Nursing-Social Life

joanna73, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2016

One of the reasons that i usually try to keep work and private life separate is that I have seen a lot of off-duty friendships turn into on-duty drama. I hate drama.

I have one work friend for this reason. I generally like to keep my private life private. Too many work friends can result in disaster later. You never really know.

CalArmy · Jul 19, 2016

My nursing friends are like sisters. We are in each other's lives a lot with very little drama. I think if you are prone to drama than you will find it regardless.

loriangel14, RN · Jul 19, 2016

My nursing friends are like sisters. We are in each other's lives a lot with very little drama. I think if you are prone to drama than you will find it regardless.

Very true. I have worked with many of the same gals for 10 years and some of the group has been together 25 years or more. There has been no issues that I know of.

Horseshoe, BSN, RN · Jul 19, 2016

My nursing friends are like sisters. We are in each other's lives a lot with very little drama. I think if you are prone to drama than you will find it regardless.

Perhaps, but it's easier to avoid engaging with dramatic people in your real life or decide you don't want to remain friends any longer. You can't necessarily do that when drama gets going with people you work with. It's similar to dating someone you work with, then having a fight or breaking up, and now having to keep running into them at work.

AutumnApple · Jul 19, 2016

Thanks for sharing your experience. In my OP I don't think I specified my meaning for clique. Naturally, cliques form with people who have history.. at least in most cases. I didn't mean that it could be negative, but I get that it can get abused like you said. I will be careful of using that word now. You hit the nail right on its head because I was curious if anyone felt it was disadvantageous to indulge in platonic relationships with co-workers, not just in medical setting but any work setting. You chose a different route. At the end of the day, how did it make you feel? Unaffected I assume, but do you see a benefit of having a friend at work to share some work-like experiences? If not, who do you share stuff like that with?

I felt fine being a bit on the outside and looking in all the time. To be honest, at the time I kind of needed that, I was at a point in my life where I was letting go of my diva nurse qualities still. I needed to learn what it was like being "just another Jane", and travel nursing definitely taught me what that was like.

Sure, not everyone is coming from my point of view, perhaps even have already learned that lesson but staying on the boundaries of the drama is a great way to reduce at work stress.

Just learn to entertain yourself away from work. That's the only downside, not having people to hang with after work. I was never lonely or isolated though. I just kept in touch with family back home. Plus, some of your fellow travelers nurses may want someone to go sight seeing with.