Too smart for my own good... :-/

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Hey to the members of "allnurses", this is my first topic/post. I come to this forum as a place to vent, confide, and connect with other nurses, so hopefuly I have come to the right place.

Cutting to the chase, I was brought into my director's office today for a 90 day evaluation of my new position as an ER nurse coming from a nursing home in the same facility. As all evaluations go, your strengths and weaknesses are reviewed. It basically went well, but something that was said to me in so many words perplexed me and actually concerned me. My major weakness is basically that I am too smart for my own good, my directors words! Now, in context, this was not referring to being cocky or over-confident. This was referring to other nurses complaining about me "not listening". Meaning that when they would want to teach me something(being the new guy) I would already know what they are going to say in most, not all by any means, but most situations. I was told that I need to act like I know nothing and "just go with it". I have been told by a few nurses that I work with that I "think too much" and that I need to put what I learned in school in the back of my mind and start learning now, and to "slow down", can you believe that? Slow down in an ER? I have actually been told by a nurse in my department that I am too smart to be a nurse. Huh??

What the heck is going on here. I am very frustrated right now. I don't know if working in a rural southern town has anything to do with my situation, but I feel that my knowledge and capability is not being utilized because its stepping on some other's egos. I know that there are ways to be diplomatic and tactful, after all I am the low man on the totem pole, I just don't know. It is just hard for me to believe that in a field where our knowledge base is paramount to safe practice is looked down upon in any way.

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Welcome to AN!!!! I have learned that in nursing sometimes you have to keep your head low and mouth shut. I've been a nurse for four years with ICU experience. I'm now training in the ED. Sometimes my preceptor tells me something I already know. I don't say anything. I thank her, and keep it moving. Sometimes, I'll say "thanks for showing me this, sometimes I do it this way". This is just how I learned to survive.

Don't take it personally. You never want to come off as a "know it all". Just thank them, and continue to show them that you know what you are doing.

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Thanks for the response crazycute. I know what you are saying. For me this is so difficult though. I never intend to come across like a know it all, although I suppose that this is how I am perceived by others at times. I know I dont know everything, but I guess I feel like I need to be given credit for what I know and the skills I have. I am finding the opposite as I get older(27 now). This is something that I have dealt with since grade school. I just thought that if I were to enter a field/career where intellect and knowledge were important that I would more easily relate to others and not have to deal with dumbing myself down, like I do in most of my social circles.

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Well especially being on orientation, just like the previous poster said. It does not hurt to be humble and say thank you. It s just like nursing school; you have to fake it till you make it. Op, you may be right that the preceptor might not necessarily be 100% sure of them self, and they despise being challenge. Or it could of have been your unknown self to you that other sees. Vice versa, change and self perception and awareness can make you grow.

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just an example. I was looking up why gtt was used as the abbreviation for drops, and others around me were telling me. "Why do you care". "Who cares". "You think too much". "gtt means drops, that's it, move on." I just don't get it. I think I just live in a society that is scared of intellect and in fact looks down upon it. I mean just look our school system. What is popular and cool is the contrary.

I am just frustrated I guess.

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Very wise! This is what I am looking for I guess. There are things that I need to learn that don't come out of a text book, lol.

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Well, they are right. You're in the ER, you have 100 other things to do before EVEN thinking about looking up what gtt means

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Hey to the members of "allnurses", this is my first topic/post. I come to this forum as a place to vent, confide, and connect with other nurses, so hopefuly I have come to the right place.

Cutting to the chase, I was brought into my director's office today for a 90 day evaluation of my new position as an ER nurse coming from a nursing home in the same facility. As all evaluations go, your strengths and weaknesses are reviewed. It basically went well, but something that was said to me in so many words perplexed me and actually concerned me. My major weakness is basically that I am too smart for my own good, my directors words! Now, in context, this was not referring to being cocky or over-confident. This was referring to other nurses complaining about me "not listening". Meaning that when they would want to teach me something(being the new guy) I would already know what they are going to say in most, not all by any means, but most situations. I was told that I need to act like I know nothing and "just go with it". I have been told by a few nurses that I work with that I "think too much" and that I need to put what I learned in school in the back of my mind and start learning now, and to "slow down", can you believe that? Slow down in an ER? I have actually been told by a nurse in my department that I am too smart to be a nurse. Huh??

What the heck is going on here. I am very frustrated right now. I don't know if working in a rural southern town has anything to do with my situation, but I feel that my knowledge and capability is not being utilized because its stepping on some other's egos. I know that there are ways to be diplomatic and tactful, after all I am the low man on the totem pole, I just don't know. It is just hard for me to believe that in a field where our knowledge base is paramount to safe practice is looked down upon in any way.

Was peds ONC RN for 17 years. Took a year off & decided to travel. I worked Onc Climic as traveler. One day orientation then on own. Kept being told "Get pts in & out asap!" One pt had no transportation home so I mentioned to charge "I'm calling social worker to arrange cab or bus". I was told "NO THAT IS NOT OUR PROBLEM. DISCHARGE HER NOW!!"

Another scenario: pt blind, 100 yrs old cioming in for B12 and an almost missed order for Epo (which I caught). MA had callled in sick so it required me bringing pt in from waiting rm, weighing & doing VS. this required me unbuttoning her coat w/ assistance of elderly daughter. Did VS, VSS w/O2 sat 100%. U words seeing 100% were "Wow, her o2 sat is 100". Daughter concerned so I explained.... Told her that was excellent.

Upon them leaving they so thanked me for caring and requested for q visit.

The Charge REAMED ME!! We don't have te to educate & help the pts prn.

My thought: I no longer want to practice nursing without "caring"!! Still undecided.

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Well, they are right. You're in the ER, you have 100 other things to do before EVEN thinking about looking up what gtt means
Lol, you have a point. But not in my ER. I am in a 9 bed unit. Some days we don't see a pt until after 12pm starting at 7am. But in a large unit where the lobby never empties, you are right...
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And this is another example of my weakness. Instead of saying yeah your right I should have not been looking that up. I retorted with an explanation. Hopefully, I will learn sooner than later..:-/

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Specializes in Emergency Room, Trauma ICU.

My only words of advice are to look at what you say and how you act when people are telling you things. Try to make sure you're not just noding and saying "I know, I know". I also like to look up things, especially if it's as slow as you say, and some people really aren't into furthering their education. Good luck with everything and welcome to AN!

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And this is another example of my weakness. Instead of saying yeah your right I should have not been looking that up. I retorted with an explanation. Hopefully, I will learn sooner than later..:-/

You didn't reach your present age not knowing that nobody likes a smart-aleck. Also, nobody wants to hear over and over, "In my old job we did it this way." I understand that thinking like that to yourself is a good way to compare and contrast and settle the new way into your head, but you have to do it to yourself, not out loud.

They have given you the feedback they feel is important. If you feel this job is important, you will be wise to listen.

Do not ask me how I had to learn this myself.

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