I'm really amazed to find so many grouchy nurses on the floor I'm a "student" on. These aren't long time nurses, but fairly new nurses with only one and two years of experience. I can only imagine if they can be so bitchy at only 23-25 years old, what will they be like in the future?! Nearly half of the nurses are this way; the others are either nice or at least reasonable. Our instructor told us today they are like that because they are overworked and underpaid!! Is that really our problem? After all, we're not making a dime, are paying them to be there, and are very nice to all of them!! The treatment is so bad I don't know even one student who wants to work in this hospital. A couple nurses report every tiny mistake to our instructor. I realize some thing should be reported, but not to the extent it is being done. It makes for a troubling environment and doesn't help others to learn. I'd love to say they are great nurses regardless of this, but one overdosed my 80 year old patient on pain meds the other day. It was crazy what she did. All you hear about is the nursing shortage and how those working as nurses are often very unhappy. Isn't it time, we treat others with respect and work as a team?? Maybe if we could be good to one another we'd be happier. Shame on those who want to be in a field in which you help others, yet treat those you work with so terribly. For those who deal with students/ coworkers, they appreciate your treating them fairly. I'm so blown away people can be so cruel who are being so nice to them!!! WOW!!
Tweety, I couldn't agree with you more. However, let me also say I have dealt with many non-nurses (patients, families, etc. ) who really have negative attitudes and generalizations (stereotypes) of nurses and nursing. This can destroy our profession faster than students perceptions and negativities.
True, student's attitudes are the very least of our problems in nursing. Just hate to see it start so soon.
Perhaps "eating our young" begins with the students going to clinicals developing attitudes right away about nurses being crabby and not rolling down the red carpet for them.
It's not about rolling down the red carpet for new grads or anyone for that matter. It's about what one percieves should be the ideal attitude for nurses. How can you be a nurse who is uncaring, uncompassionate, crabby and mean? most individuals go into nursing because they want to help. When students reach that road where they are exposed to a clinical enviornment, they find otherwise. they've been under their teachers wing and when they see the other experienced nurse, they're like a big sponge bob square pants: they want to learn. And it is those nurses that are truly unhappy with themselves and are old and intimidated thinking someone wants their job in particularly, that puts up that big barrier of communication. They act like the students questions are stupid, forgetting that they had that same question when they were in school. I always embrace the younger generation and try to share as much knowledge as I can, because, they will be the ones to take care of me in the future.
Without God in your life: how can you truly care for anyone's life, including your own.
Rise to the occasion and do what needs to be done. If you are a nurse, you are an educator, T.V repair person, maintenance man or woman, etc. Whats so hard with nurturing yourself and others? Does'nt it feel good to know that someone thinks that you are intelligent enough to even consider consulting? don't you feel good when you know that you made a difference or contribution to someones life other than your own?
He who controls your thinking controls the circumference of your diameter.
Not angry, just get disappointed sometimes. I don't generalize students behaviors, because my reality is students are well treated on my unit and they have a good attitude.
It's not about rolling down the red carpet for new grads or anyone for that matter. It's about what one percieves should be the ideal attitude for nurses. How can you be a nurse who is uncaring, uncompassionate, crabby and mean? most individuals go into nursing because they want to help. When students reach that road where they are exposed to a clinical enviornment, they find otherwise. they've been under their teachers wing and when they see the other experienced nurse, they're like a big sponge bob square pants: they want to learn. And it is those nurses that are truly unhappy with themselves and are old and intimidated thinking someone wants their job in particularly, that puts up that big barrier of communication. They act like the students questions are stupid, forgetting that they had that same question when they were in school. I always embrace the younger generation and try to share as much knowledge as I can, because, they will be the ones to take care of me in the future.
Without God in your life: how can you truly care for anyone's life, including your own.
Rise to the occasion and do what needs to be done. If you are a nurse, you are an educator, T.V repair person, maintenance man or woman, etc. Whats so hard with nurturing yourself and others? Does'nt it feel good to know that someone thinks that you are intelligent enough to even consider consulting? don't you feel good when you know that you made a difference or contribution to someones life other than your own?
He who controls your thinking controls the circumference of your diameter.
Good post. But you turned me off with the God thing. Sorry, I don't need a sermon this morning. Have a nice day.
Specializes in Geriatrics/Oncology/Psych/College Health.
Without God in your life: how can you truly care for anyone's life, including your own.
Many of us do just fine, don't eat our young, and are fabulous nurses...without religion or a god in our lives. We don't generally discuss our faith or lack thereof at work, though, so you may not even know who among you qualifies in this category.
I totally understand where you are coming from. I am an Lpn in school for my RN and have been blown away by the attitudes of nurses on the floor during our clinical rotations. Many times I go home and wonder what the hell they got into the profession for. I must admit though, there are some classmates of mine whom I already recognize will be one of those bitchy nurses. I think before entering nursing school there should be some sort of personality/compassion testing. We need to weed out all these negative nurses. Hey to all nurses: REMEMBER! YOU WERE THERE ONCE TOO!!!!!
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
I think I wold have to move on if the DON had the attitude you mention.
Well, maybe you need to rethink your profession. You can not be an effective nurse without having faith, empathy and sympathy. Maybe you have a good reason.....who knows.
I thought nurses weren't supposed to judge other people...
and what's that little voice I hear saying judge not lest ye be judged? oh right. that was the bible.
Without God in your life: how can you truly care for anyone's life, including your own.
Actually, you can care for plenty of lives and yourself without G-d. Some of the best nurses that I have ever met were atheist or agnostic. It is regrettable that you have such little Faith in humanity that you cannot see that.
Please do not think that your path in life is the only path that there is. You do not have to agree with their path but you should accept and respect as their right and their belief...in as much as you want your beliefs respected.
with all due respect, you are "new" to the field and profession, nursing is hard! I have been a nurse since 1974, yes, it is inappropriate to complain all the time and some people never do anything to make changes or to help make it better. But cut them some slack, the profession has gone downhill over the years and the staff nurse has little power to make changes, over worked, mandated overtime, there is little time for family, vacation, socializing, etc. You, too, will start to complain, just wait and see.[/Q
Are you still at the bedside?
Why do you ask that? Is it to dub the poster with a 'crabby old nurse' attitude?? Those of us who have been doing this for decades know how things have gone downhill..and sharing our opinion and voicing our observations doesn't automatically mean we are 'crabby old nurses'.
Actually, you can care for plenty of lives and yourself without G-d. Some of the best nurses that I have ever met were atheist or agnostic. It is regrettable that you have such little Faith in humanity that you cannot see that.
Please do not think that your path in life is the only path that there is. You do not have to agree with their path but you should accept and respect as their right and their belief...in as much as you want your beliefs respected.
I respect everybody. To each it's own. I have no problem with what or whom a person chooses to believe in. However, i didn't mean for you to get the indication that my path is indeed the only path to follow. Everybody has a purpose in life, whatever it may be. Look at Tom Cruise and his new girlfriend :blushkiss
Jaime
Tweety, BSN, RN
36,331 Posts
True, student's attitudes are the very least of our problems in nursing. Just hate to see it start so soon.