big bad nursing myths busted

[adrienurse]

In the name of nursing week I will defend our profession. I'm not trying to stir up controversy, but lets admit nurses perpetuate myths about their own profession and injure nursing's rep way more than everyone else can. Ever heard any good ones?

For example:

Geriatric nursing is only for untalented nurses and ones gearing down for their retirement.:trout:

[emmycRN]

BSN prepared nurses have less clinical knowledge.

ADN nurses are better prepared for bedside nursing.

[jpRN84, BSN, RN]

That psych nurses don't do anything. :angryfire

[NurseCherlove]

All nurses do is empty bedpans and wipe butts.

And the ultimate rebuttal to that is when one of your patients tells you, "We know who does all the work for the patients" with a smile and wink, after you tell them that you will reckon an issue that the MD has overlooked for the third time.

[NurseCherlove]

That psych nurses don't do anything. :angryfire

or that they aren't "real nurses" :angryfire

[NurseCherlove]

Here's a really stupid one...that ICU nurses just depend on monitors to tell them about their patient's status (i.e. they would not be able to tell if their pt was declining without monitors).

[TazziRN, RN]

Men only go into Nursing because they're not smart enough to get into Medical school

I actually heard that all men who go into nursing must be gay!!!! First time I heard that I nearly busted a gut laughing.

[EarthChild1130]

That one about psych nurses not being 'real' nurses really is the one that burns me up! :trout:

[KellieNurse06]

How about " school nurses do nothing but sit at a desk all day"......I know a school nurse who is busy all day non stop.........and I used to think school nurses did pretty much nothing myself until she disspelled that myth real fast. When I was in school as a kid though you didn't dare go to the nurse unless you were practically dying....nowadays the kids go to the nurse for any little thing , and some are the same ones going every day practically to the nurses office......my school nurse friend told me this and I was shocked at the difference from when we were kids to now........:uhoh21:

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

i actually heard that all men who go into nursing must be gay!!!! first time i heard that i nearly busted a gut laughing.

i still hear that one from time-to-time. i just laugh. dh is a nurse and a martial arts teacher . . .

but 30 years ago, when i started, the only male nurses i knew were gay.

[fronter]

"Florence Nightingale was born into an English aristocratic family. She was spoiled and difficult, yet had a sense early in her life that she had been picked by God to do something special. Against her family's wishes she went into nursing, then an activity mostly practiced by prostitutes and drunkards."

(I wish Hx of nursing was little different)

[LeahJet, ASN, RN]

All ER nurses are mean, tough, and jaded.

[UM Review RN, ASN, RN]

Nurses make a lot of money and have great health insurance.

Nurses never get sick.