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

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

    • 1977
      Yes
    • 2195
      No
    • 2755
      Sometimes
    • 363
      Never

7,290 members have participated

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

Specializes in Trauma, ER, ICU, CCU, PACU, GI, Cardiology, OR.

Undoubtedly, I don't inform the health care staff regarding my status, for example... My doctor ordered labs. on me and the nurse that was about to perform the phlebotomy froze, when my doctor step in and said BTW he's an RN,BSN,MSN so make sure you treat him right! the poor nurse began to shake uncontrollably:eek: I had to advised her to treat me like any other of her patients & gave her props:yeah:for her technique once she finished.

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Specializes in Labor & Delivery.

My husband has quadruple bypass surgery last year and at first I didnt want him to tell anyone I was a nurse. I didn't want the staff to assume I was judgmental of his care or that I had ICU or Cardiac experience. I've only done L&D. He did end up telling his nurses that I was an RN. It made the conversations about his progress and follow up care easier since she didn't break everything down. I did ask questions when I didnt understand. I assured them I really didnt have any experience and was just there to be a wife, not a caregiver. However I felt better asking specific questions about meds and labs. I'm certainly not ashamed of being a nurse. My husband shares his profession with others (he's not a nurse!) without hesitation, so why should't I in an appropiate way?

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I always try NOT to tell, but it depends on many factors. If I'm the patient, I'm an impossible stick (and have let RN/techs stick me up to 13 times before I insisted Anesthesia be called~WON'T DO THAT AGAIN). If the situation or family member ill warrants it, or I'm being treated like an idiot, then I will tell the doctor that I am a medical professional. It does change things often. I'd NEVER go in wearing my name badge, like I see so many others do...even if they work in the kitchen or central supply. I'm an ER RN, so we see it all the time. It doesn't change one thing in MY performance, as I try to treat all my patients like they are family. I especially am humored, when someone tells me they are a Doctor and then via conversation, they are a DDS or PhD. "doctor". We get that often in the ER...esp via phone. HIPPA has helped it.

I really am glad to see that I am with the majority in "sometimes" telling. I wouldn't act like the "bad apples" that try to control the show.

When my Grandma was terminal, she called for me to have her put on a Morphine drip. We'd discussed it for years prior to her even being ill. I had to drive 12 hrs to the hospital and when I got there, all the floor nurses knew who I was from my Grandma's telling them. They got the drip started when I got there at midnight, and gave her extra boluses in between (they asked me if it was OK). When they went on breaks, they came to the room and asked me if they could bring me coffee or food, they changed her bed sheets Qshift to keep her clean and comfy. If my BEING a RN got her that, then she deserved it! I really believe they treated their patients like that on that floor. It wasn't phoney at all, and I was able to share 2 extra days with someone I adored.:heartbeat

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Specializes in Med Surg.

Having a wife with more chronic problems than Carter has pills I have to say it depends on what is going on. For the most part, if she is in the hospital and getting good care I prefer to kick back in the high back visitor's chair and keep my mouth shut. If on the other hand I see something I know isn't right, they start talking down to me, or do the roll the eyes thing when I try to tell them something about her history or condition, well then ..........

When it comes to home care I usually make sure the doctors and nurses understand that I am a nurse. It saves me from a lot of tedious "education" on how to give IM's, do basic wound care, etc. It also tends to get me a little bit more respect when I tell them about problems or concerns.

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I try not to introduce myself as a nurse b/c I realize that just because I'm a nurse, it doesn't mean that I know everything about the medical situation (there's a reason that nurses specialize!) and I'm afraid that the doctor or other nurses will just assume I know what is going on with my family instead of telling me what their perception of the situation is. I also don't want to give the impression that I'm going to look over their shoulder and judge the care that they are giving to me or my family. That having been said, I have stepped in when I think that there is a potential for a mistake (such as when my mother was in the hospital and the nurse providing care didn't realize that my mother was diabetic or when they tried to give her a medication that would interact with a medication that she was already taking). In those situations, I am grateful for the knowledge that I have and am not afraid to voice my opinion.

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Specializes in Geriatric.

I usually don't have to announce myself as a nurse. My family will automatically (with pride of course) say it for me.

But I do have to say once physician's and nurses know you are a nurse, you are treated differently. I found that when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer my brother (who is a nuclear medicine tech) and I had to remind the physician to explain things to us in laymen terms. My specialty is geriatrics not breast cancer treatments.

I also have a husband with Chron's disease with several hospilization and surgeries.

Through these experiences I realized that when it comes to family members, the medical professional knows what you are saying, but hears with family ears.

By the way, my mother is a 7 year breast cancer survivor, and despite all the pain and close calls with death my husband is still alive. He's had Chron's for over 40 years and still going strong.

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I remembered when my sister got sick for 3 months in the hospital. I went home and took goodcrae of her 23hours a day. I talked to the doctors and nurses and involved with the medications to be given or not,i stopped some unnecessary medications because I care and i am her advocate.

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No I do not identify myself as a nurse when I or my family is hospitalized. Personally, I don't feel it's necessary and as a nurse I treat all my patients as if they were family even the ones who are not pleased with anything you do. I have worked in several hospitals and I always disliked when a supervisor forwarned us that a VIP was being admitted. Many times I wanted to say shouldn't we be treating all are patients equally.

I haven't been in a hospital/had a family member in a hospital since I got my license, but at this point, I don't think that I would ID myself, simply because then they would expect me to know stuff, and six months into the job, I don't know that much! But I would still keep an eye out, and raise any concerns if something went wrong, or some important rule/precaution weren't followed.

Oh, GOD

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Specializes in Peds Homecare.

It's not something I blurt out at the beginning, but alot of times my questions give me away. Or my understanding of what is going on at times will prompt the question from staff if I'm a nurse. I would never expect any preferential treatment for me or my family because of my profession. I only hope that the care they give my family, is the same that I have always done. I treat every patient as if they were a member of my family. :redpinkhe

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Specializes in OR, public health, dialysis, geriatrics.

Depends on the situation. If I feel I am being talked down to then yes, I will identify myself as a nurse. I try not to throw down the "nurse" card until absolutely necessary. I find that if you identify yourself as a nurse too quickly, other health care professionals start to assume that you don't need all the patient education or information.

I don't know about any of you, but if I don't work in a specific care area I don't keep up with all the advances and information related to it.:nurse:

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Specializes in ER/Geriatrics.

No and it annoys the hell out of me when people proclaim they are a nurse.....it changes nothing in my mind...if anything I lose more respect for them as I know for the most part they are using it as a tool to get the upper hand in one way or another.

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Specializes in IMCU.

Well I was just a patient admitted via ER and here is my take (although yes I am only a student nurse):

I think it is only fair to my sister & brothers in the profession that they know (OK future profession). Even if I had not said, someone in my family would have told them. Also, I think is is as important to the good nursing care of any patient that their nurses know more rather than less. It was important to me that they know I was scared to death about seeing my nursing career hit the toilet (amongst other things) -- it caused me huge distress.

Did I pay attention more? Sure. Was is critical or judgmental? No. Did I learn stuff? Yes. Was I looked after appropriately? You bet. Was I looked after better? No, and I wouldn't expect to be.

One nurse seemed to be a bit weird with me because I had terrible trouble with IV sites infiltrating (5 in 3 days). I "mentioned" the pain and napalm type burning and she just kept brushing me off for 8 hours -- 2 IVP's and a flush which brought me to tears. She indicated to me that she felt I was "telling" her what to do. To bad. Now that may sound lke a complaint but -- I am a big girl -- I could have, at any time, just said "please change the site". Instead I hinted, complained and cajoled. What did I learn....? When a patient hints, indicates or otherwise repeats themselves about something worrying them...I want to be the one that listens and acts (I know very advanced nursing). Being a nurse is hard but being a patient is harder.

I hope, when I am a real nurse, that patients and family do tell me (if there is a nurse/doc in their midst). I don't even care if they tell me in such a way that makes it sound like they are "watching" me. How I interpret the information is my problem (i.e. if I feel paranoid).

Honestly, this was a very eye-opening experience. I love nurses more and more all the time. I felt extremely well looked after and was very touched by the professionalism and dignity with which I was treated.

By the way...doctors have NO problem telling you they are a doctor.

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