Are nurses smarter than resident physicians?

[LeLeeFNP]

Okay so i work at a large teaching hospital/level one trauma facility. I rotated through the ED and a patient came in with suspected drug OD. We didn't know what the patient took but tried narcan and it didn't work. I suggested the use of Romazicon to the resident (assuming that if the patient ODed on benzos it would be worth a try) and he looked at me crazy. He had never heard of the drug. What????

Has anyone else found that the residents at your facility are clueless????

[wound warrier]

I agree, we were all new at one point. Did have a resident ask mw what CHF was though.

[MagsMom]

I think part of the problem may be that names like Romazicon and Versed are brand names and for the large part of their medical school education most med students learn the generic names.

Maybe if you presented the physiological processes of what is going on you and the resident could have a meaningful discussion.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Nurses become upset if doctors ridicule them, so why do the same thing to residents?

Two wrongs don't create a right. If a resident doctor doesn't know something, be a viable part of the solution by providing some clarification. If they state something that is blatantly incorrect, gently correct them.

How can the nursing profession demand the utmost respect if we disrespect our fellow nurses, nursing students, medical students, and resident doctors? We must respect ourselves first before people will even begin to bestow it upon us. Let's break the circle of apathy.

[Blackheartednurse]

Just because resident is not familiar with one or two drugs doesnt make him any less smarter than you...I bet if he would to start reciting PATHO or ANATOMY you would really feel dumbed down and clueless.So why make such hideous comments,seriously.

[leslie :-D]

smug nurses are never successful.

leslie

[mige]

as a physician we dont know ALL the medications. Even as an atteding now I dont know ALL the medications and their doses. I had a nurse asked me 1-2 weeks ago what X medication did and I honestly told her: I dont know but I will get back to you in 5 minutes and I did. The medication ended up being a trial drug for lymphoma cancer.

Making fun of residents is pretty bad. I didnt even think of making fun of nurses when I was a resident. I remember during residency having to take out my first central line and asking a young nurse to bring me supplies to take out the central line and she told me "I dont know what you need since this is my first one", I didnt laugh or ridicule her instead we both went to the supply room and got the stuff.

We are a team with different backgrounds and roles, making fun of one or the other only makes patient care worse and the patient is the one that pays the price.

[ayla2004, ASN, RN]

To agree with others.

I don't expect doctors to know everyting a decent consultant doesn't expect his juniors to know everything just be prepared to learn.

If i can help a pt by sharing knowledge or experince or even expalining nursing procedures i will.

i.e narcotis require 2 staff to adminster. RN, pharmcist and doctors are all valid checkers. However dr often dont know the proctol etc so i will explain what difference is it that they dont at least they will check. however i gort a laugh when a very good SHO made my laugh as she said eyesing it up like candy who would know if anything went missing.

[kanzi monkey]

As an NP I work very closely with interns and residents. I gotta say, from day one of being a doctor these newbies are ahead of me in their knowledge--they are just learning to apply it. I learn so much from their expansive knowledge base, and I hope that I can teach them about managing the exhausting pace of running the floor. I don't expect anyone to know everything--nurses, doctors, NPs, PAs. But working together, juggling ideas, we can usually find pretty decent solutions to problems together. As far as trying to reverse a potential benzo OD--even if I WAS familiar with that drug (which I'm honestly not) I'd want some expert consultation before administering it to an OD of unknown origin. It's great that a nurse can share her/his knowledge of a medication and even experience with giving it to patients--I find that really helpful when I come across something I haven't seen before. But please, don't use our humility--our ability to say "I don't know"--against us (us being anyone who is required to make clinical decisions in the field).

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

How lucky are we as nurses to be able to share our knowledge with these new residents and show them the ropes? I absolutely ADORE our residents. Sometimes you get smug ones, sometimes eager ones. The key is to remember that they are LEARNING and nurses are able to foster their learning in either a negative or a positive way. I am excited that they are learning new things and would rather take an opportunity to teach them little things here and there. I WANT them to shine. They are going to be taking care of my old butt one day! :)

[indigonurse]

At first they may be, but in time they usually catch up and should be functioning in an MD role. Could take years though. Of course there are those MD's who were not cut out to do bedside care and wind up going into research or teaching.

[Lisa, MA]

I have had several instances where a resident was completely unprepared or experienced with a situation. I've shown them how to give injections, how to figure out dosing, how to perform a throat culture, how to suture and even how to remove an impaction.

I don't find it irritating so much as I find it disappointing that a "doc" would be sent out into the field without even so much as having seen the "basics". I remember the old time doctors using the phrase "See one, Do one, Teach one". But I don't think that these residents are even passing the "See one" stage before they are let loose on society! Sad really.

[OCNRN63, RN]

I have had several instances where a resident was completely unprepared or experienced with a situation. I've shown them how to give injections, how to figure out dosing, how to perform a throat culture, how to suture and even how to remove an impaction.

I don't find it irritating so much as I find it disappointing that a "doc" would be sent out into the field without even so much as having seen the "basics". I remember the old time doctors using the phrase "See one, Do one, Teach one". But I don't think that these residents are even passing the "See one" stage before they are let loose on society! Sad really.

Those are basic skills that can be easily learned. The fund of knowledge they have acquired in medical school, on the other hand, takes years and years of hard work and dedication. You can't equate the two. I couldn't care less if my doctor knows how to give a shot. I do care that he/she knows how to perform a skilled assessment, make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment.