Do you tell nurses ands Dr's that you are a nurse when you are the pt?

Jellibum · Mar 14, 2006

i normally don't say anything about being a nurse until i'm really angry!

(which doesn't happen often). i normally state that i work in the health care industry if anyone asks what i do for a crust.

i find that people are more likely to give away infomation if they don't know.

also, i find that dr's are more likely to neglet your care because you (the nurse) are expected to know what's happening.:angryfire :uhoh3:

mandana · Mar 14, 2006

I'm not a nurse, just a student, but I've run into many of my families MD's at various clinical sites. When I then see them in the office, I find that they are much more forthcoming with information. In fact, my ped just said to me, "now that I know you have so much knowledge about your kids health, here are two treatment options that are OK with me. Which do you prefer?"

Blew me away.

Amanda

snowfreeze, BSN, RN · Mar 14, 2006

I tell em up front. I also try to not be the 'possessed' patient that I don't like caring for. I find I get more technical answers to my questions. I don't expect different care though. I have only been a patient twice since I became a nurse 14 years ago though.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Mar 14, 2006

No i don't, unless it's relevent to what i'm being seen for.

HappyNurse2005, RN · Mar 14, 2006

Well, I was a patient today, when I went to urgent care for a sprained foot. I did mention it, but they didn't treat me any differently, and were actually quite social because of it.

MajorAl · Mar 14, 2006

No, for a couple of reasons. First, I don't want anyone to think that I'm looking for special treatment. Second and most important, I have found that if I tell them I'm a Nurse they think that I have the same fund of knowledge that they do and often I don't. If they think I'm a lay person, they take their time to explain things to me. Lastly, by getting the full blown explanation, I'm more apt to understand it because I'm the one in crisis and being in crisis is not the best way to learn stuff. Although my primary Doctor knows what I do and I assume it's in my medical record at her office.

holmgirl21 · Mar 14, 2006

I try not to because like above, I don't want to be treated any differently. I know that I too get very nervous when I am working with a nurse or MD. The only downfall, is that I have worked with many of the nurses that I see at the clinic from programs through our system.

Ausnurse65, RN · Mar 14, 2006

No I did not let on that I was a nurse the one time that I was a patient in hospital. Even after many years of nursing experience, I still find that if I am looking after a nurse or doctor in some practical situations like giving an injection I guess it is natural to feel more aware of what you are doing and how you are doing it, so it does make you a bit more nervous at the time.

I have found that you can usually pick up if a patient has some medical experience especially nurses by the way they act and the type of questions they ask

LandDRN · Mar 14, 2006

Nope. We just had our second child in September and one of the nurses who used to work on our labor and delivery unit with me clued them in. I must say though, since I have an insight I was told I was their easiest pt. We roomed in, fed, and changed our baby which the staff seemed very shocked by. I readjusted the EFM/Toco belts, got myself up the restroom, ect. My OB told me the morning we were discharged " They're so grateful that they have one easy pt on the unit!"

Nutmeg5575 · Mar 14, 2006

Ugh! My mom does this! She even tells me that she is a nurse. She pays to have her lisence but she hasn't been a working LPN in over 18 years! She always tells me stuff that is "old" like she told me to put my baby on her belly or she would choke. I said no mom, babies are supposed to sleep on their bellies. But she even tells Drs that we see that she is a nurse. It drives me nuts. She often shares health care advice and follows it with I'm a nurse, but she is often wrong. She was an EMT for a few years but that was also over 10 years ago. One of my pet peeves.

rhenmag9 · Mar 14, 2006

i do not tell d doctors or nurses that i'm n d same profession, but if they commit mistakes(esp.iv regulations,lab exams etc..) i let them know so that nxt time they will perform such interventions,they will be more careful....

:nono: