[Havin' A Party!]

Originally Posted by nursemike

... A new name will not make disimpacting a bowel or dropping an NG more glamourous than it already is...

True... for sure!

But if a change can bring more professionalism, autonomy, prestige, and "dinero," then maybe we should put our collective minds to the task.

Another part of all this is that the general public really has no real clue as to what it is we do, and its significance to peoples lives.

Our training has changed immensely through the years. Perhaps our title could use revamping too.

[Doubledee]

This thread has gone in several directions ranging from being called nurse, male nurse and why do doctors get treated with more respect?
As The Nurse, I am responsible for coordinating all aspects of my patient's care, I assess his condition, determine his needs, consult other disciplines as needed and keep the MD informed. I obviously do more than put bandaids on owies.
When I am called a male nure, I simply reply, "I don't work for the Post Office." The quicker ones catch on immediately. Some have to manipulate male vs mail before it sinks in. Typically, they laugh too.
Back during my first days in a hospital, I realized in spite of our responsibilty levels, we were still referred to by first names only. While it works well to establish a more open and friendly relationship with our patients and coworkers; it is a notable divide between the DOCTOR and the STAFF. I don't know how this aspect will ultimately shake out. Very few of us would care to address each other as Nurse Jones, Nurse Smith instead of by first names.
I don't even want to raise the question of security regarding last names on the ID badge. I've read some of the concerns our friends in ER have to deal with and can appreciate their opinions.
Ultimately in my experience, the nurse-doctor respect/rapport is built on a relationship between two professionals working toward a shared goal; the benefit of the patient. To be sure, there are, probably will always be doctors who treat nurses shabbily. Of course, we know who they are and the best ways we know to deal with them in a given situation.
Overall, I like being a nurse. I've had past lives as a military officer, a teacher and a salesman. I'm a lot happer now than I've ever been.

[Thunderwolf]

Originally Posted by Doubledee

This thread has gone in several directions ranging from being called nurse, male nurse and why do doctors get treated with more respect?
As The Nurse, I am responsible for coordinating all aspects of my patient's care, I assess his condition, determine his needs, consult other disciplines as needed and keep the MD informed. I obviously do more than put bandaids on owies.
When I am called a male nure, I simply reply, "I don't work for the Post Office." The quicker ones catch on immediately. Some have to manipulate male vs mail before it sinks in. Typically, they laugh too.
Back during my first days in a hospital, I realized in spite of our responsibilty levels, we were still referred to by first names only. While it works well to establish a more open and friendly relationship with our patients and coworkers; it is a notable divide between the DOCTOR and the STAFF. I don't know how this aspect will ultimately shake out. Very few of us would care to address each other as Nurse Jones, Nurse Smith instead of by first names.
I don't even want to raise the question of security regarding last names on the ID badge. I've read some of the concerns our friends in ER have to deal with and can appreciate their opinions.
Ultimately in my experience, the nurse-doctor respect/rapport is built on a relationship between two professionals working toward a shared goal; the benefit of the patient. To be sure, there are, probably will always be doctors who treat nurses shabbily. Of course, we know who they are and the best ways we know to deal with them in a given situation.
Overall, I like being a nurse. I've had past lives as a military officer, a teacher and a salesman. I'm a lot happer now than I've ever been.

Excellent post. Thank you!

[NurseWilliam]

Originally Posted by Havin' A Party!

... because maybe... just maybe... it may be able to be improved upon.

If that were possible, wouldn't you be in favor of it?

Shouldn't we keep our minds open?

It depends on who is pushing for the change and why. A nurse by any other name is still a nurse, just as a "public sanitation engineer" is still a trash collector. I personally view the drive to change our title as just more PC rubbish meant to make someone with an inferiority complex feel more important. If you don't like what you do, change what you do- don't try to change everyone else's world just to suit your own. Pushing this in spite of the majority, who desire that it be left alone, is closing your mind to the world around you.

I am a nurse, and I enjoy that title immensely, and I worked very hard to be called a nurse, thank you very much. Those who don't like being called "nurse" can call themselves whatever they desire, but should refrain from imposing their agendas on those who are not interested- which, according to the accompanying poll, is the majority.

[NurseWilliam]

Originally Posted by Havin' A Party!

True... for sure!

But if a change can bring more professionalism, autonomy, prestige, and "dinero," then maybe we should put our collective minds to the task.

Another part of all this is that the general public really has no real clue as to what it is we do, and its significance to peoples lives.

Our training has changed immensely through the years. Perhaps our title could use revamping too.

The men and women who flew old rag-and-string biplanes were called "pilots." The men and women who fly Mach 2+ super-sophisticated air superiority fighters today are called "pilots." Discounting the immense value inherent in the title of "nurse" is a mistake, in my opinion. I personally wonder if the people who are pressing for the title change are forgetting that changing our titles may cause the people whom we serve to become more confused about the qualifications and credentials of the nurse.

The title of "Nurse" clearly delineates us from all other medical professionals. There is immense prestige in holding that title. If we are looking for better pay, better bennies, better pensions, better standards, and better opportunities, we will not find these things any more attainable by changing our titles. We will find them more attainable by changing the attitudes of the healthcare and media systems, and the stereotypes that they perpetuate.

[Kabin]

I always laugh when I hear people say if you don't like XXX then get out of the profession. I wonder what these folks would say if nurses were still wearing white caps or it was back in the times when nursing was considered a lowly profession that parents didn't want their daughters to pursue.

It's not as if nursing hasn't needed changed in the past. Years ago Florence Nightingale saw nursing's shortcoming and she made it her life's work to make it better. Is is perfect today? Not even close.

I'm sure there were the same hecklers back in Florence Nightingale's time telling her to leave nursing be. Thank goodness she didn't listen.

[NurseWilliam]

Originally Posted by Kabin

I always laugh when I hear people say if you don't like XXX then get out of the profession. I wonder what these folks would say if nurses were still wearing white caps or it was back in the times when nursing was considered a lowly profession that parents didn't want their daughters to pursue.

It's not as if nursing hasn't needed changed in the past. Years ago Florence Nightingale saw nursing's shortcoming and she made it her life's work to make it better. Is is perfect today? Not even close.

I'm sure there were the same hecklers back in Florence Nightingale's time telling her to leave nursing be. Thank goodness she didn't listen.

I understand what you're saying. But we aren't talking about changing uniforms or standards. We are talking about changing our title- as if changing what we are called will somehow magically transform the art, science, practice, and profession of nursing, which I maintain it will not. I am not saying "Leave nursing be." I am saying, "Leave the title be." I should have articulated my position as "If you don't like being called a nurse, call yourself whatever you like. I for one am a nurse, and prefer to be called 'nurse'." You can call yourself 'professional poached egg' if that is what you prefer, but it will not make you a different person or somehow make the already-important job that you do more important. What you are called does not determine what you do, but rather identifies your function in the healthcare continuum.

And I admit that 'nurse' is a very general term considering the mind-boggling variety of things that we do. But that is why we have qualifying credentials such as ICU RN, CCU-RN, ER-RN, etc. And when a patient loses his/her call button, are we going to admonish them for not calling out "Bachelor-prepared Professional patient care specialist! Oh, Bachelor-prepared professional patient care specialist!"?

Whatever those among us who are not satisfied with what we are now called decide, I submit that while they may succeed in changing our professional title, the patient will always call us "nurse." Do you intend to admonish them for so doing?

And as far as Florence Nightingale goes, I understand and appreciate what she did to advance the cause and practice of nursing. She was also quite outspoken in her position that men had no business being nurses. Shall we follow her in that regard as well?

[Jessy_RN]

There shouldn't be any differences between a male or female nurse. Even if it is changing a male nurse's title. Makes no sense to me. Male nurse sounds like it should just MHO.

[Kabin]

I don't think nursing credentials are the problem. Rather, when nurse techs, nurse assistants, licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, etc are all called the same thing ("nurse") then at the least there's a naming ambiguity. At the most nursing has grown or developed to a point where there's need for change.

As I've said in the past, if professional nursing is trying to distinguish itself, as I know it is, then there's no better way to do it that to develop a more precise naming convention. For what it's worth, I've been told that it will happen.

[NurseWilliam]

Originally Posted by Kabin

I don't think nursing credentials are the problem. Rather, when nurse techs, nurse assistants, licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, etc are all called the same thing ("nurse") then at the least there's a naming ambiguity. At the most nursing has grown or developed to a point where there's need for change.

I simply do not agree with the assertion by some that this is a critical issue. I think this is really a silly thing for college-educated people to be so preoccupied with. I just think that in the bigger picture, there are many, many more important things for us to be concerned about, and the issue of changing our title is really a waste of time, talent and ingenuity that could be put to better use elsewhere.

Let us deal with the more pressing issues- like the shortage of nursing faculty, for instance- and when we have dealt with the really important things, then we can sit around thinking up new ways of telling someone "I'm a nurse."