America's view of the nursing profession

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Oct 19, 2005

Anyway, i wish the surveys would ask the question WHY do you trust nurses? What would the answer be? How often do people trust someone that they don't respect?

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · Oct 19, 2005

Never said you weren't being respectful. You DID state a fact.
I was agreeing with you in that post, and added an "and", so do not jump all over me. I did not accuse you of anything.

OMG, I'm so sorry! By the way you had quoted my post above yours, I took it to mean that you thought I was being rude to this person I replied to by pointing out that this "trusted" thing is very often misinterpreted to mean respected. BTW, I wasn't trying to hurt anyone's feelings with that statement, I was just trying to make the distinction clear. It was a knee-jerk reaction to what I thought you meant (got my feelings all hurt for nothing...). My bad.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Oct 19, 2005

And i'm sorry that you saw it as me attacking you.

But i see what you mean about the surveys though.

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · Oct 19, 2005

Anyway, i wish the surveys would ask the question WHY do you trust nurses? What would the answer be? How often do people trust someone that they don't respect?

In my experience, it is quite often. People think that we are honest, that we would not do something to harm them, that we would not swipe their pain meds and take them for ourselves while giving them saline. Yet, when it comes to recognizing the value that nurses bring to the health care team...I just don't think that people get it. I tend to experience that people think we are the "helpers" and "airline attendants" of the healthcare team - without valuable knowledge of our own. It's easy to trust someone you perceive to be a "butt wiper" or a "pillow fluffer" or even a "pill passer" or "sponge bather" (those are just the top 4 media stereotypes of nursing that are passed on to the general public every day that are coming to mind right now), but respecting that person as knowledgeable, skilled, and not just the person doing the scut work for the doctors is something entirely different (at least the way I see it...)

I agree, that research would be interesting.

grannynurse FNP student · Oct 19, 2005

In my experience, it is quite often. People think that we are honest, that we would not do something to harm them, that we would not swipe their pain meds and take them for ourselves while giving them saline. Yet, when it comes to recognizing the value that nurses bring to the health care team...I just don't think that people get it. I tend to experience that people think we are the "helpers" and "airline attendants" of the healthcare team - without valuable knowledge of our own. It's easy to trust someone you perceive to be a "butt wiper" or a "pillow fluffer" or even a "pill passer" or "sponge bather" (those are just the top 4 media stereotypes of nursing that are passed on to the general public every day that are coming to mind right now), but respecting that person as knowledgeable, skilled, and not just the person doing the scut work for the doctors is something entirely different (at least the way I see it...)
I agree, that research would be interesting.

One of the hallmarks of a profession is the minimum educational requirements necessary to enter a profession. Nursing is one of the only professions that has three basic entry levels. Vitually no other profession does and most require a BS or a BA. What do we do? We waste time arguing about how 'equal' all our entry levels are. Until we recognize our own professional short comings, we can never expect the public to recognize our 'professional' status.

Grannynurse:balloons:

lindarn · Oct 20, 2005

One of the hallmarks of a profession is the minimum educational requirements necessary to enter a profession. Nursing is one of the only professions that has three basic entry levels. Vitually no other profession does and most require a BS or a BA. What do we do? We waste time arguing about how 'equal' all our entry levels are. Until we recognize our own professional short comings, we can never expect the public to recognize our 'professional' status.
Grannynurse:balloons:

People may resent my "in your face NYer opinions, but this is the point that I have been trying to make with all my threads. The public may think that we are wonderful, but ask them if we are as educated and skilled as other health care professionals, and should earn the high pay that they do. Here in Spokane, Pt's earn an averge of $77, 000 a year. The average pay for a nurse is about $43, 000. Can someone tell my what a PT does to earn that kind of salary? This salary is for a hospital PT, not even one who as their own PT business. I have a mnor in physical education, and had many pre- PT students in my classes. As far as I ma concerned, and seeing them in action in the hospital, and in provate practice, they are nothing more than glorified exercise techs. There is actually a Physical Education track called, "Corrective Therapy", that mimics what PT's do for alot less pay and prestige. JMHO, and $0.02.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Oct 20, 2005

As far as I ma concerned, and seeing them in action in the hospital, and in provate practice, they are nothing more than glorified exercise techs.

I'm sure they'd be very interested in hearing this.

jalvino1 · Oct 20, 2005

2 things:

1. I realize that this is a popular topic in nursing, and I'm just as frustrated by it as any other nurse, but I don't see the point in starting a campain and putting up banners, stating RESPECT US DAMNIT! I became a nurse because I feel it's my way of contributing to humankind (cheezy I know). But I don't give a damn what the public thinks because what they think does not affect our job. Yes it's insulting and it hurts (if you let it) but the actual healthcare system does not deteriorate with public opinion. Call me niave, call me ignorant, call me plain old stupid, my point is... call me whatever you want, it will not change who I am as a nurse.

2. The only people who do not respect nurses are people who've never had to be taken care of by one. But be patient... they'll break a leg sooner or later :chuckle

smk1, LPN · Oct 20, 2005

Blue collar's one thing. Pair it up with derrougatory phrase ("trailer trash") gives it a whole other meaning. Not to mention it does nothing to help anything.
First i've ever heard of the nursing profession referred to as such.

Marie, the pink collar thing is a term that was coined during the womens movement in the late 60's early 70's. It is meant to imply a lightweight job made for a woman, and in this way is a bit derogatory. I am not sure what good can come from calling people blue collar trailer trash, whatever point that poster was trying to make was lost in the venemous wording of the post. I am simply a student at the moment with no degree of any kind at all yet, but I can assure everyone here that I am NOT trash!

smk1, LPN · Oct 20, 2005

One of the hallmarks of a profession is the minimum educational requirements necessary to enter a profession. Nursing is one of the only professions that has three basic entry levels. Vitually no other profession does and most require a BS or a BA. What do we do? We waste time arguing about how 'equal' all our entry levels are. Until we recognize our own professional short comings, we can never expect the public to recognize our 'professional' status.
Grannynurse:balloons:

Now see, this I actually do agree with, and it was stated without name-calling and other decidedly unprofessional posting. I know not everyone agrees with this idea, but it does have merit.

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Oct 20, 2005

Thank you Marie_LPN and RN4NICU for resolving the misunderstanding.

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Oct 20, 2005

Discussion moving forward.