Jaded after a month !!! This is a vent

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I am a new grad that started in June and I love love my job as a new grad. I moved out of state to work and it has been the best thing for me. however, the group of RN's I started with a couple are so negative that it is making me miserable and I cannot understand why they are jaded after only a month of nursing?

I know I cannot change others so what I really want to know is how do you avoid coworkers that are negative WITHOUT being called snobbish, not a team player or friendly? I am not at work to make friends but it would be nice if my coworkers could be a little more happy about finding a job in the great state of PA on a very busy unit. I am happy to have found a job that I love and very thankful because the hospital could have decided not to hire the 10 of us that they did.

I will be with these people on the same schedule for the next 6 months and I have worked in healthcare for the last 4 years and I am still not jaded even on the worst days ever. All of us passed the NCLEX in my group so the stress of the NCLEX is not "on" us and why get into nursing if you are going to complain about the patient and other coworkers only after 1 MONTH.

Thanks for letting me vent, I love my job, I love being a RN ,the some patients maybe drug seekers but pain is subjective and after a month how can you be an expert?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

Good for you and your positive attitude. :yeah: I don't have many words of wisdom for you....just this: you will always work with someone or multiple someones who will gripe, groan and complain about any- and everything. Those types of workers are everywhere, in every profession, not just nurses.

You could consider this your orientation to real life! Keep your head high, don't be swayed to the negative side, then seek your own comfort level after the six months.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Acute Rehab.

I totally agree with Roser13. I am 59 and a brand new RN--2 months. Spread the joy you have for your job with your patients. It will come back a thousand times, as they tell you thanks, give you hugs, write compliment cards, etc. For the ones that want to complain, let them...they are ones who will always be unhappy. Good luck to you.

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Thank you both so much, I really should just try and be cheerful around my patients and maybe it will transfer to the others.

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"Kill 'em with kindness"! Don't feed into their negativity, respond with a positive and if they tease you about it just smile and go on your way. I try to smille and greet everyone, especially the grumpy ones, just to see their reaction! I have also discovered telling coworkers thanks for the little things they do to help makes them stop and do a double take..and gets a smile in return. Good luck and don't let them get to you!

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Specializes in PMHNP.

Just know that no one can "make you" unhappy unless you let them! Hopefully with time your coworkers will get the hint that acting like a downer wont get your attention and keep their comments to themselves. I'm sure your patients will appreciate your positive attitude and that's where it counts the most.

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Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

God I hate working with people like that. All you can do is kill them with kindness and just do your work and try to spend most of your time with your patients.

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Thank you all soo much :) I went to work today and I started out with a positive attitude and avoided the negative people in our group and I am happy to say that I ended my shift that way. It was hard at times but I made sure to smile and say thanks :)

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In some cases, it can be better to actually go out of your way to separate yourself from well, people with problems. You have enough to worry about dealing with patients, you don't need the unprofessionalism of said coworkers.

If you can't look for another job, make the most of it until you can. Perhaps this is a broad statement, but it seems like most of the 'gossipy whiny types' tend to work on the floors and in LTC. You may want to consider a career in the ICU/ER or other highly specialized and perhaps more autonomic areas, where people are just too busy to whine and complain. Plus, they usually seem to LOVE their job. Please, I know there are some FABULOUS nurses who work on the floors and in LTC, but I'm simply trying to give this person some direction. So please don't murder me. ;)

Anyway, my advice is to walk away. Don't waste your time and energy trying to engage or enlighten them. If they have any hope of being saved from their negativity, they'll come around on their own. Sure, some people may not like you, but who cares? With people like this, you can do everything 'right' and they will still find a reason to complain. Might as well focus on making yourself happy first. Normally I'm all for teamwork (rah, rah) but we've all heard of some toxic nurses where it's best to just remove yourself from them.

Remember, you work for your clients/patients. If some of these nurses actually got off their....and did more for their patients and communities (who has that much time to complain on the job when they work in healthcare!?), healthcare would be a much better place to work. Set the example by being productive. There's a small chance that they'll draw correlations.

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I believe that there are people who no matter what will always find something to complain about. With these folks you are darned if you do and darned if you don't, so you might as well just find your own happiness and stick with that since it won't make any difference to them. It may rub off on them, and it may not. You are the only person living your life, so do what makes you happy at your job and don't stress about the others.:D

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