What are your pet peeves when orienting a new ER nurse?

EmergencyNrse · Jul 18, 2011

"We did it THIS way at my other place"...other hospital, other unit.

Really annoying. Enter with an open mind and absorb what's going on.

littleneoRN · Jul 18, 2011

"We did it THIS way at my other place"...other hospital, other unit.
Really annoying. Enter with an open mind and absorb what's going on.

Yes and no. It can get old when you hear it over and over. But orienting someone with experience also gives us opportunities to get ideas from how other places do things. If they come with experience, I assume they might have as much to teach me as I might have to teach them. Both parties need to keep the open mind. :)

LegzRN · Jul 18, 2011

Don't be lazy... you only get one chance to make a first impression. Come off as proactive, willing to learn and enthusiastic.

hannahmaepunk · Jul 18, 2011

Slow nurses. And nurses who lack confidence. Overly dependent nurses. Cramming nurses. Nurses who doesn't think quickly. Nurses who doesn't have an open mind.

--these are the unwanted nurses in the ED

Crux1024 · Jul 18, 2011

Thanks guys. Ill be keeping an eye on this as well.

GM2RN · Jul 18, 2011

Two things bug me.

One is nurses who think they know everything and argue that they are right.

The other is nurses who distinguish between things they consider to be their job and the techs' job, and will sit on their butt waiting for a tech to do something rather than do that job themselves.

MesaRN · Jul 18, 2011

I have to say +1 one for the "we did it this way" folks. There is a time and place for improvement, but generally these comments are not exactly in helpful situations.

My biggest per peeve as a preceptor is the "I already know how to do this" attitude. Take a beginners mindset when heading to a new place. The new nurses who scare me are the ones who do not ask questions and seem to have something to prove. Humble down and ask questions. I feel safer with a new nurses who knows when to ask for help then the one who doesn't even know there are over their head.

bill4745, RN · Jul 18, 2011

1. Under confident nurses

2. Overly confident nurses

RN1980 · Jul 18, 2011

im sure its pretty much the same pet peeves that got you in a up roar while taking new nurses under your wings while on the peds. floor. trust your nursing instincts and lean on the more exp. er nurses. good luck..

Editorial Team / Moderator · Jul 19, 2011

The other is nurses who distinguish between things they consider to be their job and the techs' job, and will sit on their butt waiting for a tech to do something rather than do that job themselves.

Yeah, that drives me crazy. Don't spend 20 minutes hunting down a tech to do something you could have done in two minutes. I mean, really? Where is the logic in that?

ErinBSN · Jul 20, 2011

The know it alls and the scared little mousies.

The know it alls I consider dangerous as they know how to do EVERYTHING and really they know NOTHING and the scared little mousies because they will be easily l led to a path of bad ear practice

You can't be Lazy in the ED, you just can't don't expect it to be. Also don't second guess a preceptor in FRONT of the patient. After treatment at the nurses station it would be a good time with "I see you did such and such this way, can I ask why you dind't do it that way?" I am more receptive to that than Hey shouldn't you do such and such.

Also, Just listen. I know it sounds hard but LISTEN to the docs, the techs, the nurses you will gain so much. I can't tell you how much I gained by just asking questions and listening.