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?
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
actually, i get absolutely nothing for precepting either students or orientees. wait...i take that back, i once got a "nurse mentor" pin. it was cool. oh, and sometimes i get a headache. does that count?
i didn't get the pin, but i'm right up there with you on the headache.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
the attitudes of experienced nurses are so random. it depends on the individual, the unit, and unfortunately a good deal of the times the new nurses age and looks. i have worked in a variety of units and definetly experienced the "eating of the young", but not just from nurses i used to be mortal enemies with the unit secretary and this nursing assistant that was there for a long time who dodnt like how i made the beds, and the secretary hated me because of my handwriting. currently i am in the er and the staff here are a different breed, for the most part young (40's and under) and we are very accomadating to new staff. i myself go out of my way to make new staff feel wanted and comfortable. i think the whole "eating the young thing" should be a thing of the past. nursing is very different now and there is no place for that or taking abuse from doctors which doesnt really happen anymore because they get in trouble. i think being male i generally get along with most staff. i have seen women hate other new women just because they are young or attractive which is irritating, but does happen. so in short you can experience this from not just nurses but any disipline who feels they are more experienced than you and it is unfair and annoying but probably happens in all lines of work. you just need to be lucky enough to work with a group of good people. good luck
what surprises me the most about this post is that the misogynist who perpetrated it is male. that's a refreshing change -- we get so many women-hating posts from women.
i'm wondering on what you're basing your perceptions that age and looks have so much to do with how nurses receive newbies. could it possibly be that you're mistaken? could it be that you, being male, are naturally somewhat more attracted to the younger and prettier nurses so you don't even see the irritating or obnoxious traits the other nurses are responding to? some men cannot see that although hedwig is gorgeous, she's also dumb as a post . . . they mistake genuine helplessness for flirting.
given your attitude, though, i'm not surprised that you've experienced "eating of the young", but i'm sure the "young eaters" in question referred to it as "educating the ignorant" or a "learning curve." handwriting has to be legible -- unless you're just writing it down for your own use later. and beds -- why not just make them the way you're supposed to? it really isn't that difficult. and someone who apparently doesn't get it no matter how many times you tell him nicely, should expect to get chewed on.
I posted a reply to one of your other posts and will restate some of that here...whether you mean to or not you come off as..very...odd or something. I am still not sure if your posts are for real or not but if they are indeed real, I hope you will seek some professional assistance...the posts are long, confusing, pompous at times and just plain unclear in parts. I really don't know what the issue for you is but you seem to - in both of your posts I have read - view nurses, nurse managers etc. negatively in that they don't smile, sit, talk, turn, etc. like you think they should because you have shown up. You have a problem in an ER, then the other post its a nurse recruiter, nurse manager, oncology unit, you leave voice mails for these people..if they are anything like your posts its not surprising you are not getting call backs. Again, good grief with all this nonsense...the nurse who are on the units are humping it to stay on top of all the work they have to get done during their shift - it's not personal - it's business.
I posted a reply to one of your other posts and will restate some of that here...whether you mean to or not you come off as..very...odd or something. I am still not sure if your posts are for real or not but if they are indeed real, I hope you will seek some professional assistance...the posts are long, confusing, pompous at times and just plain unclear in parts. I really don't know what the issue for you is but you seem to - in both of your posts I have read - view nurses, nurse managers etc. negatively in that they don't smile, sit, talk, turn, etc. like you think they should because you have shown up. You have a problem in an ER, then the other post its a nurse recruiter, nurse manager, oncology unit, you leave voice mails for these people..if they are anything like your posts its not surprising you are not getting call backs. Again, good grief with all this nonsense...the nurse who are on the units are humping it to stay on top of all the work they have to get done during their shift - it's not personal - it's business.
I think the admins have taken the other thread completely off the forum as it got so odd.
I think the admins have taken the other thread completely off the forum as it got so odd.
Yea. I was in the middle of reading the latest bunch of posts and then I got a msg say I wasn't allowed to view the post. I sure hope that girl finds what she's looking for.
Your communication problems should have been addressed by your English instructors. I do not see how they could have allowed you to continue to write in this manner. This is meant to be a criticism of them, not of you. I hope that you are able to work on these things with the professionals that are helping you with your autism.
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:
LoL, if you messing up your new nursing because of font size, then honey,there's bigger in store.
I have hired, trained, mentored and built teams on new grad RN's and LPN's, however, in short, the answer, for me, to your question is...when I am training, and orientating and mentoring.... the new grad HAS to want to listen and learn, fine to challenge me and correct me, but do not come in with the mind set that somehow, because you read it in a book or believe it to true, that what I am telling you and training you on, in incorrect. I find it very hard to deal with staff who BELIEVE something without a leg to stand on.
Answer me this, as a return question (and note, I was new not so long ago, this is my 3rd career, I didnt' become an LPN until I was 42, now in my early 50;s) how could a new grad have ALL the answers and know that I am wrong on so many issues?
Infection control is very complicated, there is new data every day on C-diff, mega colon, CDC standards. I don't make any of this up, I defer to the experts. No one outrules the CDC. Period. (unless you have submitted to the scientific community a paper for your masters or doctorate in nursing, something that is "new"). Trends and failures to wash hands are the biggest offenders, so as a new grad, model good handwashing to your staff or you will not impress me.
Don't give insulin in the hallway. Don't listen to lungs in the diningrooms. Provide privacy. Acknowledge and listen to your patient. TURN YOUR CELL PHONE OFF or leave in your purse for the breaks. (Unless you have WEB MD and a drug list app, and then TELL Me that is what you are doing). Finish all your charting without whining. Complete your shift duties, provide safe, prudent care. DOn't forge the MAR. DO the B/P's and pulses and stop whining about ALL THE OTHER Nurses (how in the heck could you possibly KNOW what the other nurses are or are not doing? I don't pay you to audit the other nurses (unless I AM paying you as a nurse manager to do this). Don't call in sick on sunny days. Don't lie to me, the MD or the family. If I catch you in a lie, don't KEEP lying.
The biggest downfall consistenly that I see is the new grad or nurse sitting in front of me, lacks basic respect for my skills, my knowledge and my experience. They come in with that fresh off the press ADN/RN and think they have solved all the world's problems, and they NEVER, NEVER ask or look at my business card to see what degrees I have. I perceive it as the utmost in arrogance and ignorance, and I think some nurses will soon leave the business because NO NURSE can tell them anything. WHy would a new grad have the MOST closed mind, it should be the other way around, they should have the MOST OPEN mind with the mindset to spend the next 1-3 years absorbing information like a sponge.
When I put you in training/orientation with the "seasoned" nurses, why won't "you" listen? I just had an experienced RN in training with the outgoing RN evening supervisor, and the experienced RN WOULD NOT LISTEN TO HER, could not, would not let the outgoing RN teach her a thing, and quit a week later. I just had a new grad RN, REFUSE to follow any instructions I, as the DNS, gave her. She apparently didn't believe me. Let me assure you, I come across very calm, cool and consistent and I know of what I am saying. If one doesn't listen, it doesn't matter WHAT I am saying. Why persist with the idea that us "old" nurses don't know anything? It makes NO sense to me. "you" have no idea how long I have been a nurse, hell, I was a new grad, or a new manager, and people still wouldn't listen, cuz how could I as a new grad know anything. SO, lets recap... I didn't know anything when I was a new grad, and now, as a seasoned nurse, I don't know anything. My job title doesn't lead you to believe that I might know something either.. "Me thinks me smells a rat in Denmark, sir!!"
Umm, YES. Now that you mention it, you WERE there to help the CN. You are on HER floor, and have NO CLUE all that she is responsible for. If you are allowed in her ED, do everything asked, up to and including cleaning the floor. If you manage to do that without screwing up, then we might actually allow you to watch/learn something. BTW- as a student, our job is NOT to give you a day to practice your skills on our acutley ill patients. I respectfully tell you that I, as a nurse who has my BSN, and has been a hospital nurse for 20 yrs....STILL MAKE BEDS AND CLEAN FLOOR if needed. Lose your sense of entitlement FAST, or you are going to be one of those who "Job hops" because you "Don't fit in on that MEAN floor of nurses who EAT their young!?!?!?" Good grief.
Yep, sorry, I agree. Why WOULDN'T you help, in any way possible, in the ER, during a crisis? Seriously? THIS is the reason SOME people won't help OTHER people cus the PERSON who is suppose to be learning/helping, ISN'T!! Dear God in the heaven's above, if the RN won't help clean up a spill, of any bodily fluid, is the MD suppose to slip and fall, then the x-ray tech and then YOU? As a CNA, when I was one, , I would have MADE you help with that. Seriously, petty petty new grad crap ie RN eat their young, seriously? As the DNS in a SNF, you BETTER clean that stuff up, what do new grad nurses THINK nursing is? Glamorous? Hey, we aren't getting ready for Fashion Week in New York, we are getting ready for bodily fluids. If a CNA eats an RN, what is THAT called.
.thumb.gif.a0171653eaae518ecf728198d692fc48.gif){kind=avatar}
Ruby Vee, BSN
17 Articles; 14,051 Posts
i didn't get the pin, but i'm right up there with you on the headache.