Type B in a Type A world

[ThePrincessBride]

Bg: started new job a couple months ago. Love my job but my problem?

I have been dealing with a couple of super type A ICU nurses. You know the type. The ones who seem to be super nurses. Always think their **** doesn't stink and think their way is the only way.

This wouldn't be an issue if I wasn't being precepted by a few of them and know they throw each other under the bus. The night shift preceptor I have is amazing but the day shift ones I have seem to enjoy picking me apart. They are always riding me and breathing down my neck.

I am type b. I learn by doing and not having some watch me like a hawk and criticizing every...single...thing that I do while I am doing it.

How do I deal with these people? I am almost done with orientation. My night shift preceptor is great and I only have a couple more weeks until I am on my own. But I know that I will be having to deal with those type A nurses and giving report to them.

Hoe does a type b introvert who is more about the big picture and less about the details survive in a type A icu nursing world that is always caught up in detail?

I am afraid to be ripped to shreds out of orientation for not being "perfect."

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

You know you're a nurse when you see the topic and think it's about blood types [emoji12]

A positive here.

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

Type B here...I work in education now but still work prn in critical care. I remember when I was hired from a much smaller facility the clin spec at my new facility warned me about the "ICU snobs" as she called them. What I learned is that not everyone knows everything, including me. I got a lot out of how critical my new co-workers were, because it made me see all the important and unimportant details. But they also learned a lot from me, I actually caught a lot of things that they missed since they were very focused on the critical care side. The best thing to do is grin it and bear it until you are on your own. When you are on your own, stand your ground. If you are following policy and doing the right thing, no one should be able to make you feel like you're not doing your job.

ICU snobs are correct. Most of them haven't worked outside of the NICU in years or ever and have even wrinkled their noses when they discover that I started my career in a community hospital in a rough part of town. I still work in med-surg and know that if they were put on the floor with seven patients they would be running away screaming.

I do admire their precision and their perceptive nature and feel I can learn some good things from them. But I have definitely had to bite my tongue more than a few times as their extreme ocd can make even the most chill person have a hypertensive crisis.

[klone, MSN, RN]

How did I not know you landed a NICU job? Congrats!

[klone, MSN, RN]

Specialty, high-intensity clinical areas tend to attract 'type A' nurses who are always looking for new challenges - but I think that the harpy shrews described by OP are just nasty people who are determined to make themselves feel better by tearing down someone else. Please don't sully a perfectly good psychological theory - LOL.

Thank you! I am a Type A all the way. I am very exacting and have to do things a very specific way, in a very specific order. OTOH, I realize there is more than one way to skin a cat, and when I'm precepting, I always say "Okay, this is how I do it. I have to do it this exact way, but you might find a way that works better for you, and that's okay."

[klone, MSN, RN]

I know the type. I'm also guessing something else you aren't saying: you're young and pretty too.

You've got to be kidding. I stopped reading after this. Please.

[Farawyn]

You've got to be kidding. I stopped reading after this. Please.

See???

[Zelda, RN]

I have days where I am type A, and days where I am type B. I like doing things my way, but if someone else does it a different way, power to them. What I DON'T like is being told how to do something. I just got off orientation. I had three preceptor's - one on nights and two on days. My favorite was my second day preceptor, because she basically just told me to grab her if I needed help, and that was it. Granted, I was halfway through orientation at that point, but it was nice. That's not to say I didn't learn anything from my other two preceptor's. Both were wonderful teachers, and now that I'm off orientation I still do some things their way - and some things I can finally do my way. Just grin and bare (bear?) it. You'll be off orientation soon enough.

[chacha82, ADN, BSN]

I would not criticize them or correct them. They are your preceptors, as annoying as it may feel in the moment that hovering may someday save your tush (or a patient). Important things were imprinted to me because I had teachers and preceptors essentially stapled to my side. If they're truly sharks in the water then they are going to nitpick anyway. Just smile and get through report, go about your business. Some people are going to talk about others no matter what. But if they haven't done this to you yet, give them a chance. They may pleasantly surprise you!

[sneed1o1, BSN, RN]

Thank you! I am a Type A all the way. I am very exacting and have to do things a very specific way, in a very specific order. OTOH, I realize there is more than one way to skin a cat, and when I'm precepting, I always say "Okay, this is how I do it. I have to do it this exact way, but you might find a way that works better for you, and that's okay."

I am definitely a type B personality with some underlying type A (when needed). I've also had some pretty nitpicky preceptors in the past. As a new nurse, or a nurse entering into a new specialty, you may not know what is important in a particular situation, so it's good to have the different perspectives. However, I will note that one of the type A preceptors I had was not very welcoming to allowing me to explore my own way of learning. She was VERY adamant on having everything done HER way, which for me was more time consuming I believe a good nurse will have a fair share of each personality, or like this nurse mentioned, they will be considerate enough to know everyone isn't the same and will incorporate the differences. I just got hired on at Baylor S&W, and they have you take a personality test to match you with a coach with similar traits while you are going through the internship

[babyNP., APRN]

oh goodness I remember those days. I do NOT miss bedside nursing for that reason of people being so hyper about every little thing when TBH it doesn't matter if the stripes in the blanket are lined up and yes, there is more than one correct way to do most tasks.

I just popped in to say that I'm really happy to hear that you got your job in NICU though TPB!

[ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP]

Thank you!

I just want to give some of them some Xanax and tell them to calm down, especially my day shift preceptor who joked about firing me for not changing a diaper "properly." :/

Other than that, I love my job and I feel honored to work in the NICU!

oh goodness I remember those days. I do NOT miss bedside nursing for that reason of people being so hyper about every little thing when TBH it doesn't matter if the stripes in the blanket are lined up and yes, there is more than one correct way to do most tasks.

I just popped in to say that I'm really happy to hear that you got your job in NICU though TPB!

[Axgrinder]

Farawyn, RN

And yet …

(No offense) You bothered to read the whole comment, quote it in it's entirety, and comment. Then, you pressed "like". Hmmm …

Like it, or not, agree with it, or don't - those are my life experiences, and my subjective thoughts.