Why are new nurses treated poorly?

Nurses New Nurse

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I am a new RN. I am also a 46 year old man. I graduated in May, passed NCLEX and started work in July. I started in a new nurse bridge program that was basic but nice and informative. I worked in several units before ending up on a cardiac/pulmonary stepdown unit. I have been there 90 days. I still feel as though there is a lot of knowledge I am lacking. About 2/3 of the other nurses on the unit are great. They offer support and are very willing to answer questions. The other third are condescending and just plain rude. Giving report is the worst. I work hard to prepare for the report. I try to anticipate questions. I give more information than I typically receive. It feels like an interrogation. They inevitably ask a question I don't know the answer to and then they sigh and say things like "Don't you think that's important to know?" For example, I told the oncoming nurse my patient had an aortic valve replacement. She asked if it was tissue or mechanical. I didn't know and she made me feel stupid. She could have used this as an opportunity to teach why that was important to know instead of being mean. Sometimes I wonder if this is personal, if they don't like men, or if it's just because I'm new. Whatever the reason, it's getting old. Any advice?

Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

Yup...there are mean nurses, therapists, social workers, doctors, pharmacists, etc, etc.

College education doesn't magically change a meanie into a nice guy...

Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

No offense but you are 46, shouldnt you have come across this before in another line of work or with friends/family? Dealing with less than pleasant people is sadly a day to day thing it seems like.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Home Health, LTC.

Greetings new nurse.....all nurses can be treated poorly so its nothing about being new. just a place to jab, but if it was not that, they would find another.

well, I am an older nurse- And I see changes among people everywhere, but

to stay on point....there is increased hostility meanness pettiness gossip ego competitiveness in nursing.

There is also caring love support...a

spirit of helpfulness with the focus on good quality patient care.

So you have seen, or are seeing, what there is....its strange, you would expect nurses to care about people, to be respectful and professional. I did:-)

I have worked in some pretty dysfunctional hostile environments and in some wonderful ones.

Well....my whole point is to acknowledge your clear observations.

Sometimes the only cure to dis-ease is a change of diet to a wholesome one. Best to you!

We have all been there. Unfortunately some people are unprofessional and lack common courtesy and respect. I find that nurses that ask the most questions during report, give the worst report themselves. Give them the most pertinent information. They can look up the rest. Unless they are too lazy. I come in 1/2 hr early before each shift and read up on my patients. Speak with confidence. No one has all the answers. I have been a nurse for over 3 years and still ask questions. Keep your head up and don't let someone else's negativity affect you. You know you are doing your best and that is all that matters!

No offense but you are 46, shouldnt you have come across this before in another line of work or with friends/family? Dealing with less than pleasant people is sadly a day to day thing it seems like.

I have to say...this kind of behavior seems to me to be more common in nursing.

It's not just me. There's the whole, "nurses eat their young" saying.

I don't know WHY it is, but for some reason, it seems like a lot of nurses get some sick pleasure out of seeing others fail. There's more tattling, condescending, and passive aggressive behavior in nursing than anywhere else I've ever experienced.

Thank you, thank you!! These brains are great. I'll pass them down the line too, with your permission, of course. :)

I get so fed up when i hear about nurses being nasty to newbies! It is so annoying, they were once newbies too and they should remember that. If they dont want to help then they should just stay quiet rather than being rude. I feel that nurses should all work as a team and help each other out in order to provide better and safer care to patients.

Quote from That Guy

No offense but you are 46, shouldnt you have come across this before in another line of work or with friends/family? Dealing with less than pleasant people is sadly a day to day thing it seems like.

I have to say...this kind of behavior seems to me to be more common in nursing.

It's not just me. There's the whole, "nurses eat their young" saying.

I don't know WHY it is, but for some reason, it seems like a lot of nurses get some sick pleasure out of seeing others fail. There's more tattling, condescending, and passive aggressive behavior in nursing than anywhere else I've ever experienced.

Just putting in my .02 here: I'm 44 and got the calling to become a nurse 5 years ago. Before that I spent 13 years in the corporate world and before that, 11 years in hospitality. You just don't see this kind of thing in either industry. Or other industries I've worked alongside like banking, credit, insurance, retail etc. Yes, there's more subversive politics at play, like dealing with an Old Boy's Club but nowhere, not even with the jerkiest of coworkers have I ever dealt with this type of flat-out aggression. It's not that we haven't dealt with difficult people before, but we're learning and navigating a whole new arena, so yes, it's going to be frustrating until we learn some good tools. Plus, you can go tell your family member to go stuff themselves. :)

Anyway, thanks to the many helpful nurses on this thread, we have some tools and strategies we can use.

Specializes in Adult/Ped Emergency and Trauma.

What is "cowtoe?"

Every place has some people nastier than others.

You are new to the profession and to your place of employment. You won't have the answers to everything but you can learn. If you don't know why the nurse felt she needed to know a piece of information you did not have--ASK. As the saying goes, there are no stupid questions.

Also, don' think you will at one point know all you need to know. That never happens in nursing. Things change all the time. Its all a learning experience.

As a 46 year old, I assume you have some other work experience. Weren't people mean then? as someone about 1/2 your age that has been my experience in every aspect of life and jobs. 2/3s nice is good! many people are mean. sometimes it is personal sometimes it is not. some new nurses are defensive and interpret everything as an attack because of their insecurities or lack of knowledge. It probably has nothing to do with you being a man...... i know plenty of these people and they treat most people the same way.

just now read some replies. i worked in offices, clubs, retail and restaurants. there were some aggresive people in all of them. but not knowing tuesday's soup of the day would probably make someone less defensive then not knowing why a pt was on a certain med. just saying..... also as you go along you will see the weaknesses in others. use them to your advantage.

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