Sarah2018

one of the most important qualities in a nurse is to be fast in doing the most important things. from my experience, I love it when my colleagues help me in taking care of my patients even without consulting me. They are every one’s patients. I have NEVER thought that my colleagues looked down on me because of anything. Maybe no body actually observes us. I don’t observe any one.

Now my hospital is working to fix the grade for nursing staff. Bedside nurses and those who deliver care to patients will be higher in professional grade and will receive more money than nurses in the managerial pathway like charge nurses and supervisors. Charge nurses and supervisors will be called nursing coordinator or nursing secretary. Nurses will be autonomous professionals in reality. I am happy!

Why doctors don’t have the same?

You don’t realize that you are costly for poor patients. Please do not work in non- bedside nursing. Do not accept a BS job. What do nurse educators do that doctors cannot do? What is the role of a doctor then? Just to dispense pills?

Can we nursing exist without hierarchy? It is disgusting. My charge nurse doesn’t help us by participating in work when we are busy or when we have staff shortage. Think of it like your brother/friend is watching you cleaning and washing and lifting heavy weight repeatedly but he does not help. It is not his work. Who is more moral, the one who helps you or the one who supervises you without helping ? Also, nurses are health care professionals which means we shouldn’t have a nurse in charge who does not care for the patients and take patient assignments and we shouldn’t have a nursing supervisor either roaming around and doing nothing. Professionals are autonomous and we are professional. Doctors do not have a supervisor or in-charge and they always care for patients. The CEO of my hospital is a cardiologist and he still treats patient and perform procedures while nursing director never care for patients. What do they do all these people, charge nurses, team leaders, nursing supervisors? The hospital installed a new calling system for outpatient clinics and my charge nurse made us nurses to monitor what ticket given to what patient and feed the information into an excel sheets. It is unfair, we care for patients and we don’t need extra assignments. Also she asks for manual writing for all patients who attended any clinic with arrival times despite having a an online system( because she is not through with it)(because no direct care for patients). It is disgusting. Why are those mangers there at all?

A hospital nurse is like a pilot of a big passenger plane, she has to be skillful. I became comfortable with nursing when I saw how my colleagues were happy. I was not the only nurse, also so many of them graduated with me. They are humans too with feelings. Look at your friends whom you graduated with. Maybe this will encourage you. You are not the only one. Non-bedside nursing means a bullsh*t job where you won’t make a difference whether you are there or not.

Why do you care? Your instructor is stupid and don't listen to her.

Hello, I just want want you to help me understand a colleague's point of view: My patient was swollen up with fluids and the surgical doctor asked me to inform the medical on call. I am like new to that ward, and I asked the team leader to call the medical doctor for me. The team leader then told me that this patient just arrived from the ICU yesterday and his condition is known. After some time I asked him whether he had called the doctor and he said he forgot and said the medical doctor would not come today as it was a weekend. So I called the medical doctor in front of him and he was around me, and I was already disappointed by him and not looking at him. So, the medical doctor came within 5 minutes and she checked my patient and prescribed the necessary treatment and I was relieved. Okay, after some time, I heard the team leader talking about what I did, with his friend ( a colleague also) negatively, he was saying with a loud and angry tone in his voice " ...because she told the doctor...". As I did something wrong. Not in front me, I did not stay to hear more. Okay, why did he behave in this way? How should I deal with him in the future? What a disappointment, I liked him before, but my duty towards the patient was more important and urgent to me than that man's feelings.

Hmmm, for me I think bedside is the most valuable form of nursing. Imagine, simple health education from you can prevent pains and wound infections to patients. Also, to the contrary when I work hard like at bedside, I feel happy. In a week, I work 3 days in the out patient clinics and 2 days in a surgical ward and I am very happy with this as I don't work night shifts. But I will never consider leaving bedside nursing to go for management. I don't believe they do anything.

Hi all, thanks to all who shared their opinions. I decided to ignore those male staff who are not helpful. I hate them, but I will never be a hypocrite with them. I respected them when I was ignorant and I thought they were 'good': not every one who talks nicely to you is your friend. I demand actions, they show actions and I will like them again. In my culture men should help women, especially if she deals with male patients. I am a Arabic nurse and I was born in Dubai and I work in Dubai.

I am seeing him. He doesn't have patient assignment. Only some charting work he does and that's it.Of course it doesn't apply to all male nurses. So you think I should not complain to the charge nurse? I actually asked for help (some forms to fill) today when I could not continue as work was heavy, but he did not say yes or no, just he walked away. Later on, when he saw his friend helping me ( I asked his friend ( male nurse) to help me), he came and saw and then went away then he came back and told me he did what I asked him.

Hi guys, There are are male team leaders(only male) at work who do nothing except sitting and talking and joking with staff( but without helping them) as if they are at a cafe. Yesterday and today were heavy for me, and the team leader despite being free and roaming around as if he is on a picnic, did not help. If my patients are calling and I am busy, he just tells me that one patient called and I should see what he wanted. Men are strong and they have bigger lung capacity and they are more powerful than us women yet they refuse to use that physical power. They don't answer the calling bells from patients or take heavy patients to toilet. What is the best way to handle the issue? Should I email the charge nurse regarding the issue or tell them to move(they are senior in position to me btw)?

I scan the medicine and the bracelet. That's all.

Thanks to everyone who shared their views. All of you adviced me to go for confrontation. I couldn't do it. Yesterday we talked to each other and our relationship is perfect now. We worked as partners and I enjoyed my day with him very much. He was kind and warm exceptionally. No serious talk happened.

Hi guys, There was a colleague at work( who happens to be the team-leader) who was a little disrespectful. He called my name by shouting with an angry tone in his voice, several times. Also in the same day, I asked him to do something and later when I asked him, he said he forgot. And I heard him later criticizing me (unwarranted)with his friend who is also a colleague. I did not talk to him after this. I did not even say hi to him. I ignored him and whenever I need something I walk by him and ask the person near to him, while ignoring him. Do men notice this behavior? What would you you do if you were in my place? I will see him tomorrow, I don't know, should I keep ignoring him completely?

Thanks everyone very much. I feel better after reading the replies. Sometimes we post to give vent to our feelings and worries. You encouraged me to confront him which I might have done, but guess what, he wasnt observing me last Saturday when I went to their unit( I go once week). He was very pleasant and sweet and easygoing as usual. I guess people get moody and agitated from time to time and we have to suffer. I am little nervous when I go to that unit because it has been 4 years since I worked as a bedside nurse.

Thanks for you both. I brought the subject up again because I am seeing that guy and his staff again tomorrow. He is not my manager, he is the team leader of the ward. My manager wants me to handle patients. If they think I have competency issues then why do they assign patients to me?

Hello everyone, Is it acceptable for your team leader to interfere whenever he sees someone is talking to you or you are talking to someone? My team leader has become like that recently and was not like that before. His behavior hurts me and sometimes I feel like I want to cry because I feel I have no one in the unit and especially when I am new to unit and I come there once a week. Also he is watching me whenever he comes to my side. Is he disrespecting me? How should I handle the situation?

My patient was gasping because he had sleep apneas repeatedly. He is a known case of this. I was watching him while he was sleeping. I am new to the ward and I wanted someone form the ward staff to see what was happening, but I found none of them! especially mr. don't go for break without informing me.

As for of my teamleader behavior of watching me and interfering after he heard things about me during that damn discussion they had behind me. It reached me and they said I am such a nice girl who works hard but struggles to finish her work and I should be given just two patients and I have type 1 diabetes and my blood sugar is not controlled and i should take break.... so maybe he feels sorry for me and wants to be protective by watching and interfering. Ugh, annoyance. But I am not leaving their ward. I am their for my patients and I will give them the best care they deserve. The downside is that their ward is patriarchal, the teamleader is always a man.

thanks dear. I will tell him the next time.

Hello, my teamleader came to me and asked me whether I took a break or not. I told yeah I took, then he said, "when you go for break you have tell me". I told him "I am sorry I didn't know about this". I thought it is enough to tell my partner. I felt bad, because I used to trust this guy but it seems he is little bit controlling. in the same day, I looked for him because my patient was gasping but I didn't find him and I was new to area but thankfully I found the doctor and told him. It is disappointing. Also, I noticed he started to observe me after the ward staff had a discussion about me behind my back. when he sees me talking to anyone he turns his head and he interferes. He wasn't like that before. What is wrong with him? Is this workplace bullying? By the way, I am a female nurse from the Middle East. I am 33 years old with a 12 year experience.

No, I am not forced. They give me this option so I can go to college in Tuesdays and then I have to work one day in the weekend to make up for that day. sure I need some refreshments but not training. Also they will never keep a mentor for me because I am not a new RN.

Hello! I wonder why my supervisor and the unit charge nurse dont care whether I can work safely or not or whether I need re-orientation. I told my supervisor who is also the supervisor of that surgical ward I work in once a week that I want general help assignment but he said I should handle patient assignment. When I was working in surgical wards 4 years ago before moving to outpatient department(same hospital), taking care of patients was stressful too and I was afraid of committing mistakes, just like now. Maybe I am much more confident and smart now than before. And regarding the care, the unit staff are not safest than me, some turn their comatose patient once a shift while I've never done this. also, going back to wards, gives me lots of excitement. That's why I don't want to complain...

But I am just going for one day a week- every Saturday morning. Is it worth having re-orientation and a mentor? I don't know. What do you think?i am also counted with them as if I was their ward staff member, not an extra member, unfortunately. thank you for contribution.