Office nurses ARE real nurses!!

I understand what you mean, some nurses have a narrow view of what other nurses do, but really who cares? It's up to the individual nurse to take responsibility for working in an environment that he or she is passionate about.
I am glad that a large number of nurses have done this in many different areas nursing. The more I learn about what other nurses do... the more I appreciate nurses in general.

Of course your a real nurse! Nurses work in long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities, schools, companies, communities, offices, clinics and yes hospitals. We need to stop thinking that if your not in a hospital then your not a nurse its just stupid. End of story.

!Chris

I have a Masters degree in Adult Health nursing and I am proud to be in ambulatory care. It's my passion, so I am happier there and do my best work. It degrades our profession as a whole when nurses say that those that do not work in hospitals are not REAL nurses. It may sound silly, but it does take a village to help care for the sick and prevent illness in those that are not. Those of us that work with the chronically ill are striving to keep our patient out of the hospitals. I am glad there are nurses who are passionate about working in the hospital. But what happens to your patients when they are no longer in the hospital. Who cares for them when they are discharged but still barely making it on there own?

Thankfully as nurses we have many choices about where to practice our profession. If we are in fact going to continue to be a "profession" we need to support each other as such. If we do not do this, we will continue to be treated as a trade.

The best nurse is a happy nurse who does it for the patients not the paycheck. Doesn't matter where.

In the near future, we will see less hospital beds available and more home care and office nurses needed.

I give better care to my patients at the clinic than I do at the Hospital. I help to prevent serious problems for my patients . It is a wonderful feeling knowing I have at least made people think about their choices. We provide more education than people realize about the diseases and monitor them more closely. We have to know so much more about disease processes than other nurses realize. We do not get payed enough for all the knowledge and expertise that is involved in counseling our patients.