What's wrong with me?

[ixchel]

I keep staring over my shoulder looking for a crusty old bat to swoop in and eat me, but alas, none have arrived yet. Ten months in on this gig. I was sure that whole NETY thing had to be true???? I guess the even more alarming thing is realizing I not only graduated school without being bullied by anyone, but I have yet to actually feel abused in the nursing profession. Am I doing something wrong? Is it because I'm really quite average in looks and I am pretty sure I don't know everything?

Please, no bashing! I'm really quite fragile right now and I'm not sure my ego could handle it.

[Mavrick, BSN, RN]

Dearest ixchel,

Could you possibly be competent in your practice? Thus providing no tasty morsels of gristle upon which bats love to chew. And I certainly disagree with your self assessment on looks. Assuming your avatar is accurate, you are stunning.

I have enjoyed your posts since post number 1200 or so and was truly surprised to read you are but a mere babe-in-nurseland. Congrats to you. I'd say you are a success story.

[Mavrick, BSN, RN]

What does NETY stand for?

OOOhhhhhh. Let me, let me.

NETY: Nurses Eat Their Young. Definition: Young/pretty/new grads that finally got their first job get bullied by ugly/crusty/mean older nurses that just won't quit or preferably die.

Did I get it right?

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

You're probably not young and pretty enough for them.

Or it might mean nursing was never your true dream and calling in the first place. If it was truly your dream, someone would be trying to crush it.

How true!

Or maybe the crusty old bats moved on to other jobs and its only new grads where you work. lol

[Jules A, MSN]

Although no one had a parade in my honor when I joined the unit as a new grad no one was overly nasty to me either. My approach was to be as humble and genuine as I possibly could and wait out those who weren't exactly warm in the beginning. It is interesting to note that those few who weren't overly welcoming were actually excellent, focused nurses who eventually warmed up to me and taught me things that were invaluable. Since I needed my fellow staff's assistance; secretary, techs and nurses I was friendly and did things I could to help them in an effort to repay them for their generosity as they helped me fumble along in the early days. Things like offering to get coffee, take vitals or put a patient on a bedpan seemed to be appreciated when those skills were about all I had to offer.

Then again it could just be that no one wanted to bite me because I was almost 40 and not nearly as sweet as I once was.

[blue0714, LVN, RN]

I went through the NETY thing my first year out of nursing school. I got the worst and hardest assignments in the unit etc. I worked the enteral feeding and GT unit for one whole year. The skin underneath my fingernails was torn away from unclogging tubes, my shoes were always covered with enteral formula, and i always smelled like a big bag of milk! I smiled the whole way through though. 20+ years later i can say I recall I realized pretty early on that they did me a favor by doing that. Till this very day, I can start a IV, foley, ngt or hook a patient up to a feeding tube with my eyes closed in my sleep from across town! Ha! Remember the old saying "when life gives you lemons make lemonade". USE whatever they throw at you to your advantage!

[ixchel]

Dearest ixchel,

Could you possibly be competent in your practice? Thus providing no tasty morsels of gristle upon which bats love to chew. And I certainly disagree with your self assessment on looks. Assuming your avatar is accurate, you are stunning.

I have enjoyed your posts since post number 1200 or so and was truly surprised to read you are but a mere babe-in-nurseland. Congrats to you. I'd say you are a success story.

I think I'd like to frame this post. ☺️ Thank you!

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

OOOhhhhhh. Let me, let me.

NETY: Nurses Eat Their Young. Definition: Young/pretty/new grads that finally got their first job get bullied by ugly/crusty/mean older nurses that just won't quit or preferably die.

Did I get it right?

Ya nailed it, LOL!

[Farawyn]

This is kind of sappy, but I would love to work with a lot of you.

(Not the really FIT ones, or the anti vaxxers, but yea...)

[Libby1987]

About the lack of warm welcoming, I finally found myself having gone through enough new hires with varying outcomes that I've become more reserved in my getting *friendly* or whatever is the fitting term. Until I know how someone is going to perform I'm more likely to to hang back and stay neutral. Does that make sense?

[Farawyn]

About the lack of warm welcoming, I finally found myself having gone through enough new hires with varying outcomes that I've become more reserved in my getting *friendly* or whatever is the fitting term. Until I know how someone is going to perform I'm more likely to to hang back and stay neutral. Does that make sense?

I do that as well, some come and go so quickly.

Yet there was a CNA (working as an MA) that got hired in our last clinic that just fit so well. She was eager but not too eager, and easy to laugh and self deprecating but not paranoid. The docs and the patients loved her. She was competent and also Bilingual, which is huge. I gave her the best review possible, she was hired, and still works there now. So, sometimes I do thaw a bit if I just really LIKE the new nurse/coworker.

ixchel, I also had no idea you were not a veteran nurse.

[KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN]

Dear OP,

you may be just d*** lucky, plain and simple. In addition, if i am not mistaken, you are male... it can make huge difference.

I went through hell, pure and unadulterated, during my first year, and still not believe I got out of there and off those people.

[Farawyn]

In addition, if i am not mistaken, you are male... it can make huge difference.

*spit take*