elilbitz

Actually, I found nurses with 2 - 5 years the worst at doing their best to make you look worse than they! and nurses with more experience to be the ones who have little patience - usually the ones who are not happy with the way managment is handling things. Those who aren't disgruntled with management or are more secure with themselves are the most patient with new nurses

I don't believe there is a 'stigma'. There is a Reality that SOME seasoned nurses eat their young. I don't believe it has to do with nurses forgetting what it was like starting, or lack of compassion, or whatever we have thus far thought might be 'lacking' in the seasoned nurses. It's survival mode that happens in the hospitals...which are basically corportations...where it's dog eat dog (or in the hospital: nurses eat the young) in order to keep your job or to get ahead. Larges places of work breed this, and no matter what the hospital does to encourgage team playing, they can't stop the competition. Those who are highly competative or have a perceived threat, will do what they can to deflect negativity, place the negative light on someone else to keep their position. The preceptor whose precceptee is struggling may not want to be known as the preceptor that isn't up to snuff, thus placing the blame on the idiot new nurse. The second shift nurse who has their hands full may place the blame on the nurse on the prior shift. The nurse who is feeling insecure about thier ability to step in as charge nurse may place blame on the new nurse. The nurse who is being challenged about thier performance may overhear others talking about the faults of a new nurse he or she isn't familiar with but knows if they throw dirt in their direction, it will take the heat off them. Although these actions aren't kind, compassionate, team spirited, etc...they go unnoticed...they are not intended to give the new nurse a hard time. The intention is all about survival. I don't play that game and will never work on a busy floor again for this reason. Smaller units or nursing positions in small offices, businesses outside the hospital are much safer places.

Thanks for your reply ~ I was never alerted that anyone responded. For the record, the facility has no pharmacist. It is a small addictions hospital that is run by an addictions doctor who also takes on that role of pharmacist...and is also accountable for saving money...and I believe it was his idea to cut the strips! I've since left the position. I sure hope they've changed this 'policy'

I am an addictions nurse working with the new Suboxone Film. It comes in only 2mg or 8mg strengths. The administrators of the hospital are requesting the nurses cut the 8mg flim strips into half to make 4mg doses. Apparently this is more cost effective than giving 2 of the 2mg strips as both the 2mg and 8mg strips cost the same amount of money. Therefore half of an 8mg strip costs 1/4 of the price of two 2mg strips. BUT is this safe and ethical? Would this practice be a threat to our licenses? There are no score marks on the films and there is no information about cutting at the Suboxone website. Even if it is ethical, there is the issue of time and accuracy in cutting the film, as well as handling the film. We are to cut them with just any old pair of scissors available too. Once the film is cut, we are to put the remainder back in the med cart for later use as needed. If it is not needed by the end of the med pass, it is to be disposed of. I have not yet done this. Much to the dismay of the administrators, I continue to use the 2mg film strips for the 2, 4 and 6mg dosings. I refuse to do this if it is a threat to my license. If it is not, I believe I still have issue with it and will seek to offer better ways of handling the situation. Anyone have any experience with this? Or does anyone know where I can find the information to support whether I should cut them or not? Thanks in advance ~E

I see it as a great opportunity for leadership! FOR ME if anyone ASKS for help, I DO it if I am able ~ ESPECIALLY if the instructor asks ~ then I don't see where I have the room to decide if I feel comfortable with it or not. It was also a compliment given to you on your ability to prioritize your day. Some well seasoned, great nurses still may not view prioritizing their day as one of their strong points...or maybe it is, but they are not able to convey how they master it to others. I also believe that we are in clinical GROUPS for good reason. We all have strengths and weaknesses. We can all learn from each other even when we don't think we are learning something right then and there. Clinicals is a starting place for learning and showing our ability to work as part of a team. Finally for me, I'm in no position to decide whether the instructor is doing her job or not. But we do have evaluations at the end of each semester...which gives me time to decide if any negative thoughts were really well founded or not. I know for me, I will be making suggestions more for the whole clinical program instead of for just my instructor. Instructors hands are tied in much of what happens, and they can only be expected to be able to do so much. They all have their own styles and personalities too (some more pleasing than others), which I see as party of the beauty of rotations. Part of me wants to help him, but I didn't want to do what the instructor SHOULD be doing." >>