Nasty co-workers??

Nurses General Nursing

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is it true that most nurses are absolutely horrible to work with? i have been researching nursing quite a bit, and found a website called i hate nursing.com (seriously!!) and it seems that the majority of the complaints was that the other nurses were so mean and gossipy! have you had experiences like this or is this just a certain group of people? how do you look past this so you can actually enjoy your job??

Most nurses are not like this but those few can make a work environment downright uncomfortable. I have been very lucky in that the unpleasant nurses have been few and far between in my career, but there have been one or two that I absolutely dreaded working with. In my current environment toxicity is literally not tolerated, if the attitude doesn't change then the employee is invited to leave by the owner.

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As a new grad nurse just off orientation, I definitely light up when I see certain nurses working on my shift, and some that I just tend to avoid. I can tell it's the same way with everyone else. There are a couple of "narcs" as they call them, who seem to deem everyone else beneath them and incompetent, and they seem to find the time to tell on everyone and gossip behind your and everyone else's backs. They are easy to identify and many have told me to avoid them. We have a mix of travelers, PRN nurses, and staff -- it's a pretty good mix and for the most part, everyone is good and are helpful to me when I have questions. I can't complain THAT much. Sometimes it's hard to get a lunch, but other than that - many just jump at the chance to help me when I need it.

And then some are just downright snotty and more immature than anything. I'm older, so I don't fit in with that crowd -- but I have a good time w/ my fellow "older" nurses/moms when they're on -- so it balances out.

I like it, and feel comfortable working there, but don't yet feel like I'm part of the "family" yet. The night shift is definitely harder to break into.

Yesterday was great. It was a mix of newer travel nurses who were just there to do their jobs, were friendly, helpful, and no one acting like a showboat. It was the best day I've had yet, although I utterly forgot to pass one 6 p.m. med and woke up this morning in a panic over it .. ..:(

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Specializes in ER/EHR Trainer.

It really depends on your job experiences. I worked in another industry prior to nursing. Relationships and personalities either mesh, or they don't. I am too old to care what others think about me-I work hard, give aid when I can, assist as much as possible, and nip gossip in the bud-HOWEVER, there are always people who have the heirarchy SENIORITY thing going on their brains-it can STAY THERE as far as I am concerned!

When I started in the ER there were preceptors who would openly show disdain of new grads and tell them they didn't belong there. My response would be, who asked you? Let me succeed or fail on my own merits.

Nurses are people, and people have faults. It can be hard to be an individual-but to be yourself, you must. this same attitude was given to travelers and agency nurses-Why? They too are our coworkers and their participation in the department can make or break a shift. Just common sense.

I hate to make it a man or woman thing, but the industry I came from I was the only woman in the country serving in management on the technology side for years-men are straightforward and don't pull any punches-its usually "straight talk"-this is something I practice and admire when dealing with co-workers and management. After knowing me for the past few years, my peers know they can expect me to say what I believe to be fair and right. I don't leave my job bemoaning that things suck-I bring it to management with solutions to change it. They listen.

I believe the whole eating their young thing will disappear in the next few years-nastiness is not limited to us-just perpetuated by those with a propensity for it. Gossip however has been around forever-the only way it stops is by non participation.

Maisy

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Ok, I have to say that education and nursing are very similar in this respect. There are some dang snarky teachers and nurses out there who will sell you down the river and make your life miserable because their lives are miserable. I haven't worked in other industries, so I can't compare, but definitely work environments are very similar.

I think it has to do with being expected to control things that are beyond one's control. For example, getting yelled at by a doc because the x-ray wasn't done by a certain time, or the lab didn't process the blood yet. These are out of our control, yet we get heat for them not being done.

I am a woman, but I have to wonder if there is a correlation between woman dominated professions and snarkiness.....I have worked with some rotten men (I got sworn at in report by a male charge nurse once), but the difference is that the men I've had problems with in nursing and education have been pretty straightforward about disliking me or my work. The women I've had issues with have been rather passive-aggressive---I have a current coworker who likes to play the "I'm mad at you so I'm going to not talk to you and you try to figure out why I'm mad" game. UGH. I REALLY hate that kind of crappola.

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Specializes in LTC, office.

I went from shift work, where I worked with different people all the time; to a clinic with the same group of people.

There is catty, gossipy people and behavior everywhere, but it bothers me more when I am dealing with the same nurses all the time. Somehow I could ignore it better when I worked with lots of different staff.

As far as most nurses being difficult to work with, I don't think so. I think the majority are great with a few rotten apples. I don't think it's any different that most professions and workplaces.

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As far as most nurses being difficult to work with, I don't think so. I think the majority are great with a few rotten apples. I don't think it's any different that most professions and workplaces.

I agree with this - having come to nursing at 40.

I worked in many different kinds of jobs - there are always a few "nasty" folks of both sexes.

The difference is how management and co-workers deal with the negative people.

Nip them in the bud - :up:

steph

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i have worked some cheerful, hardworking , intelligent nurses of both sexes

i have worked with some who always asked for help but never returned the favor, gossipy, rude of both sexes

my son has a girlfriend who always says she likes to work with me, we are hoping she don't stick

when i first graduated i was stuck with a hospital that was within walking distance because i didn't have a car and i on the floor that i was on there was a clique of 4 lpns and 2 rns who were friend on and off the floor and they made life miserable for new people..but some quit when their husbands were transfer, there was a step down unit opened and some went there, and in a years time the whole floor had changed attitude it ws a place you could go to work and everyone else did what was expected of, even the couple of them that has stayed on the floor when they didn't have the crowd at their back became more pleasant to work

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My experiance with nurses has been 1/2 and 1/2 the ones I worked with at the Nursing home tend to be lazy and NOT do a thing and ***** when you come to them (as a CNA) and let them know that someone needs a pain pill or what have you, I had one nurse say to me that they didn't need a pain pill... WHAT? you don't feel their pain?! The nurses at the hospital that I work at are all cool thus far and work really hard :)

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Specializes in Med Surg, Nursing Administration for SNF.

Hmmm this is a "meaty" topic. I used to think it was a female thing til I worked with a few male nurses who were just as bad. I think nursing might be worse (have some really toxic coworkers) than other jobs coz we usually deal with people when theyre at their worst. I run a nurse support group, and I can tell you that toxic people are EVERYWHERE. (unfortunately). Like attracts like so unless you wanna be like them - go elsewhere, or MYOB. Either is not fun. The up side is that there are alot of great nurses in some places - I guess theyre not always easy to find as theyre so nice to work with you wont find a big turnover! Kinda like husbands

!:jester:

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A nurse's heart is covered with a thick black shell but when you peel the black away, uhhh....more black. :D I am only half kidding here. Maybe because we deal with such serious issues we lack the sentimentality that most people have. But I don't quite get why we are so mean to one another. It's the only career I can think of where it seems you get a job performance evaluation at the end of every shift (during report). You don't know how many times I have heard "so-and-so left me a bad IV and a lab he didn't draw" So many nurses refuse to just pick up the slack and move on with their shift. They blame everything bad that happens during their shift on the shift before them. What's the hardest part of nursing? NURSES ARE!!!! Sometimes, they make me want to chuck it all and go work at McDonalds.

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