Misdirected aggression

[malenurseFl]

When someone asks you what you do for a living, do you hesitate? I'm a nurse and an R.N. next year. It's gotten so I don't like to tell people that I'm a nurse. Instead of friendliness or even indifference I'm greeted with anger and resentment. My only friends now are other nurses. I wonder if its just the area I live in or the economy in general that's the driving factor in how I'm greeted. I never say I'm a nurse in a demeaning or uppity manner but matter of fact.

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

I get the over excited response as well. I have only gotten a few times can you get me x narcotic, but that is quickly nipped in the bud. I tend to get asked lots of questions. Sometimes I have had my friends ask if I could fix them up with a doctor.

[malenurseFl]

I get the over excited response as well. I have only gotten a few times can you get me x narcotic but that is quickly nipped in the bud. I tend to get asked lots of questions. Sometimes I have had my friends ask if I could fix them up with a doctor.[/quote']

Lol @ fix up with a doctor. Other nurses I know locally are on the hunt for doctors too!

[shamrokks, ADN, ASN, RN]

I have never had any anger or resentment as a reaction to my telling people I am a nurse. The only people I don't want to broadcast it to are my neighbors... because I don't want any "my kid fell, my husband is sick, my wife's in labor" knocks on my door.

Exactly!

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

I guess it depends on "who" you're telling. I come from a family of doctors and engineers, so they all feel sorry for me. Most of my friends are other nurses or teachers, or some other type of degreed professional, so they make about the same as I do. I do hear "I couldn't do what you do" a lot, but they usually mean they couldn't deal with the smells and clean-up type stuff.

[anashenwrath, ASN, RN]

When I tell people I'm in nursing school, I usually get a lot of: "Wow, that's amazing/noble/special." Followed by some personal story about a great interaction they've had with a nurse. I guess I've been lucky so far.

And when people try to imply that it's all about money, I gently remind them that I'm leaving a very well-paying desk job to pursue nursing.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

No one tells me anything and that's why I wanted to ask on this board. It really gets old fast. Everyone around seems to think being a nurse = wealth. I'm sure not seeing wealth from being a nurse. It may be that there is only one nursing school where I live for R.N. they turned away 1000 qualified applicants a couple years ago. It could be everyone knows someone that worked hard to become a qualified applicant and was turned down. It may just be because most jobs in my area pay much less than what nurses make. A combination of those factors is also possible.

I'm hoping to get more feedback from the family of nurses on here.

I have never encountered hostility....only respect and admiration

[NurseDirtyBird]

When I tell people what I do, they either ask my opinion on health care reform or ask me what the grossest thing I've ever seen was. Either way, they usually regret asking.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

When I was much younger when my friends and I went out for a drink, if I told someone I was a nurse, I'd get the leer and the "he, he, he". Now they just ask what kind of nursing I do and if I like it.

[mariebailey, MSN, RN]

I'm accustomed to riding on airplanes and listening to people seated next to me tell me about their entire health history once I've revealed my profession. I feel like it puts people more at ease when they hear the word "nurse", although I am generalizing, I admit.

[fasnv]

I was in my college's bookstore searching for something and a man asked me what I was majoring in. I mentioned Liberal Arts, which made his face sour. When I added Nursing, he was blushing and smiling.

I thought that it was pretty cute!

[NJnewRN]

I have always gotten back positive feedback from strangers. Most people are quite impressed and have more respect for me. I purposely choose not to tell people. Heck, sometimes I forget that I'm a nurse! I just feel that when I tell people what I do sometimes, it gives them the wrong idea. Sometimes people want to get closer to me for some kind of motive. I know it sounds paranoid, but I have had friends come out of the wood work, gotten into arguments with relatives, family, and friends because they want me to give them money or pay for everything.

[brandy1017, ASN, RN]

Strange! Usually when someone knows your a nurse they start asking you all about their health problems and what does it mean! I've never gotten a negative attitude about nursing, just people looking for free advice. I don't mind but I don't advertise I'm a nurse either. There is a myth that nurses are rich out there though, lol. If only that were true. Sure you can make good money especially with overtime as a slave to work but I don't think that makes one rich! Nursing pays the bills, that's all!