Being called "Nurse".

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I'm curious as to how people here feel about being called "Nurse" rather than by their name. For me, I'm not bothered when a patient calls me "Nurse" but when a doctor calls me "Nurse" I feel slightly annoyed. Anyone else?

Specializes in Critical Care, Emergency, Education, Informatics.

I'm rapidly approaching the 30 year mark. I can't remember once were I ever thought getting called "nurse" was a problem. I have a hard time remembering the names of all the Docs. THere are many more important things to be concerned over.

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Specializes in Med onc, med, surg, now in ICU!.

For some reason, it jars me to be called "nurse" - by doctors OR patients. I would rather be called "Um" or "Hey" than "Nurse". HATE it. I introduce myself as Emma, and I tell them I don't care if they forget my name because I answer to anything. I don't say it, but I really, really hate hearing "Nuuuuuuuuuuuursssssse....." - it just comes out so whiny.

My doctors call me Emma, I call them by their first names too. I call my patients "Mr/Mrs X" until they ask me to call them by their first names. Doctors who have forgotten my name or don't know me call me "Are you looking after Bed 12?" and that's fine too.

I never get "Sister". I would be less irked by that than "nuuuuuuuurrsse" though.

I don't know why.

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Specializes in PACU, PICU, ICU, Peds, Education.

If someone, especially a patient doesn't know my name, it is no problem being called "nurse." That IS my title. Or they they could call me what a young woman kept calling me when she called out whenever I stepped away from her bedside: "Miss Lady....Oh, Miss Lady..."

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PSYCH, PP, CEN.

You can call me anything but late for dinner.

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Specializes in pedi, pedi psych,dd, school ,home health.

I prefer to be called by my first name. I dont mind "Nurse" as long as it is with respect and not demanding. I do not like "Nurse G. " as that sounds like Marcus Welby MD or anothe r 60s drama!! I have had many kids call me Nurse Mary; as a term of respect and /or endearment and thats fine!

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Specializes in NICU, ER, OR.

I have had the fortune with working with docs very closely, as in they were my co workers, so, it was always on a first name basis.

If I met a doc I didnt know, they always would say," HI, I am (insert first name)" and I would reply, "I am (first name), one of the nurses here"

I see thats not really the norm, but honestly thats always how its been for me.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

It depends on the setting. When I was a staff nurse in the ER, we were on first name basis with our physicians - like another poster, we were more like co-workers.

Now that I'm an APN, I call the docs in my practice, Dr...so and so. They address me by my first name. When I go to the hospital or otherwise meet other physicians and/or mid-levels, we stand, shake hands and introduce ourselves by whatever we want to be called. I have a long and unusual last name and truly just prefer my first name - much easier to remember.

As an aside, several of my patients call me "doc." I have corrected them and told them that I am not a physician. However, for many of the males who were in the military, medics are referred to as "doc." So, its more a title of respect, not that they actually believe I'm a physician.

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There are worse things to be called, that is for sure LOL

How true!!!:lol2: :lol2:

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

I don't mind pt's calling me nurse if they don't know my name. I've been a nurse for 32 years and can't remember a single doctor calling me nurse, that sounds so utterly corny! I cringe when I hear it on TV.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geri, Ortho, Telemetry, Psych.

I have never been called "Nurse"; though I have often imagined it and I don't think I would really mind. There are so many people floating in and out of a patients room and since their is no distinction in their uniforms, I wonder if it would upset me. I don't think so.

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Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

I had a LOL in a nursing home once call me "Nursie." I wouldn't have wanted to be called that every day, but it's hard to get offended with a slightly demented LOL, especially one not calling you something truly offensive.

I once worked with a nurse whose first name was Nancy, so she did jokingly get called "Nurse Nancy" on occasion. We never beat it into the ground, and she was a good sport about it.

I don't think being called "Nurse" has ever bothered me. One unit I worked on was run by the Head Nurse from He** and she set the "standard" there of calling everyone by his or her last name; I didn't care for that. It was not "Miss Smith" or "Mrs. Smith" but just plain "Smith" . I know it's appropriate in some settings, like military or corrections, but it made me feel like the upstairs maid.

In advanced practice, being called "doc" or "doctor" is very common. Even though you explain to the patients that you are not a MD, they really don't care about the title distinction, for the most part. I was explaining to one patient about being a nurse practitioner and her reply was "You do everything for me a doctor does, you're my doctor!"

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Specializes in Neuro ICU, Neuro/Trauma stepdown.

I had a NH pt that was 90-some yrs old that called us all sister and I never knew why...

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