I was just hired into a new grad residency program. I'm an older new nurse (40ish, haha) and I didn't find any "bullying" going on in my clinical rotations: there are a lot of different personalities in any profession. In all the threads on "bullying", I stand firmly with the "older" mindset: ask good questions, work hard, and don't take things personally.
That being said, I graduated this weekend and was able to see two of my former clinical faculty who taught students on the very unit on which I was hired. Both have been nurses for a long time (and would likely both gladly take on the mantle of "crusty old bat", knowing these two amazing women) and both have had students on this unit for many years. I spoke to each separately, and each told me that the nurses on my unit can be somewhat difficult to work with, and that's me being diplomatic about what was actually said. Both said they had to choose patients for their students based on the nurse who had the patient, and not the pathophysiology of the patient, and both said that there are some nurses on the unit who have poor attitudes toward students and new nurses. I'd have taken it with a (tiny) grain of salt if it had come from a fellow student, but this is a slightly larger grain coming from two nurses for whom I have great respect.
Their advice was to keep a positive attitude and not allow myself to be dragged into the nastiness. Pretty simple advice, and something I've had extensive in life training for. I have to admit though, coming from these two nurses, who I'd consider to be tough and assertive, I'm a little nervous. I'm enthusiastic about the position, I'm organized, I want to learn as much as I can, I ask good questions (and not repetitively!)and I don't take criticism personally.....any other suggestions from the Crusty Old Bat Society on how to assimilate into a unit as a new grad? Anything that will help allay my nerves would be greatly appreciated.
