Starting my 40th year

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Hi gang!

So I just have my yearly eval, which was over-all exceptional. But ...and there always is one...my manager who is half my age seems to me to be hung up on one particular thing....at times I appear anxious. Now granted this is not new to me even with this level of experience. I am admittedly a perfectionistic person...I often am assigned challenging clients. I love what I do most days and would like to continue.

Suggestions.

Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

Probably required to find something wrong on all evals. Only one thing? Reach over and pat your back. You deserve a medal.

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Specializes in Emergency / Disaster.

Maybe its because I've been alive just over 40 years and I'm just starting my nursing journey - but I see a little anxiety when working in the NICU as a good thing. Forty years is a long time to do something, and you could certainly get comfortable in those situations. That tiny bit of anxiety shows me that you are still every bit involved as your were on your first day. I'm not there yet and I'm already too old to gain your level of expertise (unless I can somehow still find a way to be a nurse at 90 and I just don't see that happening), but if it were my baby I'd much rather see a little anxiety than no emotion at all - I'd know that you were human!

I hope she sees what an opportunity she has to be able to work with you and learn from you. I feel like all these young people are missing opportunities to learn from our older generations because they somehow feel superior due to their recent education. Books don't make you smart - time in the trenches does - and being able to learn from those that have been there for a while is invaluable. I sure wish I could work next to you. Thank you for all your service! I'm sure you have a made a difference in so many lives.

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I've posted this many times. I was new to being the night supervisor. I was asked to do a yearly evaluation for a unit clerk. He was great, helpful, efficient, would frequently call me saying he wasn't busy did other units need his help. So crazy me rated him high in all areas. My boss looked at it before I gave it to him and said, "If you rate him high in all areas you won't be able to show he improved when you do his next evaluation."

Since then I have never paid much attention to evaluations.

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Specializes in IMC, school nursing.

Good job hanging 4 decades with the same specialty. I am very fortunate that managers never feel the need to evaluate me. I always get passed over, and I am fine with it. Maybe working nights? I don't know. Hope some of my teflon rubs off on you.

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Specializes in Psych, Peds, Education, Infection Control.
First of all thanks for all the kind remarks regarding the longevity of my career....this has been in a NICU.

I have worked all in the NICU....level 3 sometimes floating to level 2 or PICU, even Travel Nursing.

No never an issue with anything safety...in fact I am very much a perfectionist. I have been a

preceptor, transport nurse, charge nurse, bereavement coordinator, and now just reg. bedside

care. Great career. Love my job...just wondering why in the last couple of years all of a sudden

to do your best (as always) is not "good enough" you know what I mean??

If I had a child in NICU, trust me, I'd want a nurse that was perhaps a little anxious about how my kid was doing. Obviously, anxiety can be crippling for some people and can absolutely interfere with their functioning and performance (that's my specialty, here in psych land!) but there are absolutely productive levels of anxiety.

And I've been told by higher-ups when I did evaluations (thankfully, not in my job description anymore) that "no one can be perfect, because then you can't give them room to improve." So...there's that, maybe "you're a little anxious" was all she could find.

But, most of all, CONGRATULATIONS! 40 years is dang impressive. Keep rocking.

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Specializes in Psych, Peds, Education, Infection Control.
Wayne Dyer said something like, "If you can please 50% of the people you deal with, you are doing a good job".

And right up there with Dr. Dyer is the OldDude:

Amen, bro!

Both great sources of wisdom, TBH.

My favorite Dr. Dyer-ism is, "When a baby cries in the night, you don't go into their room and scream back in their face; you put a breast in their mouth." I use it a lot in psych education to help explain to people why we look for the source of a patient's behavior rather than just shouting at them to cool it.

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written

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I loved Dr Wayne...am a huge fan...also Leo B,.

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And I've been told by higher-ups when I did evaluations (thankfully, that "no one can be perfect, because then you can't give them room to improve." So...there's that, maybe "you're a little anxious" was all she could find.

.

I suppose...I am one who never sees themselves as perfect but a work in progress. My thought is my inner anxiousness has never gotten in the way of my ability to perform....I do try to instill humor. But we do have many generations now working....difficult at times....communication I mean.

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Good job hanging 4 decades with the same specialty. I am very fortunate that managers never feel the need to evaluate me. I always get passed over, and I am fine with it. Maybe working nights? I don't know. Hope some of my teflon rubs off on you.

My brothers tell me I allow things to bug me too much too LOL! I do work nights....NO Way Would I EVER Wish To Work Days! Too Much Politics! Our hospital does peer evals too. Hate them.

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Maybe its because I've been alive just over 40 years and I'm just starting my nursing journey - but I see a little anxiety when working in the NICU as a good thing. Forty years is a long time to do something, and you could certainly get comfortable in those situations. That tiny bit of anxiety shows me that you are still every bit involved as your were on your first day. I'm not there yet and I'm already too old to gain your level of expertise (unless I can somehow still find a way to be a nurse at 90 and I just don't see that happening), but if it were my baby I'd much rather see a little anxiety than no emotion at all - I'd know that you were human!

I hope she sees what an opportunity she has to be able to work with you and learn from you. I feel like all these young people are missing opportunities to learn from our older generations because they somehow feel superior due to their recent education. Books don't make you smart - time in the trenches does - and being able to learn from those that have been there for a while is invaluable. I sure wish I could work next to you. Thank you for all your service! I'm sure you have a made a difference in so many lives.

You are Very Kind....

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I've never minded them, myself. It's kinda nice to just have the opportunity to hear feed-back and talk about how things are going if one doesn't routinely get personal feedback during the year.

But they have definitely taken a downhill dive recently, for non-problem employees. They're not genuine any more. The instrument has changed, so that even if the conversation itself is a puke-worthy love-fest, the ratings don't reflect that this employee does an great job and has never caused one second of trouble. They're now putting in a fake rating if an item doesn't apply to the role being evaluated. And the person said, These ones that don't apply, we just mark them [middle of rating scale] since there's no "N/A."

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Honestly I believe unfortunately we have had and continue to have a issue with bullies....but they are also in the clique. As I have gotten older of coorifice I am not "cool" I guess. Really I would just like to come to work and do my job.....some shifts that is enough to deal with like tonight.

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