One Of The Saddest Things I've Seen... Can't Stop Laughing

Nurses General Nursing

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So I went to work yesterday and our two new grads with less than a year of experience were precepting two new grads! I'm sorry but it's so sad. I just can't stop laughing. There's no more room for outrage anymore. One of them just makes me crazy. She leaves things half way done and we have to clean up after her sometimes when she leaves. Talk about cheap labor. I actually want to tell my patients to run for the nearest exit! I'm so sorry I just can't stop laughing! Look what healthcare has come to! (It's not really funny, but what can you do? I mean who in their right minds would authorize this? Like I said, there is just no more room for outrage. Sometimes you just have to laugh. I'm not in the US anymore. I mean you have two brand new nurse's practicing under the license of two fairly new nurses). He He He He!!!

Specializes in Cardiology and ER Nursing.

The proverbial blind leading the blind. Hopefully they all don't fall off a cliff.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
. I mean you have two brand new nurse's practicing under the license of two fairly new nurses). He He He He!!!

Just an FYI...New or not, those "brand new" nurses are practicing under their OWN licenses.

I'm not picking at you, but I feel it's important you understand this concept.

All the best,

Diane, RN

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Have these "new grads" passed the NCLEX? Or since you are "not in the US anymore," have they passed whatever licensing exam they are supposed to pass in order to be registered nurses (or LPN's if that is the case)?

The reason I ask is related to the comment about the new employees working under the license of the preceptors. That is never the case where I work. No one works as a nurse under my license when I am the preceptor. I will never suffer the consequences of anyone else's mistakes, only my own.

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Specializes in Emergency, Critical Care (CEN, CCRN).

I don't think I'd be laughing either. I've been an RN for about a year and four months, which is approximately as long as it takes a flea to break wind in terms of a nursing career, and there have been nights that I've looked around the Department and realized that I'm one of the "old ladies" on the roster. The first time it happened, I panicked for about fifteen seconds, and then thought: "That just means I have the opportunity to set the best possible example, to demonstrate the way I was taught to lead my team and care for my patients."

Yes, you're in a bad spot, and you need to vent about it. We all recognize that. However, instead of throwing up your hands, consider this your opportunity to step up and shine. These new RNs you're working with are in a truly ugly predicament: they're on their own, the ink barely dry on their licenses, with no experience to guide them and no experienced staff to point out the right direction. Either you need to set that example, or you need to get out of that workplace. Laughing at them is not going to solve their problems, nor your own.

I wish you all the best in your situation.

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As much as it's not the ideal situation... I have had graduate nurses paired up with me for a day or two over my clinicals and although my teacher wasn't happy about it, these graduate nurses demonstrated safer nursing care than registered nurses that had been there for 5 years or more.

Seeing as they are fully licensed nurses themselves, they are likely to know when the other nurses are doing something wrong. You can always offer your own suggestions or ideas if you see them doing something you know is definitely wrong and I'm sure they would be quite grateful.

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Ok guys. Let me clarify something because I thought you guys are intelligent to realize that I'm being sarcastic and it's not funny..

Welcome to allnurses.

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Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.

Once, on a travel assignment, I was Charge Nurse on DAY ONE..............during orientation. I was baffled by this, then I got the scoop on what was going on. A nurse who had only recently passed her boards was charge nurse most nights, she was the only choice (lots of LPNs, who, by facility policy, did not fill the charge roll). As soon as I walked in the door, I was senior RN. I didn't think it was funny.

My company allowed you 3 days on the unit to call and tell them it was not going to work and that you wanted the contract made null/void. I informed the manager of this, and told her until I was done with orientation (4 more days left) there would be no more charge nurse duties. And, if I did charge nurse, it was with a reduced pt. assignment and that day did not count as an orientation day.

They countered with an extended orientation, being charge nurse with a reduced assignment. I accepted, all went well.

I was assertive about my position though. I knew enough not to accept their terms. Seems your fellow nurses have not learned to be assertive as of yet. You have good opportunity to teach them. If they aren't interested...............it's their loss, you've done what you can. Me, I would not have accepted being trained by another new nurse. I had people to help me and point out the importance of this though, you co-workers didn't.

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I feel bad for the newer new grads too- I just got off orientation and my preceptor was fantastic and experienced and I shudder to think what my experience would have been like with someone less knowledgeable.

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When you vent at a message board, expect people to respond.

this is true...

but - i would hope folks to respond a tad more perceptively.

it was obvious to me that op wasn't talking about funny hahaha's...

more like maniacal and frustrated hahaha's.

no matter who vents about what, contextually it's all the same.

it's unfortunate that so many don't see that.

leslie

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Specializes in Cardiac.

I don't think OP really meant "funny HA HA," but funny terrible... ya'know?

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I'll bet those new grads don't like it either... probably scared out of their minds.

One of my friends just graduated in December. They already have her working with the nursing students... and it freaks her out.

It is sad. I agree.

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Specializes in Trauma/Tele/Surgery/SICU.

I was precepted by multiple nurses. One who had 6 mos and one who graduated 8 weeks before I did. The most experienced nurse on our night shift had 8 months. I was on my own with 6-8 patients before I was even licensed, the other nurses just passed my meds. I was charge the day my license number showed up on our state bon website, did not even have the paper copy yet.

I made multiple applications to every hospital and nursing home around but at the time NONE were hiring. I wrestled with my conscience every single time I went to work. I knew I was in over my head and was scared out of my mind. It was a miserable experience, one that left me on medication for depression and anxiety. I had to work because I am the only income in my family and it was that or welfare. Sometimes I think the more moral decision would have been to take welfare.

I am now one of the most senior nurses on my unit with 2 years in. We have a fresh crop of new grads experiencing the same issues I did. I have went to my manager. Her solution was to hire even more new grads. HR was not interested. It is very obvious to me after 2 years that neither she nor upper management is interested in fixing the problem, just continuing the cycle. I am very happy to say after two years my resume is finally getting some bites from other hospitals and I have two interviews this week. I cannot wait to get out of this place. I am not even sure I can give a two week notice if I know I have another job.

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