I'm just as good as you...

[rnrg]

Why THE HECK does everyone assume because we're home care nurses we must be of a lesser quality?

I'm out with hubby last night and this chicken asked me, "what do you do?" I said, Im an RN. She says the typical "oh, what hospital do you work at?" I told her I'm a high acuity pediatric homecare RN. She was like, "huh, oh ok." I am so SICK of people thinking my job isn't important!! I work ALONE. When stuff gets hairy I can't call over a Co-worker for help. When emergencies happen it's me, myself and I. I work in Ill prepared houses, bad neighborhoods, without supplies and can just about provide care to anyone anywhere at anytime. No stocked med room. No computers. No Vocera. Nothing. Why why WHY do people think homecare is a joke? All of my pts are vent dependant and tube fed. Some are infusion therapy. I've resuscitated babies. I've worked 20+ hour shifts. I've saved babies lives!

I AM NOT A JOKE! and because you are all PDN'S you know, this job isn't easy.

End rant.

[nurse2be13]

Keep doing your job well and ignore the negativity.

[SDALPN]

I think sometimes they just don't know what we do. I get the question all the time (what hospital) and I explain not all nurses work in hospitals. Then I go on to explain what I do.

I've even had people react surprised when I explain what I do. They don't realize that there are medically fragile kids. They seem to think that stuff only happens to "old" people. And since many parents keep their kids in, that means even less people see medical fragile kids.

I think most take for granted that their kids or the kids they know are healthy.

I've even been asked what Dr I work for when I've said I don't work in a hospital. I think it also says a lot about how little people know about nurses and the wide variety of areas in the field.

[CoolKidsRN]

I say, ignore the crap that other people give you and focus on being amazing. I truly admire home health nurses as it is not an easy task that everyone can handle. Like OP said, you have to handle emergencies on your own with no one to help you. Keep up the good work and ignore the chickens that sit on a high pedestal thinking that hospital jobs are the only way to become a real nurse. Every nurse who passes the NCLEX is a real nurse and the place where you work should not dictate that.

[caliotter3]

I don't look for acceptance, accolades, or even respect. I satisfy myself with a paycheck and whether or not I even have a job the next day.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

You're a nurse the minute you passed the NCLEX and earned that RN/LVN license. Whatever you do with your license in no way changes that fact.

Ignore the haters. You're doing a job in a speciality that a lot of nurses can't handle...I know I can't.

[amoLucia]

Hospitals and doctor offices - that's from where most of the general public get their perception of nursing. There and from TV/movies.

So is it any wonder that they really don't know there are so many of us doing our nursing in other areas?!?!? I'm not surprised.

There was a great article some time ago from the Commuter about areas of nsg being identified as high value versus low value. It was enlightening reading and it touched upon some aspects of this unequal recognition of nsg practice.

We all do good!

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

I found once I explained WHAT I do and what I KNOW, the "oh's" were more of wonder; if anyone didn't see me as "less" of a nurse, I wound know, or rather, didn't care.

[anh06005, MSN, APRN, NP]

I'm not private duty (I'm intermittent home care) and we get the same. Many think we just come and check their BP. Had a patient taking too much budex with kidney issues. Uh oh. Called him later after talking to doc and told him I'd be drawing lab work. He asked "where do I meet you?" Uhhhh I come to your home.

And many who come home with abx therapy don't realize they can do it at home with our help.

Our CHF patients are amazed when we can do a few days of IV lasix in home during an exacerbation!!

People don't understand home nursing unless they've had it unfortunately. But those that have it appreciate it a lot more!

I think all of heath care should focus more on home care including providers going TO THE HOME.

[bsyrn, ASN, RN]

I feel your pain, I used to work Peds homecare. Now I am a school nurse and people think I sit around and give out

band aids all day....ya can't win

[aloha57]

Hi, I had > 15y Critical Care and this is my view, OR Home care, MS, Nursing Home etc are all specialties that we should respect. Show me an RN that can't learn something from every other RN (inclusive of new grads) and I'll show you and RN that boarders on dangerous. Nursing is great because we learn every day. I took 2 years off and decided that in my 50's and with my personal circumstances I wanted to take a different road. I was hired @ a NH 4 blocks away. Went from 2-4 patients to 35+. Thank good for their patience with me. I've learned so much and love my new career and all it's different aspects. I've learned so much. Sorry that some nurses try to act superior and bless all that have helped me.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

FWIW I used to work in a SNF, and would get the "Oh, what hospital do you work at?" question all the time. I think part of it is that some people have no clue what a range of settings we work in. Actually I can't think offhand of ANY profession that has more diversity of settings than nursing does. This past summer, my 3 yr old was taking a preschool gymnastics class taught by this sweet little 18 yr old who was headed off to college to study nursing. She said she wants to be a pediatric nurse, possibly work in a NICU, and then said "I do want to work in a hospital, though. I don't want to work in a clinic," like it was an either-or.

You rock and you know it. And you're in the perfect position to educate the unaware :)