Am I the only one???

Nurses General Nursing

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Before family get togethers do any of you "brush up" on whatever new illnesses your family might be suffering from in order to be able to give out sound advice? I admit, at times I do. I'm a cardiac nurse...not an onc nurse, dialysis nurse, not a pediatric ICU nurse, not an ER nurse...geesh. It's funny how people expect nurses to know EVERYTHING but wouldn't dream of asking a dermatologist about a cardiac issue.

Am I being silly?:confused:

I am still a student and people ask me all sorts of questions ranging from Gynae, adult stuff. I just tell them im a paediatric nurse not a qualified Doctor and i havent a clue! Do you think they get the message? NO! still get asked. i give up now.

Specializes in Community Health Nurse.

People constantly ask me medical questions once they find out I am a nurse. My husband IS a nurse, too, and he does the same thing to me. :chuckle He thinks because he is a LPN, and I am a RN, I know more than he does about the medical field, and I tell him that I think he knows more than I do because he is not only a LPN, he is an Army Medic, and a Medic Instructor to boot. :rotfl: Even my daughter who is a LPN will call me up and ask me things, but since she is a new nurse, I don't mind. ;)

People are always saying "I have this...." or "What do you think causes such and such..." or "My kid hurt his/her blah-blah-blah and what do you think I should do about it?" I tell them their best resource is their family physician, and they pay him well to answer ALL their medical questions...and encourage them to call him/her up and bug their doctor until their questions are resolved. :lol2:

I just usually interupt with "... but what I really want to know is, how is your episiotomy healing? Is your milk in yet? ...."

I get quite a few bizarre looks, but it closes their mouths pretty quickly. And I can go about my socializing business ;)

Heather

This is so funny - the other day I had to run into the grocery store after work (run being the operative word - I had to pick the kids up!). Anyway, I noticed a woman looking strangely at me (I began to wonder if someone had done something nasty on me at work and I hadn't noticed). She finally cam up to me and said 'You look like a nurse. My doctor just told me I have diabetes and I can't have carbohydrates. What can I buy myself to eat?' I almost laughed, but in a way I think it's sad that many people are intimidated by their doctor and are afraid to ask questions. By the way, I suggested the lady phone the doctor to get the name of a nutritionist. I have a hard enough time figuring out what to feed my own family!

Repat, I have that beat. A little old lady in no acute distress walked up to me in a store and said, " I have been going TT in my pants a lot lately, what pads should I use?" :rolleyes: I guess I just have this " nurse glow" that surrounds me!

Specializes in Geriatrics/Oncology/Psych/College Health.

This is a great post! :) I have a lovely great aunt who emails me periodically with whatever new med her doc has her on that she wants to know more about. She's so sweet you can't mind her asking. Also get frequent inquiries about various problems encountered by hubby's elderly grandmother.

When faced with something outside of my area of expertise, I find the most effective response is a furrowed brow, a concerned "hmmmm...you should have a doctor check that out..." and a hasty exit! :D

What gets me is when you're working with a patient (you know, actually on the job, on the clock!) and the family starts asking questions about THEIR medical problems lol. Or someone wants you to take their blood pressure while you're working on their loved one.

Specializes in OB, M/S, ICU, Neurosciences.
originally posted by fergus51

i am with shay. why would anyone ask an ob nurse "what kind of rash is that"?

because the general public still thinks that a nurse is a nurse is a nurse........ :o

I really don't mind my family or friends asking questions.... I tell them what I know (which isn't much!! I'm still a student) and I tell them where to go for info. But then, I also feel comfortable asking them questions in their fields and they tell me what they know and where to go for more info.

Isn't that what families and friends are for?

Yeah, that's what families are for...ask me a cardiac related question....fine......but don't assume I know EVERYTHING and then look at me like I'm some sort of retard nurse if I don't know the latest chemo regiment for renal ca. Ya know what I mean?

I don't mean to offend anyone with the term "retard" Apologise in advance...

Amazing how little regard a nurse has ...until the general public wants free medical advice...then we're supposed to be 'docs in nurses clothing' and know it ALL. ;)

We really SHOULD figure out a way to consult in the community and make a living at it...rather than give it away for free.

Now...how to do that without incurring ridiculous liability is the next question...perhaps we could offer counseling and options with a disclaimer?? Hmmm....good food for thought....:)

Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

My husband and most of his family consult my mother-in-law for medical advice.She graduated from nursing school over 46 years ago-and never worked a day as an RN....Afterall-as one of my sister- in -laws said at my Memorial Day bash-when talking about a neighbor-"She is ONLY an LPN" Funny-when we play trivia type games I usually get all of the medical ?'s correct....

Repat, I hear ya on the 'nurse aura'. I didn't think I had it until one day at Walmart. A very distressed looking 'Biker-dude' came up to me and said, " My 'ol lady sent me to the store to get some 'women' stuff for her and I can't find them". Knowing that he meant either tampons and/or pads....I pointed him to the correct area.

What is it about us that makes complete strangers ask about stuff that they wouldn't ask anyone else about? I mean, there WERE other women around he could have asked. It was kind of funny, really.

This guy looked like someone that doesn't fear a thing.......unless you send him out for tampons, that is.

Anne:smokin:

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