AJN Article Opinions.. "I'm No Angel"

NeuroICURN · Oct 30, 2004

Gawd, it is sooooo weird you posted this today!!! I didn't see the article, but I was discussing this EXACT thing with one of the women at work today!!!

I agree totally that we are no angels! I am there to do a job and that's it! I do NOT believe that it is a "calling" or anything romantic like that! I refuse to get all involved in my pt's lives and families.

When I'm there, I care for them as a person and that's it! I have a job to do...and that's to keep them alive and on the road to recovery or a peaceful death, whatever. Once it's time for me to leave, I'm outta there. I don't give those people a second thought! Sure, I rarely might wonder about how someone turned out (i.e. a young woman who just had a baby and had a head bleed)....but other than that, I don't care.

I've found that the people who get all wrapped up in the job and their patients usually don't have much of a life outside of work....their job IS their home. Their home life is pathetic. Personally, I have a rewarding life outside of work, and I don't need to live through my job.

The one thing my job does do for me is make me thankful for every day that I am given with myself and my family.

It's a job people.....not a "calling". We are not angels, we are nurses, we are human.

talaxandra · Oct 30, 2004

I'm with you - labelling nursing 'a calling' and nurses 'angels' reinforces the nurse/nun archetype and underscores the idea that the job is, in itself, really reward enough.

"No, there's no need to pay me - I'm an angel who was called to nursing, and fulfilling my life's destiny is payment enough. Please let me stay late tonight, so that I may glow with the inner happiness of a duty fulfilled."

Trauma-tizedRN · Oct 30, 2004

Gawd, it is sooooo weird you posted this today!!! I didn't see the article, but I was discussing this EXACT thing with one of the women at work today!!!
I agree totally that we are no angels! I am there to do a job and that's it! I do NOT believe that it is a "calling" or anything romantic like that! I refuse to get all involved in my pt's lives and families.
When I'm there, I care for them as a person and that's it! I have a job to do...and that's to keep them alive and on the road to recovery or a peaceful death, whatever. Once it's time for me to leave, I'm outta there. I don't give those people a second thought! Sure, I rarely might wonder about how someone turned out (i.e. a young woman who just had a baby and had a head bleed)....but other than that, I don't care.
I've found that the people who get all wrapped up in the job and their
patients usually don't have much of a life outside of work....their job IS their home. Their home life is pathetic. Personally, I have a rewarding life outside of work, and I don't need to live through my job.
The one thing my job does do for me is make me thankful for every day that I am given with myself and my family.
It's a job people.....not a "calling". We are not angels, we are nurses, we are human.

Amen Sistah...

Don't get me wrong....

I do care about these people....they aren't just a unit of workload to me....I care about outcomes and feel proud of myself and the skills I bring to the table to have positive outcomes...I don't entangle and overcare neurotically...I just like to know the outcomes of a job well-done. I DO give em a thought or two on the way home or at home...but not ANYWHERE close to the point that the lines between job and home fuzz.

It IS a HUMAN services job. Some nurses go robotic...I am not there....I REALLY do care...as a human, as a nurse professional....but NO ANGEL.

Jo Dirt · Oct 30, 2004

Actually, I think what FN did in her day was probably a lot more trying and difficult than the way we nurse today.

Trauma-tizedRN · Oct 30, 2004

I'm with you - labelling nursing 'a calling' and nurses 'angels' reinforces the nurse/nun archetype and underscores the idea that the job is, in itself, really reward enough.
"No, there's no need to pay me - I'm an angel who was called to nursing, and fulfilling my life's destiny is payment enough. Please let me stay late tonight, so that I may glow with the inner happiness of a duty fulfilled."

Good point Tala-

This outdated Angel archetype also keeps the wages down. I truly believe if the public REALLY knew what our roles were...they'd agree hands down that we are not even getting paid CLOSE to what nurses are really worth.

Such a same old song and dance tho.....what we need is a real nurse revolutionary attitude to drag this role from the history books into the light of present day.

plumrn, BSN, RN · Oct 30, 2004

Very thought provoking. I had never thought about it quite that way, but what you said does make sense to me. Good post.

Trauma-tizedRN · Oct 30, 2004

Very thought provoking. I had never thought about it quite that way, but what you said does make sense to me. Good post.

Thank you Plum....spread the bug.

sharann, BSN, RN · Oct 30, 2004

I work in PACU as you may know and have been called a "beautiful angel " on occasion. I take it as a complement and say "I must be giving you the right drugs!" But this is serious now. I am called to nursing. I am a professional and competent and intelligent(and angelic at times ha ha), but I don't take offense in being thought of in a positive light. ANY positive light is good nowadays. The naughty nurse thing doesn't fly wi/me though!

Trauma-tizedRN · Oct 30, 2004

That any nurse reading this thread knows the author....

Direct her to this post.... I would sure like to chat professional philosophy with her or to find any other articles she may have written. I am always interested in discussing issues with fellow nurses who are progressive thinkers....a good spark for creative, positive change. Long shot, but you never know! :)

rnmi2004 · Oct 30, 2004

I can understand the opinions posted here & what the article's author was saying, and I agree with them for the most part. However, I'm not going to get upset or offended when I've been taking care of a patient who tells me I'm an angel. That is how they want to express their feelings to me.

I'm not sure how nurses can go about addressing this issue. How many patients read AJN? We're not going to give patients a pamphlet--"How to appropriately express gratitude to your nurse." I suppose if it really bothered a nurse, he/she could pleasantly say, "Well thank you--but I'm not an angel, just someone who cares about you."

No, I don't want to be thought of as an "angel." But there are other issues related to nursing stereotypes that irk me even more. In my limited experience, it is the elderly that use the term. Perhaps younger generations don't view us that way, & with time this issue will be a moot point?

NeuroICURN · Oct 30, 2004

I agree that it is mostly older people who see us as "angels" and yes, I also don't have a problem if that is how they want to express their gratitude. I just humbly accept the compliment and go on with my day. I wouldn't offend someone by saying "oh, don't call me an angel". You're probably right that it won't be much of a problem in a few years.

However, my problem is with the nurses who think that nursing is a calling and that get all wrapped up in their patients and worry about it after they go home. I just want to say to them "get a frieking life"!!!!

Even some of the posts here irk me for that reason. Some people post "oh, I am so worried about this pt. I had because...blah, blah, blah" I can't speak for any of you, but when I'm at my work, I do it to the best of my ability, with skill and with knowledge....but once I'm done, I'm done. I give report and I don't hang out any longer than I absolutely have to. I have a husband and a kid that I'd much rather see!

P.S. Anyone have a copy of the article? I don't get AJN...but I'd love to read it to have more to reference to.