"The last place I worked, we did things differently!" (and correctly)

[GardenDove]

What about nurses who come from other facilities, who constantly critisize the way things are done where you work? They are always talking about where they previously worked, as if it were the gold standard.

[cardiacRN2006, ADN, RN]

I've had people like that. I always ask, "so, why did you leave?"

[GardenDove]

I've had people like that. I always ask, "so, why did you leave?"

Yes, that's what I wonder. Some of them sound like a broken record. I think it's better to be a gracious newcomer and find out the policies at your new facility, rather than being a know it all.

[RN4NICU, LPN, LVN]

I've had people like that. I always ask, "so, why did you leave?"

Maybe they moved. Maybe the other place doesn't pay as well. Maybe they wanted a shorter commute. That doesn't mean that the other place may not have had better ways of doing some things. Perhaps keeping an open mind would be the best advice for both parties involved.

[purplemania, BSN, RN]

Someone who lacks self-confidence or cannot site evidence for changing a practice will use "the other hospital" to enhance credibility. Rather than become defensive you might ask them to write down their suggestions to be turned in to the supervisor for consideration. Maybe they just want to be seen and heard, not really be critical. We all want to feel like we contribute and so far I have not been in a hospital that could not stand a little tweaking. I agree the comment is irritating but perhaps it can be used for good.

[Agnus]

Someone who lacks self-confidence or cannot site evidence for changing a practice will use "the other hospital" to enhance credibility. Rather than become defensive you might ask them to write down their suggestions to be turned in to the supervisor for consideration. Maybe they just want to be seen and heard, not really be critical. We all want to feel like we contribute and so far I have not been in a hospital that could not stand a little tweaking. I agree the comment is irritating but perhaps it can be used for good.

This is amusing because as you said there is not a hospital that can't usse tweaking. There are things my old hospitals could learn from my newer ones as well. Some times managers ask for and acutally want suggestions from new nurses that that brought with them from an old employer. Suggestions from such nurses can be very insightful because they are not blinded by familarity of how we do things here.

Then there are those who only gives lip service to "we want your suggestions and information on how your old hosp. did this"

Yes a new employee does need to learn the policy of the new facility and be aware that there is often more than one right way and one effective/effiecient way and this hospital's way may be just as good even better just different.

On the other hand I sometime observe is a closed mind on the part of the staff and management at the new facility to acknowledge that something may be wrong with or benifit from fixing that the new person has the answer to because of thier different perspecive and experience.

Sometimes the new employee is simply saying be patient with me I have a lot to learn about your ways as I did things very differently where I was last at.

[Blessed2BeMommy]

Sometimes the new employee is simply saying be patient with me I have a lot to learn about your ways as I did things very differently where I was last at.

I think also, sometimes it's a way of saying, "This is what I'm used to, please tell me how it's different here so I don't do it wrong...." It's a way of saying, this is who I am, this is what I know.... not necessarily a criticism.

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

What about nurses who come from other facilities, who constantly critisize the way things are done where you work? They are always talking about where they previously worked, as if it were the gold standard.

We had one nurse that CONSTANTLY said that, like HER way was the ONLY correct way. One day, after a long stressfilled day of working with a doc that we'd nicknamed Dr. Buttmunch, she finally fried my last nerve with with her non-stop that's-not-the-way-we-did-it-at-XYZ-Hospital-so-blah-blah-blah, and i asked "if that place was so [darn] fabulous, they why did you leave?" She actually didn't have a reply, literally stuck her nose up in the air, and stomped out of the room like a toddler. She was another person we'd had the going-away party about, AFTER she'd moved to the next state over.

Now i think there's a difference between the person i just described, and those that are putting in a suggestion they had learned at a prior facility for a solution to a problem.

[TrudyRN]

What about nurses who come from other facilities, who constantly critisize the way things are done where you work? They are always talking about where they previously worked, as if it were the gold standard.

Maybe they are feeling overwhelmed? :uhoh21:

Or maybe they're just critical jerks? :biggringi

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Sometimes we can learn from them. Sometimes I ask "does it really matter? Do it our way please, this is our policy."

[Jolie, BSN]

I agree with the posters who have made the following 2 points:

This type of behavior on the part of a new employee can be incredibly annoying, and

There is often something to be learned from a new employee who shares a different way of doing things.

But in order to be taken seriously, it is incumbent upon the new employee to present ideas for change in a positive light. If all one ever says is, "Where I used to work, we did it this way..." s/he will never be effective in educating fellow staff members about anything. It is far better to open up a dialog about practices, preferences, policies and procedures, safety in patient care, research-based evidence, and demonstration of skills, than to belittle one's co-workers by constantly badgering them about how XYZ was better at one's former place of employment.

[wjf00]

I always ask the rational for doing things differently. As we strive to use evidence based practice, I want to hear the evidence. If I can confirm the evidence is sound I ask them to bring the suggestion to our quality practice committee. I am open to doing things differently, why close your mind to a better practice.