Do you tell?

KellyandtheBoys · Sep 24, 2001

No, I usually don't tell. I'll let them finish and then tell them I am a nurse.

spudflake · Sep 24, 2001

I don't mention it either. I wait and see what's going to happen... but then again, I haven't seen a Doc but once every two years for the mandatory female stuff. My OB/GYN knows me from the ER so I don't have to tell him.

Working ER I have access to as many Docs as I need and I hardly need them. Hope to stay healthy;)

BeachNurse · Sep 24, 2001

Had a doctors appt. a few weeks ago and they kept me waiting for an hour after my appointment time. The PA saw I was wearing my scrubs (and the my badge that I put back on). I ended up getting all my meds free (samples) and a hearty apology. I doubt I would've gotten that if I wasn't a nurse. I hadn't said a word to her about my anger over the delay, but I'm sure she knew! :rolleyes:

JennieBSN · Sep 24, 2001

My hcp's know I'm an RN, simply because #1 I like to have more say in my treatment and #2 I hate being talked to like a 2 year old. Plus, once they know, the visit goes a lot faster.

As for telling when I'm w/a family member, well, if it were up to me I WOULDN'T tell, but my *#@!! family always does!! When my sister was in the hospital, she had an evil nurse and a crappy doctor who wasn't listening to her, and called me @ home crying and begging me to help her. That's the ONLY time I've used my 'I'm a nurse' trump card. I called the hospital, DEMANDED to speak w/the charge nurse, got my sister's nurse assignment changed, got her pain meds changed (they weren't working), and then drove myself down there to see to it that she was properly taken care of. Got her up, changed her bed, bathed her, made her walk the halls (she had an emergency appy....hers ruptured), and then fluffed her and tucked her in. Got her some toradol and some ATIVAN (she was having panic attacks), and then drove home.

I don't like to tell when it's a family member unless I feel their care is substandard or inappropriate. I hate it when a family member tells ME they're a nurse before I've even opened my MOUTH. It is sooooooo irritating. Like they're TRYING to intimidate me or something. All it does is put me on the defensive and piss me off. I recently took care of a nurse in labor, and her sister was a nurse too. Didn't find that out until I was an hour into their care, reading her chart, and STUMBLED on the info. They were both very nice and didn't try to act like they knew it all (the pt. was an OR nurse and the sister was psych). It turned out to be one of my best assignments becasue they felt comfortable w/my care and I didn't have to walk on egg shells and feel like they were scrutinizing me.

Interesting thread.

OneChattyNurse · Sep 25, 2001

When I was in nursing school, my first case during my OB/GYN rotation was caring for a post OP TAH/BSO on the NURSE RECRUITER for that hospital!!! Not just intimidating..I was terrified! Then I had to go to an outlying clinic to see kids. The nurse in charge asked me if I had done TB tests yet. I said no, so she grabbed some sterile water and some syringes and had me give her a couple to make sure I could do it. That scared the heck out of me too, but I am great at TB tests after giving those to her AND about 50 squirming kids!!! It is great to get experience like that in school!!

Shari

kaycee · Sep 25, 2001

Not unless I have to. I don't mind the extra explanations. My own doc knows I am a nurse, but when I'm with a family member I ususally don't say anything but they usually do. People are usually more nervous around you if they know so I'd rather they didn't. That's just me.

**canoehead, BSN, RN** · Sep 25, 2001

I never tell. My own doc knows but I have seen too many people roll their eyes, assuming that if they are caring for a nurse that there will be extra demands and scrutinizing of every move. If they guess I would be honest, but only if they ask.

I also like to avoid the gossip factor- health care workers talk to each other abou7t each other all the time.

aimeee, BSN, RN · Sep 25, 2001

Generally, I don't mention it. The regular providers know it already. With other providers I kind of want to see how they treat the ordinary citizen and it helps me judge their standard of care if they think I am just Ms. Average Citizen...BUT if I'm in a situation where I don't think they are being straight with me I start using the medical jargon and asking the hard questions and watch 'em squirm!

nur20 · Sep 25, 2001

Originally posted by Slowone
Just a quick show of hands... How many of you disclose that you are a nurse when you are either at the doctors office, taking your child/loved one to a medical professional etc...?
Do you notice that some nurses will become nervous around you almost as though they think you are "grading" them if they know?
Do YOU get nervous taking care of medical proffesionals?
Do you use medical terminology when discussing your own medical problems to your provider?
When you are being given medical adivice do you nod politely and let them fininsh or interupt to say "yes I know, I'm a nurse"?
Just wondering.
Steph

YES,YES,YES,YES AND YES

nilepoc · Sep 25, 2001

I usually tell my doctor that I am a nurse. I also stress that I am an ICU nurse and that I don't have much experience with typical medical complaints. By doing this, I hope to show tht I am knowledgable in some aspects of medicine, but that they should explain things to me and not assume I know everything about say cancer.

On the same note, I hate dealing with medical people that assume they know everything. Like the Podiatrist that comes in to the bedside of his mother who has just had an acute MI and starts ordering me around. Well they usually don't have privilages where I work, so ordering me around doesn't help them at all. Mostly they just look silly.

Another favorite is the family that wears their ID badge from another hospital into my facility, thinking it will get them extra special treatment. Or the family that makes a point of always showing up in scrubs. I took care of one patient whose mother would come in wearing her badge proclaiming her the director of a prominant medical board in the state. She was a real treat. It was neat though to see our medical director bow to her. Its the only time i have seen him at the bedside every day.

I really hate the way an admitted doctor gets the red carpet treatment while other patients are treated normally. Other doctors fall all over themselves giving their colleague extra special care. Here is an example

Typical patient needing cardioversion gets versed and cardioversion in their room.

Doctor as a patient got Anesthesia at bedside, any drug they wanted, and an OR suite for their cardioversion. Not exactly fair eh?

anyway enough ranting.

Generally my interactions with medically oriented families are good, but the bad interactions sure stick in ones head.

Y2KRN · Sep 26, 2001

I don't tell I like to see how I will be treated and I get nervous when I know that I am taking care of a nurse, and I wouldn't want to make anyone else nervous. I took my husband to the ER two days after I started working there, and one of the eve. nurses recognized me and told the nurse that was taking care of my husband and she told me that once she knew she was nervous. She treated us great both knowing and not knowing. :)

laurab2jb2 · Sep 26, 2001

Hi everyone!

After reading the replies to this thread, I just wanted to add something.....

If you, as a nurse, are in the care of a student nurse (like me!), I feel it would be a great help to us to let us know, in a nice way, that you are a nurse, and can help with any questions they may have regarding your care (of course, if you're up to it).

It would be a great learning experience for the student, as we can still be rather unsure about some things, and you will know you're getting the proper care. Some day, we will be caring for patients alone, and any of your experience to share would be a fabulous benefit.

Just had to share this. Thanks for listening