Residents in LTC keep thinking I'm their Doctor...

Nursing Students CNA/MA

Published

I'm a CNA student doing my clinicals in a local LTC. I find it very wierd that residents (those w/ and w/o stages of dementia) keep referring to me as their doctor. I keep correcting them and telling them i am nursing assistant student , but the really odd thing is they continue to immediately respond and comply with whatever i try to do for them. It's wierd my female classmates come and get me to help them with any difficult patient. I'm not a big guy or imposing by any means (I do smile alot and refer to people by there names as though I know them) but I don't know why things go so well for me.. Even the LVN's that ignore my classmates jump to help when I ask (My instructor say's it's because Im a guy and project alot of confidence in what im saying / doing) I wanted to know do other GUY CNA's get this kinda treatment or is my situation wierd. I'm actually really liking LTC clinicals as I feel like I am making a difference everytime I go , one patient at a time.

Of course all my friends think im nuts for switching from IT./

Thoughts ?

Donald

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU. Med/Surg: Ortho, Neuro, & Cardiac.
I'm a CNA student doing my clinicals in a local LTC. I find it very wierd that residents (those w/ and w/o stages of dementia) keep referring to me as their doctor. I keep correcting them and telling them i am nursing assistant student , but the really odd thing is they continue to immediately respond and comply with whatever i try to do for them. It's wierd my female classmates come and get me to help them with any difficult patient. I'm not a big guy or imposing by any means (I do smile alot and refer to people by there names as though I know them) but I don't know why things go so well for me.. Even the LVN's that ignore my classmates jump to help when I ask (My instructor say's it's because Im a guy and project alot of confidence in what im saying / doing) I wanted to know do other GUY CNA's get this kinda treatment or is my situation wierd. I'm actually really liking LTC clinicals as I feel like I am making a difference everytime I go , one patient at a time.

Of course all my friends think im nuts for switching from IT./

Thoughts ?

Donald

I did in clinicals. On the floor, 9/10 times a female nurse will want me to help them as opposed to the female aide, but I attribute this to I'm 6'4" and 250 pounds, able to lift more from what I've seen.

Also, I get a lot of LTC residents that are patients in the hospital that constantly refer to me as doctor. I simply correct them and attempt to provide reality orientation, then document it.

Eh. If you're happier as a CNA than you were in Information Technology, then I don't think its nut. This job is a calling.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med Surg, Ortho, Tele, ICU, Hospice.
I keep correcting them and telling them i am nursing assistant student, but the really odd thing is they continue to immediately respond and comply with whatever i try to do for them.

Sounds like you're asking to be second-guessed! :chair:

I get that too.. When asked if I'm a dr/nurse, I say "no.. just cocky." We just learned in psy101 that people are more apt to remember something that's connected to an emotion, so it turns out I *AM* a genius and cracking a joke can do a lot to help people remember.

It's wierd my female classmates come and get me to help them with any difficult patient. I'm not a big guy or imposing by any means . . . My instructor say's it's because Im a guy and project alot of confidence in what im saying / doing

That's about it. You stick out more as a guy. Even if you're not "big" by guy standards you're definitely a handy asset to have in a world that's predominantly occupied by women.

I wanted to know do other GUY CNA's get this kinda treatment or is my situation wierd. I'm actually really liking LTC clinicals as I feel like I am making a difference everytime I go , one patient at a time.

You know, I've been pooped on, peed on, vomited on, bled on, been punched in the face.. I have to say I wouldn't have the heart to work IT :trout:

Welcome! If you enjoy (at least part of the time) what you do, and you're good at it, you're ahead of a lot of people in the working world. Just be aware that as you work on a unit, people will get used to you and the 'novelty' of a male aide will wear off for most of the staff.. though you'll still be appreciated!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med Surg, Ortho, Tele, ICU, Hospice.
I'm 6'4" and 250 pounds, able to lift more from what I've seen.

Funny, I'm 6'0'' and 235lb. Sounds like it's time for a scrawny guy poll!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

Most men are looked upon as physicians in nursing. And, from what I see, most of the time, they have it a bit easier than women, because of their perceived authority. Most of these people are elderly and come from a different era in life where all men were physicians and all women were nurses. I often wonder if they had many CNAs in their time. I know that the orderlies did a great deal of the grunt work, but I don't remember seeing many doing the bedside care that women used to go. I am not being chauvanistic, this is just a personan observation of mine. Also, it seems that when it comes to lifting, patients are usually more secure seeing a man.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU. Med/Surg: Ortho, Neuro, & Cardiac.

Ack, see post below. Double-posted.

Sorry.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU. Med/Surg: Ortho, Neuro, & Cardiac.
Most men are looked upon as physicians in nursing.
Yeah, I have to say I love it when I go in a pt's room during first rounds at midnight, blood pressure cuff and thermometer in hand, and they say, "Hey, doc, there's something I've been wanting to ask you about..." YEAH RIGHT.

Funny, I'm 6'0'' and 235lb. Sounds like it's time for a scrawny guy poll!

Go for it. :cool:

get that too.. When asked if I'm a dr/nurse, I say "no.. just cocky."

Haha, might I steal this from you?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment