Where is the Unity in Nursing

[duckboy20]

It is funny to me how independant nurses are. Many times in the hospitals you find 'aged' nurses who are weary of new nurses and almost hang the new nurse out to dry. On this nursing board I find that there are a lot of attacks on different people. Anytime a person has a question about something another person said the response is usually a 'flame' at the person. And again with the ANA, I know there is not a lot we can do about it unless we band together, but it seems that they help make up regulations or sponsorships that most of us do not necessarily agree with

I am tired of all the bickering that goes on. Unity is the only way we are going to further our profession. Who cares if a person is a ER Nurse, Psych Nurse, Home Health Nurse, ICU Nurse, CRNA, APN, whatever. The people who are in these particular specialties more than likely love the area they are in and would not trade it for the world. You also see for example ER Nurses who you could not pay to go to Home Health because that is not the environment they like. That is an example but you often see people thinking they are better than other nurses all because they are in a certain specialty.

For the sake of each other and the profession lets join as one group and profession instead of multiple groups thinking they are superior. It is a great way to get things accomplished!

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

I've said this before . . . I really don't understand this "flame" thing. If someone responds to something you've written and disagrees with you, that is not a flame. I guess I think a flame is someone calling someone else names . . something that is against the TOS.

How can we have conversations if we aren't able to respond?

I myself haven't noticed anyone but the usual suspects being rude and at the moment I can only think of one.

For the most part, people here have been wonderful. Look at all the support Russell got when his wife's dad died.

The glass is half full folks.

And thank you all for how great this BB is.

As to the OP's point about uniting . . . . I'm not sure how that can happen since we don't completely agree on the problem.

steph

[leslie :-D]

even if i haven't written many posts/threads, i have been following this bb for the past 4 years. i can honestly say that i find the majority of the participants to be extremely supportive and respectful. of course there will always be the antagonists, bored, frustrated, unhappy, blah, blah, and more blahs. but there are flames and then there are people who agree to disagree. as long as there's an ongoing relationship of mutual tolerance, i think that is why this particular bb has the outstanding reputation that it does; it is comprised of an array of independent, feisty, impassioned and intelligent nurses that offers a diverse element of healthy perspectives. for those who indeed do flame on this board, be assured that these same people 'flame' in every path of their life. and no matter what profession you're in, you'll find these types everywhere. so my advice is to keep an open mind; keep what is worth keeping and blow the rest away.

[chris_at_lucas_RN, RN]

Related to the OP's initial post: men may be better team players in certain circumstances, and they are less likely to personalize a result they don't like. Women, on the other hand, are more social beings, and thus have "getting along" going for them in making cohesive bonds in working relationships. Both qualities are important and valuable, and isn't it great that we are able to recognize the positive qualities along the way.

As for "older" nurses (more years on the job, not necessarily on the personal clock) having an attitude, if you will, about new grads, can you blame them? I mean really--new nurses have some great ideas, but there is only so much you can learn in school and sooooo much more to be gotten from experience. If those older nurses tend to hang the new ones out to dry (I think that was the exact phrase--if not, mea culpa!), there is a group dynamic thing where a newcomer is often rejected by the established group, until the group can accept the newcomer. That's just human. Not very nice sometimes, and with potential for improvement with insight, but human.

As for this BB, you can write a nice little impersonal opinion and get all sorts of nasty stuff back, but by and large, my experience has been positive feedback and response. The generators of the nasty stuff often do not respond to a direct response, they usually have problems with more than just one or two posters, and that's where the moderators and administrators come in. There is a little "!" button on the bottom left of every post (under the poster's avatar and data) and it lets you complain. I haven't had to do that very often (just using the "ignore" feature is enough, unless the "nasty poster" frequents the same threads and the problem gets to be chronic), but I have found that I get support and protection from them. I like being able to let somebody else deal with it! And it's their job....!

Try that little "report" button--don't tolerate nasty behavior if you don't have to. There's too much good here to let the blemish posts ruin it!

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

I guess one of the things that brought this to my attention were these boards. I have seen a lot of flaming going on on here unfortunately

Agree with above that there are hundreds of good posts on this bb and a few "flames". Why let those few (yes it seems a lot and they stand out like a sore thumb, but count them, then count the number of posts that aren't and you'll see what I mean) taint your view of the nursing world in general. Still have on my rose-colored glasses I guess.

Not to say tomorrow I won't feel different, and not there that there aren't problems with superiority and eating of young. But it doesn't happen enough to bother me. What bothers me most about nursing is getting safe ratios. I can deal with a little bickering.

[orrnlori, RN]

I find this board to be extremely tame in comparison to others I frequent. About 90% of what's posted here is helpful and supportive, that's why I like it so much. I think that something that leads to flaming (or disrespectful comments) is the anonimity of the internet and the instant-ness of the responses - type it and hit enter - before we sometimes truly think about what we are saying, it happens with email correspondence as well. I was zinged the other day by a much younger big city gal/guy who obviously felt themselves superior. Oh well, so what? Doesn't make me think less of myself so who cares? Many times when I see obnoxious comments I just think more along the lines of feeling sorry for the poster (or sorry for the poster's patients! :chuckle )

I did experience the nastier long time nurse when I first got into nursing. But again, it's all in how you react to them. I take the position that I'm not going to let them rent space in my head. As long as they are not interferring with me or my work, I don't care and tend to kill them with kindness. Once they can't ruffle you, they quit trying. One of the meanest nurses I first encountered in the OR is now one of my friends. She's still mean to newbies, and I let her know whenever I think she's being inappropriate by reminding her how she treated me when we first started working together. She just usually grins and quits doing what's she's doing. Some people just find it "sporting" to break in the new kids. Like I said, kill 'em with kindness.

[teeituptom, BSN, RN]

I go to work

I go home

inbetween is golf

I dont care about unity and I dont see it as a problem

I am responsible only for myself and my actions where withall.

People have the right to disagree with me

it doesnt disrupt my Harmony

Live Long and Prosper

[Sheri257]

IMHO it has to do with nursing still being a predominately female profession. I read somewhere that one big difference between men and women is that men are naturally "team players" where women are more into themselves . I know that doesn't apply to everyone but in general. I think we really need more men in the nursing profession to help even things out.

I can't speak for nursing, since I'm just a student. But, unfortunately, I have found this to be true in other professions. The women always fought more than men did. I'm not trying to be sexist, that's just the way it was, at least in my experience.

[Purple Princess]

As a student nurse I've seen this too. We attempt to communicate with the RN's on a professional level, and some of them are like oh whatever, some don't even care that we're working with them and many don't seem to want to cooperate and get edgy if we ask a question or report off at the end of clinical, it's like our assessments aren't important cause we're just students. It really is frustrating and no wonder nursing has a high burn-out rate! Many just don't have time to talk to us and tell us to talk to our instructor but our teacher doesn't know that patient, they do. It sucks!!!

[Jay Levan]

That question has been asked for as long as I"ve been in nursing(31) years

[Dinith88]

In a nutshell....It's the fault of the WOMEN!! In all their hormonal splendor...

eye-scratchy, cat-fighty, how-dare-you-think you're as smart as me splendor! (disclaimer:this is a joke.. please dont get your panties (white-granny nursing panties) in a bunch!)

OUCH!

Hey, as far as flaming goes-i've been both a receiver and an offender...but i really think it adds to the flavor of the banter. I know when i'm in a good knock-down throw-down flame-athon, i'll come check the board like a bazilllion times and try my darndest to act smart...(and MAN, are some of this board's posts blatantly smarty-pantsy..) Go read some of the critical-care posts...some of these nurses are such pretentious sillies. Ah..but it sure makes for great reading!

...must be on my manic phase...or just really board..

PS Hey Tweety, are thos rose-colored glasses, big and Elton-Johnish??

[Quicksilver]

Hey everybody!

Didn't mean to get everyone's(ahem-panties in a bunch!) with that statement. I got pretty much the response I expected. Hey I have nothing against women-I AM ONE! I know that there are guys that are b****ier by far than any woman. I was just speaking from MY experiences, I'm sure there are others that have had entirely different ones. No, we obviously can't blame all nursing's problems on women, but we need to look at the way we act toward each other, maybe that's why nursing has so many problems. We need to get together and work as a unified group, putting all that energy toward attacking the problems facing the profession, not each other. That was really my point......

[SmilingBluEyes]

Hey everybody!

Didn't mean to get everyone's(ahem-panties in a bunch!) with that statement. I got pretty much the response I expected. Hey I have nothing against women-I AM ONE! I know that there are guys that are b****ier by far than any woman. I was just speaking from MY experiences, I'm sure there are others that have had entirely different ones. No, we obviously can't blame all nursing's problems on women, but we need to look at the way we act toward each other, maybe that's why nursing has so many problems. We need to get together and work as a unified group, putting all that energy toward attacking the problems facing the profession, not each other. That was really my point......

I think Steph's post says it best. Disagreement with your opinion does NOT equate to flaming. Grow a thicker skin and you will do better both here at the boards and in your career.

TOM LOVE YOUR PHILOSOPHY...it's exactly how I run my career. Like me or not, no skin off my nose, I will NOT get into office politics or infighting. I have a real life outside nursing. Something others need to get, apparently.