Asking for medical advice...don't they have to agree to TOS anymore?

*raises hand* i'm one of the boneheads who asked a medical advice question. i joined the board several years ago (honestly can't remember whether i read TOS back then) & just recently got to come back, 'cause i got a computer at home and am recovering from surgery. i am just dim enough not to realize i was asking for medical advice. in my mind, i was running things by fellow (smart!) nurses, hearing their opinions, getting helpful feedback..."has this happened to you? what do you think it could be?" the kinds of conversations i have with my girlfriends, family, some coworkers (conversations that sometimes end in one of us saying, "hmm. i think i'm calling the doctor in the morning,"...actually, i'm usually the one saying that..."i'm not a doctor! call your doctor!").

..duh...on me.

i'm sorry again! i called my doctor!

One of my pet peeves, as well. Out of curiosity I usually click on someones profile if they post a question asking for advise. 9 times out of 10, they have joined allnurses the same day and that is their first post. So, they surfed the web and signed up specifically to use this site as an ask a nurse service.Drives me nuts..

it's great that AN is recognized as a place to come for reliable nursing and healthcare information.
However, we are not designed to offer individual advice.

Brian totally relies on his all volunteer Admin & Moderating staff along with his members to help run the site....we can't possibly review the 1,500+ posts made each day!


A reminder to just use our report icons Report found in left corner of each post to report issues that need moderator attention.

I believe it's the economy, many people have spouses who are laid off, or have taken concessions and pay cuts so they don't have insurance or lot of extra money... So they turn to a website or friends to try to figure out what to do. Although this is understandable I agree it's important for them to read and understand how it all works. I've been called nasty for my honesty. I really am a caring compassionate person. I realize illness and stress can drive people to do things they normally wouldn't. I truly hope that this all turns around so people can relax a bit and enjoy life again. We all have our days and we all have our problems.

Keep smiling!

Not saying allnurses isn't a great source of information, but I figured most of the posters did some sort of google search and allnurses popped up. Bingo!Nurse=advise. I must say, whenever I see those type of threads, I wonder how long it will take before it is locked. Usually not very long The mods on this board are on top of it!

Sadly in this day & age everyone is giving medical advice: Barbara Walters has touted resveratrol like it unquestionably reverses aging (despite the fact that there is no scientific evidence in humans, & she looks just as wrinkled); Suzanne Somers is instructing how to cure cancer(!); & there is no absence of experts on dieting, nutrition, you name it. Allnurses actually has been very responsible & vigilant in ensuring medical advice is not given out.
And who are you guys suggesting the Internet may be wrong? No! What next - are you going to say TV can be wrong too!? OMG what are you guys, revolutionaries??

No No, if it is on TV it will always be true!


Shoot the minute I announced I was starting my Pre Reqs to go to Nursing School it seemed like that meant I was a doctor advice line. Honest to God, I had a friend hit me up on a chat and ask me what the signs of a heart attack were because she thought she was having one. I was like if you think you are having a heart attack why on earth are you messaging me??? Call 911

I just had someone act like I was dumb because I said I was going to call the nurse line and see if I should bring my daughter in or not, she has been sick the past few days and I just got over being sick but some things I am starting to worry a little so I called. My friend was like, well you go to nursing school, can't you fix her. I was like I am a Nursing Student, not a Dr or experienced peds nurse to know when it's time go ahead and take her in or when I am just being a spazzy mom.

Frankly if I had a question and looked on the internet and came across a site about nurses, I would be quite encouraged to get on the site and ask a bunch of nurses. I don't think I would bother with the TOS, either. Most people, me included, don't read the TOS until they get an inkling to do so.

Some of the non-professional posters are asking questions that make my CreepMeter go off. Then jumping into some philosophical rant about which they know nothing. I don't respond to these and quit reading anything by that poster. Some of these things have to be invented and not real life.

There are so few places that nurses can anonymously discuss nursing issues. That is why this website is so important for me.