Sure, I could sit here and tell you all the bad things about coworkers. Make this a negative post about how nurses are catty or how we “eat” our own, but instead I’m going to to tell you the truth. The real truth about these people you’re going to have the privileged to work along side.
Yes, there will be lazy ones, and down right mean ones too, and the ones that are out for themselves only. But the truth is you will find your work family mixed in there. If you look through all the stereotypes and all the negative you will find your people. You will know when you find them because the shifts will seem easier and the laughter will replace the fear of each new task assigned to you. They will be the nurses you come to relay on in tight situations and the ones that will have your back through it all. Everyone needs a work family to maintain the few ounces of sanity you have left at the end of each shift.
The odd thing about a work family is that most don’t transcend outside of work. When the shift is over and you all have walked out the doors, that bond remains there, waiting for the next time the family walks through the doors to face the challenges of the shift together. It’s a magical and powerful force.
Most people will never truly understand what it means to be a nurse, they won’t understand how physically tired you are after “only” working 3 shifts a week, and they won’t understand how mentally exhausting it can become. But the people that will understand are right next to you in the nursing station, in the break room and IDT meetings. They are standing shoulder to shoulder with you, caring for patients, and pulling Baylor shifts.
My greatest and wisest piece of advice after my decade of nursing is to find your tribe, don’t take that bond for granted, and savor every once of support you feel from them. They will be their to encourage you on your worst shifts and celebrate you on your best. They will be your sounding board for patient care issues and encourage you to be the nurse they see inside of you.
Your nursing tribe is out their waiting for you to find them. They are their to inspire you, grow with you and create lots of laughter with you.