I for one try very hard to do this. I now get to orient new nurses in my ICU and I have a theme. It's called the "no tears orientation". I was brought up in nursing the old way. I actually had a preceptor tell me she's not happy unless her orientee gets bloody diarrhea during orientation. That's nuts! I survived and I'm told I'm a good preceptor. RN's should treat everyone - from the CNA, to the housekeeper, to the director, to the switchboard operator with the same respect they themselves would expect.

I depend on alot of people to make my job, for the patient, more successful. Teamwork is what makes the hospitals, etc go round. Nurses are also unappriecated and overworked as well though. I don't take anyone's job for granted; everyone has a part in the grand scheme of things...the patients.

Ljr3418 you are right about showing actions more and letting coworkers (all of them) know how much you care and can do for them as well. Could you imagine that working environment; pleasant

I have just started school to become an LPN, and I truly hope that the people I work with in the field are as kind and compassioniate as you all seem to be. THat will make my first experiences alll the more inspiring, and hopefully I can do the same for a new person that may have to depend on me to learn the ropes. It is true that every healthcare facility must work together as a team in order to make the patient's experience positive and safe.

"I learned while in construction that if those you supervise can ask you for help and expect to get it when needed they respect your position more, and strive to only call on you when necessary. That is something you cannot say in words but need to show by your actions."

ljr, I couldn't have said it better. And I agree with you kimber 1. Many nurses have either "forgotten" where they came from, or have never had the CNA experience altogether. I think a minimum of 6 months to 1 year CNA experience should be a prerequisite to the nursing program. It's humbling, and it really helps you to know if you're cut out for nursing. You really need to have the empathy for patients, and the building blocks to work together as a team that comes from having the 8 hour deadline to complete the amount of care (and then some) that you need to to provide for a good quality of life despite the surroundings.

I was a 19 year old grad working as a charge nurse on second shift...it didn't take me too long to go from the "I'm not going to take orders from someone 1/2 my age (or less)", to having to work out a rotation for the staff on two other wings to work on mine - the most challenging of the 3 - the medicare unit. It was quickly realized that I would get "down and dirty" where the other nurse (an RN who'd never been anything but) would not even consider it. It's nice to earn the respect of your staff, and things run so much smoother. We learned to depend on each other, and worked together very well. It was a very rewarding experience...something I'll likely never forget.