Do you make your title known?

[icunurse42066]

I have a question. This has probably been done before, but I have to ask. When you are at another facility (hospital, LTC, etc), do you make it known that you are a nurse? I had a pt the other night and I was doing my first of the shift introduction, her son was sitting the chair, and right after I introduced myself, his first words were, "I'm an RN." Now, I'm all for being proud of my chosen profession and all, but I have NEVER told any of my families nurses that I am an RN. My mother on the other hand just has to tell them this fact. I have told her several times that I don't want them to know that because I'm not there as a nurse, I'm there as a family member, not to say that if I saw something that I didn't agree with or was just plain wrong that I wouldn't speak up, but I just don't feel the need to brag about it. I'm just curious if the pt's son thought that he would impress me or he was warning me. I just looked at him and said "that's nice." And he had some pretty ignorant questions himself that made me wonder if he was telling the truth about being the nurse or not. I'm just wondering if it bothers anyone else or if it's just me. Sorry for being so long-winded.

[flightnurse2b, LPN]

i think it's kind of silly to throw it out there if there isn't a reason to. i was prepping a patient for a colonoscopy recently.... i called her from the waiting area, before i even introduced myself, she walked up to me and the first words out of her mouth were "I'm a RN". i dont know if she was trying to scare me or say you better know what you're doing with that introduction, but i was kinda like, ok? RN or not, you are getting the same procedure as everyone else in this waiting room...

[ilstu99]

Sometimes. It depends on the situation.

When my grandmother was septic, it was handy to not be "breezed over" with false reassurances or vague information. When caring for my husband post-op, it's nice because they allow me to do a lot at home rather than keeping him overnight.

When my kid has a sports physical, or I go visit a friend in the hospital....there's no benefit or need for saying anything.

On the flip side, I like it when I know my patient's family has some medical background. It usually offers the family another resource for basic information and often some reassurance that we're doing everything we can (or tells me where their false information might be coming from).

[bill4745, RN]

I rarely do. I want to see what they are doing without knowing they are being watched.

[Lorie P.]

most of the time no, but after a while it kind gets out after i have asked a few questions with typical nurse jargon! kinda gives me away!

[RN1982]

My favorite is when people ask me what I do for a living. And when I say that I'm a nurse, they say "Oh, that's nice"....Yep it's nice. The patient with the GSW to the head was nice too.

[icunurse42066]

It's been my experience on a few occasions that whenever I have a family member in the hospital and my mother tells them that I'm a RN, they kind of expect me to do things that they should be doing. My step-dad was in the hospital a few years ago having knee replacement and my mom told his nurse that I am a nurse. A couple of hours later, his nurse came in and tried to hand me a bag of IV fluids and asked if I would hang them when it was time!! She must have read my mind, because she quickly said "never mind, I'll do it." I thought "yep, you will!!":nono:

[mpccrn, BSN, RN]

i don't offer the information myself. i'm not usually impressed with those that do. i can usually tell if a visitor has a medical background by the questions they ask or the support they give. if you have to tell me, you probably aren't up to my level anyway.

[SDS_RN, RN]

I do not like to announce it. I'm there for my family member for support not as anything else. If they figure it out by the q's I ask or if they ask me I will tell them but I prefer to keep it to myself.

I do find it annoying when people say "I'm a nurse" flat out. I don't really care if you are or not I treat my pt's the same regarless. Just because you are a nurse does not mean that I will treat your family member better than any other pt I'm caring for.

[Dinsey]

When I was in school, I had a clinical on an inpatient pediatric floor. My second week, my patient's parents told me that they were BOTH RNs. I was extremely intimidated by this. Later in the day, the baby's IV was beeping and it took me a few moments to find the "silence" button (this was my first time using that particular machine). The mother asked where my preceptor was. And continued to ask basically every time I came into the room for the rest of the day.

I'm pretty thick skinned, but that was a bad experience for me.

On the other hand, when my brother was chronically sick, it was made known that my mother was an RN. She was able to get more detailed information and they trusted her to take him home for short periods (overnight, a few days, etc) with a portable IV so that he could relax more and see the puppy.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

I'm pretty much with the "it helps me get information" crowd...I can ask detailed questions and get a professional answer. But I wouldn't use it for intimidation.

I have a major problem with nurses who mistreat other nurses and begin it with a "I'm a nurse..........."

[jstbreathe]

Just the other day, had a vent pt in renal failure. The daughter let it be known she had just graduated RN school. And, she was upset the pt was not being sx'd enough. She could feel his chest and he was rattling. DID I MENTION THE RENAL FAILIRE???? When we tried to explain, she started yelling that WE didn't know what we were talking about! OK!?!

[jstbreathe]

While going with my son to xray, his IV started beeping. I knew it had blown. I went to silence it and the XRay tech slapped at my hand!!! LOL!!! I was soooo shocked!