Being Nurse Ratched

~PedsRN~, BSN, RN · Apr 15, 2015

Sometimes people outside of our little nursing bubble just don't get *IT*. They don't get what we do, and how we do it. I was told last week by a family member that I was lucky - my job is easy and I only work three days a week. Obviously as a peds nurse, all I do is kiss boo boos and tuck children in at night. I have often said I wish that my family could do a "ride along" just one night so they could appreciate what I do and how I do it. It's very frustrating when the people you love don't give you the respect that your job deserves. Like I said, they just don't get it. I'm sorry. Try not to take it too personally. (I know, easier said than done)

Libby1987 · Apr 15, 2015

I might have been, but I can't think of an example.

Whenever I am misinterpreted it gives me pause and makes me reconsider what I'm projecting or how I'm delivering the message.

There is a nurse I want to be when I grow up. She has strong interpersonal skills and can deliver the same strong message in a different package. I often think about her in a WWBD sort of way.

elkpark · Apr 15, 2015

Have you ever been referred to as Nurse Ratched? I have, and it really bothers me especially because I know I'm not that type of nurse. I am honest, caring, compassionate, and depended on by many.

Having seen the movie many times, both before and after I became a psychiatric nurse (I use the film when teaching psych nursing), I would argue that, although she clearly had some unfortunate control issues, Nurse Ratched was "honest, caring, compassionate, and depended on by many." Many people toss the name around as an example of an awful, hateful nurse and/or general-purpose nurse put-down, but, if you actually look at the film (and I wonder how many of the people invoking her name have actually seen the film), she does appear to sincerely care about the wellbeing of the clients on the unit, and make more of an effort than necessary to promote what she perceived as their interests. It was a different time and expectations were different within the psychiatric community, but, honestly, she did a lot better job than a lot of psychiatric nurses at the time did (I've talked to some of the nurses who were practicing at that time).

Since I work in psych, I've been called "Nurse Ratched" more times than I can count over the years. :) I take no offense (although it's usually intended that way, haha).

Farawyn · Apr 15, 2015

One of the best movies ever, by the way.

Yes, one of my gym teachers here calls me Nurse Ratched. He's an old school macho type. It really doesn't bother me. I know who I am.

Other than that I'm called "The Nurse".

Kids today have a whole new meaning for "ratchet" and think he's calling me that, so that's pretty funny.

proud nurse, BSN, RN · Apr 15, 2015

Many people toss the name around as an example of an awful, hateful nurse and/or general-purpose nurse put-down

This is exactly what I'm talking about. I've seen Cuckoo's Nest, so have family members. I can see your argument that she could be viewed as honest, caring, compassionate, and depended on. Nurse Ratched was a very effective nurse. I'm looking at the negative image she portrayed. I will chalk it up to what PedsRN said above, that sometimes people outside of our nursing bubble just don't get it.

Farawyn · Apr 15, 2015

This is exactly what I'm talking about. I've seen Cuckoo's Nest, so have family members. I can see your argument that she could be viewed as honest, caring, compassionate, and depended on. Nurse Ratched was a very effective nurse. I'm looking at the negative image she portrayed. I will chalk it up to what PedsRN said above, that sometimes people outside of our nursing bubble just don't get it.

I think she was a psychopath. But still, I don't take offense. Macho Gym Teacher is really an Old School Softy.

The family issues you are talking about in your OP may have less to do with calling you Nurse Ratched, but who is the one calling you that. A button pushing thing that family do oh so well.

Maybe?

AdobeRN · Apr 15, 2015

For me it depends on who is calling me that - I attend camp with my 5th graders and a couple of teachers call me that as my camp name - they mean no harm & it is all in fun. I just laugh it off - not offended by it at all. The kids have no idea who Nurse Ratchet is and like another poster stated above some of them are shocked that I am being called "ratchet".

My cousin is also a nurse and she actually has that as her license plate.

BrandonLPN, LPN · Apr 15, 2015

Having seen the movie many times, both before and after I became a psychiatric nurse (I use the film when teaching psych nursing), I would argue that, although she clearly had some unfortunate control issues, Nurse Ratched was "honest, caring, compassionate, and depended on by many." .......

.....her?

While I'm usually among those in favor of no-nonsense, get-it-done approaches to nursing.... I'm wondering if we are all talking about the same movie character here. You realize this nurse convinced a doctor that a patient needed a lobotomy purely as a form of revenge. And she humiliated and emasculated her patients as part of her method for controlling them. I can't think of anything less compassionate or more dishonest.

elkpark · Apr 15, 2015

.....her?
While I'm usually among those in favor of no-nonsense, get-it-done approaches to nursing.... I'm wondering if we are all talking about the same movie character here. You realize this nurse convinced a doctor that a patient needed a lobotomy purely as a form of revenge. And she humiliated and emasculated her patients as part of her method for controlling them. I can't think of anything less compassionate or more dishonest.

I stand by my statement; by the standards and expectations of the time, she was basically caring and compassionate, and a competent psych nurse (as I said earlier, she did have some unfortunate control issues). The fact the standards and expectations are v. different now doesn't change that.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Apr 15, 2015

Going back to the OP's family, there's an easy way to avoid the whole conflict, one which has taken me an embarrassingly long time to learn. As an excuse, I plead in my own defense that I know more about medicine than the whole rest of my family put together (I am the only medically-interested person in at least five generations) and truly just want to be helpful, as most nurses do.

They sometimes ask for my information and recommendations and then completely ignore them, and then they get their panties in a wad if I won't play anymore. But play no more is the only way to go.

These are good things to say:

"What does your PCP say about that?"

"What are you going to do about that?"

"What happened the last time that happened to you?"

But never, never, never give them the answers, because you will be the bad person if they don't like it or it doesn't work out (even if they did it wrong). They are gonna do what they are gonna do anyway-- drink, smoke, eat lousy food, whatever-- you know that only someone who wants to change will change. You have no power over that. Give it over.

BrandonLPN, LPN · Apr 15, 2015

I stand by my statement; by the standards and expectations of the time, she was basically caring and compassionate, and a competent psych nurse (as I said earlier, she did have some unfortunate control issues). The fact the standards and expectations are v. different now doesn't change that.

I'm not trying to be argumentative, (but I will be anyway)....was it really acceptable by the standards of the time for a nurse to persuade doctors to perform unnecessary surgery as a means of exacting revenge on patients? Or maybe I interpreted that scene wrong? I will admit, sometimes I wish patients obeyed the authority of nurses and of doctors like they seemed to in the old days. And while nurse Ratched had many fine qualities, they're overshadowed by those large bad ones.