors' attitude towards nurses!

[istartcpr]

We are our own worst enemies... at times. Enough said

[theworkingtouch]

Gee, you guys are scaring me. I'm just starting school and have only been in the hospital setting for two weeks now. So far my group has only encountered support from most of the nurses on the floor. They're pretty understanding and willing to help. It's distressing to hear petty rivalries, superior attitudes and what sounds like down right rudeness. This is a field where pt.s rely on nurses and nurses should be relying on each other, supporting each other and working together. Maybe hospitals need to have some sort of training or support groups to encourage cooperation. Such petty rivalries eat away at everyone, including the integrity of the perpetrators.

[perfectbluebuildings, BSN, RN]

People are people, that is to say, some are nice and some not-so-nice and nurses are no different. That may sound oversimplifying but I have had great nights and terrible nights floating to other units and it was much more dependent on who was working than the patients' level of acuity.

[knucklehead70]

I think this is a universal problem that needs to be outed and addressed whenever it is seen. Talk to your supervisor about it. We have addressed it hospital wide several times over the years with different approaches (ICU nurses only floating to ICU's-not an option in smaller hospitals, I know; no floating (didn't last long); creation of Float Pool-helpful, but always scrutinized when budget time comes around; and generally reminding people to treat others as you want to be treated). We've tried standardizing the way assignments are made to floats, creating communication tools for each unit, making sure everyone gets a little orientation and has a resource person. No one wants to work in a hostile environment. Make people look at how they treat each other.

Why do we do what we do? Not sure. I just had a frightened looking student thank me for the time and attention, saying other floors didn't really talk to them. I tried to explain that floor nurses are under a lot of stress, trying do alot & care for very sick people under a time crunch, and that stress makes people grumpy. Acceptable? No. Human? Yeah.

[debp770]

Some people are just plain nasty. I work as a lpn in a va clinic. I think that attitudes are everywhere. We are all here as nurses to care for the Pt. Nurses seem to forget that sometimes.

[NancyNurse27]

I have never floated to any units but I have experienced the holier-than-thou attitude by ICU nurses first-hand while transferring patients to them. On one occasion the nurse said to me "Hurry up i've got two other patients" while I was giving her report. It took all my power to not snap back at her and tell her how my night had been going so far, you know my 8 patients, including the one I was sending to her who was being put on a vent. The same patient I had just spent over two hours with while neglecting my other 7. And then there's the time that they wanted to blame me for a pt going into fluid overload by saying that I had given blood in 2 hours, which in fact I had documented everywhere that it went in in over 3. I am a new nurse and I absolutely do not pretend to know everything. I ask questions every time I work. I don't care how stupid or small the problem may be I ask first if I don't know the answer. It just really bothers me that these critical care nurses feel they can belittle med/surg nurses. And this isn't just me. It happens to everyone in my hospital who has to deal with them. And yes our director is aware and no the administration does not seem very interested in our problem.