Related: Assertiveness, Authority, Boundaries, Communication, Confidence, Conflict, Feelings, Hostility, New Grad, New Nurse, Patients, PCT, Power, Professionalism, Respect, Stress

I am a brand-new nurse--just two weeks off orientation. I am 20 years old but look a few years younger. I have had issues with two PCTs who are probably in their 50s, and have worked together on my floor for about 30 years. I haven't had issues with any of the other PCTs.

One issue: They feel insulted if I ask them if they did [...]

Related: Authority, Communication, Conflict, Emotions, Feedback, Feelings, Learning, Mindset, New Grad, New Nurse, New Nurse Tips, Nurse Support, Orientation, Orientee, Preceptor, Problem Solving

If you're tempted to ask for a new preceptor, watch this video first. Experienced preceptor Kim Rapper, RN, BSN, suggests you ask these questions to help you determine if you ought to persevere in the relationship or seek a preceptor who will equip you for your future.

Related: Caring, Conflict, Critical Care Nursing, Patients, Perfect Nurse

After being off for a few days, I went back to work at my cover-all ICU. I had the typical two, vented patients, who were very much fluff and turns.

Around 9 pm on my first night back, a twenty-something-year-old male from the ER arrives. The ER nurse gave our nurse report, stating the patient was breathing a little fast. We are all thinking 25-30 breaths [...]

Related: Anger, Conflict, Doctor-Nurse Relationships, Emotions, Feelings, Patience, Teamwork

Yesterday the doctor I work for was fuming. He was ticked that I messed up his schedule by adding a patient. After he snipped at me, he stormed off to see the patient, who had a bad leg infection.

The patient evaluation softened the doctor's mood. The guy obviously needed to be seen--and we finished the day right on time.

Apologetic and sheepish, the doc seemed to [...]

Related: Boundaries, Caregivers, Complaints, Conflict, Inappropriate Relationships, Patients, Professionalism

About a month ago I took care of a female patient on my unit who was post-op. She was relatively young (in her early 40s) and healthy.

I took care of her for two days in a row. At first she seemed pleasant, and we got along well. We have daughters the same age and live in the same city.

At the end of the [...]

Related: Assertiveness, Attitude, Authority, Conflict, Expectations, Feelings, New Nurse, Preceptor

When I first started as a new nurse, I had 2-3 patients on my own for the first week. I was given 7 patients after the first week, and then the next day 8!

My preceptor told me to handle all the patients, and if I needed her, to come ask any questions. I handled it the best way I knew how.

But when I asked [...]

Related: Abuse, Authority, Boundaries, Communication, Conflict, Fear, Feelings, Gossip, Hostility, Morale, New Nurse, Non-Verbal Language, Nurse Relationships, Power, Professionalism, Respect, Sabotage, Seasoned Nurses, Support, Teamwork, Violence

A man walked past a few kids with a bucket of sea crabs. One of the crabs was crawling to the top of the bucket, so the man told the boys to get a lid. “Mister, you don’t know anything about crabs,” the boys said. “As soon as that crab gets to the top, the others will pull him right back down. Never fails.”

The expression [...]

Related: Abuse, Assertiveness, Communication, Compliments, Confidence, Conflict, Feelings, Gossip, Handmaidens, Hostility, Morale, New Nurse, Non-Verbal Language, Nurse Relationships, Nursing Shortage, Professionalism, Respect, Sabotage, Truth

What nurse hasn’t heard the phrase “Nurses eat their own.”? You’ve probably witnessed it at some point in your career. Or maybe you’ve personally experienced the burn of cattiness, gossip, condemning verbal attacks, or bullying.

Plain old meanness seems to pervade nursing, and you wonder, Is there anything I can really do about it?

Letting this behavior go on will progressively change nursing for the worse. We’re [...]

Related: Confidentiality, Conflict, Patients

I broke the C law--not on purpose. And what is the C law? Let me tell you a story. Early one morning I received a letter, which read:

"Dear Nurse,

Thank you for your email, but we feel our son needs to see a doctor as his cough sounds terrible. He complains of being constantly tired, unable to sleep, and states that you do not let him [...]

Related: Conflict, Feedback, Nurse Relationships, Problem Solving, Respect, Stress

When you’re having a conflict with a co-worker, you may consider the advice a mentor once passed on to me: What might feel personal is not personal at all.

Think of it. When you’re crabby or stand-offish at work, it’s usually because you’re under a lot of stress. You’re tired. Work is demanding. Your schedule is overflowing. There’s been a death in the family. Your kids [...]