Is Seniority In The O.r. A Big Deal?

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Jul 9, 2005

What exactly do you mean? Respect for a coworker should go for everyone, but you will be moving into an area where you have a lot to learn and you'll have to defer to their experience and what is customary for awhile.

grimmy, RN · Jul 9, 2005

i noticed when i first came to this facility (almost a year ago) that nurses who had decades of experience still worked side-by-side with those of us with only months of experience. that made me feel really good, and i learned a lot. but, there are a few (just a couple) who lord it over the rest of us, and i've since learned that is a fact of life in any profession. you just have to treat them like any other nurse, learn what you can, and move on. some will want preferential treatment from the institution, and i do think loyalty and dedication deserves some preferential treatment, but for them to expect that i will bow down and kiss their toes everytime they walk into a room is too much.

shodobe · Jul 9, 2005

Like in any work environment the older, more experienced individuals should be given their due course of respect. In the OR where you will be taught everything from scratch, the one person who you don't want to p**s off is your preceptor. I will give it all in my teaching, but the one thing I can't stand is a new graduate with a " I know it all" attitude. Every once in a while you have the newbie who, because they just graduated from a BSN program, seems to know all the answers to all the questions about patient conditions. Now, I am talking about everything other than the OR questions. I will be the first to admit that there are a number of things I have forgotten since I stopped working on a M/S floor, 28 years ago. The one thing that will turn me off right away is a newbie continuossly reminding me of that fact. Respect is earned and not a God-given right and has to go both ways. Knowledge is not something that can be absorbed just by standing real close to your preceptor. That preceptor has to give an effort to teach and not to let someone drown in their own sweat. My respect for a new trainee goes only as far as their respect for my long years of "senoirity" is taken into account. I did always like those days when the new ones would come in, bow at my feet and recite, " oh wise one, give us the knowledge and skills you have so we can be as great as you"! Just kidding! Does sound pretty good though. Remember, respect goes both ways and neither should excude a superiority attitude because it is detrimental to both. Good luck and remember that we are all in this together and it doesn't do a bit of good not to train someone to the best of the senior nurses ability. Mike

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jul 9, 2005

On the flip side of that coin, i've run into 2 nurses who acted (in attitude) like everyone owed them respect because they had been there for X amount of years and expect new people to kiss their backside. Just a prime example how i will NOT be when i earn that many years for myself.

Luckily not everyone's like that. :stone

shodobe · Jul 9, 2005

Marie, so true! But, after many years even you will come across that one young, whipper-snapper that "thinks" they know it all and you will just about stroke out on their arrogance. Now, after that being said, you will still try to teach to your best ability, despite their constant oneupsman approach. We do have our preceptors here that do ride the trainees harder than I like but then I don't train anymore because my approach I guess is a little too lienent and soft-handed. I personally like longer times and hate to be put on a tight time frame. If it takes one year to train one person, so be it. Others might take lesser time. It seems places want them out functioning on their own alot sooner than should be expected. Mike