Do you identify yourself as a nurse when you or your family are a patient?

[Brian]

We've all been in the situation when either we are the patient or our family and/or loved ones are the patient.

Do you identify yourself as a nurse?

Please answer our quick poll, then share your stories or why or why not.

Thanks

[Cammer]

It could be perceived as threatening to those peers who may not feel comfortable with their skills, or who may feel that they are under a microscope, but personally I love it when a patient, or their family member identifies their self as a nurse, especially an RN. I am able to converse more freely with them; eliminating the need to "dummy down" a conversation to a lay person's level of understanding. I feel that I am able to collaborate to a small degree and involve them further in the care I am providing.

It has always been a good experience for me.

[Q_rnc, RN]

:igtsyt:I don't pull the nursing card out unless asked. That said, I do ask questions of doctors and nurses and expect answers that are direct and intelligent. Unfortunately, some of my peers do make assumptions about patients and their families and their ability to understand. This may result in a response using medicalese, which inevitably prompts the question, "Are you a nurse?" rather than the logical assumption, "What further information can I share with you to facilitate your making an informed decision in your healthcare?"

[akanini, MSN, RN]

I was going to click "NO"....but ended up clicking "Never". Isn't it the same answer?

[royhanosn]

my family identifies me as a nurse...but I also ask questions to the nurse or doctor that sheds light that I know what I am & they are talking about.

Dont get emotionally involved..your not the nurse in charge of your family member in that bed. Dont get involved in challenging.

[calmcool1]

I try not to because it seems to makes the staff uneasy.

[CABGx4, ASN, BSN, MSN, CRNA]

I never do but my wife always gives me up!

[cjsbaskets]

For me it depends on the situation, my husband will always tell he thinks it will get him "special service"! When I have a patient who is a nurse or other HCW I tell them to me they are a patient and I will explain everything to them and not assume anything. If they believe they don't need it all they can tell me. Just the same when my family or myself is the patient I explain that this is not my area of expertise and I would like the complete explanation/information. I have worked in OB for over thirty years and although I have a general knowledge of many medical terms and abbreviations in other specialties I appreciate being given the appropriate information.

[Bill E. Rubin]

My wife had our baby in the hospital where I work. I worked it into conversation to one of the nurses... as a couple of others have said here, it seems fair to let them know up front rather than have them find out later. Also, nurses can tell when a patient or a patient's family is a "cool" nurse or a nurse patient from hell pretty quickly. I introduced it in a non-threatening manner, and also I didn't want to have people need to dumb down things for my benefit. What was interesting to me was that other than our L&D nurse, I only told our first nurse in postpartum and everybody on the unit seemed to know it after that. :)

[dscrn]

If you tell them they often will provide more specific information because they know you will understand it.

This can be a double edged sword, especially in a highly specialized area....in which you have no real experience

[rn_nxt_dr]

I don't understand the fuzz about not telling "them" that one is a RN, well in fact, it is to your advantage that they should know because they are less likely to become unprofessional.

I noticed a lot of nurses calling their patients inappropriate names that instead of addressing them Mr.John Doe or Mrs.Jane Doe, they call them "dear" or any sweety names they can think of.....that's unprofessional.

Of course, nursing care and education is a separate issue.

[hotflashion, BSN, RN]

The last time I told someone I was a nurse was when I was talking to the triage nurse on the telephone and got tired of listening to her explain something to me that I already knew. I said something like "I know this, I'm a nurse." After I said that she promptly told me that "nurses make the worst patients," saying it as if it was some kind of inside knowledge "we nurses" agree on between ourselves. I said nothing to her but vowed not to say I was nurse again. On the other hand I have had medical professionals ask me if I was a nurse b/c of the questions I ask. Then I let on that I am.

[surgarbearronda]

I do not like to say that am a nurse I do tell my name because I want the family to thank of me as a friend and just as a caregivier.