How many of you are perfect?

Tweety, BSN, RN · Feb 16, 2004

3rdshiftguy hit it on the head. I threw out the question because after finding this site I've been reading back over several months worth of posts. In some of those posts (not many) there's that "I can't believe you'd do that" and "there's no excuse for that" posts from someone every once in a while. I'm not perfect either, never could be. Best thing to strive for is excellence, not perfection. Having had another life in the business world before becoming a nurse, I still will never quite understand the logic of attacking or belittling one of your own, I never saw it done until I became a nurse. It's just a very interesting side note to this sisterhood/brotherhood fellowship we all share.
I love this site. It's a wonderful compilation of most people helping everyone. Much nicer place than the hospital is some days. Every time I precept a student nurse and some other nurse tell's her to run for her life, or talks down to her/him in some way, I always try to take them aside and tell them we aren't all like this. You all have confirmed my beliefs. Be kind to your fellow travellers, it will make us all stronger in the long run. Thanks to all. :)

Look forward to your participation in the board and welcome.

Two things: Is nursing really a "sisterhood/brotherhood fellowship"? I don't think of it like that, but I suppose you could. But that elevates nursing to a realm where I feel it might not belong.

Second, what was your profession that you never saw coworkers complain and belittle other coworkers. I've worked in insurance, hotels, and restaurants and have found the same thing there.

orrnlori, RN · Feb 16, 2004

I was in mid-level banking for many years. Maybe I just worked with a bunch of good folks. I just never saw the distaste, for lack of a better word, that some people have for others as I have in nursing. I thought when I got out of nursing school that would go away. But then I ran into "specialty" nurses who very very much talked down to the floor nurses at every opportunity, maybe in was subconscious in nature, but it didn't feel that way at the time, seemed very deliberate.

I guess I see us as a fellowship because we do so much with so little many times. Management support is lacking, supplies sometimes hard to get, staff shortages, etc. and we are dealing with lives. Seems we should have what we need to get the job done and take care of the patients. I never understood how demanding the profession would be until I was doing it, physically and mentally. My husband is an industrial equipment mechanic and makes more working on factory equipment than I make assisting in surgery working on people. Seems weird to me.

I think of nurses like siblings. We fight among ourselves but ban together against one outside factor or another. But my theory is that when we treat each other badly, talk to each other with disdain, then we only weaken the chain that surrounds us and holds us together, and we make ourselves look bad and very unprofessional. I'm not a Pollyanna, I realize there are some not so great nurses out there as well.

Anyway, just some of my thoughts. Thanks for the welcome.

RN-BamaStudent · Feb 16, 2004

I'm just a student, but have NEVER gotten the impression, from reading the posts here, that the nurses portray even a hint of being perfect. They do try their best to answer any questions posted, and when one can't answer a question, another may be able to share their experience with us. If you stick around, you'll see this.

SmilingBluEyes · Feb 16, 2004

welcome to the boards, lori.

you got a great varity of answers here that represent how we feel (even the silly ones). we are human like anyone else, have our faults and sometimes some of us put our feet in our mouths, both IRL and here. we are just like anyone else, but often held to much higher standards due to our chosen profession. glad to have you on board.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Feb 16, 2004

I was in mid-level banking for many years. Maybe I just worked with a bunch of good folks. I just never saw the distaste, for lack of a better word, that some people have for others as I have in nursing. I thought when I got out of nursing school that would go away. But then I ran into "specialty" nurses who very very much talked down to the floor nurses at every opportunity, maybe in was subconscious in nature, but it didn't feel that way at the time, seemed very deliberate.
I guess I see us as a fellowship because we do so much with so little many times. Management support is lacking, supplies sometimes hard to get, staff shortages, etc. and we are dealing with lives. Seems we should have what we need to get the job done and take care of the patients. I never understood how demanding the profession would be until I was doing it, physically and mentally. My husband is an industrial equipment mechanic and makes more working on factory equipment than I make assisting in surgery working on people. Seems weird to me.
I think of nurses like siblings. We fight among ourselves but ban together against one outside factor or another. But my theory is that when we treat each other badly, talk to each other with disdain, then we only weaken the chain that surrounds us and holds us together, and we make ourselves look bad and very unprofessional. I'm not a Pollyanna, I realize there are some not so great nurses out there as well.
Anyway, just some of my thoughts. Thanks for the welcome.

Ah, then we're kind of like Sisters/Brothers in Arms, out there in the battlefield called Nursing. I guess I can relate to that. And yes, it does make you wonder with all we have stacked against us, all that stress, why is it that we pick on one another, when we should be lifting each other up.

Consider yourself lucky you haven't seen it in other professions, because I definately have. But I agree, you would think nursing would be a bit different.

So what you're saying makes sense.

Cheers.

Havin' A Party!, ASN, RN · Feb 16, 2004

... how many of you are perfect nurses?

What the heck is that???

Shamrock, BSN, RN · Feb 16, 2004

I am, I am. Bwwwwaaaaahhhaaaa. Heck, I just killed someone on the virtual surgery site!.. :)

1OldDinosaurRN · Feb 16, 2004

yes, i am perfect. :saint:

my 18 month old granddaughter says so!! so there!! it must be true!!

haaahaaa (rotfl) :rotfl: boy, don't i wish.

never for one moment think you are getting anywhere near it---something or someone is always there to humble you.

1OldDinosaurRN · Feb 16, 2004

shamrock--i tried that out too and killed my person over, and over, and over. guess i'll just have to wait until next week to finish up the bypass after i practice a few more times. :chuckle

CCU NRS · Feb 16, 2004

I am, I am. Bwwwwaaaaahhhaaaa. Heck, I just killed someone on the virtual surgery site!.. :)

can you drop the link here

live4today, RN · Feb 16, 2004

No perfect person inside of me, either.

Moondancer.............I love this quote of yours!

Watch your thoughts; they become words.

Watch your words; they become actions.

Watch your actions; they become habits.

Watch your habits; they become character.

Watch your character; it becomes your destiny. :)

ktwlpn, LPN · Feb 17, 2004

3rdshiftguy hit it on the head. I threw out the question because after finding this site I've been reading back over several months worth of posts. In some of those posts (not many) there's that "I can't believe you'd do that" and "there's no excuse for that" posts from someone every once in a while. I'm not perfect either, never could be. Best thing to strive for is excellence, not perfection. Having had another life in the business world before becoming a nurse, I still will never quite understand the logic of attacking or belittling one of your own, I never saw it done until I became a nurse.

Some mistakes in medicine are unbelievable examples of someone's incompetency...sometimes there IS NO EXCUSE.....I find it difficult to believe that the business world is really any different-from what I know about it it can be quite cut throat...I am not perfect.I have made my share of mistakes which thankfully never resulted in a negative outcome for my patients...