Do you always state that you are a nurse?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Curious....

If you accompany a family or friend for any kind of treatment do you state that you are a nurse? How about if you are getting treated?

Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

I take my son to the PNP at whose practice I used to work (she's the only person I trust to touch him) so they by default know I'm a nurse.

My OB's office knows I'm a nurse, because we talk shop whenever I go there.

Any other time, if people find out I'm a nurse, it's incidental or because they ask. I try not to interfere in other people doing their job, just as I appreciate it when other people stand back and let me do mine when the shoe is on the other foot.

Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.
I don't mention it. I don't want them to think I'm watching them, when I really am.. hahaha...

me too. ;)

Specializes in CVICU.

I try not to, but sometimes it comes up. For example, my mom had a cervical fusion and was vomiting post-op (she's a pharmacist). I put the call light on for her and the nurse came in and eventually gave her "something for nausea." Well both my mom and I wanted to know what it was. The nurse told us it was Zofran... well my mom kept puking so I asked how much she had given. She told me "Only 4 mg, we aren't allowed to give 8 unless we put it on a syringe pump." Umm... ok? In any case, I didn't see hide nor hair of that nurse again the whole hour I was in the room... even as my mother continued to be sick. Thankfully I was there to help her vomit in the basin and clean her up.

The above example is exacltly why I don't mention I'm a nurse unless it comes up. I think I scared the other nurse off when all I wanted to know was if my mom could have more Zofran. :o

Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

I don't like to let anyone know cause once they do you inevitably get the famous conversation starter: "you're a nurse..." and you know you'll be dishing out some free medical advice. I don't like to let doctor's offices know that i am a nurse either. the intimidation factor is one, but also - sometimes i don't want to be talked to as a nurse. I feel sometimes that things like abnormal lab results, etc. are not always explained as well as they should be to me

Rarely if ever. I might speak up if only to sympathize with them or offer help. (changing, feeding, lifting up in bed, etc) Most of the time I'm out of my element anyway...Peds and OB are very different from LTC...yeah, we all know the basics, but when I'm somewhere for care, I don't need to be a nurse.

Specializes in Cath Lab, OR, CPHN/SN, ER.
Nope - not unless asked. However, the way I talk usually gives me away - lol!

Agreed.

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I have had negative experiences with people who have tried to impress me with their medical backgrouds; so, I tend to become very annoyed when people lord it in my face. I've discovered that some people who tried to do so were home health aides, CNAs, dietary aides and even housekeepers. This is not in disrespect to their positions on the health care team, this is annoyance of people pretending to be something they are not (and doing a poor job at it). Then, I have had some who felt very entitled and used this opportunity to harass and intimidate others. All of this can lead to resentment in the health care worker rendering care, so, I try not to announce what I do for a living.

But, of course, it comes out. In my case, I usually try and translate the medical jargon to civilian language or try to help where I can (like offer to give the bed bath or make the bed to give nursing a break). Oh, well, wherever you go, you take yourself with you. :D

Specializes in OB, NICU, Nursing Education (academic).

I really like being incognito, and enjoy it whenever I can. I am usually "outed", though, by either my husband or the literally hundreds of ex-students at our regional hospital.

Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

A couple weeks ago I had an experience with a surgeon, as a patient. At the beginning of the appointment he asked me what I do. I said, "I'm a student." And I intended to leave it at that. But it didn't work. And I don't have the nerve to lie. I confess it was on the tip of my tongue to lie and say, "I'm a biochemistry student."

But instead, I told the truth. I said, "I'm an RN student. I graduate in one semester."

From that point on, the surgeon's face lit up and he appeared to have great fun; he talked to me differently. I just wanted to be treated like the general public. He quizzed me on how many grams of tylenol a day is toxic, the insertion points and "geography" of the bones on my x-ray, etc. He quizzed me on the vascularization of the joint versus articular cartilage. He put my x-ray up and asked me to point out what was wrong before he told me my diagnosis. (Good luck, I was clueless!)

Finally I just said, "I am really upset because I cannot walk normally ever since my injury, let alone do my daily exercise. I am distressed, worried, and in pain. I can't concentrate like a nurse or nursing student. Can you just speak civilian to me?"

It worked perfectly. Thank goodness.

A couple weeks ago I had an experience with a surgeon, as a patient. At the beginning of the appointment he asked me what I do. I said, "I'm a student." And I intended to leave it at that. But it didn't work. And I don't have the nerve to lie. I confess it was on the tip of my tongue to lie and say, "I'm a biochemistry student."

But instead, I told the truth. I said, "I'm an RN student. I graduate in one semester."

From that point on, the surgeon's face lit up and he appeared to have great fun; he talked to me differently. I just wanted to be treated like the general public. He quizzed me on how many grams of tylenol a day is toxic, the insertion points and "geography" of the bones on my x-ray, etc. He quizzed me on the vascularization of the joint versus articular cartilage. He put my x-ray up and asked me to point out what was wrong before he told me my diagnosis. (Good luck, I was clueless!)

Finally I just said, "I am really upset because I cannot walk normally ever since my injury, let alone do my daily exercise. I am distressed, worried, and in pain. I can't concentrate like a nurse or nursing student. Can you just speak civilian to me?"

It worked perfectly. Thank goodness.

My GI doc did something like that with me (his nurse knew me and told him) -- I am not a student so he did not quiz me. I have to say that he spoke to me more professionally than some doctors I work with. Incredibly respectful guy. Although I suspect that it is his nature to be respectful of all of his patients.

I don't - when I'm a patient, I want to be treated like a patient.

When medical people know I'm a nurse, then tend to assume I don't need anything . .education about my over-40 pregnancy, help getting out of bed after a cesarean, etc.

If I'm with a family member, I just want to sit quietly and watch too :coollook:

steph

Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

Only if it comes up in the course of the conversation. And I have never had to flaunt the fact that I was a nurse except for when my mother was being treated for cancer. I had to because some of the nurses did not know what they were doling.

+ Add a Comment