You’ve probably read this title and thought ‘oh here we go… what’s this rant about?’ However, this blog post is quite the opposite.
I’m here to tell you – you’re fabulous!
It was during my second year of the nursing degree that I noticed this. It was during my placement at a GP surgery with the most amazing nurse – and she really was amazing and still is today! Anyway, the first thing she said to me was this:
“If you see me doing anything wrong then please tell me! You’re the most up to date person with the current guidelines at uni right now.”
And throughout my whole placement I had noticed that she would make little comments, as though she wasn’t good enough? She hadn’t realised how amazing she was and all the fantastic things she does for her patients as well as teaching me so much; Things I had never seen out there on other placements. I wanted to show her how much she had done, so as part of her final goodbye gift, I printed some pages from my blogs I had wrote about my time with her and her team. All of the amazing things I had taken away and she had taught me – she had no idea I blogged at the time, so that was a shock haha! This was back in the beginning of 2018 and I will never forget it, her or what I learnt during my time there.
Next, my time as a Newly Qualified Nurse (NQN) working in General Practice. I have again noticed little comments that other GP nurses make about their own practice. They don’t see their worth or how amazing they really are! My latest comment was from a fantastic nurse who said to me
“ Oh, you’re much better than me. I’m not that knowledgable”
And she wasn’t saying it in a funny way, she was being serious. She had this thought that even after years of nursing, she wasn’t as knowledgable as me purely based on me being a NQN and having a degree. But it was quite the contrary… this nurse is incredible. She’s taught me so much and goes above and beyond daily for her patients. Not only that, but she’s really looked after me too. She’s always checking I’m ok and if I need anything to give her a shout.
So dear GP Nurse, never think you aren’t knowledgable or think you are worthless. Don’t put yourself down because you are an incredible nurse doing amazing things! But also, it’s ok to not know something. That’s what makes a great team, when we share each other’s knowledge. This doesn’t make you any less of a nurse or less than anyone else around you – it makes you part of the team.
This seems quite common across the UK? I’m not sure about other countries but please comment below if you have anything to add on this. Nevertheless, whoever you are out there reading this:
- YOU are brilliant
- YOU are so knowledgable
- YOU are amazing
- YOU make a difference every day and probably don’t realise it
- YOUR patients really value you, they may not show it at times but they really do
So keep being amazing, stand tall and show the world what you got! Keep shining ✨
Diary of a Nurse 