the new person on the block !!!!!! HELP

southern rn · Oct 25, 2009

I would personally get the heck out. It's not going to be much of a dream job if you have that environment to look forward to. I have worked on similar units before and they usually have chronic issues if it has reached the point you describe. Look at it this way, you were looking for a job when you found that one.

patrick.gines · Oct 25, 2009

do you think that's the right place for you?

twinmommy+2, ADN, BSN, MSN · Oct 25, 2009

Do you have any prospects of jobs outside of this one? I don't want to say burn your bridges, but better you get out early on in orientation if you think you want to get out and if you have another job lined up.

newtress, LPN · Oct 25, 2009

This ranks high on the suck-o-meter. And it can be found almost anywhere. There's no other reason or point to it other than it is a form of juvenile entertainment to them. Yes, nurses and managers reach a point of boredom and same O same O that they get sadistic pleasure out of making the Newbie extremely uncomfortable with the most obvious negative body language or go as far as making rude coments within earshot of the new hire. They are a human pack of wolves. They are so bored with each other that to elicite the extreme uncomfortable tension they create toward a new nurse just somehow perversely excites them (yeah, I need to be in psych nursing soon) but seriously, I have found that sticking to my regular "I'm a good competant nurse" scenario doesn't pan out. Yes we are good nurses. But there's something they are not. Can they play a guitar or piano or ever been in a band? Do they own or ride a Harley? You are not just a nurse but also an awsome person. They don't know that. I was recently in orientation being stuffed in a corner as a nobody until I was asked what I did in my previous life before becoming a nurse. When I told them they just gave me doll eyes and anyone in neuro knows what that is. I suggest giving it a shot at being the most original form of yourself, the non nurse aspect of yourself and it will scare the hell out of them, and gain you the decency and respect you deserve.

CASTLEGATES · Oct 25, 2009

I worked where there was a large percentage of English as as second language nurses...they'd chat in their native tongue and stick together and literally plot little schemes against others. Any time I interview and see this sort of grouping, I turn the other way.

If you've ever traveled abroad, you'll see that certain cultures promote this sort of behavior because it's effective for survival over there. Problem comes when it continues here and many suffer for it.

Regarding the sexuality questioning, etc. That happens with the most polite of nurses, techs, RT's and docs. At some point, someone will ask 'cause they want to know and the time they ask happens to be at work during work hours. I'm not excusing it but this catty stuff goes on all over from certain individuals.

If no one smiled, I'd get out. My first day at my favorite job, I got smiles from everyone. My absolute worst jobs I got none and it went downhill from there. I think there's a lot to be said about how they treat a new co-worker.... CO-worker not peon!

Having said all that, ask the foreign born nurses about their FAMILY and they'll love you for it. People from other countries love and stick with their families like glue-finances, housing, child care... (something I haven't seen nearly to that extent here, if at all).

I bet you if you ask questions and slowly get into "tell me about your family" they'll lighten up. Another thing I did was get recipes from their foods (I always loved to cook). They lighten right up when we talked about food (who doesn't like their own food)?

tewdles, RN · Oct 25, 2009

you are experiencing lateral violence....unfortunately common in hospital or LTC settings.

Jay2daq · Oct 25, 2009

Hey!!! we are in the SAME boat girl.

I'm the yongest on my unit...i'm younger than some of the CNA's.

im only 21....new grad and this is my first nursing job....

when i walked onto the unit, i felt the SAME way. All the nurses had their own little cliques and there was so much backstabbing, i couldnt believe these people were nurses. I'm sitting in the conference room reading over my assingments and there is 2 other nurses in there, and 2 other nurses walk by and the nurses im sitting with go "There goes dumb and dumber"

one other nurse we have on our unit....the NICEST lady in the world (one of very few) is very heavy set and older. And she comes in with new scrubs on that are new....i commented on them. and as soon as she left the other nurses look at each other, pretending im not even there and go "Apprently Jade likes her new blimp she calls a shirt"

very very incredibly rude!!! i cant believe these people are nurses.

So really, i don't have a whole lot of advice, but know you are not the only one out there that feels this way. I can find atleast one nurse a shift that i can atleast rely on or ask questions to. I do not engage in any of the gossip, i dont want to sink down to their level.

Sometimes the charge nurse is a very good person to go to! i've found that out...

anyway,i do know for certain people have said things about me....my first day on the job, apparently someone asked my preceptor when i will be graduating high school.

Our CNA's/Techs are um....well they are nice and not bossy. But if i ask them to do soemthing they just roll their eyes and act like i shouldnt be able to tell them to do something just because they have been there for 2342734 years! I serioulsy just want to be like..."I am the nurse, you are the CNA. It is your job to get vitals at this time, so stop complaining and do your job!!!"

doctors...for ONCE i wish i could leave a huge mess for them and make them clean it up.

Willow Moonsidhe · Oct 25, 2009

It is sad and unprofessional to see RN's acting this way. I currently experienced the same on a cardiac step down unit. I keep clear notes for about two weeks in a journal then took it to human resources and asked for a transfer. I am a 49 y/o RN with 10 years of critical care experience. I don't have the patience to deal with childish behavior or passive-aggressive nurses.

Hope you find a better place to be!

BmoreCRNP · Oct 25, 2009

And this proves the point I was making over in the "bully nurse" thread. Someone tried their hardest to shut me down and imply that the younger nurses spend so much time being cute. The truth is, some of these nurses have allowed nursing to sour them and destroy them spiritually (not necessarily talking religion here). They are miserable, angry, stressed, miserable....did I say miserable? So when you, who are just starting out in life and relatively happy, come on the unit eager to learn and make friends...........they can't stand it! I've never understood it myself. There was only one place I worked where this kind of treatment didn't occur too often. The only reason for that was because they had a strong nurse extern/intern program, so new 20 something year old nurses were common.

cardiocarestudent · Oct 25, 2009

Wow, you must work at the hospital I just started at?! Do you live in Austin?? I really feel for you, and I have actually just registered to talk about the same type of complaint. I started as a tech in a hosital two months ago where my position is pretty isolated but located close to the nursing station. I got the exact same response when I walked into the nursing station my first day. And since then, I have been treated like I just walked off the street. The truth is, I have had a pretty successful career in a completely different field, but am now just entering the medical field. My feeling is, other see me as "just a tech" and a lower person than them (??) when I may very well have much more experience, life and professional, than they have. I keep a smile on my face and most of them don't respond at all. All day long I have to listen to them berate the patients in the nursing station which absolutely blows my mind. I thought nurses were supposed to be compassionate and understanding, not make fun of patients behind their back! But really, no one is immune from it. I hear them talking about co-workers, patient family members and the nursing students as well! To me it is low class, disrespectful and just plain tacky. I am really quite shocked that this behavior goes on even by the charge nurses and no one says a word about it (at least to their face). In fact, it's the charge nurse who I hear it from most. It makes me almost explode when I get home from the anger I feel hearing this awful, negative $%!# all day long.

The person who trained me gave me some very good advice - put on a mask at work, and take the mask off when you leave. Your work depends on it and these people aren't going home with you. Confrontation will get you nowhere, and will not change their behavior. This lady has SO much patience with the other staff who talk down to her as well and take out their frustration on her since she is in charge of the phones. I don't know how she does it other than she is religious and believes that we are responsible for our own actions. That those people who are behaving that way will have to answer for that just as you will have to answer for how we respond to it. It's very true, and a challenge to maintain that.

Nurses - if you are frustrated, go take a walk during your break or find some outlet to vent your frustration other than this which creates a hostile work environment. There are literally 3 nurses who do not do this where I work, and I really respect them alot. The other nurses have pretty much lost all respect and credibility from myself and the woman who trained me.

cardiocarestudent · Oct 25, 2009

In response to NEWTRESS

Agreed! When someone actually cared enough to ask me what I did before I was a tech, I got instant respect. It was like a light when on and I was not from the trash anymore. Gosh, everyone starts out somewhere. What if I was nothing more than a burger flipper at McDonalds before instead of what I did? They should look at that as something to respect that I've wanted to further myself and get into the medical field. You are right, they are just shallow, juevenile people who have a huge void and fill it with $#!& instead of honey