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??
Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.
As you can see here it is endemic when many women work together. You will find some who are wonderful and have your back, but you must always be cautious because others are not to be trusted and are sharpening their knives.....
Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
I actually went through the trouble of creating an account just so I could comment on this.
The first few comments (after which I stopped reading) ... I have to say ... y'all are just obnoxious. This is EXACTLY what she was talking about, and to the OP, let me tell you, you are exactly right. The problem is, it's not just in nursing. And the good thing is, it's not on all nursing units.
Let me elaborate. I worked 2 years on a floor with absolute ******* ... a lot of shallow, mean, petty, horrible people I collectively called, "The Sorority." I then worked 2 years on another unit with a group of women (and a few men) I absolutely loved. We were all mutually supportive, everyone was kind to each other, everyone seemed ultimately really into nursing. The personalities were all over the place, but the bottom line was professionalism and kindness.
I have worked many other places outside of nursing and found the same thing: sometimes you hit a sour group (like the crap people on this thread) and sometimes you find a really great one.
Best of luck to you, and just remember ... if you find yourself "hating nursing," give another unit a try. May not even have to be a different type of unit, but just a change of scenery. Also remember the first year will be tough, and that if after 4-5 years you really don't warm up to it, don't be afraid to make a life change.
So it's not obnoxious to eavesdrop? I think it's quite rude.
Why do we have to all be friends with people we work with? I see so many new nurses quitting their first job after less than a year. So many excuses as to why as well. There will never be a perfect job, the perfect unit or the perfect mesh of coworkers. Sometimes we just have to suck it up & get through life.
I just don't understand why so many nurses get upset at their first job when it isn't what they expected then want to quit. This scares me!
OP, I seriously suggest you check out some of the myriad threads here that speak to failing NCLEX 2, 4, 8 times.
Most of us have already voiced our opinion on one or more of those threads regarding those who can't pass NCLEX but have the ddrreeaaammmm of being a nurse.
As someone else said, eavesdroppers eventually hear something they don't like. Move on, take care of your own life, and remember that opinions are like rectums; everybody has one. (And the first person who brings up bowel surgery and ostomies is going to get serious stink face lol).
I actually went through the trouble of creating an account just so I could comment on this.
The first few comments (after which I stopped reading) ... I have to say ... y'all are just obnoxious.
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I have worked many other places outside of nursing and found the same thing: sometimes you hit a sour group (like the crap people on this thread) and sometimes you find a really great one.
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Another opinion, and so nicely put, so classy and oozing with kindness.
Let me elaborate. I worked 2 years on a floor with absolute ******* ... a lot of shallow, mean, petty, horrible people I collectively called, "The Sorority."
sometimes you hit a sour group (like the crap people on this thread)
Obnoxious crap people... Oh, well.
Seems to me that you took a look at one thread and made a snap judgement regarding several different people who've you've never spent a single minute with in real life. Perhaps you haven't even read any of their other contributions in other threads? If I were to judge you solely on your contribution in this thread, my verdict wouldn't be terribly flattering. But making sweeping generalizations like that based on a single post wouldn't be very fair, now would it?
I think that many of the posts here were delivered tongue firmly planted in cheek and I also think that OP got some good advice. I certainly meant no harm to OP.
I don't not think the GN's you sat next to are reflective of just nurses, they are reflective of this society in general. We have become an extremely judgmental society. From reality TV to websites like this, you will find people who rip on other people just to make themselves feel better. Look at the alligator at Disney situation. Anyone who blamed the parents, well...
The NCLEX does not make you a nurse, it just gives you a license to practice nursing. Saying your smart because you passed a 75 question test is like saying your a good driver because you passed a 10 minute driver's test. Years of experience, grit, effort, and compassion make you great at almost anything. Hopefully your fellow zoo enthusiasts will understand that someday, for now, maybe a trip to a beach maybe more relaxing :)
CrunchRN, ADN, RN
4,556 Posts
As you can see here it is endemic when many women work together. You will find some who are wonderful and have your back, but you must always be cautious because others are not to be trusted and are sharpening their knives.....