We've all seen the new poster whose very first post is one lambasting the more established members of the forum for lack of compassion to patients, students or new nurses, for eating our young†or for bullying. One recent memorable thread included the header I Have A Bone To Pick With Youâ€, and unfortunately was closed before I had the chance to respond to it. Nevertheless, it was entertaining, and I've wondered what happened to the original poster. Perhaps the only way to recover from a fiasco like that is to close down the profile and start again with a new user name.
While it is your absolute right to post in whatever (however stupid) manner you choose, certain topics, buzzwords and titles are likely to earn you a good deal LESS respect that you think you deserve. Perhaps less than you might actually deserve. If your inaugural post (or any one of your first 10) is entitled Why do Nurses Eat Their Young?â€, I'm Surrounded By Mean Old Biter Nurses†or Nurses Are Mean And Nasty,†I can almost guarantee that you're going to be lambasted by more established members of the AN community — unless you're lucky enough that your thread gets shut down immediately. Apologizing for the post and declaring that you now see the error of your ways isn't going to get you much slack, either as new members log on, read that first post and immediately respond. Most of us don't read the entire thread before responding. I think it's more fun to type out my first reaction, then read what everyone else has to say.
Lurking for a week or more will give you an opportunity to observe the hot button†issues and determine that perhaps starting your membership with a thread inquiring why nurses aren't delighted to have students helping them†or doing all of their work†isn't going to win you fans outside of the nursing student forums. It will give you some insight on which forum to use when asking someone to do your homework for you. (You HAVE caught on, haven't you, that we won't do your homework for you? That doesn't make us mean haters. That makes us professionals who want to have other professionals working with us in the future.) If you're new to the internet, perhaps lurking will give you some insight on using all caps or underlining, italicizing AND bolding those comments about how everyone is MEAN to you isn't going to endear you to other posters.
If you lurk for awhile, you may begin to understand thread drift†and know that once you put something out there, it's out there. People will comment on it, both positively and negatively, and you as a commenter on the thread (or even an original poster) will have no control over the direction of the thread once it's posted. That's how we get threads about red jello and white chocolate.
Lurking may make clear the inadvisability of writing a post stating that the only reason you don't get along with your coworkers is that they're all so jealous of your extreme youth and extraordinary beauty, and besides they're all a bunch of ugly old hags.
On second thought, what am I saying! If everyone were to lurk for awhile before their first post, it would cut down immeasurably on those entertaining, gotta have popcorn†threads!
We don't know who these people are. There are a lot of unemployed losers out there who like to troll the Internet for kicks. Their whole goal is to start firestorms.
Frankly, those threads are entertaining. What would we do without them? I have sometimes half wondered if maybe the owner of the website doesn't start a few of them to increase the traffic and readership.
We don't know who these people are. There are a lot of unemployed losers out there who like to troll the Internet for kicks. Their whole goal is to start firestorms.
Frankly, those threads are entertaining. What would we do without them? I have sometimes half wondered if maybe the owner of the website doesn't start a few of them to increase the traffic and readership.
Lol I saw that thread and responded. I'm a chronic lurker too and smh at a lot of things on here. I'm like dude (dudette) did you even take the time to research this board before you made that crazy thread?
Lol I saw that thread and responded. I'm a chronic lurker too and smh at a lot of things on here. I'm like dude (dudette) did you even take the time to research this board before you made that crazy thread?
Scottaprn...very well said. I don't care what people on an online forum think of me. Now, I am concerned about how I am perceived by my co workers and supervisors. That is important to me, not how I'm perceived online. While I wouldn't have the guts to start a thread about female nurses and jealousy over physical appearance, I do actually think that is an interesting topic. I have seen it play out many, many times in my career. It's too bad there are certain subjects that are "off- limits" here.
Or how about the new poster that gives life to long dead threads to ask "did you get in?" or some other frankly idiotic comment when the OP hasn't been back in five years.
Or buzzes around asking questions that have been answered 9gazillon times and effectively shuts down threads? There is a busy bee flitting around one of the regional forums right now.
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
Or how about the new poster that gives life to long dead threads to ask "did you get in?" or some other frankly idiotic comment when the OP hasn't been back in five years..
Yes, that always cracks me up. Offering advice in a thread from 2009, asking for advice on a job offer or a school application.
Oh, I don't know. I kinda enjoy when some unsuspecting, "well meaning," Bambi-eyed twit writes the equivalent of a four page essay, effectively hijacks a thread, and enters the laser sharp cross hairs of some COBs. Sniff, sniff! Smell that? I guess that makes me a heartless nurse with the empathy/sympathy/compassion of a flea or tick, but oh how I enjoy me some of those threads! Yes, RubyVee, for those who want legitimate support and coaching from this site, lurking is about the best advice before getting one's toes wet. I have grown as a newer nurse from some the best COBs on this site, thank you. For the rest, well, popcorn is a'poppin!
That was one I actually "got in" on!! Usually I start reading those threads and formulate a kick azz response in my head, start scrolling down to the "reply" button and see nothing but "like". My heart sinks as I know what that means!!! 9 times out of 10, another seasoned poster has already said something along the lines of my train of thought and I can click that like button to my hearts content as I follow the inevitable train wreck!!
It doesn't matter either way to me. I'm ready to encourage the ones that aren't stupid, and ready to slap down the ridiculous ones. Or at least address them bluntly and remind them there is a real world. Especially the sanctimonious thread hijackers. I watched one of them jump threads to bash posters earlier today. Ridiculous.
Although I have been enjoying some of the nuttier ones lately. I'm with you, Ruby, about the bone picker. I'm still torqued that I missed out on that one!!
noelly10
421 Posts
I know you didn't! And thank you, I definitely try to be :)