Need advice

NurseJessie2 · Feb 26, 2013

Hello fellow new grad :)

I have been working at my first nursing position for 8 months now. Orientation was scary, but being off the first month or so of orientation was even worse. Everyone is always so helpful, but every once in awhile I will come across a nurse who is rude and makes comments that I should know more then I do. I think the only thing you can do is work your butt off! Be willing to help out other nurses if they need it, and always look busy. This will show the other nurses that you are giving it your all, and you are a hard worker. This should be enough to earn some of their respect, and with time you will gain more knowledge and become more comfortable. Good luck!

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Feb 26, 2013

First of all, do not refer to us as "old nurses" - LOL. It's better to describe us as 'experienced', because age does not indicate the level of experience. There are new graduates of all ages.

PP has provided some great advice. If you unit has continuous staff turnover, those 'experienced' nurses are probably just tired of the revolving door of new staff who do not stay very long. After a while, they will realize that you are really committed to staying a while. Before long, you may also be having negative reactions to all those 'newbies' that just make your job harder.

We (experienced nurses) like having our egos stroked, as long as we know that the comments are authentic and not just designed to flatter. Be sure to acknowledge their expertise and express gratitude when someone helps you out. Ask them for advice or insight when you need it. Make positive comments about your co-workers - this will eventually come back to them. If there is a formal employee recognition program, use it to acknowledge those who have helped you.

j.ll · Feb 26, 2013

By older i meant experienced. I'm french and i had trouble explaniing it it english! Sorry if it offended you.

Hkroeck · Mar 6, 2013

I am on week number two of orientation at my first nursing position. I rarely have a moment when I feel like I know anything about what is going on around me - and even if I do think I know something my confidence is usually misplaced. My strategy at this point is to continue in survivor mode for the next few months until I'm more comfortable with everything. I'm definitely trying to make friends who I can rely on to help me out, but I'm not going to waste my energy right now trying to get on the good side of someone who doesn't care when I need all that energy to help get me through the day alive. I will kill the "experienced nurses" with kindness later on when I've got a handle on the job and have time to win them over. Some of the nurses are really nice and are constantly reassuring me that I will get the hang of this, or that they remember what it was like to be a new nurse. Obviously not everyone remembers this feeling, so I'm not taking anything they say too personally if its rude or insulting, afterall I am a newby and I realize that is irritating to some people. But I'm not going to be intimidated by someone just because they aren't interested in helping learn how to be better at this job, I'd rather just try to stay out of their way. Eventually we will get the hang of this nursing stuff!