Professional personal persona?

[Antikigirl]

I was talking to my Charge Nurse the other day (for those that know my post, it was the day of my dilaudid mistake), and I found out some interesting things about people!

I am a very very cheery nurse at work, very helpful, always smiling and there if someone needs me! That is actually how I got my job (I was agency and they begged me to hire on..and I did!). I can be very appropriately humorous, and love my job and it shows!

I have had so many thanks yous, and cards sent to me from pts thanking me for my care of them! I feel honored and well...it is kinda freaky really...I was just doing my job! LOL!

Anywhooooooo...not meaning to toot my horn..there is a point! I found that some people DON'T like that!!!!!!! That a few pts thought I was being scarcastic or unprofessional! WOW! Made me instantly sad that kindness is looked upon in such a way...what, we don't have enough true kindness that folks are put off by it when it comes? One guy thought when I was being wierd when he asked for a cup of ice for his wife and I said "certainly, I will bring that to your room!" with a big honest smile! WIERD??? Hmmmm.

So it brings me to my question...what would be the perfect professional persona? I found myself being more quiet but that isn't me, and that scared people...LOL! So, after 7 years of a working thing with my persona...I get to re-evaluate. Less cheery, more stoic? LOL!

(and no, I don't go overboard with cheer...you have to guage it dependant on situation and pts/families, it can be too overwhelming to some and cause anxiety or mistrust..I am typically good at toning it down for most..but guess a few got through my radar!).

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Where do I sign up?

[Jules A, MSN]

BUt I will stick with it...you guys too...I would LOVE to work with you all! What a happy floor that would be! And...a very personally satisfying work expreience and pts would reap the benifits!

Count me in on your team also, its sounds wonderful.

Is there any chance your charge nurse was exhaggerating a bit? I understand that some people are not into people with bubbly personalities but even if I was a grump, how would I phrase that complaint? "She's just too nice"?

[Reno1978, BSN, RN]

Some people like plums...some people like prunes. I don't think there is such thing as an ideal disposition. No matter how anyone acts, there will be critics.

Just be yourself, always!

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Reno1978 - good advice!

[AtlantaRN, RN]

Dont change how you are for your patients. MOre often than not, I have people saying "it's so nice to have someone cheerful!"

ladybug

[gonzo1, ASN, RN]

I'm pretty bubbly and cheery too, and some people tease me about being a brown noser. I just love my job and working with people. I think that since work can be so hard that we all have to work together to make it as easy and enjoyable as possible.

When I worked med/surg there was one chick that would always walk by me and say "smile" I wanted to knock her face off. It pissed me off that much. I just get really involved in my work and what I'm doing and sometimes I come off as being serious. Not so much in ER as I did on med/surg. ER is entertainment and med/surg was hell.

[luckylucyrn]

NEVER EVER EVER EVER walk up to a person and say "SMILE!!!!". Do that to me and you're likely to get slapped. LOL

SO true! I hate it when people do that! If I wanted to smile at that moment, I would! And I always feel like once they say that it's rude not to smile, but it usually just makes my mood worse. OH and where do people get off asking how old I am? When did that become appropriate?! OR......if I am pregnant!!!!!!!!! Unless I am literally in LABOR you never assume that! (oh and I'm not either, nor am I overweight)

[Elisheva]

Be yourself and be your best self. No matter how you change, someone will find fault.

When I was a teen-ager, I worked as a checker in a grocery store. The first few weeks when I was new and nervous, this same man would get in my line every week. Each week, I did some small thing wrong - count back his change wrong, not give him his receipt quickly - and he always cussed at me. Finally, with a little experience, I checked him out PERFECTLY. He stood there a minute, turned to go, turned back around...and cussed me out anyway. Those people account for a certain percentage of the population you're going to have to always deal with. You go, Miss Perky! I'd love to be perky, but teenagers killed my perky gene.