Do you hate when?

Nursing Students General Students

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Do you guys hate when someone has an injury/illness expects you to diagnose them, knowing that you haven't even started clinicals or studied more than anatomy and physiology?

For example, someone's hand hurt and they said "Nurse, diagnose me!"...and I just kind of looked at them like "?". "All I can tell you is what bones are in your hand, to ice it if hurts, and to see your doc, lol".

I don't mind maybe suggesting a possible injury/illness if I know exactly what I'm talking about, but that isn't much since the only disease models I have really learned are in patho.

Just wanted to know if I was the only one out there who kinda gets irritated when this happens?

I know I get irritated because I don't know all of this material yet, but when I do I wouldn't hesitate to suggest something or give some advice.

I don't know, what do you all think?

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One of my coworkers at the group home where I work started asking me about blood in her poop yesterday. Um, I don't know AND I don't WANT to know about YOUR poop!

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People hear that you are a nursing student and all of a sudden want to show you their gross things. I'm like "ack seriously!". It is kind of cool to hear about things, but I never offer any words. I just smile and say, you should see your doctor :yes:

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Specializes in Hospice.

When all else fails, "R.I.C.E. and see your doctor." :sarcastic:

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Specializes in Trauma, Teaching.

Be very leery of giving advice, even if you think you know.... It may come back to bite you in the backside. "I didn't go see a doctor because Guerre told me I didn't need to! Now I'm ...."

Just smile and say, "I haven't studied that, sorry, can't help you!" And if you have studied it, say "what I learned about that, is there is always a possibility that it may be something else, and I don't have enough experience to say which is which. Sorry, can't help you!"

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CYA and tell them to go to the doctor!

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You're right!

It just irritates me when people think I know everything just because they hear I'm going to be a nurse, lol.

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I actually kind of like it when people ask me things like that, I mean I don't know the stuff either, but it shows me that those people believe that nurses aren't just cute little girls who wipe butts and don't know squat, which many people I have met seem to think. I get it though...I feel like it would get annoying after so many times. And I have experienced the ones who like to tell all once they hear your a nursing student. But also, that makes me feel a little better about the profession I'm getting into.

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Specializes in Oncology/hematology.

Diagnosis is not within the scope of practice for a nurse. That's always my answer.

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One member of my family is a raging hypochondriac (seriously, she thought she had prostate cancer, and then freaked when first told she didn't have a prostate). She is constantly asking me do diagnose weird stuff, and I find it really annoying too. I just tell her she should ask her doctor, and remind her that even if I were a nurse (I don't even start my program until fall) I wouldn't be able to diagnose her problems. It usually works for a day or two :)

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Diagnosis is not within the scope of practice for a nurse. That's always my answer.
Doctors do not own diagnosis.

If someone asks me something we might just have a chat about it and I'll probably tell them to go see their doctor. Usually it isn't people asking me to diagnose stuff however it is usually them telling me about their perianal infection or last surgery.

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