how to remedy this situation?

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- was training another nurse on vents and she asked me how long have I worked on them. "I said "for years" without thinking. Ive only been working with vents for 6 years. The trainee is now mad at me. I shouldn't have boasted myself like that. What can I say to her?

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
- was training another nurse on vents and she asked me how long have I worked on them. "I said "for years" without thinking. Ive only been working with vents for 6 years. The trainee is now mad at me. I shouldn't have boasted myself like that. What can I say to her?

You can say, "I'm sorry if my truthful answer to your question stirred up your deep feelings of insecurity over waiting for 18 years to pass before getting trained on ventilators, but that is not my fault -- and I said nothing inappropriate at all." Then invite her to join allnurses where she can read many excellent sticky threads in the Pulmonary Nurse Forum in the unlikely event she chooses to take the initiative to go beyond the bare minimum. That last bit of snark was 'cause she made you think you did something wrong when you didn't.

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Yeap - six years equates to a seasoned nurse. Congratulations! I'm guessing your "student" is feeling insecure and also embarrassed because she has been a nurse for longer but is less experienced than you when it comes to vents.

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Specializes in ER.
I do mean 6 years. The thing is I just started with this company about 9 months ago and she has been with them for 18 years but only did trach patients.

nurses that have been around for a while, in the same place, often like to belittle newer (to a facility) nurses. I'm experiencing that. It's like they dumb you down, because they're threatened by what you know. I don't know why these orienting nurses wouldn't be happy that they have to train a nurse one less thing. ??

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Specializes in MCH,NICU,NNsy,Educ,Village Nursing.

I'm thinking the real issue is the pride of the "older" nurse being wounded because she's just now being trained on vents. I've been a nurse since 1975 (boy, does THAT make me feel old!!), and I STILL have learning needs in the clinical setting, especially on equipment that I've never used (such as vents!). So, all that to say---OP--you can train me on vents any time---I just need to know where you are so I can apply for a job there :). Seriously though---you don't sound boastful at all. You sound like you are confident and competent. Hang in there!

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
how do you know she's mad?

if she's giving you the stink eye, are you sure that's why? that's a pretty innocuous thing to get mad at someone over, imho. the fact that you're even concerned about it tells me you aren't the boastful sort.

if i were you i'd ask her exactly what's troubling her.

i agree. it can be incredibly easy to offend someone and often we don't even realize we're doing it. have a talk with her and find out exactly what the problem is.

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Six years is a long time for me. And while she has been a nurse for 18 years, she has zero training on patients with vents. So obviously, you have more experience than her with regards to that. I don't understand why she is mad. If she has ego issues then that should be her problem and not yours!

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