we often see threads with the title "fired for no reason," or "new grad harassed and fired" or something to that effect. and i always feel at least a little sympathy for the individual involved, if only because i can clearly see by reading between the lines of their self-justifying post that there was a reason for their termination, even if they just don't get it. (there are always a few posts every year from a new grad who is convinced that the reason she's not getting along with her co-workers is that she's just so beautiful they're all jealous, that crowds of mean people are following her around, that she's so wonderful she's going to rock the er or icu or nicu or or and no one sees her wonderfulness clearly, or that some mean, tired, old nurse who ought to retire and get out of the way is targeting her for no good reason.)
i worked with a new grad who was recently terminated for, as she puts it, totally bogus reasons. evidently seeing mine as a sympathetic ear, she went on and on and on about how unfair it was that management expected her to get her act together and actually understand what was going on with her patients. "i've got the time management thing down pat," she said. "i don't know what else they want. they're just picking on me for no good reason." i liked sal, i really did. she was interesting and entertaining and really, really nice. she was also smart, hard-working (when she was at work) and well-educated. but she didn't study outside of work, and really didn't understand what was going on with her patients. i participated in several meetings with her in which it was pointed out that it's not enough to do the tasks, you have to understand why you're doing them. it's not enough to draw the labs. you have to understand what the results mean and then address them. for instance, if the inr is 9, it might explain the nosebleed, the cherry red urine and the fact that the hemoglobin is now 6. giving the coumadin at 6pm as scheduled is not a good thing, even if you gave it right on time and were able to explain to the patient that "it's a blood thinner." i could go on and on.
i got a call from sal today, complaining that she knows she's blackballed for no good reason because she just can't get another job. she wanted me to give her a reference. did she just not get it?
all you new grads out there who are convinced that you're being picked on for no reason, that your more experienced colleagues are just out to get you, and that you're being unfairly targeting, harassed, or picked on, hear this: it may be something you're doing (or not doing) and all those "mean people" are trying to explain it to you so you catch on, learn your job and succeed. we all tried over and over with sal, and she still doesn't get it. are you guilty of the same thing? if your preceptor says you lack critical thinking skills, do you take it to heart, think about it and learn from it? or are you convinced that the entire issue is that she's jealous of your extreme good looks? if your charge nurse charges you with a deficit in your time management skills do you spend time figuring out where you could speed things up a bit? or do you dismiss her as a tired old dog who can't learn a new trick and ought to retire anyway? are you taking to heart and benefitting from any negative feedback you're getting, however poorly given it is? or are you obsessing about how "mean" that nurse was to you and totally overlooking the message?
i wish sal would have "gotten it." she would have been delightful to work with if she had. but right now she's focused on badmouthing her preceptors and the charge nurse, and she still doesn't understand what she did wrong. don't make the same mistakes.
how interesting. a few pages back, you were "educating" me as to the gaps in my precepting abilities.
enlighten me then. do i not give credit to the difficulties of precepting new grads? am i wrong in assuming sal is the exception, not the rule? is the preceptorship system used in most hospitals today efficient and better left as is (most hospitals truly dont have any system in place, its just handed off to whoever happens to catch the don's gaze on the gn's first day)? or, is there some truth to the implication that change is needed?
No reasonable person expects a new grad nurse to be 100% competent with every single skill. Most of the skills are learned and honed on the job. You should hopefully expect about 12 weeks of new grad orientation, or thereabouts for med-surg.
I don't perceive new grads as laid back myself,. It's just a matter of individual perception I suppose. However, don't waste precious time and energy worrying about what the veteran nurses think of you. I promise you this: if you are sincere, have good common sense, a strong work ethic and concentrate on your patients and being the best nurse that you personally can be then you'll be o.k.
I would add be able to accept and assimilate constructive feedback and to listen.
I've been told to apply to that ICU once I have six months in med-surg under my belt. Tomorrow, I will meet with a manager who's offered me that med-surg job. I plan to be up front with her about my skills: I'm no longer a beginner, but I'm hardly an expert.
and, if sal gets in mgmt, she would be the type to defend those who don't get it, and toss the ones who deserve further support.
i've seen it too many times.
those of us who have been around, truly "get it".
leslie
Oh, I'm not saying she will be good at it. Just, well, if thats how you end up in management then it explains a lot about a few managers I've known. Making 5 or 6 times what we do for "not getting it", they've figured something out.
Wow...This thread is an eye opener to me as a new grad in her 3rd week.
During placements and even in the last few weeks I have seen Professionals all around me...new grads and especially the seasoned RNs. I have been so lucky where I am and am astounded as I drive home that I lucked out with my peers. They are all supportive and even though I am in a critical area they realise that uni only taught me the basics. My first year is to learn how things all go together. I do remember during study that there are two issues relevant to this post.
1. There was a lot of information on how 'Nurses eat their young'. When I left uni I was prepared mentally for a bunch of mean hospital trained nurses that thought I was not good enough and..
2. Research shows that the new grad does not have the experience and knowledge to be able to pull everything together. They are task orientated. After 3 weeks I can say this is becasue we are trying to learn time managemnent skills, get the drugs right and learn the routine. At this stage my brain doesnt even have time to really comprehend all the reasons behind my actions. I can imagine a new grad thinking she was following the med chart and giving the Warfrin as scheduled. This is where he/she needs to be aware of what she is giving and why! This is her responsibility. Having said this, if the person she was having to ask advice off was a little unsympathetic to her needs I can imagine that she may just concentrate on getting the job done as she sees it.
Either way, it all comes down to the attitude of both parties.
As for point 1....As I mentioned earlier, times must be changing because I have not felt inferior or been roused on once! I am confident I can freely ask questions and have been encouraged every step so far. Thank you for the girls on my ward....RNs, EENs...they are worth theyre weight in gold!
There are bad eggs on both sides. Part of my self directed learning has been to do two reflections each week. One on a patient case and one on a personal experience. If I get told of a mistake then i would for sure go home and consider this. Id throw it around, research it and find out how I could do things better and try and understand the advice given and the rationale.
Meanwhile....Im dying to get back to work...when I am there I feel "home" and wish I could just pull up a bed and stay there! Have a terrific day everyone.
Oh, I'm not saying she will be good at it. Just, well, if thats how you end up in management then it explains a lot about a few managers I've known. Making 5 or 6 times what we do for "not getting it", they've figured something out.
nah...i have to disagree.
it's almost as if they are placed there by default...
and is everything that is wrong w/the nsg profession.
too, too often, it is the true professionals that get tossed aside.
those that advocate for pt care, better working conditions, etc, are the ones who end up chastised and eventually blacklisted.
it's the system that lacks...
and has little to do with figuring anything out.
it sounds like sal was given every chance to learn and prosper...
and refreshingly, was handled as she should have been.
eriksoln, BSN, RN
2,636 Posts
enlighten me then. do i not give credit to the difficulties of precepting new grads? am i wrong in assuming sal is the exception, not the rule? is the preceptorship system used in most hospitals today efficient and better left as is (most hospitals truly dont have any system in place, its just handed off to whoever happens to catch the don's gaze on the gn's first day)? or, is there some truth to the implication that change is needed?