Self Reflection: What could you do better?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hi Everyone! A conversation with a friend of mine got me thinking about self reflection and things I could work on at work.

For me:

- I can be kind of loud. I have a loud voice and when I am venting to coworkers, I suspect that on my last shift a patient's family member heard me. It was not my intent to make her feel small but I inadvertently did so and I am going to work on this.

What do you need to work on? Are you a gossip? Are you a pessimist? Are you frequently late? What do you need to work on?

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.
Great thread! I tend to talk loud and curse, not the best combination. I'm trying to work these things, thanks for the reminder to keep at it. :)

I tend to do the same. Not proud of it and I definitely need to work on it.

I care too much what others think of me. I work in a crazy ER and love my job but sometimes I get discouraged because it feels like management always talked about what we do wrong, never about what we do right. Sometimes as nurses we NEED to hear our management tell us that we are doing a great job, or that we worked that trauma as a team and are doing good.

I am also bad about complaining, especially when I am super overwhelmed. I've just recently developed this habit as I used to be super quiet when I was super stressed out. I feel better when I can vent to someone who understands. I guess it's more venting than complaining.

And I'm a perfectionist. If I mess up, I'm really hard on myself and let it consume me. I've gotten better about telling myself I'm human and I'm going to make mistakes too. Thankfully I haven't made as many mistakes now that I have a little more experience under my belt :)

I'm not telling you it's going to be easy, I'm telling you it's going to be worth it.

Author: Art Williams

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What a great thread!

I tend to, among other things, complain and get a little snippy when I am stressed and/or overwhelmed. I'm finding that I need to improve my stress-related coping skills and develop an ability to 'roll with the punches'. Although this is much easier said than done; I trust that God will provide us strength through the recognition of our weaknesses. :)

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At my last job I had a problem with too many tardies. Anything over 4 minutes was considered late and the majority of my tardies were less than 6 or 7 minutes. Having attendance problems makes you automatically seem lazy and incompetent despite being a hard worker who never cut corners or slacked on the job. I was also always the one to stay late when needed but that never mattered. In my defense, I had an awful hour and 45 minute drive to and from work which is why I quit.

I dont know whats wrong with me but I have no concept of time. When I get up extra early to prevent leaving the house late, I take longer to get ready. I constantly underestimate how long things will take. On the flip side, I'm also extremely patient and dont mind waiting when I have appointments. I feel like when someone else is running late, I have somehow acquired free time which I never feel I have enough! I love pulling out a book and relaxing or just doing nothing. I wish I could find a solution to this problem.

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Great thread! I tend to talk loud and curse, not the best combination. I'm trying to work these things, thanks for the reminder to keep at it. :)

This.

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At my last job I had a problem with too many tardies. Anything over 4 minutes was considered late and the majority of my tardies were less than 6 or 7 minutes. Having attendance problems makes you automatically seem lazy and incompetent despite being a hard worker who never cut corners or slacked on the job. I was also always the one to stay late when needed but that never mattered. In my defense, I had an awful hour and 45 minute drive to and from work which is why I quit.

I dont know whats wrong with me but I have no concept of time. When I get up extra early to prevent leaving the house late, I take longer to get ready. I constantly underestimate how long things will take. On the flip side, I'm also extremely patient and dont mind waiting when I have appointments. I feel like when someone else is running late, I have somehow acquired free time which I never feel I have enough! I love pulling out a book and relaxing or just doing nothing. I wish I could find a solution to this problem.

I can totally relate to this! I used to work as an aide taking care of elderly people in their homes. It was a job I did well and my employer loved me. I had a great evaluation but I can't use it as a make shift letter of recommendation for any future employer because in "areas of improvement" it stated "often clocks in between 1-4 minutes late." In every other category I had high remarks.

If this thread started last year, being late would have been the thing I needed to work on. I still need to work on it in social situations but I have gotten much better about being on time for work. I can totally relate to the whole "having no sense of time" thing because that happens to me too. Honestly, what worked for me was keeping my alarm on. In the mornings now, I have my alarm on snooze so it goes off on my phone every 8 minutes...not to wake me up but to be like "hey WANT2BANURSESOON, it's been 8 minutes, have you put toothpaste on toothbrush yet?" lol.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.

I need to learn to be less direct and more tactful in some situations.

I'd like to get my IV skills back, too, but I think that's probably a lost cause.

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Specializes in Med nurse in med-surg., float, HH, and PDN.

Well, I must say that I have perfected myself in every way and am a paragon of virtue and excellence. :saint:

(SNORT!)

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

I come across as standoffish, quiet and unfriendly to some people. I am not particularly interested in small talk or chatter for the sake of passing the breeze.

I can also be radically honest, which is problematic in an era where many individuals cannot handle the truth or prefer a candy-coated version of the truth.

I can also be very lazy and unmotivated. I dislike hands-on procedural tasks and would rather sit in front of a computer any day.

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I come across as standoffish, quiet and unfriendly to some people. I am not particularly interested in small talk or chatter for the sake of passing the breeze.

I can also be radically honest, which is problematic in an era where many individuals cannot handle the truth or prefer a candy-coated version of the truth.

Amen to your first one. That is me to the letter. I am very quiet and reserved - at first. I take a while to warm up. This is why I tank at interviews. I cannot schmooze, I feel physically ill when I try it. But, I can walk up to a patient and I am the light of their life. Go figure.

I am also too honest, to my own peril.

I internalize and compartmentalize my feelings and emotions too much. Then, I have a breakdown. Too stoic.

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Excellent thread.

Due to us being short techs, and having too many nurses on staff right now, my employer has been working me as a tech, and I've been getting a really negative attitude about it.

I'm an older nurse, and I resent working with my back more than my brain.

I need to remember to be grateful to have a job. I was laid off a couple of months ago, when my old unit closed, but found this job right away. I'm working tomorrow, and will put effort into having a better attitude.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Used to be late, but found a way to change that when they count one minute as half a sick day! Pisses me off, but I need my sick days and can't waste them on being one minute late! Used to have a reasonable grace period but they got rid of that!

My main problem is stress. When I got stressed out I vent loudly. Last night was a terrible night! I was saying God help me, so frustrated, just wanted to leave! So many frustrations, feel like everything is done to make our job as unuser friendly as possible. Why don't people learn english when they live in America! Why can't people stay in bed, instead of getting up and falling! All the paperwork and charting because of the fall and can't communicate because they don't speak english and the interpreter is always too busy to help! Now we have a computer web interpreter to save money! They are so cheap you can't even speak to a real person. Instead huddle around a computer you can barely hear, and they can barely hear! Give me a break! Obviously I'm still venting! I think we need to be on tranquilizers to do this job! Please someone tell me how not to get stressed out and stay calm because nothing I've done so far has been working!

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I am a perfectionist. I have really high standards for myself and others. I need to remind myself that sometimes "good enough" is good enough.

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