How to stay positive as a nurse....

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I have worked with a lot of nurses. Some are very cynical and negative and the other few are positive, uplifting, and easy to work with. We as nurses work in a very demanding field. How do we stay positive and refrain from being cynical and less compassionate towards patients after years of working in the field????

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I have worked with a lot of nurses. Some are very cynical and negative and the other few are positive, uplifting, and easy to work with. We as nurses work in a very demanding field. How do we stay positive and refrain from being cynical and less compassionate towards patients after years of working in the field????

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I found that I gravitated toward the positive ones and try to be like them, adapt something that makes them so positive and compassionate. The nurses who are chronically misterable (I'm miserable sometimes too) but some just never snap out of it...I stay away from them and make little small talk with them - because it's always negative!

I think you can look around at the nurses you work with and pick up something from those you like and respect and it can give you the lift you need when feeling down or cynical.

:twocents::nurse:

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Peds.

Want to stay positive? Find an area of nursing you love. The ones who are negative and cynical are that way because they're burned out and hate where they're working.

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Specializes in LTC.

I think a lot of the really positive nurses have learned how not to take things personally and are good at seperating themselves from their work.

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Specializes in Telemetry, Med Surg, Pediatrics, ER.

I agree that negative coworkers have a negative impact on everyone. It is best not to buy into their misery. Remember why you are a nurse. You are there for your patients. I make it my goal each day to do something to make the day a little better for each of my patients. At the end of the shift I know I have done my job if I did not just what I had to do, but something to make their day better. Just focus on your patients, not the negativity.

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Private Duty Peds.

stay away from :madface: co-workers, remember that the pt comes first and :clown::D.

also find the area of nursing you love!

just my :twocents::twocents: input!

try to start each day with a :)!

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Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.
stay away from :madface: co-workers, remember that the pt comes first and :clown::D.

also find the area of nursing you love!

just my :twocents::twocents: input!

try to start each day with a :)!

imho, some :madface: co-workers need a little :icon_hug:.

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Being cynical is not necessarily the same as being negative or miserable. Some people have a cynical or sarcastic sense of humor that has nothing to do with them being miserable. This type of nurse can be fun to work with.

The type of nurse that is constantly miserable, now I can totally understand feeling negatively affected by that one. However, I do try to be understanding of what is going on in their lives such as physical and mental health and possible family problems affecting their demeanor. I agree with the previous poster that said some miserable nurses just need a little positive attention.

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I believe if your personal life is good, you have a strong family support and great friends and also some hobbies other than nursing (I enjoy traveling, reading, going out and doing new things) you always come to work with a positive attitude. It is also important to enjoy the place you work at and your colleagues (at lease there should be few you like)... With this nursing shortage, I never would stay at the place I really did not like.

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Private Duty Peds.
being cynical is not necessarily the same as being negative or miserable. very true and these are the ones i stay away from, cause no matter how nice you are, try to be or even do something nice form them, they always remain :madface:

some people have a cynical or sarcastic sense of humor that has nothing to do with them being miserable. this type of nurse can be fun to work with

the type of nurse that is constantly miserable, now i can totally understand feeling negatively affected by that one. however, i do try to be understanding of what is going on in their lives such as physical and mental health and possible family problems affecting their demeanor. i agree with the previous poster that said some miserable nurses just need a little positive attentionand yet no matter what they still stay miserable, grouchy and down right mean to their co:nurse:'s

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Specializes in ICU, CCU, Trauma, neuro, Geriatrics.

After 16 years of nursing I find it helps if I change jobs when I become tired or burned out where I am working. I try to avoid the chronic complainers but will give them a few minutes to vent then I just go back to work. I rarely suggest any solutions to the complainers as they have always already tried that and have a 10 minute dissertation on how it didn't work.

I show up at work with a smile as I really do enjoy my job. We should all practice 'universal precautions' against negativity just as we do against virus' and bacteria. Don't touch it with bare skin, don't breath it, don't live it. Many times declaring a 'hostile work environment' established by certain individuals with a written statement to your nurse manager does the trick. If management is the issue then the DON is who this statement should go to.

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Specializes in Trauma/Burn ICU, Neuro ICU.

I believe it's this way in any and all workplaces.......I am leaving teaching to go into nursing, and your words could be mine exactly. It's not a "nursing thing", but rather a "people thing". I do think the heavy responsibility of nursing care may exacerbate the issue, however.

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