Are We "Glorifying" Nurses?

[nynursey_]

A fellow nurse (and near family member) shared this article on Facebook the other day. Initially, I was furious while reading through it, but then I took a minute to think about it. I still share some of my initial shock and disgust, but it's subsiding. I'm curious to hear what some of my fellow nurses think!

So .. discuss!

Article: We Need To Stop Glorifying Nurses | Thought Catalog

[T1meK1ller]

The author's punctuation needs help, but what I find more distracting is what appears to be an inability to begin a sentence without a conjunction. Conjunctions are acceptable in this style of writing, unless they are overused. Based upon her poor sentence structure, tendency to be redundant and wordy, I recommend she take a hiatus from social media to read "Elements of Style" to avoid future embarrassment while overgeneralizing.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

I agree that advanced knowledge and strong motivation are neccesities for such programs. I will say, however, that while I was in my first year of nursing school, learning the in's and out's of pathophysiology, my then boyfriend at the time (an aerospace engineer) couldn't navigate his way through the Kreb's cycle if he tried (I use that as just one example). I firmly believe it depends upon a multitude of factors.

My only point to address the author's attempt to compare one major to another is that there is so much more that goes into determining how hard/easy something is to master rather than just saying "but it's PHYSICS" or "it's NURSING." Difficulty is very hard to measure in quantitative terms.

And what is difficult for one may not be that difficult for another. It depends on the individual. Kreb's cycle comes easily to some, but I had to really WORK to get that one. Math comes easily to others. Also, if this makes any sense, things come more easily at different times in your life. Math has always been difficult for me, but I can do drug calculations almost (but for safety NOT) in my head. However, when I went to graduate school, I got stuck into a remedial math course with a really good teacher. I learned. In fact, I learned so well that economics and statistics were a breeze and I even co-authored a math for business workbook with one of my professors. I took accounting and even considered becoming an accountant. Briefly.

That was a long time ago and I find that my ability to solve complicated equations has ebbed away.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

My SO recently responded and tagged me in one of those memes. It was really sweet of him, though he got the thankless part wrong, but the meme was just plain self inflating.

"The love of my life is a nurse. I see first hand the care, commitment and energy that nursing requires. Helping heal the body is a hard, challenging and often thankless job. But the energy, kindness and compassion to be strong for both patient, family, and friends is something that is truly amazing. Then, even after a long day of patient/family care. She still finds the strength to love and care about me. That takes a special kind of person. "

It's enough that my partner knows what I do and supports me, I don't need the ego stroking on Facebook.

Depending upon your patient population, it is often a thankless job. Some patient populations are pleasant, cooperative and grateful. Others not so much.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

That was really sweet.

My only addition to that would be that if even the public perception of nursing is that it's thankless, well ... there has to be at least a little truth in that. I have had a great deal of patients with no prior exposure to nursing express that they feel there is no gratitude awarded to nurses. Now, that isn't to say that I feel I deserve gratitude. As a matter of fact, I feel greatly uncomfortable when a patient thanks me for doing something that is rightly a matter of being my responsibility. But it does just go to show you that, as sometimes stereotypes are rooted in truth, so are perceptions of nurses. If the public sees it then it must be visible.

Nurses used to be respected by the general public and by patients and their families, and folks were grateful. Not that I expect to be thanked profusely for doing my job, but calling me a bad word meaning female dog because I didn't bring your sixth ginger ale fast enough probably means you don't understand or aren't grateful for the interventions I've made that kept you from getting sicker, alerted the physician to a negative change in your condition or made your recovery a bit faster.

[Libby1987]

Ruby Vee, definitely true. My SO was speaking of my experience and he got the thankless part wrong. I think he crossed thoughts when he wrote that and started thinking of nurses in general.

[canigraduate]

I'm done. This thread is causing way more frustration than I need in my life right now. I'm not in a good head space to be engaging in debate right now. Out.

(((hugs)))

Our thoughts are with you and your family.

[OCNRN63, RN]

I do know that OCRN. I know about the direct entry programs. There is so much debate over those these days. I know some will award people the MSN completely skipping over the BSN. I'm not sure that's the way to go because how do you master a subject without practice the skill first. But that is a whole other ball of wax. That is why I put most programs do. The ones I looked at varied but most wanted 1-2 years of exp and some wanted critical care exp.

It used to be that the people who went into NP programs had many years of exp.; one-two years isn't my definition of many.

I remember one DENP student saying that she didn't need to have nursing experience because she "wasn't going to be a nurse." I know what she was trying to say, but that just cracked me up.

In any case, I'm glad I live in an area where doctors (MD/DO) are plentiful.

[OCNRN63, RN]

Didn't you see that post going around of residents sleeping?

I did, and I understand why it was done. It's interesting how doctors got together to support the doctor who was being hung out to dry for dozing off during a 36h shift, but when a nurse working nights got drowsy while feeding a newborn and wound up dropping the baby, there were all kinds of harsh comments about her. Some even suggested she had a drug/alcohol problem. Doctors have each others' backs. Nurses often get together to plunge the knife in deeper.

[Purple_roses]

I did, and I understand why it was done. It's interesting how doctors got together to support the doctor who was being hung out to dry for dozing off during a 36h shift, but when a nurse working nights got drowsy while feeding a newborn and wound up dropping the baby, there were all kinds of harsh comments about her. Some even suggested she had a drug/alcohol problem. Doctors have each others' backs. Nurses often get together to plunge the knife in deeper.

At least most of the responses from this forum were sympathetic toward the nurse.

[OCNRN63, RN]

The author's punctuation needs help, but what I find more distracting is what appears to be an inability to begin a sentence without a conjunction. Conjunctions are acceptable in this style of writing, unless they are overused. Based upon her poor sentence structure, tendency to be redundant and wordy, I recommend she take a hiatus from social media to read "Elements of Style" to avoid future embarrassment while overgeneralizing.

I think I'm in love.

[Susie2310]

In any case, I'm glad I live in an area where doctors (MD/DO) are plentiful.

I wholeheartedly agree.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Aside from the content, the article is very poorly written. Definitely not anything to be taken seriously.