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What is it going to take to change the nursing culture? I'm not talking about nurses eating their young necessarily, but just the superiority attitudes in general.

Here's my example: I went to the zoo the other day to take my mind off the NCLEX that I was unsure whether or not I passed. There were three girls sitting at a table beside me who were discussing the NCLEX (not ideal to get my mind off of it, haha). But one girl was saying that she would have been so upset if she didn't pass, and thinks if you don't pass the first time you shouldn't be a nurse. They were talking about one classmate in particular and saying how he failed and was such a loser and they would hate to know their nurse failed the NCLEX because that means you are stupid.

I've heard similar attitudes in the past. I mean, they were barely even nurses and already they have this attitude of not passing the NCLEX = you're a stupid person who shouldn't be a nurse. That is so bothersome to me as someone who considered not getting into the field due to the cattiness I had heard so much about.

Anyway, I personally think the education about kindness and consideration in the field needs to start early in nursing school to start changing the culture of nursing. It just seems like a high school clique issue that needs to be addressed before people hit the workplace. Am I the only one??

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Some would find it offensive that you gawk at caged animals for entertainment and eavesdrop on other people's conversations. :wacky:

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Some would find it offensive that you gawk at caged animals for entertainment and eavesdrop on other people's conversations. :wacky:

I agree and do.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
I agree and do.

Same here!

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What is it going to take to change the nursing culture? I'm not talking about nurses eating their young necessarily, but just the superiority attitudes in general.

Here's my example: I went to the zoo the other day to take my mind off the NCLEX that I was unsure whether or not I passed. There were three girls sitting at a table beside me who were discussing the NCLEX (not ideal to get my mind off of it, haha). But one girl was saying that she would have been so upset if she didn't pass, and thinks if you don't pass the first time you shouldn't be a nurse. They were talking about one classmate in particular and saying how he failed and was such a loser and they would hate to know their nurse failed the NCLEX because that means you are stupid.

I've heard similar attitudes in the past. I mean, they were barely even nurses and already they have this attitude of not passing the NCLEX = you're a stupid person who shouldn't be a nurse. That is so bothersome to me as someone who considered not getting into the field due to the cattiness I had heard so much about.

Anyway, I personally think the education about kindness and consideration in the field needs to start early in nursing school to start changing the culture of nursing. It just seems like a high school clique issue that needs to be addressed before people hit the workplace. Am I the only one??

You haven't even worked as a nurse yet, but you already know so much about the "nursing culture"?

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Specializes in PACU.

I wonder how much the rumor of this culture perpetuates the culture????

Sounds like three people just talking amongst themselves... if you didn't like what you were hearing, you didn't need to listen in.

But seriously...

I have really don't think this culture is alive and well. I saw it a couple of time back in the mid 1990's (as an LPN) and haven't really seen it much since then. The nurses I have worked with have been wonderful (just got my RN... finally :)). Or maybe I'm just a tough old nut, with a really thick skin??

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Specializes in ER.
Some would find it offensive that you gawk at caged animals for entertainment and eavesdrop on other people's conversations. :wacky:

Hah hah!!! :roflmao: Hilarious.

To the OP, it's not 'rude' to have an opinion.

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Well that certainly wasn't answering my question, and everyone can have their opinion on zoos. I think the point was first of all that I couldn't help but overhear them as I was sitting right next to their table, and it was one example that I've heard of many, just the most recent one which is why I picked it.

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I wonder how much the rumor of this culture perpetuates the culture????

Sounds like three people just talking amongst themselves... if you didn't like what you were hearing, you didn't need to listen in.

But seriously...

I have really don't think this culture is alive and well. I saw it a couple of time back in the mid 1990's (as an LPN) and haven't really seen it much since then. The nurses I have worked with have been wonderful (just got my RN... finally :)). Or maybe I'm just a tough old nut, with a really thick skin??

Maybe it's just the school I was in? It was very catty just in the clinicals, and the hospitals I was in also. I don't know if that's just how it is in my experience, but based on other threads I've read on here it seems to also be an issue for other people.

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But one girl was saying that she would have been so upset if she didn't pass, and thinks if you don't pass the first time you shouldn't be a nurse.

To be fair, it does sound like she included herself when she said that people who don't pass the first time shouldn't be nurses. If she'd said that the "rule" shouldn't apply to her, only to others, now that would have been offensive. As it was said, it's simply her opinion and she has the right to have one.

They were talking about one classmate in particular and saying how he failed and was such a loser

Talking about/gossiping about someone behind their back isn't very classy, but trust me; it's not unique to nursing students. People of all ages and different careers do it.

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You haven't even worked as a nurse yet, but you already know so much about the "nursing culture"?

I think from what I've seen so far I can have a valid comment about the cultures that I have been apart of through school/work. From others I've talked with as well it seems that there are issues that start even in nursing school. So no, I can't comment as a nurse who has worked in the culture, but an individual who has been in the nursing environment for a few years and observed some things.

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Specializes in ER.
Well that certainly wasn't answering my question, and everyone can have their opinion on zoos.

And people can have their opinions about whether failing at NCLEX means you are loser and unworthy of becoming a nurse. That's just an opinion.

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