How do you deal with ICU superiority complex?

GardenDove · Mar 10, 2007

Just kiddin' Tweety,

This thread went just as I predicted, btw. Did you read, I believe post 2 or 3, where I predicted this? I'm a psychic!!!!! did you all notice that???

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 10, 2007

I notice you like to edit your posts alot. :monkeydance:

I don't like to edit, but I do. For some reason even though I try to proofread, I don't notice my typos until after I hit submit and have to edit. 99% of my edits are because of silly typos. I'm too lazy to put the reason why I edited.

GardenDove · Mar 10, 2007

I don't like to edit, but I do. For some reason even though I try to proofread, I don't notice my typos until after I hit submit and have to edit. 99% of my edits are because of silly typos. I'm too lazy to put the reason why I edited.

I figured that. I edit frequently myself, but if you catch it immediately it won't show that edit thing. What's the timeframe, 1 minute?

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 10, 2007

Just kiddin' Tweety,
This thread went just as I predicted, btw. Did you read, I believe post 2 or 3, where I predicted this? I'm a psychic!!!!! did you all notice that???

You're good. Some threads you just know how they are going to go. Anything with the title "nurses who smoke", "obese nurses", "circumcision", "BSN as entry level of practice", "ER vs. floor nurses", etc. can be predicted what the outcome will be. :lol2:

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 10, 2007

I figured that. I edit frequently myself, but if you catch it immediately it won't show that edit thing. What's the timeframe, 1 minute?

I didn't know that. I'll have to try it. Immediately edited

You're right. It didn't show that I edited it. Cool.

GardenDove · Mar 10, 2007

You're good. Some threads you just know how they are going to go. Anything with the title "nurses who smoke", "obese nurses", "circumcision", "BSN as entry level of practice", "ER vs. floor nurses", etc. can be predicted what the outcome will be.

LOL, how true! :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

GardenDove · Mar 10, 2007

I didn't know that. I'll have to try it. Immediately edited
You're right. It didn't show that I edited it. Cool.

Yes, it hides the evidence.:biere: :cheers: :beer: :smokin:

radonc1 · Mar 11, 2007

Wow! that stirred the pot! Of course I was joking - we are

all so needed and valuable in our own right! Just remember

that even the best ICU staff were beginners once too - don't

be intimidated - why is it that nurses have to "eat their young"?

So sad. Good luck! :trout:

bluesky, BSN, RN · Mar 11, 2007

I figured that. I edit frequently myself, but if you catch it immediately it won't show that edit thing. What's the timeframe, 1 minute?

Don't forget the caught in the act moment when someone quotes your pre-edit post before you have the chance to change it...

lee1 · Mar 11, 2007

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.'

When the ICU nurse has to float out to what at my hospital we call "clusters" she has to take care of 4 patients. Believe me you lose that attitude right away as most ICU nurses are not adept at taking care of more than 2 patients at a time. They have to change their time management skills and need contact with the med/surg/telemetry nurses to get their jobs done.

sarajasmine · Mar 12, 2007

I've been a nurse for over 20 yrs, mostly in ICU. I've worked as a staff nurse, and agency/contract nurse most recently. I definitly understand there can be "ATTITUDES" with some of the ICU staff. Some hospitals/units are worse than others. You often get the same type of attitude coming in as an agency nurse or even on an ICU contract. Even experienced ICU nurses don't know everything! Some are better with neuro, medical or open heart. If I have a question...I will ask-just feel out the staff that are friendly-alot of times the "travelers" can be more helpful-not as competitive or into the hospital politics. I am thrilled to have a med/surg or PCU nurse come to help in the unit!! It can be overwhelming to have 2 pts on vents, all kinds of drips and to have a third patient that doesn't get the level of care they need because both of your other pts have had to have drips titrated...one keeps having runs of V-Tach and the other is hypotensive and hemmoraging. I have had some attitudes when I've floated to other units as well; Psych, post-partum and M/S! I try to ignore the attitudes; most of the time it's not even about me-maybe they're stressed because of their assignment or just burned out!? If I have a problem, I try to go to the charge nurse first for assistance.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Mar 13, 2007

and after being a nurse i can also tell you that nurses do eat their own. i hadn't heard that saying until i started nursing school and thought it was just a silly saying. since nurses are compasionate caring people they would be nurturing and understanding of the new kids on the block. the saying is true. i'm not saying that evey nurse everywhere is this way. what i am saying is sadly there are way more on the "dark side" than not.

i'm sorry you've had bad experiences, but i have to wonder -- if you're saying that there are way more nurses "on the dark side" than not, what are you doing to all these people to elicit these responses? there's a few bad apples in any bunch, but if you're having negative interactions with more nurses than not, you might want to take a look at what you're doing or how you're doing it.