Do drs really look down on nurses?

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I am thinking of changing my career as an engineer to a nurse. I am used to people looking up to me and being part of a team. We are all equals and we work together to get things done. What is the mentality in the medical field, do drs work with or against nurses? To me they couldnt do anything without us and it would be in their best interest for us to work as a team.

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

One day I was sitting, charting at a very busy nurse station, no empty chairs, all filled by other nurses and doctors. Young doctor came into station, looked around and saw no chairs, came up to me and said "give me your chair and move". I did and he sat down to chart. Later a couple of the other doctors at the station came by me and told me I should have said no to him and not moved. Idiots come on all colors, sizes and professions. Just be the best you can be at what ever you do.:monkeydance:

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Specializes in Critical Care.
One day I was sitting, charting at a very busy nurse station, no empty chairs, all filled by other nurses and doctors. Young doctor came into station, looked around and saw no chairs, came up to me and said "give me your chair and move". I did and he sat down to chart. Later a couple of the other doctors at the station came by me and told me I should have said no to him and not moved. Idiots come on all colors, sizes and professions. Just be the best you can be at what ever you do.:monkeydance:

I would have simply said, 'say please' - and smiled and waited patiently for him to cough up some manners or move on - or even more amusing: for him to make a scene.

I'm not one that believes that nurses shouldn't give up their chairs/computers to docs. After all, we are there for 12 hrs and they just breeze through. I think it's a common courtesy to let them get in and out. And - it makes my job easier to get rid of them.

But, it IS a common courtesy. I would not be willing to extend such a courtesy for someone that is rude.

~faith,

Timothy.

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Yes, the majority of physicians do look down on nurses, if you mean they do not appreciate their opinions or experience. There are a few still out there who would go to bat for a nurse, but in todays competitive society they are not many,IMO.

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I feel that we are nurses. If we wanted to be Dr's we would be Dr's. Sure, experienced nurses know what to do, and when to do it, but we are not Dr's. When I go to my Dr. I don't want to see his assisstant, his nurse, or his nurse practioner. I respect as many Dr's as I do nurses. Meaning that there are wonderful professional's in both fields. With all due respect for you and your accomplishments, which I am sure are many, I think that it is unwise to believe that we know it all. How many of your CNA,s and LPN's think they know more than you. You might be very surprised if you where a fly on the wall.

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to the OP:

others have pretty well covered the doctor angle you asked about but...and this is just from my viewpoint...my husband was going to go from engineering to nursing. after some soul-searching, he is now going for his paramedic instead. deciding factors: engineers are accustomed to working independently. nursing is constant interaction. engineers are accustomed to doing their own problem-solving. nurses problem solve, but then have to get an okay from doctors on most things. prints are straight-forward and easy to analyze. a scared, confused, or malingering patient is far from that. engineers, as a lot, tend to be very logical-minded. nurses need to be, too. but the patient is usually more emotional-minded and will sometimes not be able to see things logically. that was the main factor for my husband--constantly dealing with emotionally needy people when he is unable to understand that mindset. paramedic also deals with all of the same problems as nursing, but is more task-oriented in the manner he is used to, and with quicker results like he is accustomed to (treat, transport, done as opposed to weeks or months before the patient is well). and, well, honestly...he's more suited to butt-kissing for shorts stretches to get a task done than he is do do it all day with doctors, family members, and sometimes the patients themselves to boot. think if any of these qualities apply to you--they may not. but, as my husband has said, in the end he'll have the same degree as i do, make about the same, and get to be "doing somthing" (no flames! not my words!) rather than spending half his time playing kiss-up or trying to be a nurse when others see you more as their personal maid for their stay....

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I'm not sure what your point is but I spent many years in engineering, and I have found the "caring" and the team work in nursing THE reward.

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I dont think you are really equal education wise.. they go to school for like 20yrs to our 4?... we think nursing school is hard, imagine med school.!! I think if you act like a dummy they treat you like one.

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Specializes in ICU, Tele, Dialysis.

I think most doc's understand that we're there to help their patients, also, I've noticed the more gray hair I sprout the more they seem to respect me. I approach them in the interest of my patient and they seem to respond to that. As long as you don't approach them with the "ali babba" all hail the doctor thing, I think you'll be o.k. in general.

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While I was doing my last clinical rotation (I graduated in June), a doctor was trying to talk me into going into critical care. I didn't believe I could do it. He said that doctors respect critical care nurses more than "other nurses" because of their educational level. I was dumbfounded! I think all nurses have expertise in certain areas and should be treated with the same respect.

Oh, by the way...I was accepted into a critical care fellowship. I fell in love with doing neuro critical care. Now let's see if being in critical care makes a difference.

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Can also depend on your attitude!! I work as a nurse practitioner in Ireland and we all work together as a team. IMHO sadly nurses are the worst for treating docs as 'God' and each other differently!!

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Many doctors don't like their work, or their life. Many, too many, doctors went to med school to become big shots, only to find themselves in thankless work, as they see it. As a result these docs treat the nurses bad, as well as their patients. They are danger to others.

I find that many times nurses don't respect each other. "Eating their young", as many nurses call it. This behavior causes nurses to lose respect for each other. And you wonder why nursing has so many problems?

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Specializes in LTC.

Wish more of us took Tweety's attitude - and not be so hard on ourselves!

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