What are they going to do...fire me?

I wonder how many others have heard these words recently from coworkers.

How many people have accidently overheard a nurse say these words?

Have we become so disillusioned with our profession that we have adopted such an attitude? Or have we become so arrogant to think we can break small rules (being late for work, not following employer no smoking rules) then snub our noses at managers and supervisors?

I know not all nurses act or feel this way, but it saddens and angers me to hear about coworkers who do. How can we expect other health care professionals, much less health care consumers, to respect us when they hear such things. What kind of example do we set as we care for clients? Are our attitudes showing through in our daily work without us realizing it?

Ask your coworkers. Have they overheard you say something disrespectful to others or about your profession? What do your actions say?

Something to think about.