How Do You Get Over.....

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Jul 3, 2006

I'm lucky where I work that we really don't have much of the politics and the vast majority of the nurses are team players who tend to stick together. Even being very outnumbered as a guy in the NICU, people are still nice, respectful, and helpful. I'm sure that having a rookie nurse (me) taking care of vent babies does scare the begeezus out of the experienced nurses. We do have to extremely careful in the NICU, but they don't make me feel like I'm fending for my job on a shift-by-shift basis. Everywhere you go though, there will probably be the one or two bad apples.

I guess the question I'd have for you is, 'Are you working in a completely toxic environment, or is this just a small minority of the nurses who are ruining it for you?' If everyone is horrible, it might be time to look at other options. If it's just a couple of nurses, learn to shrug your shoulders a lot and keep going. Ask yourself why you came to the NICU. If it's to take care of babies, then promise yourself that you won't allow one or two people to deter you from that goal.

Exhaustion: Yeah, haven't worked that one out yet.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Jul 3, 2006

I would love to know how some of you guys get over the nastiness of the nursing environment? For example the gossiping, jealously, feeling like you are always covering your butt, exhaust, and politics. I would really love to know what some of you guys do. Obviously jumping around to different hospitals will not alleviate these problems, so there must be some ways that a person can use to cope and remember why we were "called" to be nurses.

I do not work in environments that promote that behavior, therefore there is no nastiness to "get over".

I also do not participate in the gossip, backbiting, etc. If you hang with/listen to gossipers and backbiters, even "just to get along",or because you "can't help it", you by that action, support them in their behavior. And you give them the ability to harm you.

If you do not participate with them, do not pass the "benign" gossip on, smile sweetly, but ignore it, they will no longer find an audience. And if you do not gossip, even benignly, they will have less ammunition to use against you.

A moving target is hard to hit. If you work hard, do your job, do CEUs in your down time, you will not have much time to be their audience, nor will you care what they say about you, because you will be too busy to listen to their chit chat.

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Jul 3, 2006

Be the boss.

I've never worked NICU, but I've worked in hospitals and LTCs, and a toxic environment is a toxic environment no matter where you are. Actually, I was only half-kidding: as an administrator or executive type of nurse, you can not only not avoid---or be the object of---most of the gossip, but you can lead by example and actively discourage it, thereby changing the culture of the workplace.

Of course, not everyone can be (or wants to be) in management; however, you can still stay above the fray by doing your job, being friendly with your co-workers while not participating in gossip, and living your life AWAY from work. I've always gotten along with the vast majority of my co-workers, but very rarely did I 'hang out' with them; I figure, I already HAVE friends and family, and I like to keep my work life and my personal life separate. In other words, flying under the radar allows you to get along without going along.

Just my 2 cents' worth.

vonxojn · Jul 3, 2006

I tend to come to work to do my job and go home. I leave my home life at home and my work life at work. Some people say that i'm stuck up because I don't join in on the back stabbing or the unit gossip. I'm here to give my attention to my patients, not to the people at the front desk laughing and snitching on others. I hate to say it but we have a lot of small minded thinking nurses. It doesn't bother me to be a loner, if it means to socialize with the very same nurses who will smile in my face and stab me in my back. NO THANKS!!!

BittyBabyGrower, MSN, RN · Jul 4, 2006

We dont' have much of problem with that. Sure, we have the occasional gossip or nit picking, but with over 90 people working there, it is going to happen. Most of the time is someone venting over something someone did and then they are done.

Our unit is very tight....we are always there for each other, no matter what happens.