HeartRN13

Near syncope... Did you pass out or did you not? Lol

Good luck!

I think you're overthinking it, if you're coming from a nursing perspective. Sorry to answer the question in a way that isn't helpful, but I'm an ICU nurse as well and I wouldn't lose sleep or overthink this!

I mean the environment, coworkers, workplace culture, etc. Things of that sort.

I'm curious to hear from other nurses. If any have worked in other parts of the country and worked in New England/Massachusetts, is it generally a more difficult place to work? Specifically the hospital setting.

If you're looking for icu labs that tend to be important... If a patient is intubated... ABGs are always important especially knowing when the last ones were drawn and when they are going to be drawn again, correlated with vent settings (and if there were recent vent setting changes). Also important to look at would be CMP, to get an idea of the patients electrolyte status, and their kidney function. As a new icu nurse, I noticed how important urine output and kidney function was in these critically sick patients (because often septic patients have poor urine output) and it can be easily overlooked)! Especially if we are dumping huge volumes of fluid into them and it doesn't seem to be coming out! These are basic and my automatic go-to's. Of course with every situation there are others you want to pay attention to, such as cardiac enzymes, lactic acid, hct and hgb, ammonia levels, etc. You'll learn when calls for what!

And an additive, I haven't had any negative interactions with coworkers in quite some time. I have learned in my experience how to assimilate into the "nursing culture" and also how to keep my input to myself unless asked. When I mentioned crucifying people for what they say or do, I was more referring to what I've witnessed coworkers do to each other, not what has been in my recent personal experiences. It was more of post of observation rather than experience.

You are right ruby I have considered these things. I definitely try to lend a hand and be a team player in all facets of the implication, but maybe I'm an idealist. It just seems that there is far too much attitude and lack of kindness, as well as lack of empowerment. One of the posters above did mention the lack of leadership and I am kind of realizing now, that it certainly plays a role. I know I don't stand alone in my feelings, because if you look up the reviews of this particular facility I am referring to, the patient satisfaction and care are not very highly rated. To me, attitude is such a vital part of the inpatient and critical care setting. I guess I am just feeling discouraged because I hold true to the reasons why I became a nurse, and I feel like I'm a hopeful and cheerful, optimistic and driven nurse in an environment that everyone is jaded.

Feeling conflicted about anything in life is stressful enough. Feeling conflicted about choosing nursing as my career is one of the most frustrating things I've had to face in life thus far. I love being a nurse. It's fulfilling and I truly love everything it encompasses related to the patient and care. I do not love the crap that comes along with being a nurse. The politics, the cliques, the gossip, being crucified for everything you say no matter what it is by your coworkers. I strongly dislike the fact that no matter where you go, nurses can't seem to stop themselves from acting like mean girls and just constantly pick one another apart behind each other's backs and sometimes harshly to their faces. No one is trustworthy. No one is a team anymore and if someone helps you in the work setting it comes with a price. If you can't help at that moment you become shunned. I am not a catty or malicious person by nature, so these things make me second guess my career choice every day. Feeling conflicted is not how I imagined I would feel today if you asked me years ago when I chose nursing.

Thank you everyone for the replies. I am doing my best to stay strong and with a smile so I don't get dragged down!

I think that's a great suggestion. I didn't take offense at all, I know I'm not crazy but I for sure have to start thinking about utilizing resources that will help with my coping. ?

It all started months ago when I was the new nurse, coming into an environment that I wasn't used to. I had a difficult time adjusting, but once I got through the adjustment period and assimilated into this new workplace, I became the target of lateral workplace abuse. I know my part and contribution from the beginning, but I've truly changed what I needed to and it didn't matter. It's been a long 4 months of being the target of malicious coworkers. I've stayed strong and shown up to work every day with a smile on my face, and being the coworker that I would want to work alongside of. I help, I'm kind, and I work hard despite what has gone on and how hostile they've been toward me. It's affected me at home. I am so hurt and beat down emotionally that I can't even drag myself out of bed. I cry every day because I am so hurt by the way I've been treated, and the hurdles I've had to overcome and hoops I've had to jump through just to get through my workday unnoticed. I find a corner to hide in when I'm not with my patients, praying I can make it out of the building at the end of my shift without giving anyone a reason to try to get me pushed out the door. I'm having such a hard time moving forward, and I know I have to but I just don't know how. I'm scheduled to work tomorrow and my anxiety is already creeping up at the thought of having to go in tomorrow, and it's 26 hours before I even have to walk out of my house for work. Don't they realize that I'm a person? I put on a smile and try to be brave but the truth is I am so shattered after having to go through this. I hate the word depressed but you could undoubtedly call me that.

In my experience with these situations, the times that things have operated in the smoothest and most efficient way depends on the physician who is running it. One in particular that made me also realize this (because yes you're right, it can be so chaotic that it's not productive), was a doctor that said minutes into it, "There are too many people and too much noise for this. Whoever is not directly relayed to this patients care or is not required to be here needs to step out please, thank you." It was one the most impressive things I've seen. If you run into this in the future, maybe politely and quietly asking the doc in charge to relay this message would help. Better to ask the doc to do it, coming from anyone else, people tend to recant and take it personally.

It's such a tough topic and such a familiar and complicated topic that there will never be agreement, nor an answer to what is right or wrong. This particular scenario comes down to a persons individual values of the aspects in their life. Some people have found their workplace to be the most valuable part of their life because they struggle to find value in things outside of work. It's FAR too easy to value being a nurse and come to feel that way because the gratitude and appreciation you receive from patients and families is so fulfilling that you value feeling valued. On the opposite spectrum, there are people who have such a happy balance and personal life that their values lie in THOSE parts of their life, and they don't feel as though their workplace and job are as important to place that value on. At the end of the day, there will never be a right or wrong way to feel about work. Each and every one of us have our own story and reasons why we are the way that we are, and if someone is able to find happiness through valuing their workplace and the relationships it's allowed them to form, then I am happy for them that they are able to feel the sense of connection and belonging. And in regard to those who are on the opposite side of it and have such wonderful and supportive people in their life that they don't feel that they need to engage in the workplace clique, i admire that and respect that as well. I've been on both sides of it. I have my preference and opinion but if I shared mine it would be contradicting my post. No single workplace is any different no matter where you go and how far you travel. Only you can decide for yourself which role you're going to play and why.

The best reflection of how well a preceptor or educator is performing at their job, is the overall or general outcome/success of their student or students. If more than one person isn't performing to their expected standards, or aren't showing signs of improvement and growth, then in my personal opinion their teachers have not been effective.