Do you tell people where you work?

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

A fellow nurse with whom I work told me this story. She was at the gym in the hot tub (that's as risqué as this story gets :)). A fellow gym-goer said something to the effect of "boy, it's nice to come a weekday afternoon. It's not very busy." Leaving out the minutiae of the rest of the conversation, eventually the person asked this nurse what she did that let her be free on Wednesday afternoon (the conversation had been and at this point continues to be very pleasant). After saying that she is a nurse, the other person says "oh, that's great. Where do you work?" After the nurse names the hospital, the person's facial expression changes and she says "how can you work for such a corrupt hospital? Not to mention, that place is terrible...they killed my mother." After a short, awkward pause the nurse got out of the hot tub and walked away.

Do any nurses out there not tell people their line of work and/or not tell the hospital for which they work? I realize I was not there, but it seems like a not-to-personal question, but, hey, who knows where it will lead?

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Yikes. I don't like to. It never leads to anything good. Too many questions usually, and not a one I want to answer.

[PediLove2147, BSN, RN]

Yeah, usually if they ask. I've never gotten a negative response (except from someone who had worked there previously) so maybe that's why. His reaction was a bit much.

[nrsang97, BSN, RN]

I usually tell others where I work. It isn't a secret or anything. His reaction was way over the top. I usually hear good things from people. I usually get how they could never be a nurse.

[marydc]

Yes. I'm proud of what I do and where I work. I've never experienced hostility like that; but I have heard the occasional "bad" story. The reality is hospitals are staffed by humans so mistakes can be made, bad attitudes can be found and emotions can run high. I simply respond that overall it's a great hospital and I'm sorry they had such a negative experience. When appropriate I encourage them to go through the proper channels to make sure the issue was addressed.

[NurseOnAMotorcycle, ASN, RN]

I agree with netglow and pedilove. I don't volunteer, but I don't lie about it either.

I always cringe when people ask where I work because I don't want to look at rashes or hear about their family's hospital stay or about how they think all hospitals care about is money.

I already have one friend that talks about his one and only 2 day hospital stay 40 years ago each and every time we hang out.

[Tait, MSN, RN]

If people ask I do.

[Larry77, RN]

I used to work for a hospital that had a really bad reputation and was the only game in town so it was easy to dislike. I still was not afraid to say where I worked because I'm proud of the work I do. I remember one time I was getting my haircut and at the station next to me a guy was talking about a tragic crash where I young truck driver died after going over an overpass...he said well he died because of the hospital they took him to. My hairdresser casually said, "Larry, were you in charge the day that happened?". The idiotic complaining quit promptly after that. (FYI, nobody could have saved that poor guy...he was a mess!)

I don't know what you would say if asked if you didn't want to disclose where you worked...would you just ignore the question? or say something like, "I'm sorry, I don't talk about that"...sounds weird to me. I guess I'm just an honest guy.

[skittlebear]

I usually like leaving work at work, if you now what i mean. I don't usually tell strangers I am a nurse, much less where I work. If someone is upfront and asks me, I won't lie. I will tell them I work xxx.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

I don't even tell people I'm a nurse.

I just tell them I'm in marketing - I used to be! No questions with that one, but always there are questions if I answer that I am a nurse.

Nursing is pretty much just marketing these days, so not too far off.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Where I work is a source of pride for me (both hospitals at which I work are highly regarded, both locally and nationally), so if the subject comes up, I am not shy or embarrassed about telling people where I work.

It's what area of nursing that I am reticent to share, because then they insist on sharing their birth stories with me. Generally I don't mind, but once in a while I actually have somewhere else I need to be. :)

[eatmysoxRN, ASN, RN]

I'll tell people where I work and what I do if they ask. However, I don't list my employer on any social networking site. I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult to figure out when I'm friends with 100 of them on there but still.

When people do find out I'm a nurse I always get to hear about grandma and how she got pneumonia there and blah blah blah. I can barely handle a patient telling me a long story when I ask if they've ever had a heart attack.. "well no. But my second cousin Joe's twice removed ex girlfriend's mom had a heart attack once and they gave her some dilaudee. Can I have some of that dilaudee if my chest hurts?" ugh. Sorry that was off topic. But no. I don't share unless specifically asked.