"I am a nurse!"

[Emergent]

Ever have a patient or family member who, the first thing out of their mouth is "I am a nurse!". Then they proceed to brag about their illustrious career, showing off their knowledge, grandstanding and expecting the red carpet treatment. They fiddle around with monitors, turn off pumps and saline lock IVs, crossing boundaries right and left.

Then they announce that they love it here and plan on applying! You go to the BON site, verify their status, then email your supervisor ASAP!

[CKPM2RN, ASN, EMT-P]

I make a habit out of not informing medical professionals that I'm a nurse when seeking services for myself or a loved one.

My parents, now in their 70's with a few medical needs, blurt out "Our daughter is a nurse, too!" to every nurse that comes in the room to care for them. I roll my eyes and get a sympathetic look from the understanding nurse. I ask them over and over to not do that but they just get excited I guess.

PS: I would NEVER interfere with another nurse's care by the way.

[Davey Do]

My parents, now in their 70's with a few medical needs, blurt out "Our daughter is a nurse, too!" to every nurse that comes in the room to care for them. I roll my eyes and get a sympathetic look from the understanding nurse. I ask them over and over to not do that but they just get excited I guess.

And they're probably proud of you!

It is kind of sweet, you know.

When I'm with my medical wife Belinda and people ask us what kind of nurses we are, I jokingly respond with, "Belinda's a real nurse. She works at a real hospital on a medical floor. I'm just a psych nurse".

People who don't really know me invariably respond with something along the lines of, "Oh, you know you do a very important job, too, taking care of those patients..."

That's kind of sweet of them to try and reassure me.

[JBudd, MSN]

I tried not to wave the red flag at the bull when my (then14 yo) son was in a specialty hospital in another state. Must have slipped up somewhere, one morning a very early rounding team came in, I was kind of groggy so when they questioned the saline lock I mumbled "it's to save him any more peripheral sticks". That got a few stares until his nurse whispered at them "she's a nurse". yeah, ER, NOT peds neuro however.

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

There is usually a family member who wants me to know that so-and-so is a "nurse." Then it turns out they aren't really a nurse, but a nursing assistant, MA, or something. I work ICU, and if the person really IS a nurse, it turns out they are an OB nurse who knows practically nothing about ICU, totally different fields. I recently had someone tell me that their relative is "over all the supervisors at your hospital." This person isn't "over" anybody, she is a ward clerk! Been a unit secretary for years and years, but not over the supervisors.

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

I definitely stay incognito in medical situations. I only share experience if I have to provide help to family members/S.O. at home s/p discharge.

[Wuzzie]

My parents, now in their 70's with a few medical needs, blurt out "Our daughter is a nurse, too!" to every nurse that comes in the room to care for them. I roll my eyes and get a sympathetic look from the understanding nurse. I ask them over and over to not do that but they just get excited I guess.

My parents do the exact same thing. Even at the doctor's office. I try very hard to fly under the radar but it's hard to suppress the lingo I've been using for over 30 years so I usually get made. I make darn sure that I'm not "that" family member though.

[Persephone Paige, ADN]

It's strange how people are so different. I hate for anyone in healthcare to know I'm a nurse. I like to come in as just a regular incognito individual and if I have a question, I ask it. No need to tell anyone I'm in the profession. When I was a student, or new nurse it made me very nervous to think I was being scrutinized by a family member and I never wanted to make anyone else ever feel that way. My mother and husband are the biggest offenders, they must scream out "SHE'S A NURSE!!!" I just feel like crawling under the seat.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

My parents, now in their 70's with a few medical needs, blurt out "Our daughter is a nurse, too!" to every nurse that comes in the room to care for them. I roll my eyes and get a sympathetic look from the understanding nurse. I ask them over and over to not do that but they just get excited I guess.

PS: I would NEVER interfere with another nurse's care by the way.

My mother does this, too. I mind less when she tells her own doctors than that she tells everyone in my neighborhood she's ever met. I don't want my neighbors bringing their kids by for medical advice.\

I don't usually tell my doctors unless asked though as part of a new patient assessment, most of my doctors ask what I do for a living and sometimes the verbiage I use gives me away. Like when I first met my Neuro-Oncologist he asked if I was taking one of my meds daily and I responded "BID".

[Crush]

My parents, now in their 70's with a few medical needs, blurt out "Our daughter is a nurse, too!" to every nurse that comes in the room to care for them. I roll my eyes and get a sympathetic look from the understanding nurse. I ask them over and over to not do that but they just get excited I guess.

PS: I would NEVER interfere with another nurse's care by the way.

My mother does this. She calls me with every single thing wrong with her friends. And Lordy, if I go over and she has a friend there I have to hear all kinds of medical history. Then I politely tell them to call their GP if they have concerns and explain assumption of care, etc. Mom gets all kinds of upset with me for not giving them "friendly" advise since I am a nurse.

When dad was in the hospital I tried so hard to just be a family member. When the poor nurse came in, mom blurts out I am a nurse and after everything the nurse said, mom would turn to me and ask if that was right. *sigh* I never ever interfere with another nurse's care either.

No matter how much I ask them not to blurt out my being a nurse and the reasons why, it falls on deaf ears.

[Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP]

I do always tell them I'm a nurse, because nothing makes me madder than someone trying to explain that blood is the red stuff that goes round and round and that the boo boo will be better soon. I know that! Cut to the chase and tell me the nitty gritty in real terms! I spent too many years in the ICU. I want to know the MAP, the CVP and the lactic acid results, STAT!

[Amethya]

I'm not a nurse but my parents like to brag to everyone that I'm a Medical Assistant like I am something important and I'm like, No, I'm not that great. I just work with kids.

[ruby_jane, BSN, RN]

My mother does this. She calls me with every single thing wrong with her friends. And Lordy, if I go over and she has a friend there I have to hear all kinds of medical history. Then I politely tell them to call their GP if they have concerns and explain assumption of care, etc. Mom gets all kinds of upset with me for not giving them "friendly" advise since I am a nurse.

When dad was in the hospital I tried so hard to just be a family member. When the poor nurse came in, mom blurts out I am a nurse and after everything the nurse said, mom would turn to me and ask if that was right. *sigh* I never ever interfere with another nurse's care either.

No matter how much I ask them not to blurt out my being a nurse and the reasons why, it falls on deaf ears.

My mom (to the cancer doc) - "Well, my daughter's a nurse."

Me: A PEDIATRIC nurse, mom.

As a similar poster mentioned....most "nurses" here end up not being RNs with a current license to practice. Smile and wave...