Too Many Crabby Nurses!!

hafsa44 · Jun 14, 2005

That is so sad that you have to experience nurse bad behavior. I understand what you are talking me and my classmates were treated the same way when we were at clinical. I've been a nurse for a little over a year and when I graduated that was one of my concerns. I wanted to work in and environment where the nurse was friendly to their co-workers. We complain about staffing and other things that need to be address but I love working with my co-worker and would do anything for them and they will do the same for me and anyone else. I work on a Med-Surg floor and that's one of the reasons why I'm still there is because of my work environment. I work at night I would love to go work in ICU but I don't know how the atmosphere is. It's sad when you are afraid to move on because of nurses with bad attitudes. I feel bless that the lord gave me the oppurtunity to be a nurse. No matter what happens don't let those people make you sour because sometimes those bad vibes can be contagious. Remember the big picture the patients depend and trust you with their lives that's most important.

SmilingBluEyes · Jun 14, 2005

I am so sorry you are not being treated well. Volumes and volumes are written in threads here why this is happening. No one has the right to treat you poorly. There are sadly, many burnt-out used-up nurses out there who are tired, overworked and just plain have no heart or desire to teach or mentor new students. Fortunately there are plenty of us who LOVE working with students and are glad to help.

take heart, you will run into some of us. Hang in there and resolved not to be "that kind of nurse" when your turn comes. Hugs.

Super_RN, BSN, RN · Jun 15, 2005

:balloons:

Not all of us are like that! I have been a nurse for 2 years and see the same thing a lot too. We don't have a lot of students at our hospital though. Our hospital has the attitude that "a nurse is a nurse is a nurse" and our DON has even been quoted as saying "Nurses are a dime a dozen". Nope, she's not a very popular one either. I am usually overworked, understaffed, and expected to deal with it on a regular basis. The sad part is that I'm getting used to it, adapting to being worked like that. Perhaps the reason the nurses report everything is because in the end, no matter how much you do take care of the patient, they are ultimately responsible for that patient. When I was a student I couldn't understand that part either, but since I've graduated and actually worked, I can better understand their point of view. It is a shame you are being treated that way. Remember this, sometimes it is not a bitchy nurse, just a downright bitchy person who shouldn't be in the profession. After you graduate you will look at a lot of things with a whole new perspective. The issues that seem trivial to you now could actually be issues that make a huge impact on the patient and their care. Keep your head up and keep chugging along!

Jaime

Aneroo, LPN · Jun 15, 2005

Sorry how things are going.

As far as the newer grads being rude- I am thinking they're probably beyond stressed. I've heard the amount of info I'll be getting in the next 14 weeks in more than I learned in school. That's bound to make me stressed!

With reporting of med errors- was it the newer folks doing the reporting. Some can tend to have a "that's my patient" type of attitude, where they won't delegate anything b/c they think they can do it best. -A

grannynurse FNP · Jun 15, 2005

I have been a nurse for thirty-seven years and have seen many nurses and many attitudes, on many different days. Attitudes change, just like the seasons change. They become volatile and then complacent. One has to learn to accept what one cannot change, change what one can and live with the rest. Yes, we are overworked and frequently underpaid. But then, we have always been. What we do to change our own situation is what is important.

Grannynurse :balloons:

rambisisking · Jun 15, 2005

I have been a nurse for thirty-seven years and have seen many nurses and many attitudes, on many different days. Attitudes change, just like the seasons change. They become volatile and then complacent. One has to learn to accept what one cannot change, change what one can and live with the rest. Yes, we are overworked and frequently underpaid. But then, we have always been. What we do to change our own situation is what is important.
Grannynurse :balloons:

yea for you ...Grannynurse! That is the clearest reality and best advice to follow. I too have been doing this for 30-some years and used to be very intimidated in my younger years by nurses who had a demeaning and cruel nature. Once you graduate and find a place you feel at home working, things will be much better. That, however, may take some time, not all people who care work well together. The one thing you can do for yourself is to know who you want to be ....what kind of person-nurse...you want your actions to show that you are. When you know that then you can concentrate on what you can do to continually strive to be that being. You'll be surprised how little time you'll have to devote to what others say or do for that matter. If you're truly concentrating on how to improve yourself, even those who are stuck in the mud will be inspired by you and you may inturn, by trying to be your best ,actually help them to be better people. You seem,from your writing, to already have the empathy needed to forgive others for not being what you need them to be, that is very important. Concentrate on being what your need you to be and try to entertain the thought that every person that touches our lives, does so for a reason. Even the crabby ones. I just know you'll do well. Keep looking ahead.

kittiesareus · Jun 15, 2005

I understand where you are coming from. I am a recent grad, may 2005, and dealt with the same exact situations where we did clinicals. It got to the point where they were so intimidating that I had a hard time doing my work, it's not like I am going to be a ***** back so I just reverted into my shell for safety. looking back that may not have been the best idea but it was my first reaction. i think alot of those crabby nurses are underappreciated and always called on there misgiving and never the things they may be doing right. I think we will all have bad days and be crabby but we all have to keep in mind that we don't have to take these people home with us so it is not worth getting riled up over. My advice would be take it with a grain of salt and don't let it affect you and your performance. Good Luck :)

zacarias, ASN, RN · Jun 15, 2005

Hey there,

Please take heart, this too will pass. I'm sorry you're experiencing rude and unprofessional behavior where you are. The other posters made good comments. I am a new nurse and I vow to never treat students like that. I remember being so stressed and having a student follow me around. I didn't snap at them or try to belittle them. I rather actually enjoyed their eagerness and thoroughness. I remained stressed but I was able to show them what I was doing when I could and did everything to make sure they didn't feel like they were imposing. The day I snap at a student while stressed or not stressed is the day I'll have to take a week off and seriously consider how I could have behaved so inappropriately.

The bad attitudes I believe are highly unit specific. I remember in school there was oncology floor where everyone was mean and horrible whether staff or agency. Everyone dreaded this floor and some felt really low there. Other units fostered a positive learning environment and students all around reported good experiences. This phenomenon I think comes from people wanting to be with similar people. You get a negative person on a unit and either the positive folks will overcome this or they will be dragged down to the negative persons level. This becomes a vicious cycle.

Anyway, keep the faith and when you become a nurse, definitely evaluate your floor's morale and nurses to make sure that you will be in a positive work environment.

Siouxz2 · Jun 15, 2005

OP, I know where you're coming from. I had a situation a couple weeks ago, where a nurse told me put a leg bag for a Foley on a patient. I immediately went to his room and saw that he had just gotten his lunch tray, so I went back and told the nurse that the patient was eating and I would do it after he ate (empowering patients and all that, right?). She said, he can wait to eat. I need that bag on him now.

So I told her, oh, sorry. I'll do it right now. Walked out of the conference room, directly to the patient's room and put the bag on him. From original request to completion of task took maybe 5 minutes, tops.

She turned around and told my clinical instructer that she had to tell me 3 times to do it before I "finally got around to it." My instructor gave me an Unsatisfactory, but when I explained my side of it, she took the "U" away (which NEVER happens at this school!).

I wonder why this nurse felt she had to lie about me to get me into trouble? All the nurses on this particular floor are "tattle tales" to the clinical instructors. You've really got to watch your back.

renerian, BSN, RN · Jun 15, 2005

Yep it will be your problem/overworked and underpaid.............I would not cast stones until you have walked in those shoes. You will my "grasshopper"/big smile-stole that from a movie LOL.

renerian

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jun 15, 2005

Sorry to hear that you experience is so bad.

What's sad to me is not only the environment you're in, but your attitude is already so negative and judgemental and you're not even out of school yet.

Our unit has a lot of students of all types, LPNs, ADNs, BSNs, and even CNAs. While we don't bow down to them, they are welcome to learn and we treat them well. Plus we have a good time.

It's not you like that everywhere. Being overworked and underpaid is no excuse for being disrespectful. We have choices. They choose to work there, no need to be so miserable.

We need you. Hang in there, learn what you can, and of course, don't work there. :)