Do you think nurses get special treatment?

Nurses General Nursing

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So I was looking at some old threads on here and they got me thinking. One in particular about whether cops give nurses tickets. So what do you think? Do nurses receive special treatment when people know you are a nurse? Any personal experience with this subject you want to share?

I have two stories both similar and different at the same time. I was once pulled over after a workout. I had on teeny shorts and shirt and probably definitely looked a hot mess. So I was pulled over for speeding going 6 mph over. I was asked to step out of my car and proceeded to be searched. Officer stated I was being searched because he smelled marijuana. I don't smoke and I don't know how he could have possibly smelled anything besides my sweaty nastiness. But anyways search concluded and officer tickets me for speeding as he has nothing else to charge me with.

Shortly after this I was again pulled over for speeding in the same vehicle. ( Yes I know I have a lead foot lol) This time I was in scrubs and had my name tag hanging on my rearview mirror. I also was going about 15 over not 6 as I was prior. The cop didn't even ask where I was going. Proceeded to give me a verbal warning and then let me on my way.

Now I don't know if this has anything to do with me being an obvious nurse the second stop vs the first. Or whether one cop was just nicer than the other. But it does make me wonder...

Any nurses care to share their experiences, opinions,etc??

Specializes in Burn, ICU.
I am black, so I can't really say for sure. Maybe it is true from white nurses, but for black nurses...I doubt it.

One of our residents who is brown-skinned said he was pulled over for something really dumb (like advancing too far into the intersection while waiting to turn right on red at 3am, or something similar) and then when the officer saw his MD badge he said 'oh, you should have said you were a doctor right away! We try not to pull you guys over!' Sooo...his credentials got him out of a ticket that was unwarranted anyway. Hooray?

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They don't care in south Florida weather you are a nurse, in scrubs or not you will still get a ticket.

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My brother, a retired CHP, told me that they DO give preferential treatment to Doctors and Nurses. You never know when they need you to fix them if they end up in the ER.

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I know that some places in South Carolina have low rent housing for teachers only.

Other places you can receive a discount if you are a teacher,firefighter,cop but no,nurses are not on those lists.

So i go with no,nurses do not get special treatment.

Getting off for a ticket is not special treatment IMO.

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I think there is an overarching sense of professional courtesy between fire, police, emt, and medical staff. We all work in similar venues and have our place in taking care of the community. That being said there is no doubt that being in scrubs helps getting out of tickets.

I'm also going to throw out there that having a set of breasts doesn't hurt. I was going to invest in some to get out of tickets but was advised that it might not work so well.

Either way your best bet is to treat them with respect, don't act like an idiot or like they're an idiot, and you'll more than likely be treated fairly. There will always be the one that's having a bad shift, but hasn't that happened to all of us?

Depends...if it is the cop having a set of breasts you will most likely from my experience get a ticket.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.
I am black, so I can't really say for sure. Maybe it is true from white nurses, but for black nurses...I doubt it.

Ive been pulled over at least twice that I can remember in the last few years since ive been a nurse. Both times I worked into the conversation I was a nurse and/or accidentally dropped my stetgescope in plain view while obtaining my license. I was let off both times. I'm black, the cops were white. I appreciate the work cops do and wil often thank them if I see them patrolling my neighborhood.

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Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.

I just started to drive like 3 years ago and I NEVER gotten a ticket and I driven past the speed limit. I find it a miracle that this happens.

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Not in my case. I got a speeding ticket while wearing scrubs 😩

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Not in the area where I come from.

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Specializes in Crit Care; EOL; Pain/Symptom; Gero.

Yes.

Thirty-seven years ago, when I was starting out in Nursing, I learned from other nurses to keep my wallet-sized RN license (Pennsylvania) adjacent to my driver's license in my wallet, so that when I showed my driver's license to the officer, he also would see my RN license.

Has worked every time, although it's been only about 4 times in 37 years that I've been stopped for speeding.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

Same happened to me! Also when I eat out in scrubs I always get some discount.

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Specializes in kids.
Not if you're an LPN. I was pulled over a few days ago and given a ticket for, "Driving at a high rate of speed" (notice how he didn't even put an actual speed on the ticket), after I had just spent 16 hours at work and explained all that after the cop asked where I worked (I was in scrubs). I was just like, "Okay, I'll just remember this if he ever ends up in my territory."

Do you think he knew the difference?

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