After completing numerous clinicals and working as an EKG tech, I have observed and often dealt with nurses that are a prime example of what I don't want to be when I graduate. I also concede that I am a mere senior nursing student with no real-world experience.
1.) Night shift nurse who sits on facebook: Since when did it become acceptable to go on a computer and use social networking sites whenever you don't have work to do. In the time that you have sat on facebook you could have filled charts, done further research on your patients' needs, read nursing journals, assisted another nurse or CNA, or just do something that might help the morning shift. Instead, you sit on facebook trying to see if anyone you haven't seen in a few years got fat.
2.) The "thats not my job nurse": This kills me because as a tech I constantly hear this. "Mrs. Smith needs to go to the bathroom can you help her so I can do the EKG?" The reply from the nurse, "Ask the CNA...thats not my job." The nurse should really take a step back and re-evaluate your career choice because by not helping me you are not helping the patient.
3.) The nurse who openly criticizes patients or gossips with other nurses at the station: Guess what, people hear what your saying. You are making a fool of yourself and instead of complaining how so and so didn't bathe this patient during their shift, why don't you do it yourself? Be a professional, do your job to the best of your ability.
4.) The nurse who uses personal problems as an excuse to not care: I'm partial to this because I'm young but I don't care that you have kids, I don't care that your child has the snuffles and you were up all night. If you are unable to successfully complete the tasks of your job DO NOT COME INTO WORK. I have no sympathy for you. If I was out late partying and had a hangover and used it as an excuse would you care? An excuse is an excuse, either do your job right or call out, you are only hurting the patient.
5.) The nurse wearing winnie the pooh scrubs in an adult acute care setting: Your an adult. Dress like a professional, talk like a professional, and people will treat you like one.
6.) Nurses who always apologize to doctors when they call them: It is a doctor's job to take your call, listen to what you say, make decions based on the information you give them. Get some backbone, speak intelligently, and stick to the facts. If you show them you are serious, they will take you seriously and not blow you off as some stupid nurse who bothers them at home.
Let the OP dream! He/she has a vision of becoming a fabulous nurse:yelclap: After a year of Registered Nursing, he/she can come back here and tell us if he's/she's lived up to his/her expectations.:bowingpur
Nothing wrong with setting high standards for oneself. I'm sure none of us are perfect nurses, but that's no reason not to aim to be the best possible.
I hav enot read all of the responses on here, but I loved that the OP pointed out the winnie-the-pooh-scrub thing. This drives me CRAZY!!!
I loathe cartoon/animal scrubs- I think they are so tacky!
an exception would be nurses who work in peds- that's totally understandable-
I agree nurses should look more professional- I don't know of any other professionals who go to work dressed like circus clowns, other then, um circus clowns.
I totally realize that it's difficult to relate when you don't have children, but I can assure you that life becomes a billion times more complicated after you have children. I'm 33 and had my one and only three years ago. Seemingly small things can become huge challenges. Add a sick family member to the mix and boy oh boy.
Life experience is gold!!
4.) The nurse who uses personal problems as an excuse to not care: I'm partial to this because I'm young but I don't care that you have kids, I don't care that your child has the snuffles and you were up all night. If you are unable to successfully complete the tasks of your job DO NOT COME INTO WORK. I have no sympathy for you. If I was out late partying and had a hangover and used it as an excuse would you care? An excuse is an excuse, either do your job right or call out, you are only hurting the patient.
Let me know where your little fantasy world is, so I can move there too, after you've actually been a nurse for a decade or two. Hee hee. That was funny.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
I didn't find Bloop's original post offensive at all. Most of the stuff on the list irritates me, too. When I was in school I was constantly making a mental list of the behaviors I observed that I either was really impressed with or really appalled by. After a long time as a nurse I'm still appalled by some of the things I saw as a student. Some things are just so egregious there isn't a whole lot of room for discussion.
Why do so many managers not seem to mind people sitting and checking their Facebook while not on break or lunch? If it drives coworkers nuts the morale of the unit as a whole can't be too great. It seems such a common source of strife here, what is it some facilities are missing? You probably wouldn't kick back with "US Weekly" at the Nurse's Station, how is Facebook really that different?
I have kids, and I resent it when people (and normally it is the same few) seem to have non-stop drama going on that is either the reason they must take off or monopolize everyone's attention with the same variety of crapola that just happened 2 weeks prior. All of us parents understand an unforeseen event, and very few will begrudge assisting their co-worker in a genuine time of need. People tend to bend over backwards to help a person who normally busts their butt to be a responsible worker and has a crisis to deal with. But if you screw around and don't get your work done and whine about how much you have to pay per extra 5 minutes of day care on a regular basis, people get sick of it after a while.
How the nurses sound when talking to doctors and whether they assist the patient right away with a task normally done by the CNA are issues that you really can't judge from the outside in, though. Sometimes it is obvious they have the time and don't want to do it, as well.
It's best to let the nurse work out their own communication issues with doctors. The doctors normally give pretty straightforward feedback. Also, you have to tailor your conversation to the particular doctor and that takes time to learn. I wonder if male nurses have an easier time being assertive with doctors but that's a topic for another day.
There have been times when our conversation gets too loud. There are times when a patient may overhear something hurtful. I don't like to be admonished to "ssshhhhh" but I have to admit I'm glad when someone stops us from making things any worse if they are more aware of their surroundings than I am or others I'm talking with at that moment.
I read the first few posts and it occurred to me that I really don't understand what kind of response the OP was expecting from this thread. I would probably not go to an EKG Tech website and post the same type of post; at least without expecting this type of response to the thread. I noted the first two tags placed on the thread were incompetent and lazy. Neither apply to me and to a lot of nurses I have met. I think those tags are telling another story between the lines. JMO
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
:igtsyt:
Twice ... ...
It's spelled vinegar!!
She's just making sure YOU know how to spell it.
QUOTE=gr8rnpjt;4409983]LOL!! Ruby, this comment made me laugh. Only you and I and a few other nurses from the 70's will remember this particular reference!!!
Yep, that'd be me-- right over here Thought I smelled a whiff of patchouli oil for a minute there.
I guess I really missed it on the doctor calling issue, before I read through all the responses, I thought he was talking about nurses who feel intimidated by doctors and end up tripping all over their words and get a nervous case of motor-mouth. Sometimes people post about that. Apologizing for waking a doctor up at home or because you are the nurse who made his pager go off just as he/she is drifting off after 30 hours on call-- well that's just merciful.
Yep, that'd be me-- right over here Thought I smelled a whiff of patchouli oil for a minute there.
I guess I really missed it on the doctor calling issue, before I read through all the responses, I thought he was talking about nurses who feel intimidated by doctors and end up tripping all over their words and get a nervous case of motor-mouth. Sometimes people post about that. Apologizing for waking a doctor up at home or because you are the nurse who made his pager go off just as he/she is drifting off after 30 hours on call-- well that's just merciful.
Regarding the "I'm sorry..." to begin a call to the attending. For me, that's just courtesy, it doesn't mean a thing. That has to do with the etiquette my very Southern, very traditional parents taught me, which was quite different from what most people learned. I understand how someone could interpret "I'm sorry, but Patient X is..." as submissive when I wouldn't mean it any such way.
When I was learning to fly, I called my instructor from each stop on my first long solo cross country. That was just a courtesy call, like calling the host of a party after driving home. Months later I learned that he had interpreted it as insecurity and had held off recommending me for my checkride for over a month because of it. I also learned that people out here in California don't expect their guests to call after driving home - why, some folks actually close the kitchen door on a pile of dirty serving platters and Go To Sleep as soon as the last guest leaves! My lands, who would have thought it possible!
I don't know about your coworkers, but if you hear me say "I'm sorry..." to open a phone call, just translate it to the more common, "Hello..." :redbeathe
I work F/T 8 hr nights, assist my blind 83 yr old mother every day, and drive my son to & from school daily.
I come to work and put my game face on for every shift I work but if on accasion I'm lagging
I would hope my colleagues would support me, not judge me.
I seldom use sick time as I have great compassion knowing a co-worker was mandated to do a double shift because a replacement could not be found for me.
I hope you keep your post & save for a later day when you have children & potentially find yourself in the "sandwich generation" looking after children & an aging parent.
I can only hope your co-workers show you the support & compassion that you have difficulty sharing.
As an addendum - Not once have I sat on Facebook during my shift
Many of the things stated in the OP can be applied to any and every profession. People gossip in corporate America, people surf the web/facebook on their "free" time, etc.
Maybe saying "it's not my job" isn't professional, but when I become an RN, I do NOT want to be doing a CNA's job. Nope, sorry. That is like asking a high school teacher to mop up the hall way floors, something a janitor should be doing.
And there is nothing wrong with winnie the pooh scrubs! They may put a smile on someone's face.
OH MY GOSH!
please tell me this is a freaking joke!!!!!
this put knots into my stomach
I am a cna and so offended.. i LOVE helping people
your username says it all...a PRINCESS!
please please PLEASE don't become a nurse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would never want any of my family members under your care
completely DISGUSTING!
Let me guess if your patient dies the CNA should bag the body by him or herself to right!?
Just sick...!
Honestly nurses do make me so upset when they are LAZY and do not CARE
and yes I know the difference between a BUSY NURSE who cares about their patients and a plain lazy nurse who is there CLEARLY for a paycheck or burnt out.
If you do not enjoy your job LEAVE!
See this is why I can't WAIT to become a nurse. I will be so happy my patients have me as a nurse
and am also happy they have me as a CNA now because some cna's are SO CRUEL!
:lol2:
...
Thought I smelled a whiff of patchouli oil for a minute there. 
NocturneRN
168 Posts
Nothing wrong with setting high standards for oneself. I'm sure none of us are perfect nurses, but that's no reason not to aim to be the best possible.