Hubris

Hubris: Overbearing pride or presumption; Arrogance

One day I was working with a nurse who frankly looked a bit shell-shocked. She must have been either very new or completely overwhelmed by her caseload.

At the beginning of a shift, I told her that I had done some charting on the patient's chart. Students are expected to chart, so this was very normal.

In a slightly snobby tone she said, "Well, you can chart for yourself on a separate piece of paper, but I will do the real charting."

The Student Nurse's ego takes many blows through the learning process. But to be denied grunt work because I was considered inadequate for even this job?

From a place of hurt and resentment swelled the Learner's greatest enemy: Hubris.

While locking her into my fiery glare I tore up my charting, slowly, piece by piece. I wanted her to know I was angry about this snub.

I put the chart back where it belonged and went on with my day.

Later in the day while I was reviewing that same chart for a medicine order, I realized that I had torn up not my carefully detailed notes, but the notes that she had spent all night charting.

How could I have done this? I wanted to tape a "Kick Me" sign to my back. Maybe self-flagellation would avoid some of the reign of fire that would inevitably come from the nurse and (oh no) my instructor.

Although the nurse didn't seem very angry at me personally, a visible wave of hysteria rose up her body as she found out about the the missing charting.

Her voice shook as she said, "Well, OK, we can just get the tore up pieces and tape them together, and it will be alright. Which wastebasket did you through the little pieces?"

"In the shredder."

(In response to comments, it was completely accidental that her charting was put in the shredder. I thought I was putting my charting in the shredder. And yes, this story is completely true.)