Do doctors have any idea what we nurses do? lol

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

The short answer is NO. They have no idea.

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 ~

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!

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

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

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.

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

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 ~

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.

That's so familiar. We have a doc who hates all anti-emetics except Zofran. When it didn't work, I called for further orders and was given an order for Anzemet. uhhhhmmmmmm......So when that didn't work, I stopped our on-call anesthesiologist and asked him for another order. He said something to the effect of why did you give Anzemet when Zofran didn't work, they are the same drug. I wanted to say, "Well, I'll be darned, when I was giving meds without an order, I just liked the pretty lids on these two!" What I said to him was, "Tell that to your peer, because he doesn't seem to know that."

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.