dear patients, please quit saying that to me

Nurses General Nursing

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A little about me: I'm in my mid 20's, 5'1 tall, and petite with a baby-face look. Thanks to genetics, I look short and younger than I am. I don't like it when patients calls me "cute" and tiny, and if I'm still in high school.

I used to say "thank you" and ignore them and "I'm a lot older than you think". A lot of times my patients judge me as soon as I walk into the room and say "are you old enough to care for me?" and I tell them that I went through school, have 2 bachelor's degree and am a licensed RN....etc.

Don't get me wrong, I love talking to my patients and caring for them but sometimes it gets annoying when both female/male patients say "your hands are so tiny" and wants to compare hands. Then throughout the day they start saying stuff like oh you're the shortest nurse here, that's cute.... let me see your tiny hands again. At that point, I just ignore them and change the subject regarding their care.

Ugh. Dear patients, quit saying that I'm cute and tiny and just let me do my work.

sorry, just a vent.

I'm not tiny, 5'7, but everyone always mistakes me for a teeenager. I've actually had them ask me where I plan to go to school (college)! Really....you think I haven't even graduated HS and I am taking care of you.....sure.

People always tell me to enjoy it but it can be hard when everyone on the planet thinks you are a kid. It is hard to be taken seriously, not just in the hospital but in life.

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It's inappropriate.

Would these same people tell someone how big their feet are, or that they have hands like a man, or how fat their ass is?

It's as if as a patient they can say and do whatever they want.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.
it's inappropriate.

would these same people tell someone how big their feet are, or that they have hands like a man, or how fat their ass is?

it's as if as a patient they can say and do whatever they want.

lol, yes they can and they do indeed:d

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i am a "pocket nurse" myself.."your so little i could put you in my pocket", and the like has been uttered more times than i care to hear...for some reason that dosent bug me....but comments that did bug me, where when my twins were very young, and random strangers would approach me & make comments! it happend every time we went out! i often threatend to print up fliers to hand out saying, "yes i do have my hands full, yes they are identical, no twins dont run in my family, i only dress them alike when nothing else is clean! etc. etc. etc. some folks are just like that, they have to comment when something appears out of the "norm". i'm a unconsicious gawker myself....or so i've been told! lol...humans r weird!

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

*sigh* I have been nursing only for six months now and I'm already getting tired of being told that I look like a little girl. I'm 5'2, 116 lbs with a sweet face. I've had patients make that statement and then tell me not to take offense to it. I can understand when the demented LOL say "Come here little girl." That doesn't bother me. How do I not take offense to it when I'm finally starting to feel like a grown up and professional and then someone does that.

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Specializes in A myriad of specialties.
i guess it does have its benefits... your last sentence cracked me up :D

and yes, there are a lot more things to be annoying about but it just bothers me when some patients tell me that they don't want me as their nurse because i'm "too young". then i have to give the same speech all over again.

yes i can imagine it is annoying; continue with the witty responses to their remarks. maybe it'll stop, maybe not...i don't think you're "thin-skinned" as someone commented; all you wanted to do was vent--you clearly said that in your first post. venting is why many of us come here.

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i sooo understand.

i tire of always being told i look like a b*tch.

it's lonely at the top.:lol2:

leslie

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Specializes in OB, Peds, Med Surg and Geriatric Nsg.

I get the same compliments from my patients and I don't find it annoying. I just smile, say thank you and make them comfortable as I could possibly be. I agree with CTPixie that it has its own benefits like trying to talk down on a patient striking out my staff. My co-workers find me as a "kiss-ass nurse" and I don't really care. At the end of the day, I pat myself on the back knowing that I did my best to give them the best care possible. You have to prove to your patients that behind that cutesy 'lil figure of yours is a good and effective nurse who has enough skills to take care of someone else's life.

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Specializes in OB, NICU, Nursing Education (academic).
On the other side, I am almost 6 feet tall, and if one more person asks me if I play basetball I think that I am going to lose it...

Right there with you! I am 6 feet tall and get the basketball question all the time! For the record, I'm a terrible basketball player......but a pretty good dancer.

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Specializes in DOU.

I think it's best to take comments like this in the spirit in which they were intended. Life is too short to take offense to the most obvious comments a person will make about you.

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i sooo understand.

i tire of always being told i look like a b*tch.

it's lonely at the top.:lol2:

leslie

you crack me up......:yeah:

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yes i can imagine it is annoying; continue with the witty responses to their remarks. maybe it'll stop, maybe not...i don't think you're "thin-skinned" as someone commented; all you wanted to do was vent--you clearly said that in your first post. venting is why many of us come here.

thank you! i don't consider myself thin-skinned and i do joke around with most of my patients but like a previous posting mentioned, there are some people out there who likes to constantly say it to you after you tell them to stop.

and for everyone else, to the tall.. the short... the average height people... thanks for commenting!! i feel loved on this forum hehehe :yeah:

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