Newer nurses with TOO much confidence?

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I have been a nurse for 12 years with critical care and tele/med surg experience who changed career paths a couple of years ago and started working at a prestigious children's hospital in 08. Lately, things have been getting really annoying with one nurse in particular. She is a new grad (I say new grad meaning less than a year experience as an RN and this is her first job).

Anyhow, this girl is always signing up to be a super user of some sort, brown nosing, etc. etc....we have ALL worked with those types of nurses and generally I tend to ignore them, then laugh to myself when they eventually "lose" it.

The last couple of weeks I have noticed her following me into my patient rooms, like watching me perform care and attempting to "correct me". The thing is, I'm not doing anything that she should be correcting me on in the first place. I am a great nurse with excellent skills, I earned the right to say that by breaking my back since 1996!

This got out of hand the other day when she "took over" suctioning my patient d/t his sats being low, then cautioning me on what meds to give him. I almost bit my tongue in half from keeping my mouth shut on the matter. BTW the meds were discussed with the NP and MD....I just mentioned that if he did not calm down after what I was giving him what the plan was.

Apparently, I am not the only one who is noticing this behavior change she is exhibiting....people have started talking and we all know how that goes.

Any advice on how to handle this?? I really want to pull her aside and say something to her, but I don't know exactly what to say. She may think she's "super nurse" right now, but dang when her assignment gets tough she gets frustrated and says she's gonna quit. I think she is a smart girl with decent skills for a new nurse-and I do care enough to not have her get a rep for being a know it all brwon noser type-although she seems to be getting there on her own.

Any advice would be appreciated :)

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Being a new grad is hard and super stressful. She is prob trying to appear confident and I envy her for being able to do that. Whatever you do, do not beat her down or do that whole nurse eating their young thing. If you feel that you must say something to her, start with a compliment, end with a compliment and do not be mean or attack. And I would NOT say anything that makes her feel like "people are talking". Just give her constructive critisism, stick to the facts and what YOu have observed. Do you remember how hard the first year was?

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I do remember how hard my first year was....but I also had respect for those who had and have a ton more experience than I do. I have never been one to confront someone on something like this....but then again I have never dealt with this type of issue before either. It is one thing to have confidence and another thing to behave this way. I will probably just ignore and avoid her. It will eventually come back to bite her in the hiney anyway.

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Specializes in Hospice / Psych / RNAC.

Then pull her aside and say something; you may be doing her a great favor.

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Specializes in chemical dependency detox/psych.

When I've had the "new-grad super-nurse" try correcting me or butt in, it didn't fly. "(Super-Nurse's name), these are my patients. You need to go and take care of your own patients. I understand that you're enthusiastic about your job, but I'll ask for help if I need it." Directness, said in a kind tone, works.

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Specializes in drug seekers and the incurably insane..

I've had to deal with know-it-all new grads. But I think it isn't so much to do with being a new nurse, but personality issues. Some people are just know-it-alls. I remember one of my nurse friends told me when I first started that she felt I was too confident because she never heard me complain about something being too hard to handle and I never seemed intimidated. I just told her that I ask for help when needed....would never attempt to tackle something I'm inexperienced with and I tend to not let others intimidate me. *wine

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Specializes in PICU now, Peds and med-surg in the past.

Thankfully I have worked with a lot of new grads over the years and I haven't had too much trouble so I'm not sure of the best thing to say in the situation. Perhaps you could say something like "I think it's great that your nursing program prepared you well and helped you to start out as a nurse with confidence in your skills. You'll learn quickly working as a nurse that there are often two or more ways of appropriately doing something or ways of looking at and dealing with a situation. If you are curious about my rationale at times I am more than happy to help explain to or show you my reasoning and in the same way if I ever need help or another opinion I will be sure to ask you any time".

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

I think when someone follows you into a room and takes over suctioning your patient it's probably past time for what SlightlyMentalRN suggested -very direct but in a kind tone- sorry but if someone is that b*llsy fear of "appearing as though you are eating your young" be hanged!!

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Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

This is what I recommend. You should take her aside in private and tell her in plain language what you have observed and ask her 1. Does she need help, 2. Is she trying to learn something new, 3. Is she just trying to help you out or 4. Does she have an issue with your nursing care. Give her a chance to explain what she is doing and why. She may actually have a good reason for what she is doing. Depending on her answer, you can explain to her how you want to be approached and if she needs help, offer to assist her with her learning needs. Now, if she tells you that she has an issue with your nursing care, don't get mad. Ask her to explain. My guess is that she has been taught one way and may not know another way or has not developed critical thinking skills yet. If she becomes angry or defensive or accuses you of providing unsafe care then you should tell her that you will be discussing this matter with the manager and ask the manager to sit up a meeting for the three of you to meet together. Tell her that you expect that she will be able to provide specific examples of why she thinks you demonstrate unsafe care. Don't defend yourself. It is up to her to come up with a list of her concerns. This will be hard. You will want to slap the crap out of her but don't do it and don't raise your voice to her.

I worked with a girl once who was always verbally attacking me for one thing or another. We got to the heart of the issue one day when she called me a very nasty name in the middle of the shock room (we worked in the ED) when we were attempting to care for a patient. To make a long story short, I took her aside one day into an empty exam room and just asked her straight up what was bothering her. Well, she was apparently upset with my personal life (I was single and I was dating someone she thought I should not have been dating). I told her that unless I was dating her husband, she should not worry about it. I explained to her that the only conversation and communication we ever needed to have was in regard to patient care. Otherwise, we did not need to talk to each other. I explained to her that she was to make no further comments to me or anyone else regarding my private life and then I asked her if she had any questions and did she understand what I was telling her. No questions, and I walked away. That was the end of that.

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Maybe its the stethoscope? :D LMAO. No jk, but I'm a nursing student (first semester), and I get a huge ass boost of confidence when I put the stethoscope around my neck. :) I don't become like the newgrad you described. It's a different confidence lol. I become confident to walk into a new patients room without being shy :D!

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Specializes in geriatrics/long term care.

I definitely think you should say something. I mean, it's one thing to watch super nurse, i mean, new nurse jump over tall buildings with her own assignment. But I would have to set healthy limits with someone "taking over" my patient, and finishing a task for me. I mean, the advice on the meds, i can ignore, because i am going to follow my own judgement. I know this, so I can smile, nod, and get over it. But taking over the suctioning of your patient is too much. I would try to politely set limits and ask her to feel free to talk to you about your patients, but limit herself to tasks that she has been asked to do.:coollook:

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Specializes in Tele, ICU, ED, Nurse Instructor,.

I wouldn't say anything at all. Some of us have to live and learn for ourselves. If other healthcare providers are talking, laughing, and carrying on about her, I am sure she would get the ideal sooner or most likely later. I have worked with nurses like this and believe me they finally realize what is really going on in the world, by learning the hard way. Healthcare providers suppose to work as a team not against each other.

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