Nursing Communities

2 Hello all,

I am currently working on a class assignment for my RN-BSN program. For part of this project, I am needing nurses opinions on:

What are the potential benefits of joining a community of practice (such as allnurses.com)?

I have some of my own ideas, but interested in what others have to say on the subject.

Any thoughts!!
you learn that your issues are not that unique so nothing is wrong with youyou learn that someone has a better ideayou learn that others share your interestsyou learn how to use your resources you learn how to laugh at yourself!

You learn that it is almost always not about youYou learn how to spell HIPAAYou learn that there are many, many, many ways to be a real nurse without working bedside in a hospital or SNFYou learn that they don't do it that way everywhere just because they do it that way where you areYou learn where critical thinking can take you

Great question! I'm glad your nursing instructors are having you explore this topic!I just posted this thread on our facebook page for more feedback: https://www.facebook.com/allnursescom/posts/371578776268654Be sure to check there for responses as well.Good Luck with your project!

You can gain support from other nurses if you are having bad day without upsetting your colleagues or work knowing. Can speak to a wider range of people and gain opinions from across various fields and countries.In my area of nursing I barely ever see the other nurses I work with so it can also provide a sense of community when there is none in the workplace.

I have been a nurse for over 25 years. I have found that in my area that I love, there is tremendous amount of pressure on the RN's to lie about patient's level of functioning. If you tell the truth, people in charge get their noses out of joint ... and you get fired. If you follow what they ask you to do, you are lying, you are jeopardizing your license, if you get caught you can even go to jail. So, you are in a lousy situation. I can't lie..and I get in trouble because the people in charge have to discharge patients and they lose revenue. I have spoken to many nurses who find the exact same thing. No one knows what to do. so you keep looking for jobs all the time.The politics are stupid.I found it beneficial to talk to nurses in the same boat and learn from them, commiserate etc.

Quote from RN19Hello all,I am currently working on a class assignment for my RN-BSN program. For part of this project, I am needing nurses opinions on: What are the potential benefits of joining a community of practice (such as allnurses.com)?I have some of my own ideas, but interested in what others have to say on the subject.Any thoughts!!

I wish there had been a community of nurses like allnurses when I was just starting out, because I spent a lot of time feeling anxious in much the same way new nurses express here but I had nobody to talk to about it so I assumed it was just me. I also learned that many of the problems I saw and ideas I had to improve things but never spoke up about have actually become established practice in many places now. Although it probably doesn't seem like it at the time, even the responses people perceive as negative are a dose of reality you are much better off getting here on a message board than you would from some of the people at your first job. If you are looking for support here, you will find it. I always have. Not from everyone, that is for sure -- but it is so worth the investment in time to make those positive connections.

Quote from GrnTeaYou learn how to spell HIPAA

You learn that you are not alone with your troubles and there are people that can help you gain strength if you are feeling a bit down or discouraged. Being in the community also gives you a chance to meet new people and potential friends.

A few years ago I got my first job from a lead a stranger gave me on allnurses, after a long period of unemployment. I never would have heard about the job otherwise. Major benefit! It seemed like I was pretty much the first new grad to post on here about not being able to find a job (many people here thought that was ridiculous at the time). A couple of years later (and now) I think everyone here is aware of how difficult it is to get a job in most areas of the country, so people in nursing school are more aware of the need to network and prepare for a possible period of unemployment.Now that I have several years of experience, I sometimes search allnurses or start a new topic if I want to make a policy/practice change in my hospital. Being able to pull opinions from all over the country helps me to make my case to management and/or co-workers.

You learn that you are not alone.....

I use it to share common problems, to see what others' have come up with for solutions, and to also share my own knowledge and expertise of 36 years of nursing which could help someone else. It's a way to stay connected and to know that we are not alone!