Lots of 'mean' nurses?

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I've read tons and tons of posts on this site, and in the ones that talk about their work environment, there seems to be a lot of drama and politics between fellow nurses and other coworkers. Why?!?!

I know every job has it's politics but this career seems to be especially politics-ridden... lots of posts have made a lot of nurses out to be, well, people I wouldn't want to work with. Senior RNs treating newbies like crap, people snipping at each other for stupid reasons, lots of gossip...

I know when you're at work you're not having a party but seriously EVERYTHING is better when people get along and respect one another... I've had a bunch of crappy jobs that were made a million times better because I really loved my coworkers and there was a lot of respect and joking and fun. Then I just recently had my first job that I HATED because of all the stupid politics and crap going on. And I've always worked in the same industry so I know it wasn't the work itself; just the people. And I feel like no matter how much I love what I'm doing for work, if my coworkers aren't at least friendly while I'm at work, then it's really hard for me to get myself to go to work.

So, does nursing involve a lot of the negative attitudes and disrespect? I mean, for you, where you work?

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Flight.

like you said... it really depends on where you work and the ppl that you work with.... there are ppl that don't get along and ppl that do... i just hope that you work in a place where everyone gets along great.... i work in a pretty fast paced ER and luckily... the staff that i work with are all friends... doctors included. we all get a lot and really don't have much drama... execpt for our gossip and snickering about our frequent flyers....

:cool:

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like you said... it really depends on where you work and the ppl that you work with.... there are ppl that don't get along and ppl that do... i just hope that you work in a place where everyone gets along great.... i work in a pretty fast paced ER and luckily... the staff that i work with are all friends... doctors included. we all get a lot and really don't have much drama... execpt for our gossip and snickering about our frequent flyers....

:cool:

I like your avatar.:up:

There are mean people in all jobs and all walks of life. I came to nursing later in life - and worked many jobs before that. And ran into mean people. There are more kind people than mean people.

For the most part - I work with really great people. Unfortunately like the old saying goes, one bad apple . . .. :clown:

steph

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Specializes in mental health; hangover remedies.

Bad staff attitude is generally a sign of an unhealthy workplace.

Mean staff don't just happen - they are usually created by one thing or another.

eg

Heavy workload

Bad management (usually authoritarian)

Poor facilities

Poor organisational work practices

Absence of staff training

Uncared for staff (see: soup and sandwiches!)

Regularly working outside your clinical scope

...the list is long....

There can be individual staff who bring their own problems into the workplace and make it hell for everyone else but generally I see it as a symptom of staff workplace frustration rather than 'the' problem itself.

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Thanks... Mr. Ian, guess I (stupidly) never thought of that. Makes sense - the last place I worked at was just when the economy was getting bad and everyone was making no money and we were getting no business.

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To tell you the truth the majority of people I have worked with were great nurses and great human beings. Somehow it was the son of a guns that I think of before anything else so I guess if you talked to me that would be what came up.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Ortho.

There is usually always one or two in the group. We have a pretty good

group on our floor, except for a couple that try to eat their young.

There are definitely some big ego's from a lot of nurses I work with, but that

doesn't mean they're hard to work with. There just being themselves, I guess.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

People come to the boards to talk about what's bothering them, so it does seem to be skewed to the negative.

Whenever human beings are together in any capacity there's drama of sorts. I think there are mean people everywhere, including nursing, but fortunately we aren't overwhelmed with them. In fact I find nurses to be rather nice people.

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As a student, and someone changing careers, I've noticed this at clinicals... some of the Witchy-Bi---y stuff that goes back and forth among staff... I have a hard time believing it... Sometimes I feel as if I am being pulled back to junior high... kicking and screaming. This kind of stuff is not seen in the corporate world much, I have actually (still a bit in the corporate mindset) felt my heart begin to race, especially if I witness this within patient earshot! My mind starts towards immediately firing persons involved... which is funny, I think.... My mind shouts OMG there is a cancer pt in that room with family! Leave my sight (and my hospital) now, and do not come back (see I am already hospital management in my mind) LOL! Gonna be a big adjustment for me :banghead:

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Nurses have nowhere to hide.

In a hospital setting there are no cubicles or offices where you can get away from your coworkers.

We are in each others' space 12 hours a day.

Except for a couple of nurses who drove me nuts(I blame fertility drugs), it is usually patients and their families who drive me crazy.

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Specializes in MRDD, HOME HEALTH AND MOST RECENTLY MEDS.

I know exactly what you mean, I recently started a new job and left my other one where everyone for the most part was so nice and like family then at this job for the most part everyone is nice but there is one nurse that I do not care for, she is very gruff and when I see her on the schedule for the same night that I work, I really do not look forward to going and it should not be that way!! and I hate the clicks that people get in!! whats up with that!!!:crying2:

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Specializes in School Nursing, Pedi., Critical Care.

This is probably because nursing is mainly composed of competitive women! Anytime you get a bunch of women together this happens! LOL! Seriously though, it depends on the people you happen to work with. We had s lot of stuff goping on on our unit for a while and now that the pits of the cherry bowl are gone it makes for a nicer place to work. Just remember to always be a team player!

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