Old Nurse-Bet Me!

[Lindsey McGraw]

As I prepare for another eight hour shift with the "old folks," I look in the mirror and ponder..."Oh my, it is a good day...no more wrinkles have formed and nothing new is sagging. At least nothing that is within my visual range." For that reason, you will not find any full length mirrors in my home!

Reflecting back to a conversation I had yesterday about age with one of my young C.N.A's who is from an African country, it makes me smile. It is an endearing and respectful thing to be called "MaMa" and this is a usual greeting from some of my favorites. She told me that at my age if I was in her country, I would not have to work anymore and would be taken care of.

Well, do not underestimate my 34 years of nursing experience. This white haired old nurse limps on occasion, after an accident where and l,800 pound horse knocked me down and ran over the top of my right leg. I can still see the perfect souvenir hoof print.

Granted, I cannot run to an emergency unless they want me to arrive red faced, out of breathe and speechless. My gait is brisk, but upon my arrival, my sharp mind guides the nurses through emergency measures so that when 911 Emergency arrives, the EMT's are not trite and there is no doubt about our true emergency situation. As they scoop and run, taking the resident to the ER, compliments are spoken "Good job" to my staff.

Time has marched on leaving my fingertips numb with neuropathy, causing limitations for my IV skills. I look for the perfect vein, anything bigger than a toothpick, for my young nurse to insert a line with my guidance, and profound instructions. Yes...

positive results with a resident being happy, infusion started, and first time good luck.

My eyesight is enhanced by my blue reading glasses that are always ready, as they hang around my neck on a chain. Now, I have to ask the pharmacy manufacturers why they make the print on medication vials so small? This causes a ritual where one has to outstretch your arms to the proper distance, and squint one eye to assist in being able to read the directions. For safety sakes I go find a young nurse who has good eyesight for clarification. Most of the time they just smile and humor me by reading the directions, because they realize some day they may be in the same situation.

Working for the last 17 years in a supervisory capacity, one of my favorite sayings when a page comes overhead on the intercom for assistance, and of course I am on the opposite unit three hallways away, is "Patience is a Virtue." Often a "new

nurse" has a question or concern, sometimes legitimate and other times mundane. Keeping my caring mentor nurse voice, I always try to "reply/teach" keeping in mind they may be taking care of me some day. As I walk away after the problem is resolved, I reinforce my other old saying "There is no such thing as a dumb question!"

One aggravation that is intolerable to me is a nurse with a cocky, "know-it-all" attitude. As experienced as I am, many a time there has been a situation where a group decision has been made because my memory bank fails me and a young mind right out of school is badly needed. Anyone who does not listen to solid advice from their peers, or a nurse who is older than dirt-gets my comment "Go ahead-be all you can be-but I made it 34 years without ending up in a court of law with my right hand in the air stating "Yes, I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth!" Amazing what kind of attitude adjustment this comment will bring on occasion.

Yes, I am an old white haired nurse and on occasion can be overheard stating that "When I am ready to retire I can just change roles from being head nurse and check into this nursing home." Joking of course...my retirement plan is to move back out west, buy a small ranch, have friends, horses and a variety of pets to fill my idle hours with pleasure. Aptly, it will be be named the "OBR"

which stands for (Old Broad Ranch.)

[jgpooh2002]

I love this. My mother and myself are both nurses. She retired from a large hospital and started working prn at a smaller hospital where I also work. Her hips hurt her and so walking long halls was not an option, so this worked out good for her to work at a smaller hospital. However, after over 25 years as an ICU nurse in the large hospital coming to a small hospital unit was like working a step down unit at a big hospital. Most pt that are to critical are sent out to a larger hospital.

She is having some problems with the younger nurses and it makes me so mad, but out of professionalism I keep my thoughts because I know it is not right for me to interfere. The staff that she works with want to call her incompetent, and these are much younger nurses but have been nurses for at least 6 years. Some of those nurses would not even have a clue how to deal with trauma and neuro and the very critcally ill pt., but she does. She had a hard time adjusting to the computer charting as the hospital she came from had not yet switched over. Well at 67 learning a computer was new. Then just as she started to learn this system on the computer they changed it. Now, she is PRN so it is not like she got to work on it everyday. The younger nurses began to complain because they had to show her things fairly often until she learned it. SOme of the nurses though thought this to be a real pain.

She rarely ask them for any help at all with her patients, because working with these pt's was a walk in the park compared to what she was used to. This small hospital offered very little in the way of equipment and supplies she was used to,but she does her job and does it well and has been very versatile and has adjusted to this.

She comes home upset some days because she sees these young nurses do things that are just wrong and is unsure how they have made it all this time doing procedures wrong and saying " Well this is how we do it here" when she tries to tell them. She has just learned to go in and do her own job and go home. But still this seems to be an issue for the younger nurses or at least a few of them. Her knowledge is more than they know what to do with. Two of these nurses that are the main problem have worked only at this hospital and never anywhere else and have no clue about anything else. They truely believe they are the greatest nurses in that hospital. God forbid they ever worked a REAL ICU they would be clueless.

Now I know I have rambled on so I will get to my problem. They call her incompetent and gossip to other nurses to try to convience them the same. Well as with any small work place-it got back to me. Now I work CCU too but I work PCCU when she works. I also worked under her years ago when that was exceptable. I learned all I know from her. She is so good. There are times that she has problems getting those small veins to and shows some of the even younger nurses how and where to stick for an IV.She once was so good at putting in IV's she was sometimes called to other floors when one was difficult to be obtained by other nurses. But if computers and iv's are the only problem she has they should be proud to have her. While they are looking up drips she is quoting the drips off the top of her head. She has a great repore with the physicians. This hospital does not have a hospitalist and has 2 internest and cardiology comes in 3 times a week from another hospital. She offers the physicians a lot of information, and they listen.

She feels the tension. She is given the worst assignments possible. She sometimes has to float out to the PCCU unit because they try to use seniority as an excuse to push her out versus them going. She over heard one nurse say "if she can't walk those halls and work out there then she don't need to be working and just needs to retire and go on". But she goes on and does her job and does not complain and sucks up the pain.

She gives great care. All her patients love her. The doctors love her. The nurses on PCCU love her. And guess what, unlike the nurses giving her problems--she has never had to go to court.

I have been a nurse 18 years. In all my years I have heard over and over how older nurses eat their young. But times are changing and these know-it-all nurses are taking over and to be honest, they are the ones incometent. I have worked with these same nurses. They are smart and do a fairly good job, and they are a source of basic information on some issues, but they are far from being able to call an older, more experienced nurse incompetent. She has so much to offer if they would just listen. I guess they are just intimidated.

I am not sure what to do for her situation. She knows what they are saying and it has really affected her to the point of depression. However, she can not afford to stop working right now.

I guess in a few years I wll be there and they will treat me that way too. Well good luck to them. Hope they can stay out of court and justify the things they do.

[BrookeeLou_RN]

I am so sorry you have to bear witness to the treatment your mom is getting. What does management say,, with her knowledge it is a shame they can not utilize her in a different way. 67 is not old and unless she has physical problems, I bet she can keep up. The computer can be a doozy for younger nurses, In one place I had to reteach the same few women (young) over and over and they still did not really get it. Could she got to local community or adult classes and take a computer class to give her more confidence?

The few that complain about her should have a talk with NM and your mom and try to come to a compromise..gossip defeats everyone.

I know how hard it is when our moms start to slow do a bit or all the knowledge they possess does not make all the difference anymore. Min retired in July and passed in Nov.. she was not a nurse but had a big job and did it well till she got sick. Her employer worshiped her.. she was a stickler for rules and he said "while not everyone liked my mom(she truly could be difficult) everyone respected her!"

If the nurses just do not like her.. might not be much you can do.. but if they are disrespectful.. that should be brought to NM attention.

I, personally, do not advise you working in a small hospital so near to her that you hear gossip. It is bad for you and probably your mom.

Have someone other than just your friends who work there to assess how you mom is coping...you could be not seeing the true picture.. or you might be right on target. Impossible for me to say.

If she has been in ICU for this long, I can not believe she can not stand up and speak for herself.. Maybe you need to let her do that.

Leaving her get depressed is not good so try something. Good luck.

[lpnfb]

Your Mom sounds like a wonderful nurse. So many young nurses have no respect for their older coworkers.

It's a shame. Could she consider home care nursing. I know I would love having an experienced nurse like her in my home.

Best wishes for both of you

[j464335]

beautiful post

[opjewel]

thank you so much ma for those words, i read them with tears welled up in my eyes, almost like a case of an happy ending,

Maama! as we would call you in Africa, well done. God Bless you, keep pasting your smiles all over cos u just pasted one on me.

[Lindsey McGraw]

Presently I am blessed to work in a multi-cultural environment with CNA's and nurses from a variety of countries.

We have great holiday parties, tons of food, only problem my African children almost kill me with their red pepper.

Smiles are great therapy for everyone, and can brighten even the worst day/shift.

[FranEMTnurse, CNA, LPN, EMT-I]

I love this. My mother and myself are both nurses. She retired from a large hospital and started working prn at a smaller hospital where I also work. Her hips hurt her and so walking long halls was not an option, so this worked out good for her to work at a smaller hospital. However, after over 25 years as an ICU nurse in the large hospital coming to a small hospital unit was like working a step down unit at a big hospital. Most pt that are to critical are sent out to a larger hospital.

She is having some problems with the younger nurses and it makes me so mad, but out of professionalism I keep my thoughts because I know it is not right for me to interfere. The staff that she works with want to call her incompetent, and these are much younger nurses but have been nurses for at least 6 years. Some of those nurses would not even have a clue how to deal with trauma and neuro and the very critcally ill pt., but she does. She had a hard time adjusting to the computer charting as the hospital she came from had not yet switched over. Well at 67 learning a computer was new. Then just as she started to learn this system on the computer they changed it. Now, she is PRN so it is not like she got to work on it everyday. The younger nurses began to complain because they had to show her things fairly often until she learned it. SOme of the nurses though thought this to be a real pain.

She rarely ask them for any help at all with her patients, because working with these pt's was a walk in the park compared to what she was used to. This small hospital offered very little in the way of equipment and supplies she was used to,but she does her job and does it well and has been very versatile and has adjusted to this.

She comes home upset some days because she sees these young nurses do things that are just wrong and is unsure how they have made it all this time doing procedures wrong and saying " Well this is how we do it here" when she tries to tell them. She has just learned to go in and do her own job and go home. But still this seems to be an issue for the younger nurses or at least a few of them. Her knowledge is more than they know what to do with. Two of these nurses that are the main problem have worked only at this hospital and never anywhere else and have no clue about anything else. They truely believe they are the greatest nurses in that hospital. God forbid they ever worked a REAL ICU they would be clueless.

Now I know I have rambled on so I will get to my problem. They call her incompetent and gossip to other nurses to try to convience them the same. Well as with any small work place-it got back to me. Now I work CCU too but I work PCCU when she works. I also worked under her years ago when that was exceptable. I learned all I know from her. She is so good. There are times that she has problems getting those small veins to and shows some of the even younger nurses how and where to stick for an IV.She once was so good at putting in IV's she was sometimes called to other floors when one was difficult to be obtained by other nurses. But if computers and iv's are the only problem she has they should be proud to have her. While they are looking up drips she is quoting the drips off the top of her head. She has a great repore with the physicians. This hospital does not have a hospitalist and has 2 internest and cardiology comes in 3 times a week from another hospital. She offers the physicians a lot of information, and they listen.

She feels the tension. She is given the worst assignments possible. She sometimes has to float out to the PCCU unit because they try to use seniority as an excuse to push her out versus them going. She over heard one nurse say "if she can't walk those halls and work out there then she don't need to be working and just needs to retire and go on". But she goes on and does her job and does not complain and sucks up the pain.

She gives great care. All her patients love her. The doctors love her. The nurses on PCCU love her. And guess what, unlike the nurses giving her problems--she has never had to go to court.

I have been a nurse 18 years. In all my years I have heard over and over how older nurses eat their young. But times are changing and these know-it-all nurses are taking over and to be honest, they are the ones incometent. I have worked with these same nurses. They are smart and do a fairly good job, and they are a source of basic information on some issues, but they are far from being able to call an older, more experienced nurse incompetent. She has so much to offer if they would just listen. I guess they are just intimidated.

I am not sure what to do for her situation. She knows what they are saying and it has really affected her to the point of depression. However, she can not afford to stop working right now.

I guess in a few years I wll be there and they will treat me that way too. Well good luck to them. Hope they can stay out of court and justify the things they do.

jgpooh, you are a very dedicated daughter. I love your message. Like your mom, I also have been the victim of the younger ones. Only that was while I was in nursing school. I ate all of my meals alone, etc. Now that I"m a homecare client, I have a 23 year old who continually is advising me about matters I have learned several years ago, and she knows I have a history of 18 years as an EMT, as a CPR and first aid instructor, and became a nurse at age 55.

I am so sorry I have to be on the receiving end of healthcare now. I feel so demeaned when these aides and others order me around with the knowledge I already have and more. So I feel really bad for your mom and for you too, because I know this hurts you. :hug::heartbeat

[cherryames1949]

What a wonderful post. I would love to sit on that porch with you and watch the sun set. Good luck to you and please keep writing.

[NaKcl, BSN, RN]

Save me a rocking chair on your porch for me too!!!. I am "IN" !!!!!

[Lindsey McGraw]

Wow, will have to definitely expand that porch with multiple views to accommodate all those rocking chairs. Remind me to post the address once the dream comes true. Old nurses are the best, and think of the tales we could "spin"...?

[MouseMichelle]

Your post brought many smiles on my face. Although I'm not as experiences as you in terms of years I can relate and wonder if that's how I'll be as an older nurse nursing.

I loved your sense of humor in this.

Good job and thumbs up.

You should win money for this one.

[thesweetpea]

Lindsey,thanks for sharing that lovely story!