Catch

I totally agree with all the posts stating that being asked to write the letter is wrong, unfair and inappropriate. On the other hand, you have the DON to consider, and how much are you willing to risk getting on her bad side? Whatever you say or do about this, she will remember forever, even if she doesn't fire you. Somebody posted "this is not a hill to die on." I was in a situation where a family member went crazy and blew up in my face and ranted and raved and accused me of all kinds of rediculous things. The nursing supervisor for the weekend asked me to apologize and I refused to do that. I never regretted that decision. (the supervisor was not the DON, either, and she never carried the issue to the regular management). Whatever you decided to do you will pay, one way or the other, so. . .you just have to figure out what makes the most sense to you.

Now that I'm doing home care nursing, I can wear just about anything I want to, with respect to the preferences of the families. We wear street clothes, or we can opt to wear uniforms, in any color or pattern, etc., very little regulation, actually, just so we're clean and decent and the families are happy. I wear pants all the time. I'm more comfortable in those than skirts. (I have a patient who is blind and retarded--he sure doesn't care).

I'm with you--pants all the way. I even wear pants to church now. I'm working towards wearing jeans to church. Then my life will be perfect.

I've worked with CNA's for years, and there were the ones I trusted absolutely and the ones I was sure were making it up. I caught one CNA giving me a false bp and when I reported her, the manager sent her to a remedial class. I didn't have a problem with her after that. Even if you don't care about the patients, can you at least care about yourself? Care about your worth and integrity? Care about other people trusting in you? I agree with the other nurses, this is not the right field for you, but you're going to take yourself with you where ever you go. You can change your behavior and start being the sort of person who has integrity no matter who's not looking. You're going to need this attribute to succeed anywhere in life (at any legal job, anyway).

In my years of nursing in skilled care, case management, and home care, I have met a good number of doctors who were respectful and professional in their behavior. Perhaps you could put your ear to the ground and see where you might work where the doctors are good to work with.

I use gel alot in home care. In fact I have one patient that doesn't have a sink nearby--I have to go the other side of the house to get to running water. I've read somewhere that alcohol gel is more effective against germs that soap and water. Has anybody heard that?

I was looking for a Nursing forum and this was at the top of Google's list

Yes, you are being cold. You can't always judge somebody else by your experience. Situations are different. If the nurse says she's having a hard time, then SHE'S HAVING A HARD TIME.

I have had some darn awful nurses in the clincal setting!!! They can be so rude sometimes. Then there are always the good ones who want to help you out! The worst is when the nurse your working with treats you like your not important. One I had last week took her dear old sweet time having lots of personal conversations while I was sitting beside her waiting for report. Is my time not as valuable as yours? Well anyways I know this maybe contraindicating what I just said but Yes. Its like Chinese water torture.

You're funny, germain, but seriously, I can't decide who comes last, the nurse, or the patient.

The nurse was being small. Sometimes small people feel bigger when they make other people feel small, too. If your instructor is supportive it may help to discuss it with her, but let me warn you, you'll be meeting this attitude more often than you like throughout your career. Maybe the best thing to do with small people is to leave them alone; don't make them your best friends when you become a peer.

It seems to me that sometimes there is a fine line between being asssertive and being offensive. A lot of it lies in your knack for "reading" the nurse and in your attitude. Personally, I liked assertive students, but I never had any bad asses. Some nurses are hypersensitive and just want the student to stay the hell out of the way. I've sometimes been at a loss to know what to do about students who didn't have anything to do and were just standing around, and I didn't have time to figure out what to do about them, so if they took the initiative to ask or suggest something I was glad to work with them.

Hey, I've been there, too, 15+ years, and finally left because I felt like I hated everybody. Fortunately, I've gotten over that attitude, but I never want to go back. I don't know if there is any answer or solution to the problem of how nurses are treated by administration--we're expendable, period. As long as we have no power, we'll be treated accordingly. Back in the 70's, when I was in school, the thought leaders in nursing were saying the nurses needed more education and needed to get third-party payments, the way MD's do, and that would level the playing field somewhat. I haven't seen that happen where I live. I work in homecare now, and I decide who I work with, when I work, how often, etc, etc. I love that kind of self-determination.