Do you ever wish people didn't know you were a nurse?

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm just wanting to gripe a bit. I'm a very private person and don't make it a practice to broadcast info. about myself all over the place.

I'm speaking specifically right now of going to the doctor. Maybe I went a little wild since I've gotten health insurance, but I've been to several doctors (a psychiatrist, a neurologist and an obstetrician) and every doctor I have been to see knows I'm a nurse. I wonder if it is protocol for the secretary or MA to write "THIS PATIENT IS A NURSE" on the front of charts before they are given to the doctor? I only filled it out on the new patient forms where they ask your employer and profession and I know the docs and nurse's don't read that. I even went as far as not filling this info. in when I went to the last doctor (ob/gyn) but I was called back to fill the info. in!

Now this isn't necessarily earth-shaking, but at the same time, every single doctor has questioned me about my profession, where I got my training, and what I do at my job. I won't make any secret that I am not exactly proud to tell the doctor ,"I went to Excelsior College which is basically a through the mail school and my degree is an associate degree." I have decided the next time someone asks I will tell them I am a Rhodes scholar and got my nursing degree in England, or something. Furthermore, they expect me to know things because I am a nurse. The psychiatrist is especially bad to drill me with questions and say, "You are an RN! You should know this!" Hey, doc, I'm mental as it is, you shouldn't pressure me!!!

No, just because we have RN after our name doesn't mean people should assume and expect us to know everything!

Family and neighbors are as bad. I was recently talking on the phone to my mom who lives out of state. She said, " I wish you were here to look at my side, it's red and scaly, it might be shingles." :stone

A family friend said he had two bumps near his rectum, would I look at them...:barf02: NO I WON'T!!!

I don't know, maybe I'm burned out and the holidays are starting to get to me.

Specializes in Cardiac, med/surg, ICU, telemetry.
Thank you!

Or I'll say, "I wouldn't know that, I'm only a graduate of Joe's School of Nursing and Auto Body Repair. Better see your doc."

And when I go see my psychiatrist next week and he starts in about how I should know this or that because I'm an RN, I'll remind him, "Hey doc,

doesn't the fact that I wear an aluminum foil hat to block the transmission of signals from aliens in outer space tell you anything???"

Ha ha!

I'm getting too weird. I'll step down from posting for a bit.

M&M short for motorcycle mama

don't go away, i enjoy your humor, besides I need someone around in case I need support, I gotta go see psychiatrist the 8th as I'm pretty close to being post toasties concerning my stressfull job, u think it will help? I spend too much time on here too but I need brethren, ha ha

Specializes in Cardiology, Oncology, Hospice,IV Therapy.

When I became a nurse a long time ago I had a few phone calls asking for medical advise but the one that got me was this lady that called my mother. She heard that I was a nurse and asked my mother if I would go take care of her family member who was in a local hospital because they were so busy there and understaffed!!:)

Specializes in Skilled rehab,surgical,ICU/trauma/burns.

yeah im def. not ricky rescuer when i leave the hospital, but i would never hide the fact. if my neighbor asked me to look at his private parts i think i might laugh in his or her face and tell them to get insurance. that would take family. sounds like you need to either take some time off or work on your seperation from job to personal life. maybe keeping your mind busy or doing cross word puzzles to get your mind off work when you leave. if you enjoy your job just let it go. about the doctors: if its bothering you with their confrontation try the opposite of what disturbs you. embrace it.... when you first walk in tell them your a nurse and either go really overboard with it (i gurantee they wouldnt want to talk about it then because they know it wouldnt be an issue, plus as a bonus probably very amusing to yourself) or tell them flat out i dont feel like talking about it. im sure youll make it through playa, keep ya head up :)

Specializes in Psych.

I'm still in nursing school but I've had several acquaintances ask me about their rectal problems. I am always so amazed that they will ask me about something so personal and they don't even know me at all...hope it's not a taste of what's to come.

Specializes in Surgical Nursing, Agency Nursing, LTC.

I generally don't let people know that I'm a nurse. They tend to change their style of nursing and do things that that don't do. Like a "real" physical assessment. But then you do have those nurses that make it their goal for the day to let you know that they are a nurse. Once they tell you that they are a nurse then they expect "special treatment" for themselves or family members. Or try to tell you how to nurse..yeah right.

Specializes in OB, NP, Nurse Educator.

As I laid in my bed 2 hours post op after having my gall-bladder removed (open) the daughter of the woman in the next bed (who was near death due to brain cancer) said to me "I am wore out, since your a nurse would you keep an eye on mama and call me if I need to come back?" That was at 4:00 pm; at midnight a woman came into my room (my new private room) and asked if I would come and try to start her sisters IV! But the absolute most astounding request came from the house supervisor who came into my room to ask if I would watch the desk and "just answer call lights" while a code was going on. :D

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

If i'm going for a dr. appt., i do bring up that i'm a nurse, and what dept. i work in. What type of work someone does can be relevent to when they can return to their job after surgery.

I went to an orthopod this week for a consultation on my knee (it was hurting). Well, the doc i saw is also one i work with a lot (we joked that 20 hrs a week wasn't enough time spent together, and here i was at his office), and he knew from that the physical demands of my job, and that i'm on my feet 10-16 hours a day on a hard floor. But if he didn't know these things already, i would have told him.

Specializes in jack of all trades.

I can definitely attribute that being open that I was a nurse to a health professional was beneficial. I had severely fractured my left ulna requiring an open reduction. Of course we all know how costly this can be without health insurance. I was per diem and without. The Ortho that I had to consult with was kind enough to give me what he called "Professional Courtesy" and didnt charge me anything for the procedure!! I was shocked as I also didnt know nor had ever worked with the surgeon. Needless to say it saved me about 6 grand!! I only had to pay the or bill for the hospital at about 2 grand. Wish we had more of these guys around that's for sure!!

Specializes in Medical.
I'm noticing that the times i've been asked by somewhat strangers what i do for a living, and after i answer, the next statements are "Are Grey's Anatomy/House/Scrubs/ER how nursing really is?" Gag.

And you answer: Absolutely. Just like on "Grey's Anatomy" the few nurses there are sleep with half the medical staff; and just like on "ER" the medical staff have power over nursing jobs and careers, there are no nurse managers, and like "Grey's", doctor-nurse hookups are common. "Scrubs" does show nurses caring for patients and interacting with doctors - sheer fantasy! I've never seen a single nurse of "House", but doctors really do: move beds, give all the meds, take all the blood, perform all the vital signs, conduct all the procedures, analyse the specimens themselves, etc. It's just like real life!

Specializes in Acute Care Psych, DNP Student.

There is a bright side to all this. These people altering their responses are doing so because they have respect for nurses, and trust them.

I mention this because my father's family thinks nurses are dumb people you tolerate until you talk to the (((doctor))). So I think it's safe to say they will never ask me for advice!

Specializes in PICU, Nurse Educator, Clinical Research.
I can definitely attribute that being open that I was a nurse to a health professional was beneficial. I had severely fractured my left ulna requiring an open reduction. Of course we all know how costly this can be without health insurance. I was per diem and without. The Ortho that I had to consult with was kind enough to give me what he called "Professional Courtesy" and didnt charge me anything for the procedure!! I was shocked as I also didnt know nor had ever worked with the surgeon. Needless to say it saved me about 6 grand!! I only had to pay the or bill for the hospital at about 2 grand. Wish we had more of these guys around that's for sure!!

My FIL had a horrible aneurysm ten years ago (3 PEs, a handful of codes, 3 months ICU stay). This was long before I met my husband. My MIL is also an RN, but she had a tough time dealing with stuff directly in this case (I can only imagine what it's like to witness your husband having a PE!), and when the co-insurance bills started pouring in, she called her sister, a medical records specialist, to come help sort them out.

His bills- AFTER a fairly good insurance plan- were about $90K (I think it was an 80/20 plan, but 3 months in the ICU, y'know?). MIL's sister called all the docs, told them the situation, and requested 'professional courtesy' for their fees. Almost every single one obliged. I was floored when she told me about it.

Wait a minute, no one ever mentioned there was such a thing as "professional courtesy." I've got some bills for lab work that were not covered, next time the collectors call I can tell them I want professional courtesy?

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