Do doctors have any idea what we nurses do? lol

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As a pregnant nurse, the 12 hour shift is taking its toll on my body. My doctor looked at me with a straight face and said "can't you just put your feet up for 30 minutes every 3 hours or so?" Um, you have been to the hospital before right? I barely have time to pee never mind having a leisurely sit with my feet up every few hours. Kind of makes me wonder what they THINK we do at work. Just got a good laugh out of that, though you all might enjoy it as well!

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Nope, they don't. And your story is an excellent testimonial to that fact!

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Specializes in Pedi.

The short answer is NO. They have no idea.

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Specializes in Med/Surg,Cardiac.

I think they know what I do about as much as I know what they do. (atleast some of them who seem to put in contradicting orders like they're watching me on a camera switch through 4 different types of fluids and laughing).

~ No One Can Make You Feel Inferior Without Your Consent -Eleanor Roosevelt ~

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I think you have the wrong doctor! My OB told me "I'll take you off work whenever you like, but definitely at 36 weeks." When I asked "why" because I felt fine. Her response was "because I know what you do (for a living)!" I wasn't happy at the time, but at 36 weeks, I had 4 doctor appointments per week so I'm glad I didn't have to juggle working full time and all those doctor appointments!

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

NO....they believe we sit around and make their lives miserable

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Specializes in Emergency.

Lol, mine wrote me a prescription for "light duties, no lifting". My manager and I had a good chuckle over that one.

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

I think it was sweet of the doc to even ask.

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They have no idea. Until I see a doc wiping a patient's behind, I will not believe they have the slightest idea of all we do.

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Seriously, for a minute I thought he was joking. Then when I realized he wasn't I almost laughed myself off the table.

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Specializes in Med/Surg,Cardiac.
They have no idea. Until I see a doc wiping a patient's behind I will not believe they have the slightest idea of all we do.[/quote']

I have actually had a couple of docs assist with that! It was on large patients when we were understaffed. I was on one side, them on the other. We both wiped and applied a new diaper and pad. It was refreshing and I heard no complaints.

~ No One Can Make You Feel Inferior Without Your Consent -Eleanor Roosevelt ~

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Specializes in Ortho/Uro/Peds/Research/PH/Insur/Travel.

I think many doctors DO know what we do...and that's why they're doctors. One of my biggest pet peeves is when a doctor asks me why another doctor ordered a particular medication. Um, aren't you a doctor? I'm never sure if it's because he actually thinks I know exactly why a particular medication was ordered or if he (and yes, it's always a male doctor) simply wants to tell me why it was ordered in an attempt to appear superior. I JUST experienced this last night when asked why a patient was ordered (by the orthopedic surgeon) IV vitamin K. I stated that the patient's INR was 2.2 and, on our orthopedics unit, that is why it was ordered. Instead of accepting my response, he rambled on and on and I ultimately told him to "ask [his] MD friend." Ugh.

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