I am really confused by the stigma and negative attitude towards new nurses from experienced nurses as I am a new nurse and just plain do not understand? aren't we all new nurses at one time, so why are "some" nurses (as I do not think it is an all inclusive thing) forgetful that they were once the person whom they reject or whatever they do? I am unclear on the reality of what transpires in reality, I just know what I hear and what I have gone through myself.
I am really curious as what the stigma is all about from real nurses and not just rumors? I have heard that an experienced nurse will refuse to help a new nurse in a situation where the new nurse does not know what to do and the experienced nurse does??? I have been told this but really this actually happens in reality? plus, who is the one who suffers in the end of a situation like that? I have a really hard time believing that nurses would do that to their own, and for what purpose or reason does anyone justify doing something like that? it was clear to me that when I entered the field of nursing that I would always be a teacher once I possessed something to teach because it is a field that is based on a foundation of knowledge in addition to experience that cannot be acquired any other eay than to be taught on a situation basis.
are the experienced nurses tired of teaching new grads or they do not feel that teaching is part of what they signed up for? are there such an abundance of new grads with the shortage that experienced nurses are overwhelmed by the new grads and their needs? I am not a twenty something new young nurse. I am a early thirties starting my career after children new nurse. I can understand from the point of going to nursing school with younger people that it is easy to be rubbed the wrong way by younger people with less life experience, is that the issue?
I can see new nurses in relation to the above statement not acknowledging the proper respect in regard to an experienced nurse, and I can see that as a big problem is this the issue? I know in my clinical experience I had great experiences with nurses that other students had poor experiences with because of the attitude for which they approached their clinicals. I met my nurse at the beginning of clinicals introduced myself and followed them everywhere they went except the bathroom all day long. we were always assigned to just one of the nurses patients, but I never met a nurse that said no to a student observing and helping with all the patients and why would I sit around while I the oppurtunity to learn just because I was only assigned the one patient. I have seen students get totally ignored because they don't act or they just don't put forth any effort. my first goal was to find and learn to do things that would be helpful to the nurse I was working with. I understood that I rank low and I do what is needed to be done and thats that, whatever it may be. I had to be cognizant of the nurse I was working with and their comfort level with me handling whatever I would handle for them. I always did things no other student did, I was trusted with more after time worked with the nurse, and I had really positive experiences and was always the person the other students went to because they didn't know how to do much or work the computer software. I was eager to learn anything I was offered, as the nurses saw my eagerness to learn they began teaching all through the day. one day, I was paired with a nurse that had 30 years of experience. I would have liked to spend a year with her, she was like my own private encyclopedia of secret information. I love to learn new things, anything new and so that drives me too.
I did face complete rejection from a whole er of nurses. our clinical instructor did not know any of the er nurses, so she stood there trying to get "noticed" at the nurses station for more than 20 minutes. even the nurses ignored her. she addressed the nurses working and said she had nursing students, and only one nurse acknowledged her with a so what and turned and walked away. our clinical instructor told us follow some person who did not acknowledge that we even existed as a human being in the world. we stood at the nurses station and when the new nurses arrived we were paired up with another nurse. I tried to plant myself in, but I kept following her as she tried to find places to use her cell phone and she kept exiting the area of er. she was not happy about my stalking her when she was doing what she was. it was the longest day of my life, I cannot do nothing but was forced to. I finally exited the nurses station and learned from the residents, as they were willing to teach me. I felt unbelievably uncomfortable because all of these nurses where aware we were students and refused to even speak to us, to say a simple hello to us. I mean we basically treated lesser than a human being by people that I had such a high regard for before I decided to become one. I felt awful that day truthfully because if this is reality for me, I don't want to be a person that treats people poorly ever. one nurse said she takes the students and set us up with a nurse that found us invisible, so we took one set of vitals and returned to stand at the wall. finally, one nurse acknowledged us that we were assigned to but she just wanted to get rid of us. it was the best day when that day was over.
I also was treated poorly in relation to an interview I want to get some opinions but I am too detailed and my posts are too long. I really just want to understand this and try to make sure I do not do any of the things that have created this stigma most importantly.
my biggest question is, when if ever will I be treated like a deserving human being in the eyes of the nursing world? a nurse told me that she likes new grads (yeah) during an interview and stated that nurses eat their young but I from what I see in relation to how nurses treat one another they are not partial they eat each other too. why are nurses not supportive of our own, and unified as one large force?
this is a real serious question, I just don't get it?
Its okay in regard to the replies, I tried to write it so that I did not offend anyone but was really curious about both sides of the stick.
I AM NO LONGER A STUDENT, I AM A RN that doesn't have job but it looking optimistic. I must have given the student impression because many people think I am a student.
You are right about not being able to find jobs. I am lucky with a good gpa and some scholarships to push me up a bit in the stack.
I am 33, so I understand what you are saying about people who know to much. Like I said I had great experiences with nurses 10+ years of experience, and I sit down, shut up (hope thats allowed), and listen and write everything that nurse says to me. My first goal (good for nursing students if your reading) was to not just do my one assigned client but to get in there and do what was okay with the nurse (always find out what is okay to do) that was going to help them out first and foremost.
I have utmost respect for experienced nurses and tried to write it with respect and write it with the student or new nurse views as well.
I have got some great responses, I think that one was because it was just skimmed and I do write long posts so I get it.
You know it never occurred to these nurses are just getting students dumped on them. I can see the other side clearly now.
I get the Do It For You thing, because I ended up on the raw end of the stick of people work dumping. It is amazing what people will do, and it is silly like changing a gown? I had partners that were lacksidasical often, and I did the work and I let the preceptor know in a very politically correct way. It puzzled me, why are you in nursing school if you are trying to side step nursing as a student?
I am a visual learner, so I do sometimes ask if I can see it first but I will do it from there on out. Do you think its safe to ask for demonstrations, or do you think it might give the do it for me impression?
You know I can see in the ER not wanting students just being dumped because it can be crazy. My biggest thing was that nobody said hello to me. I was with my normal lacksidasical partner to so.
I thought that the nurses got notice or signed up or had a choice in this. I totally get it. Attitude is everything.
I was just scared after hearing what I was told. I just wanted to know what I should be doing, not doing.
I am full of questions and I am getting so much information. Thank you for the information!!!
I don't mean to toot my own horn but I am 33 and I feel young is relative, so I am extremely young. People tell me that I "pretty," not that looks really relate. ALL of the experienced nurses from age 40ish to a 30 years of experience nurse treated me really well. However, I am there to learn, work, help and if I am assigned 1 patient I help with all the patients I learn more.
In regard to the looks things, as I think that as nurses we should not even be thinking about that. However, I am the case of the ugly duckling who turned into unugly duck, so I never really noticed any changes. I really truly find people attractive in relation to their inner person, really.
i am really confused by the stigma and negative attitude towards new nurses from experienced nurses as i am a new nurse and just plain do not understand? aren't we all new nurses at one time, so why are "some" nurses (as i do not think it is an all inclusive thing) forgetful that they were once the person whom they reject or whatever they do? i am unclear on the reality of what transpires in reality, i just know what i hear and what i have gone through myself.
i am really curious as what the stigma is all about from real nurses and not just rumors? i have heard that an experienced nurse will refuse to help a new nurse in a situation where the new nurse does not know what to do and the experienced nurse does??? i have been told this but really this actually happens in reality? plus, who is the one who suffers in the end of a situation like that? i have a really hard time believing that nurses would do that to their own, and for what purpose or reason does anyone justify doing something like that? it was clear to me that when i entered the field of nursing that i would always be a teacher once i possessed something to teach because it is a field that is based on a foundation of knowledge in addition to experience that cannot be acquired any other eay than to be taught on a situation basis.
are the experienced nurses tired of teaching new grads or they do not feel that teaching is part of what they signed up for? are there such an abundance of new grads with the shortage that experienced nurses are overwhelmed by the new grads and their needs? i am not a twenty something new young nurse. i am a early thirties starting my career after children new nurse. i can understand from the point of going to nursing school with younger people that it is easy to be rubbed the wrong way by younger people with less life experience, is that the issue?
i can see new nurses in relation to the above statement not acknowledging the proper respect in regard to an experienced nurse, and i can see that as a big problem is this the issue? i know in my clinical experience i had great experiences with nurses that other students had poor experiences with because of the attitude for which they approached their clinicals. i met my nurse at the beginning of clinicals introduced myself and followed them everywhere they went except the bathroom all day long. we were always assigned to just one of the nurses patients, but i never met a nurse that said no to a student observing and helping with all the patients and why would i sit around while i the oppurtunity to learn just because i was only assigned the one patient. i have seen students get totally ignored because they don't act or they just dont put forth any effort. my first goal was to find and learn to do things that would be helpful to the nurse i was working with. i understood that i rank low and i do what is needed to be done and thats that, whatever it may be. i had to be cognizant of the nurse i was working with and their comfort level with me handling whatever i would handle for them. i always did things no other student did, i was trusted with more after time worked with the nurse, and i had really positive experiences and was always the person the other students went to because they didnt know how to do much or work the computer software. i was eager to learn anything i was offered, as the nurses saw my eagerness to learn they began teaching all through the day. one day, i was paired with a nurse that had 30 years of experience. i would have liked to spend a year with her, she was like my own private encyclopedia of secret information. i love to learn new things, anything new and so that drives me too.
i did face complete rejection from a whole er of nurses. our clinical instructor did not know any of the er nurses, so she stood there trying to get "noticed" at the nurses station for more than 20 minutes. even the nurses ignored her. she addressed the nurses working and said she had nursing students, and only one nurse acknowledged her with a so what and turned and walked away. our clinical instructor told us follow some person who did not acknowledge that we even existed as a human being in the world. we stood at the nurses station and when the new nurses arrived we were paired up with another nurse. i tried to plant myself in, but i kept following her as she tried to find places to use her cell phone and she kept exiting the area of er. she was not happy about my stalking her when she was doing what she was. it was the longest day of my life, i cannot do nothing but was forced to. i finally exited the nurses station and learned from the residents, as they were willing to teach me. i felt unbelievably uncomfortable because all of these nurses where aware we were students and refused to even speak to us, to say a simple hello to us. i mean we basically treated lesser than a human being by people that i had such a high regard for before i decided to become one. i felt awful that day truthfully because if this is reality for me, i dont want to be a person that treats people poorly ever. one nurse said she takes the students and set us up with a nurse that found us invisible, so we took one set of vitals and returned to stand at the wall. finally, one nurse acknowledged us that we were assigned to but she just wanted to get rid of us. it was the best day when that day was over.
i also was treated poorly in relation to an interview i want to get some opinions but i am too detailed and my posts are too long. i really just want to understand this and try to make sure i do not do any of the things that have created this stigma most importantly.
my biggest question is, when if ever will i be treated like a deserving human being in the eyes of the nursing world? a nurse told me that she likes new grads (yeah) during an interview and stated that nurses eat their young but i from what i see in relation to how nurses treat one another they are not partial they eat each other too. why are nurses not supportive of our own, and unified as one large force?
this is a real serious question, i just dont get it?
this is the only way i could change the font colors. sorry about that everyone.
I did a black font reply but I do not know where it went. I cant seem to edit the original post. I will never do the colors again, it the hole new nurse thing. I already messed up:mad:
Sorry, I couldn't read a post that long...but from the first couple paragraphs, I'm getting the impression that experienced nurses don't like helping new nurses.
If you ask for help and they refuse to help you and it results in a poor outcome for the pt, the experienced nurse could be in jeopardy.
Sorry for the long post, any ideas on how to summarize. I include every detail.
I am an RN now but was curious about the views of the experienced RN's and to be honest as a student I could see no further than nursing as a student.
I did have great experiences because I was with my nurse at every moment and helping in anyway I could. I did great learning experiences most of the time.
I had good experiences with the same nurses other students did not. So, I get what your saying about attitudes and what not.
You know in nursing school they need to teach the students that the nurse is just getting a student and has not chosen this.
I happened to get paired every clinical for one rotation with the lacksidasical student and I am the do my best and as much student. I left her and took care of my patient and hers. When the preceptor came around, it was clear that I did it all.
I believe that if a nursing student is wandering off. Trying to get out of work (Why are they even going to nursing school?). Many things I would like to include, that they should fail clinicals. A nursing student playing around during a clinical is ridiculous. What kind of nurse will these people be? I think that stricter rules need to apply to clinicals. I am a little older and was taught to do the job to the best of my ability. I was taken aback by how nursing students would slack with such little to do.
Reading everyone's points of view makes me understand the ER issue better. It was my one and only experience like that, and I have seen five posts or more stating the ER is not a good place for students.
Realizing now that the nurses who are taking students are getting them without choice does make me see the side of the RN. By the way, I am an RN now:)
When you brought up being paid, I think that law needs looking into. The RN who is teaching and nursing should be getting paid for doing both jobs. They are literally doing two jobs and it is more work.
I was worried hearing some things about how the experienced nurses treat the new RN's. I got a little scared and figured to ask the nurses.
I know this........ I am a new RN without a job and look I already have an opinion. I have huge issues with lacksidasical nursing students. I know that I would not be kind to a slacker. I worked my butt off in clinicals helping anywhere I could with my patient or any patient. A student should be proving themself.
i did face complete rejection from a whole er of nurses. our clinical instructor did not know any of the er nurses, so she stood there trying to get "noticed" at the nurses station for more than 20 minutes. even the nurses ignored her. she addressed the nurses working and said she had nursing students, and only one nurse acknowledged her with a so what and turned and walked away. our clinical instructor told us follow some person who did not acknowledge that we even existed as a human being in the world. we stood at the nurses station and when the new nurses arrived we were paired up with another nurse. i tried to plant myself in, but i kept following her as she tried to find places to use her cell phone and she kept exiting the area of er. she was not happy about my stalking her when she was doing what she was. it was the longest day of my life, i cannot do nothing but was forced to.
the instructor apparently hadn't been in that er before, and there had been no notice to anyone that students would be there. you can't just walk into a nursing station cold and give them extra responsibility, expecting them to be happy about it. did she at least bring you at shift change? did she know the name and face of the charge nurse? did she bring a copy of her paperwork assigning you all to this unit? did she have a plan that x student would go with y nurse, introduce you, let the rn know where you were in your studies and what you needed to get experience with? did she stay on the floor, or just leave the students to be supervised by rns. did the rns have her cell number in case of questions or problems?
just say the instructor shows up and plans on leaving five students without some notation on the report sheet prewarning us. especially if they don't show up at the regular report time, or if the charge recognize and greet the instructor- i would be very wary. any school with that level of disorganization and disrespect is not going to be turning out students i want to be associated with. not your fault. i like students, but i'm not going to volunteer for a group that's obviously not prepared. if that morning the instructor approached me with one student and introduced us (with id and paperwork saying it was authorized) i'd be fine. dropping a gaggle of em, no.
At my hospital, and ICU unit, any nurse who acted in such a way towards a new nurse, or nursing student was terminated the next day. It didn't matter how many years of experience, nor did it matter how efficient and productive the individual was to the unit. The management had a belief that individual was either suffering burn out, or were individuals who looking for an available target for their frustrations, those who have no power. If the nurse was capable of acting this way towards others, they most likely "show their true colors" towards their patients, and the patient's family. Total of five nurses lost their jobs, including a charge nurse. The result has been nothing but positive. It has led to having a unit in which works together, and high satisfaction ratings of patient surveys.
Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
Sorry to offend it you. I did not mean to offend any experienced nurses as it a whole paragragh was dedicated to the fact that I believe new nurse should have the utmost respect for experienced nurses. I got the information from a DON, who I interviewed with. I wanted to ask the experienced nurses if this is reality because I do not have experience to speak about as I stated in the post.
Sorry for any misconceptions. I think you got the wrong impression from your skim. I value experienced nurses and want to know what not to do to get under their skin like I have here. Hmm, did not work the way I wished.
Thanks for the if you do not look for trouble you won't get trouble. I really encourage you to read the whole post because you will see that I do show respect to experienced nurses if you know what the whole thing says.
Thanks for your advice. Any advice on how to summerize better?
I think I worded my post in a way that came across more harshly than I intended it. I myself am just a lowly last semester nursing student, so not even remotely experienced. I just have never once experienced what you have addressed here and get so baffled that so many new nurses and students worry about it.
You have handled this query with a great deal of grace and I am sure you are going to be a wonderful nurse. I apologize for sounding rude. Truly I didn't intend to as much as just firm/baffled. I have a long way to go before I am any authority on the subject myself. You certainly don't need advice from me. I knee-jerked in defense of the wonderful nurses who have helped me in my offline life as well as here, at least one of whom took offense at my post here. Lesson learned...I did not at all mean to be so harsh and am impressed by your ability to take this thread and get what you need from it while adjusting to some heavy criticism.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
nursing instructors get paid- but from what i hear, it's less than those who are working clinically (vs academic) .
nurses who are working and get someone to precept or orient get a couple of bucks/hour more- but not as much as what the job entails.
we don't need more laws!!
some nurses in some institutions get a couple of bucks an hour more for precepting -- most get nothing extra. and most aren't even asked if they'd like to precept . . . they just show up for work and given their assignment: patient and student.
VeraciousRN
20 Posts
Its okay in regard to the replies, I tried to write it so that I did not offend anyone but was really curious about both sides of the stick.
I AM NO LONGER A STUDENT, I AM A RN that doesn't have job but it looking optimistic. I must have given the student impression because many people think I am a student.
You are right about not being able to find jobs. I am lucky with a good gpa and some scholarships to push me up a bit in the stack.
I am 33, so I understand what you are saying about people who know to much. Like I said I had great experiences with nurses 10+ years of experience, and I sit down, shut up (hope thats allowed), and listen and write everything that nurse says to me. My first goal (good for nursing students if your reading) was to not just do my one assigned client but to get in there and do what was okay with the nurse (always find out what is okay to do) that was going to help them out first and foremost.
I have utmost respect for experienced nurses and tried to write it with respect and write it with the student or new nurse views as well.
I have got some great responses, I think that one was because it was just skimmed and I do write long posts so I get it.
You know it never occurred to these nurses are just getting students dumped on them. I can see the other side clearly now.
I get the Do It For You thing, because I ended up on the raw end of the stick of people work dumping. It is amazing what people will do, and it is silly like changing a gown? I had partners that were lacksidasical often, and I did the work and I let the preceptor know in a very politically correct way. It puzzled me, why are you in nursing school if you are trying to side step nursing as a student?
I am a visual learner, so I do sometimes ask if I can see it first but I will do it from there on out. Do you think its safe to ask for demonstrations, or do you think it might give the do it for me impression?
You know I can see in the ER not wanting students just being dumped because it can be crazy. My biggest thing was that nobody said hello to me. I was with my normal lacksidasical partner to so.
I thought that the nurses got notice or signed up or had a choice in this. I totally get it. Attitude is everything.
I was just scared after hearing what I was told. I just wanted to know what I should be doing, not doing.
I am full of questions and I am getting so much information. Thank you for the information!!!