Frustrations of a new grad

Nurses LPN/LVN

Published

It sucks when some nurses has no respect and no patience to train new grads.. They act like they werent in this position before. And they assigned me to a nurse that keeps on trying to pass me to somebody else... Its as if im a burden to her.. Smh... #frustrationsofanewnurse

I think this happens to a lot of new nurses. Every time I've started a job I've went through this, except the last job I was at. I had a really nice elder nurse who was about to retire, and had a lot of patience. She trained me one on one the best she could. I've heard many times as a nurse when you start a new job you "sink or swim"! Unfortunately, this seems to be true. The longer you are at a job, the more you will learn. It takes time, but you'll eventually know the routine by heart!

Specializes in Home health, OBGYN, pediatrics.

Hang in there...it will get better. Unfortunately, in nursing (as in many other professions) proving yourself is focused on. Even though you feel you already proved yourself by graduating and getting your license! Well, that IS an accomplishment, so dont let a few experienced nurses attitudes get to ya! Believe me, you will ALWAYS be around another nurse who feels they know more or have better experience...its almost like a pride thing. Ive been a nurse 15 years and I still feel it around other nurses...now I just shrug it off and laugh, thinking whatever its not a competition.. Do your best and learn all you can. Time is just gonna have to be your friend for now:) Good luck

Why do nurses treat new grads so bad??

I put in my 2 wks notice after 2 wks on my 1st job!!

I am so sad I can't stop crying :(

It has been a true nightmare, I have never been treated so bad ever! If I ask a question, my preceptor raises her voice so whole hall can hear her say" your school didnt teach you any thing". If it something I have never done, or only done a few times I ask her if she would go with to make sure I do it right, she says your are a nurse just do it and walks away.!!

Sorry to hear that you were treated so badly. I don't understand it either. I recently told a "new grad" what a good job she was doing and the other staff members acted like they were upset and annoyed with me for saying such a thing!

Im a student and today some lady that worked in telemetry asked me if i can put leads on a patient. I kind of had a idea on how to do them but didn't know where to put them on the chest, so she flipped out on me infront of my friends and made a big issue about it. When she could have easily shown me how to do it, or let me do it and watch. She sits and stays on the phone all day (atleast when im there). Sometimes I wish there is a video made of students asking the dumbest questions and put in a file in your desk that anyone can access, just so everyone sees the stupidity and mistakes in everyone. She told my friend in filipino that i'm a idiot....Another depressing day I guess.

I am sorry that was un called for. I will never understand nurses like that. Teaching " is a big part of being a nurse!, Also in most health care positions you have new staff to train. Every body was new at one time!! My friend RN 30 yrs said you always learn new things as the only given in health care is things change. no question is a dumb question! I hope she treats her PTs better. Hang in there it will get better :)

I went through the same thing. My first job was at a nursing home. The nurses who were supposed to be training me were so busy that they were honestly angry about having a trainee. One of the girls who was supposed to be training me actually just game me her job and sat in the break room reading a book. She then was angry at me when the RN caught her in there even though I didn't say a word and was too busy trying to figure out my job to even think about finding a supervisor. It was awful. That job only lasted 3 months because I hated it so much I couldn't stand it. I started in home health after that and the nurse who oriented me was much nicer.

I went through the same thing. My first job was at a nursing home. The nurses who were supposed to be training me were so busy that they were honestly angry about having a trainee. One of the girls who was supposed to be training me actually just game me her job and sat in the break room reading a book. She then was angry at me when the RN caught her in there even though I didn't say a word and was too busy trying to figure out my job to even think about finding a supervisor. It was awful. That job only lasted 3 months because I hated it so much I couldn't stand it. I started in home health after that and the nurse who oriented me was much nicer.

They fail to realize that if they spend more time helping you to become adept, and less time being angry, that the net result would be an easier work environment for them, and everyone else. A net profit of time, saved, realy.

In addition, in LTC- many nurses and aides don't seem to understand the fact that you can save time and energy by doing MORE things, yourself, rather than to wait for or to rely on the person who's 'job it is' to do. For example- spending more time complaining about the workload than would take to complete the work. Or waiting for the aides to get your VS, so you can pass meds. Or calling an aide to go answer a light, when you (the nurse) know full well that all the aide is going to do is come back and tell you "that patient wants to see the nurse"- so you just wasted your time, and the aide's time. Or, calling an aide to come toilet (or better yet, change a diaper, which is far less work) your patient, even though you are standing right next to the bed as it is, so then you can 'do her treatment'. A double waste of time, and so forth. I'm sure you can think of your own examples.

Specializes in Pain, critical care, administration, med.

Sad but true. The best thing to do to a bully is call them on the behavior. If they are rude or demeaning I would say" is there something I have done to upset you?" Wait for their response. Usually they will say "no". You then need to say i have noticed when you speak to me you raise your voice and speak in a very demeaning way". How can we communicate so that it is a more comfortable for the both if us. Usually they get it and work on trying harder. Not every nurse is of should be a preceptor. Many times these bullies don't realize how they are being perceived. Learn to speak up!

Specializes in Peds PDN, Med-surg.

I know what you mean! I haven't started my first nursing job yet (orientation starts on Friday!) but I've seen it happen even just during clinicals. Just don't take things too personally and develop some thick skin. And don't let it stop you from asking questions! Try to focus on doing your best and keeping a positive attitude. Even seasoned nurses still ask questions sometimes. Keep your chin up!

Im a newbie nurse and starting my 1st job on Monday. Its in a specialist area and I'll need a lot of training so I just hope that I have a good mentor to learn from. If I dont have the support I need I just hope I can be strong enough to stand up for myself.

Excited but nervous :nailbiting: :)

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