Unprofessional nurses/power tripper's/ trouble makers

rachelgeorgina · Jun 4, 2009

I'm struggling a bit with this, too. I'm on my last day of clinical at the moment.

I'm really starting to understand what they say about nurses "eating their young". It's dreadful. & I hate having to suck it up and get ion it with it but... I think it's the only way until we work our way up the ranks.

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Jun 4, 2009

three words:

female dominated profession

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Jun 4, 2009

it is incorrect to label any of the behavior the op described as eating their young or racist. it is plain out nasty, one-upmanship behavior of one person over another. one person does this to another when they are trying to exert control and manipulation over another. it is dysfunctional use of the small amount of power that they have because they are angry for some reason or another over what was done to them in the past and they are going to get even for it with every unsuspecting person they can. that's all it is. once you recognize what is going on, that the person has no authority or power over you, that they are attempting to intimidate you to satisfy their own sense of self worth and squelch your self-esteem, the game they are playing is over for them. in other words, when you hear this side gossip, as the op calls it, or the displays of power trips (pick on certain people when they've done really nothing wrong, feel the need to belittle) ignore it. nothing gives power trippers and belittlers more wind in their sails than for you to join in their childish little games that they are playing and play along with them. (1) you don't play by the same rules. (2) they cheat. (3) you will never win because the object of every game is for them to feel good about themselves and win and for you to lose and feel bad about yourself.

goodstudentnowRN · Jun 4, 2009

Hmm...I have experienced the same thing as the LVN, but, I just ignore the nurse because obviously she does not feel good about herself and therefore tries to bring down others just to feel important like some instructors. I am a non-traditional student and I try at all times to take the high road. Even with my instructors, I try to do my work the best I can so that I do not have to interact much with the nursing professors. When it is time to give my report, I do so with confidence. I have been through too much with some of these fake, stupid, ghetto nurses to allow them to hurt my feelings. As the other OP says "female dominated profession", this comes with a lot of gossiping and lies.

greeniebean · Jun 4, 2009

Hang in there! Just do your job as best you can. Patient care is what really matters! Good LUck to you.

chicsurfs, LPN · Jun 5, 2009

I read everyone's responses and wanted to say thank you for responding =). However, I was most taken back by the "FEMALE DOMINATED PROFESSION" comment, maybe I'm missing something here and took it wrong? But, the only dominant person that should have that much power is a M.D. I am not nursing to be dominant I am nursing to care for pt's, be gentle, and learn not play games...

I have been ignoring it, and each day I'm seeing more and more petty, childish behavior going on, it's kinda hard to not notice it..when the wound care nurse is talking blatantly to the students (today) about how she doesn't like another lvn, I mean PLZ..

this was btw, the same lvn, that tried to get me into trouble with my Rn instructor...=/ ah yea. So, I discussed this with her after

clinics today..her comment was...this

"Ignore it" lol...so, I'm going to have to learn to do this as a part of my training, I respect my instructor and her teaching credentials,

I just don't know what I am doing wrong at times for anyone to even FOR NO reason...some say it's because I'm cute, LAME..some say because I come off "strong" and very confident...Ok, so isn't that a good thing?

What I have learned is this, when a "student" in my opinion ..kiss butt, kiss butt, and say yes ma'am a lot it gives them the control SOME may need so desperately, sad but so far it seems to be keeping things in tact more for me! As well as smiling A LOT..

Gosh, I sure hope I can continue to keep this attitude because once in the REAL world..I know it gets harder because I have also made many, lvn's who deal with it daily...but just try to stay away from them...

My ? Would be though how in the heck do you stay away from them when you're a TEAM?

Today, is a new day and thank you for the luck...We can always could use it...and some.. On how to deal with...gossip...petty, childish, highly unprofessional behavior. Oh, yea one more thing today another lvn told me that she's kinda new there and there is a click that I discussed...she said there both constantly trying to get her into trouble

HOW do you or can you ignore that?

looking4wrd · Jun 5, 2009

I am not in the nursing profession yet, however where I currently work is dominated by women and everything the OP said goes on where I work, too. The races stick together, the women are catty and obnoxious. One would think this stuff only goes on in high school, but it doesn't. It continues into the work field as well. It's so frustrating. The best thing to do is IGNORE it. If they don't get the reactions they are looking for they will stop, or just move on to make someone else's life miserable. In my experience, the bosses ALWAYS know who is catty and miserable and who is really being a true professional, they just don't do anything about it because they are too busy with their own things. Ultimately these women are very unhappy and can only feel better when they berate others.

kayty2339 · Jun 5, 2009

I just don't totally agree that this is going on just because it's a female dominated profession. I'm not a nurse yet, but I've worked at a lot of different types of jobs and with lots of different types of people. Yes girls can definitely be catty, but it's all about the type of girls you are around. Maybe it's the atmosphere of a few bad ones that pull other girls who wouldn't be that way in another setting into their little click. Maybe some of them feel that they have to be a part of it and play along so that they aren't singled out as well.

I used to have the same attitude about women (I am one) and thought that working with a lot of women would cause a lot of drama and b.s. Until I started working at my current job. My office is all women and it couldn't be less drama free. Not much gossiping at all and everybody seems to get along very well. I think it all starts at the top with our manager who is probably the best manager I've ever worked for. She doesn't play favorites, she's totally fair, and is just very understanding and all around a good person. I have also worked in an office with mostly men and about 4 women (myself included) which was the most drama filled, gossiping environment I've ever worked in my life. There were 2 girls who were a big part of gossiping in that office, but don't doubt that one of those men weren't involved in the "making fun", clicks, gossiping, etc. In fact I think a lot of times some of those men were the biggest instigators.

Thus, I think it has less to do with sex and more to do with a bad group of people working together that creates this environment. It also might have something to do with management as well. I am a firm believer in bad management trickeling down to the employees, making a bad work environment.

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Jun 5, 2009

I read everyone's responses and wanted to say thank you for responding =). However, I was most taken back by the "FEMALE DOMINATED PROFESSION" comment, maybe I'm missing something here and took it wrong? But, the only dominant person that should have that much power is a M.D. I am not nursing to be dominant I am nursing to care for pt's, be gentle, and learn not play games...

Yes, you ARE missing something here. I don't mean it to say we are domineering, but when 90% of nurses are female, it is a 'female dominant profession'. It was not meant to suggested any sort of power struggle (although many woman are rather controlling), but when you work with mostly women, who are catty, hormonal, gossipy and ******, this is what happens. (and yes, I am female, but it's just reality)

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Jun 5, 2009

I used to have the same attitude about women (I am one) and thought that working with a lot of women would cause a lot of drama and b.s. Until I started working at my current job. My office is all women and it couldn't be less drama free. Not much gossiping at all and everybody seems to get along very well.

My comment was a broad generalization. My workplace right now is all women, and we happen to ework very well together, for the most part. There si one who is not as cohesive with the ret of the group, but it is understood, and we take her for who she is. There are times we don't see eye to eye, but we really do get along. We help each other through rough times, we get annoyed at each other, we don't agree on all aspects of the job (this is commone in education), but we don't take it personally.

I have worked in many jobs (hospital units), and the more women there are, the more drama and HS behavior there seems to be. :twocents:

twow · Jun 5, 2009

with an unprofessional attitude like that, that nurse will one day be a clinical instructor. guaranteed 100%.

also i agree with the female-dominated profession comment. lol.