A real nurse

[AOx1]

I am working on my doctorate, working full-time as a nurse educator, and during summers and breaks I return to the ICU, my first love :) I was working in the ICU last weekend when a coworker asked me if I missed working as a "real" nurse. I found this surprising, although I probably shouldn't. Over time, including on this board, I've heard over and over the same misconception that if you're not a bedside hospital nurse, you're not a "real" nurse.

There are a thousand permutations on the theme: LTC nurses aren't real nurses, people who work outside of "unit x" aren't real nurses, people who are LPNs aren't "real" nurses, ad nauseum. I am so tired of this. A favored theme seems to be "Those who can, do; those who can't, teach." I feel that despite working my butt off to stay current in my practice and bring relevant education to students, these contributions must have no value in my peers' eyes.

To me, a nurse comes in so many forms; different but equal, all with an important role. Why does nursing only respect the value of ONE type of nursing? It's like Pinocchio, worried about being a "real" boy. I wish more time was spent recognizing our peers unique skills and less spent trying to tear each other down. That's all, just a vent and a wish things would change.

[LACA, BSN, LPN, RN]

i like the bedside nursing..i'm only an lvn, but i'm content and very happy. i haven't really given much thought to pursing my rn...like in the military...the higher you go..the more bs & paperwork you need to deal with. i'd rather give my time to actually helping and healing people (the foundation of nursing..for both rns & lvns). so what if you have a msn or bsn...it really doesn't reflect your knowledge as a nurse or caregiver. an rn with a diploma is just as good and an msn and it doesn't necessarily reflect on what you know as a nurse anyway. it's good if you want to be a desk jockey and leave the patient care setting, is how i look at it, i do understand tho that it's needed if you want to the whole np, fnp and so on....but it still doesn't reflect on you're nursing capabilities.

this stood out to me....and was something i was told in nursing school....you are an lpn/lvn...not only. :)

[justalpnwmg]

It's not other people who make me feel less than a "real" nurse. It is me. I was hired as a Field Nurse Supervisor for a HHA only 2 yrs into my nursing career, and I really hadn't gotten a lot of good, hands-on patient care experience yet. I am very cerebral, well-spoken, impeccable writing skills, great computer skills, etc. I was made for a job like this. BUT... I am reminded on a regular basis that I really don't have much in the way of clinical skills and it really weighs heavily on me. I DON'T feel like a real nurse, and I'm afraid I won't until I really get in the trenches and do the hard stuff - i.e., Med-Surg in a hospital. But the thought of doing that horrifies me. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. I'm good at my job, but I lack clinical experience. I definitely do NOT feel like a real nurse.

I think it is great you have realized what is nagging at you and have guts enough to write it down in a forum like this. Why not apply at a local hospital as a prn and get some of those skills that you feel you are lacking.

[johnnybravo8802]

Thank you so much for this.

I am a volunteer nurse in a free clinic and I sometimes have to tell myself that even though I don't have a W-2, I am still a "real" nurse. I pay for insurance and continuing education. I have an active license that says licensed to practice as an RN, what is more real than that!

Yea, I'm thinking about doing some volunteer work myself "Focker." :lol2: I'm just messing with you...I couldn't resist. Here in Ga., an educator has to work as a "real nurse" to stay current on their skills...that's a requirement. Hey, I'm a flight nurse....does that qualify?

[suanna]

There were many times when I wanted to tell my nurse educators to get real. At times we would discuss that they "couldn't be for real" in the hallway after an exam. Oddly enough it was never a question of whether they were nurses- just if they were real at all??!! Maybe this is where the attitude about them not being "real nurses" comes from.

[gentlegiver, ASN, LPN, RN]

The first ime someone asked me when I was going to become a "Real Nurse" (she was a retired RN in LTC as a patient), I was insulted and snapped back "I am a Real Nurse" and left the room. Fast forward 6 yrs later: When someone asked to speak to a "Real Nurse" my CNA came and got me. The patient looked at my badge (Gentlegiver, LPN) and insisted on an RN. Well, I work LTC, we don't always have an RN on duty, but my DON is an RN and she just happened to be there that day. So I called her and told her the patients requested an RN. She arrived briskly and asked the patient what the problem was, patient made her request... DON said "that is a job for your Nurse, she is "Real" I know I hired her!" she then turned and left the room (laughing to herself all the way back to her office). That patient never pulled the I want a "Real Nurse" again! And I was so pleased and proud of her answer, it validated me in a way that I will always remember and when faced with someone telling me I'm not "Real" I remember her.

[navyguyhm3]

I work in a state psych hospital and many of the nurses there state that they do not feel like "real nurses" since they don't work in a "real hospital." I worked in a "real hospital," aka MEDICAL hospital before working here. I tell them to quit saying "real hospital" and say medical hospital instead. Psych nursing is very important and it requires nursing education to be able to administer meds and assess patient's psychological state.

I too, work in a mental health rehab hospital. I'm an LVN in California and I am a charge nurse, and the only NURSE, on my unit which has 45 residents who have illnesses that range from all levels of schizophrenia and other delusional states to mild decreased mental capacities. I have 3 patient couselors, 6 CNA's, a med tech (some days) and 2 activities personnel who work for me.

It's "real nursing" and it's back braking. dealing with patients with schizophrenia, bipolar, manic, depressive and other delusional states can be complicating along with all the medications used to treat the disease processes of these illnesses. Most of the time, it's like working in a medical hospital because we are usually dealing with everyday complications that affect everyone, dealing with self inflicted wounds, or wounds caused by the patients fighting, it's not always about working with their emotional state. Nursing has many different aspects, whether you're and LVN (LPN) or an RN. We are all licensed or registered to serve a purpose and practice nursing in our respective fields. I enjoy my title of LVN and am very proud of it, and no one can take that away. I know my duties as a nurse and I take great pride in my nursing abilities/capabilities and I am happy with what I am doing, in the field I chose to pursue.