Other Nurses

There should be a discussion category entitled "Cathartic Rants".

The biggest problem with nursing is ... other nurses. This is how I feel this morning. Other nurses, awful nurses who are awful people. Nurses whose priorities are as*-backwards; who work harder to get out of work than if they just did it; whose day is given meaning if someone else overlooks something, however inconsequential, and they are given the opportunity to make a big production out of it; who confuse their nurse manager with their mommies and go running to tattle about tiny little things that have zero clinical significance; who will hopefully never have a moment of personal insight or clarity because I would wholeheartedly prefer them to be oblivious than actually face the truth about themselves.

No, I don't feel better. Yes, I try to take a step back and understand what motivates people. But recognizing why someone may be as miserable as they are and is compelled to spread their contagion is not enough to excuse their behavior sometimes. I used to be unflappable. (Then I got married). I used to love my job, but then these people, over time, have gotten to me, and the high road has become impassable. I let things go, but then they fester within me. I confront someone like an adult after my name has been in their mouth or the backstabbing or passive-aggressive nonsense has gotten out of control, but their responses end up being more inappropriate and infuriating than the original offense. Am I perfect? Of course not. Do I care about my job and my patients? Very, very much. I feel like being both of these things, admittedly imperfect and professionally conscientious, makes me the exception, or maybe even a target. If these nurses were good at their job or halfway decent people, I might be able to swallow this cr*p. But they are terrible. The bizarre thing about all of this is that I work nights on a gd psych unit, and I'm the only nurse on my shift. People are gonna wonder when I go postal. Like, "What was that all about?"

I guess this helps a little, whining and crying. Knowing that my nurse manager and in-house psychiatrist don't feel or think this way helps, also. There are a few good new nurses with whom I can commiserate. Convincing myself that I am genuinely committed to my patients, and hearing sometimes that they sense this and appreciate it is pretty much all that I can ask for, all that matters. I guess I just want people to know why I ended up on the news is all.