Image Conscious

[noellepage2000]

How do you deal with the fact that your coworker whom you had started working with at the same time now has been being assigned as team leader because she jives with the other senior nurses on the floor and mingling in the social setting with them

outside of work? It reminded me of my previous jobs where we call this "cigarette socialization" where you have cigarette smoke

with the charge nurses and you just might end up a charge nurse yourself. There is no leadership . If one appears cool and easy and effortless , and it is not because she did everything she needed to do for the pts such as turning q2, really assessing and not just copying someone else's charting in the computer and and not allowing pt to sit on their poops until 4 am when the night shift is almost over so that you only clean once. How do you get past this advancement when you know things are not done right. What everyone sees is that a nurse who appears effortless, or not panicking when there is a code when other nitty gritty things of the job is not done , a leader? It seems like the name of the game is to show off a certain image not necesarilly doing the job thoroughly and socialize more and you will end up advancing. When you do the right thing ensuring nursing tasks are done as right and as complete as possible you are viewed as a neophyte , or a new inexperienced RN? Is this backward thinking or am I the backward?

[NurseKitten, MSN, RN]

Welcome to the ugly, political side of nursing. Not going to say it's right, or fair, but it does happen.

I made up my mind a long time ago that I didn't care about being "cool" or "in charge". I'm in charge of me, and my patients notice the difference in care they receive from me and from some of the "cool" nurses.

And I can look myself in the mirror, every time.

[TreehuggerRN]

I work in a place where there is a lot of favoritism and good ole boy mentality. The people who are not a part of the clique see it and resent it, but are powerless to do anything.

This goes on in many places.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

Some food for thought:

1. It is human nature to gravitate toward people we that we perceive share our outlook/vision/point of view/etc. This is not unique to nursing, and is not necessarily an altogether bad thing.

2. Proficient or even excellent performance as a staff nurse is not the same skill set as being in a supervisory or managerial position.

[diane227, LPN, RN]

Thats too bad. Depending on the kind of unit you work in charge nurses may have a lot of responsibility and they should have the skills and experience to know how to do that job. I know at my current position as charge of a 34 bed med, surg, ortho floor we could not have that job assigned to just anyone. You have to have specific orientation for the job because it is a complicated position that carries a lot of responsibility. If any of our charge nurses call in sick, a designated charge nurse has to stay over or come in or the manager has to step in to do it.

[leslie :-D]

When you do the right thing ensuring nursing tasks are done as right and as complete as possible you are viewed as a neophyte , or a new inexperienced RN? Is this backward thinking or am I the backward?

i'm sorry you've seen an ugly part of nursing, noelle.:icon_hug:

as others have told you, it's a very real and palpable toxin, that results in many nurses leaving.

yes, always stick to what you know to be right.

and really try to focus on the care you give only.

otherwise, it can and will eat you up.

it upsets all nurses who aspire to the highest standards, to witness such tawdry deceit.

it has eaten away at me, many a time.

i just have to believe that kharma will address this at one point or another.

and i don't mean that spitefully at all.

someone/something needs to give these hypocrites, a major wake-up call/dopeslap.

i wouldn't complain to mgmt, unless you have verifiable proof of your allegations.

but even then, do not be surprised to find YOU without a job, bullied/harrassed... just made miserable.

stay strong and honorable.

whether it's nursing or any other part of life...

it's the only way to be.

leslie

[IzzyKat23]

I saw this kind of behavior in the corporate world too and I just kept my head down and took care of my clients. I was not "in" when the new management took over and yes they did smoke But if you sat around on their desk and would chit chat while work piled up you got perks.

I also saw this when I went through my CNA clinicals and that is what really made me sick because there were human needs at stake there, like immediate needs not just bills and policies like in the corporate world. But it is as you say...they sit there and let them stew in it all night. As a student my clinical partner and I would have to decompress after clinicals and sometimes just cry at how the people were (not) treated by lazy nurses and CNAs. And this was at the most prestigious home in town !!!

I always believe that keeping your head down and doing a good job is what is important and keeping my nose out of all the drama...maybe that is why I am not a favorite. I am trying to get a part time job now and I know I will be seeing this but I am not going for management so I am not too worried about it. I have a small part of me that believes that the powers that be know who really cares about their job and who is texting, chatting, smoking, flirting or anything but doing their job...then again the bigger part of me thinks most of management is oblivits who have no memory of what it is like to glove up and dig in :icon_roll From my experience trying to say anything does no good but knowing that at least I made clients happy gave me a bit of satisfaction

As a side note it seems unseemly that one would have to smoke to get ahead in nursing though...I would really hate to think I would have to start smoking again after 9yrs as a non smoker just to be noticed once I become a nurse!

[tatara]

Sad but real.

Those hypocrites may comment anything they want about me and with how I do my job. They can stay cool as long as they want and get promoted, I don't care at all. My patients are my concern; what they feel about me and how I made them feel of my being their nurse is all that matters. My daily fulfillment as a nurse is being able to uplift the spirit of my patients. No wonder they remember my name, not the charge nurse's.

[ana tomy]

I say "Hold your head high and they will see who you are.."

[PurpleLVN]

I say "Hold your head high and they will see who you are.."

ITA. Someone's watching and will reward when you least expect it. Your patients will remember and appreciate you for it!!! Your work will speak for itself!!!!

[Orca, ADN, ASN, RN]

I worked in a place where there was in effect a ruling clique. Members of said clique got the choice assignments and all the promotions while the rest of us (read: the people who made things happen) got the scut work and the crap schedules. The only solution I found was to leave.

Proficient or even excellent performance as a staff nurse is not the same skill set as being in a supervisory or managerial position.

I have a charge nurse working under me struggling with that very issue now. She is very happy performing line level work, but she has never quite mastered the skills necessary to be a leader and she is deciding whether she wants to continue with it. Unfortunately, taking a position you are not comfortable with is often the only way to get a raise, and some people not suited for leadership roles wind up in them as a result.

[noellepage2000]

Thanks guys! I appreciate all your comments and encouragement.

I have moved around quite a bit in my >10 yrs of experience as a nurse mainly because of these kinds of issues that I see and experience at work. The only way I could think of at those times was to relieve myself of the stress and anger I have from these politics. But it sure proved wrong maybe because I will always be new to a unit or floor because I move a lot eventhough I am an old nurse. It is only good for short term but in the long term , moving around is to my disadvantage.