kocurek

I am over 50yo starting career in nursing. There is a young nurse who attempted to bully me. What shocked me more is that she bullied even a pregnant coworker. In my case I couldn't count on the management, because the bully is their favorite. I decided to lead by example the same way I "lead" the patients.

Almost a year passed since I started my first nursing job. Like for many, new aspiring nurses, it was a very challenging, often stressful period. When I told a colleague nurse that my faith in humanity is being tested on med-surg floor she reacted: "O! Yeah! Some patients really can be impossible". Well... I didn't mean patients. Although some can be difficult. Frustrated, or mentally broken, vent on you, or refuse to cooperate. We still are blessed. At the and of the shift we go back to our cozy homes and enjoy life freely, while many of these "difficult" patients are stuck with their miseries of chronic illness. It is very humbling. It's the nurses (some) who test my faith. We are educated, reasonably healthy and mentally capable professionals. We should know better. Yet there are bullies on the hospital floor too. Not underage developing children, but grown up adults, to my disbelief. The bully is a young inexperienced, but overambitious nurse. She even bullied a pregnant coworker, exploiting her vulnerabilities. She kept intervening with her patients's care to showcase herself for the management. She also told the victim that she is a liability to us, because she doesn't get COVID patients, can't lift and so forth. In the recent year almost all older experienced nurses left the night shift, and the bully became a favorite super-nurse of the management. She is precepting now new young nurses taking over the positions left by older generation nurses. As the bully is training new nurses and assures her position on the floor, it raises my concerns that it will become a toxic work place. Although I am over twenty years older than the bully and incoming nurses, I have as little experience as they. The bully is going to stay and most likely will not change her personal traits. What can make a difference, is my own attitude. When I started the nursing job, I took better care of my health, so I can be a role model for my patients. Now it comes that I need to be a role model for those incoming nurses too. I act now very consciously toward those new nurses, by offering help and reminding them that we row together this boat. What is your experience with bullying in a work place and how did you deal with it?

I was in a similar situation. Graduated twelve years ago during recession, unable to find a job. I took a refresher course and got a job with tree months of orientation for new grads. Very stressful, but I am almost done with orientation. An initial anxiety is transitioning into pride.?

How things are going for you? I am at the end of the three month orientation on med-surg/telemetry. It is difficult to manage on average six patients. I rather go slower, but safely with medications. On occasion, I had to stay after the shift hours to finish charting. It's a high learning curve. My preceptor told me that she was frequently crying for six months when she started her career. Beginnings seem to be extremely stressful. My hope is that after another three months it will be an intense but not nerve wracking work. I am very proud of being a nurse. Despite hurdles, I believe that helping people in crisis is a nobble venue.

This poem reflects the positive energy which motivates me through everyday of my often challenging work. We hold the power of healing others. With that power come responsibilities, but also pride and fulfillment.

If I can stop one heart from breaking I shall not live in vain If I can ease one Life the Aching Or cool one in pain Or help one fainting Robin Unto his Nest again, I shall not live in Vain. Emily Dickinson

Not to be able to land any job after years of studying was very disheartening. I questioned the point of ever working in the corporate environment of hospitals. It made me wary of investing again into a refresher college course, when the pandemic started and the hospitals were calling for out of work nurses to come back. Since few months I work on the med-surg/telemetry floor of a small community hospital and I LOVE it. Patients and coworkers are happy too. What else, should I ask for?

I'm Thomas. Graduated in 2019, but entered nursing in Summer of 2022. It's a long gap between graduating and starting the very first job. I like to share with you the experience of setting your feet on the nursing floor. Aches and anxiety, along with what elates you and makes you staying in nursing. Why did you decided to be a nurse and how you evolve? What makes you "tick"? I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Did you finish your orientation? Can you share with us how its going? We want to learn from your experience. As of today, I have two more weeks of orientation left, and also plenty of insecurities, like you. I graduated 12 years ago, but was not able to get a job due to recession. In my case talking to the educator did wonders. She was guiding the preceptor and on occasion changing the preceptor and putting me on ICU for couple weeks. I didn't trust in my abilities despite hearing from others, including preceptors, "You will be good". Now, with only two weeks left, I trust it will go well, although stressful. The staff on the floor is very supportive and understanding, which is a blessing I wish all you will have.

I've not only passed NCLEX with minimum 75 questions, but also did several certificates, for the future job. I was a top student. It all does not matter, because it is easier to hire conditioned and humble experienced nurse, than put you on a test to prove you are dedicated and independently thinking professional. Human resources are very inhuman today. The corporations are soulless entities created to produce profit, and people are peace of garbage easy to throw out or replace. As much as I love nursing, I am disgusted by lack of humanity in the work force of big health care corporations.

I tried in several states, including Alaska. I often followed news where a hospital spokesperson complained about nursing shortage. However when I called that institution, there was a standard "no new grads, at least one year of experience". I am living in New York and tried to find the job also upstate, and in correctional facilities (as a male nurse). If you are less than half year from graduation you may have a chance to find a fellowship . A lot of hospitals have been closed in NY recently, so there are plenty of experienced nurses on a job hunt. I wonder how other recent grads land their first job today.

Perseverance is a virtue. I am glad you passed NCLEX. What worries, is whether you will get a job after two years out of school an no experience. I struggle for ten months to find a job. No one wants me to hire because I have no experience, and they don't want to accept me for new grad position, because I have graduated more than six months ago. Your attitude, however is a great encouragement. You showed that it is possible to get what you desire if you are determined. Congratulations.

The reason I have some doubts about the trick is that we don't get recently messages from people who failed. The very few of them can be outdated already. We get bunch of posts about "good pop-up" every day, but we don't know if the trick still works, unless we also get posts from those who reached the cc site recently (not a half year ago). For those distressed about failing: Think about the nursing school. It was a long and often very stressful marathon. Cost thousands bucks and a lot of energy. Think about failing this school. Redoing NCLEX (even few times) seems to be a piece of cake if you compare it with failing college. It is mind and nails consuming to wait for the results, though. My deep sympathy for those who don't have the "quick result" option.