I had a pt in the ED and the SO was a nurse but did not tell me that at first ,no big deal, and SO is asking me oh what are you hanging? Is it D5 or NS? I said LR knowing that the SO apparently was trying to hint that he/she was in the med field. Then con't asking q's which is fine then finally the SO said oh so&so's a nurse. I thought to myself no **** he/she's only been dropping not so suttle hints.
Okay that's fine if you are in the med field but do you have to make it a point to be known to me? I really don't care if you are or not your family member will be getting the same tx that the rest of my pt's do. Do you think that by saying you are a nurse or anybody in the med field that you will get better care than other pt's. Do you announce that you are a nurse to med staff when a family member is being tx for something? I don't.
It's really not that big of a deal but it just sort of annoys me because I'll do my job just the same not matter if your joe blow off the street or the hosp CEO.
I have mentioned that I am an RN a few times when my better half has received medical care. The reason is similar to many people who have responded to this thread. I want the MD or RN that is giving care (or the "sports therapist" who I think was a PTA or CNA) to talk to me and my boyfriend like we are educated and have a clue what's going on -- I would rather them think they might be talking over our heads than dumb everything down and in turn, we feel like they aren't being thorough, honest, or clear.
A couple times, being an RN has been a hindrance. My trauma/ED experience got my panties in a twist when my boyfriend wound up in the ER with plans for surgery that same Saturday night, and the nurse put a little 20g IV in him, and left the cannula half exposed. I guess in retrospect it wasn't a big deal, but (a) put the IV in properly, and (b) the guy is a bodybuilder with ginormous veins -- put the biggest thing in his arm you can if he's going to surgery, dang it! Those were just my thoughts, and I had to bite my tongue not just because I wanted him to receive excellent care, but because he was already stressing as a first-timer in a hospital AND first-timer for surgery.
I think being an RN is difficult when you have family members receiving care from someone else. You know how you would take care of them, or how you think things should be done, and you are often critical of every little thing just because you have lost that little bit of control over being "their nurse." LOL. It does seem silly, but at some point in time I'm sure we all experience that.
Normally I do not tell other nurses that I am a nurse if I am with one of my family members. However, as another one posted, sometimes it is obvious. Once I was with my 3-week-old grandson who was in the ER because he had pyloric stenosis. A nurse came in and started an I.V. and hung some fluids on him and left the room. I noticed there were multiple air bubbles in the tubing. I was getting some of them out because no way did I want them going into my grandson. She walked back in and saw me and I said, "Oh, I'm sorry, but there are lots of air bubbles in the tubing and I was trying to get them out." My daughter said, "Sorry, she is a nurse." The nurse then disconnected the tubing and let all the air bubbles out of the tubing" and said "Well, those little air bubbles wouldn't have hurt him". I guess I shouldn't have tried to do it myself but I know as a nurse, I wouldn't have connected the fluids to one of my patients.
Normally I do not tell other nurses that I am a nurse if I am with one of my family members. However, as another one posted, sometimes it is obvious. Once I was with my 3-week-old grandson who was in the ER because he had pyloric stenosis. A nurse came in and started an I.V. and hung some fluids on him and left the room. I noticed there were multiple air bubbles in the tubing. I was getting some of them out because no way did I want them going into my grandson. She walked back in and saw me and I said, "Oh, I'm sorry, but there are lots of air bubbles in the tubing and I was trying to get them out." My daughter said, "Sorry, she is a nurse." The nurse then disconnected the tubing and let all the air bubbles out of the tubing" and said "Well, those little air bubbles wouldn't have hurt him". I guess I shouldn't have tried to do it myself but I know as a nurse, I wouldn't have connected the fluids to one of my patients.
how many little airbubbles are we talking???? and on a 3 week old baby.... I'd have flushed that line so that there wasn't a single errant little air bubble... just my you never take a chance with little ones.... and assuming there was a pump - it would have alarmed with bubbles... (please say there was a pump involved!)
It doesn't make a difference in how I treat the patient, but it does in how I communicate, so I appreciate knowing if a patient is a nurse.
To the lay patient I say things like "I'm hanging some fluid to keep you hydrated", "The doctor wants to give you some potassium because your potassium is low".
The the nurse I say "The doctor ordered LR for you", "you K is 2.5 so we're giving you a bolus of 40 meq's".
I haven't been in an ER or a hospital since becoming a nurse 16 years ago, but I'll probably tell them when the need arrives, that way the can communicate with me on a higher level, and I can feel free to ask appropriate questions. I won't hint around though, I'll be blunt.
Specializes in Cardiology, Oncology, Hospice,IV Therapy.
The only time I let anyone know I was a nurse was when my mother was in the local ER and was going to be lifeflighted to another hospital. I asked that she be flown to the hospital I worked at and requested a certain doc for her. They willingly accomodated me. Over the next few years my mother was a frequent flyer on the floors of the local hospital and I never mentioned being a nurse(I'm sure my mother did though!) and spent a lot of time with her but never made a PIA out of myself.
It really just depends. As a patient myself, I try not to mention it. I have found that once a Dr knows I am a nurse they change towards me......they will talk to me as a professional, when that is really not what I need. For example, when I was being diagnosed with RA, my doctor talked as if I knew it all.....when in fact, up to that point I don't think I'd worked with very many RA patients at all, and only had a broad knowledge. On the other hand, knowing the kind of work I did helped when I had to go on disability, and when deciding on medications (whether or not I could handle self injections). So it's a toss-up!
When I was a student I was still with my ex-husband who had many health problems. I made it know I was a nurse and they often would let me stay in the room when otherwise they might not have. But that's it, no real special treatment.
Although last year my mom had hip surgery and had complications landing her in the ICU. She told everyone there I used to work in the ICU, which actually helped.....they had decided to place an ART line and my mom was freaked out and scared. She was a former nurse, but had no ICU experience. She wanted me to stay while they did it and at first they said no, but I explained that I knew the procedure, where to be out of the way, etc. They let me stay and I comforted my mom on the opposite side of where they worked, kept far from the sterile field, etc. On the other hand when she got to a floor she also told them I was a nurse and I think they sort of slacked off when I was there, letting me transfer her and stuff......but with my arthritis I have restirctions and can only do so much these days. So instead they had me pestering them at the desk. I was also hard pressed not to reset her IVs when the alarms went off...CAN'T.TOUCH.NOT.MY.JOB!
I tend to volunteer that I am a nurse when things are being explained too simplistically or not at all--like it would be to difficult to explain in layman's terms. It bothers me that I have to do that because all healthcare people should be able to explain what they do in terms that lay people can understand--we were drilled that in nursing school. Although I admit I like having nurse family members and patients because it is easier to discuss what is going on.
Heck, I even got a better explanation at the vet the other day when I told him I was a nurse!
That's what I do and I've had the experience at the vet. My dog was doing really poorly and I wanted to be there when they did her paracentesis. They didn't want me to go into the back until I explained that I was an onc nurse and the size of the needle, the bloody fluid, etc weren't going to bother me. And they were working her up for cancer, so I'd like to be there to know what was going on.
I was also at a friend's house a few weekends ago and one of the drunk guys got hurt pretty badly (ran face first into a fence) and when I was kinda checking him out he was like, "dude, are you like, a doctor?" "no dude, I'm like, a nurse." No one at the house knew I was a nurse except my husband and my friend until that happened.
I generally don't make it blatently known unless I feel like I need to.
Since becoming a nurse, I've only had one experience where a family member has been in the hospital, and that is when my grandmother had her knee replaced a few months ago. I didn't announce it and had no intentions to, but believe me, it was the first thing out of grandma's mouth to everyone who came in the room, whether it was a doctor, nurse, P.T. or lab tech. lol.
But I have been to the doctor myself several times, and with my son several times, and I have never mentioned being a nurse. I just don't like them to think I'm showing off or anything.
The few times I have had pt families be nurses, they scrutinize my every move and basically drive me insane. I am sure there are good ones out there though, since I didn't act like that during my visits with my grandmother.
SDS RN - Hey - that bothers me when they are using their title to "meddle" for lack of a better term, the kind that follow you out to the ER nsg station, or just spont. come out and linger, almost sd if they thought they were going to find out some kind of info even other patients, or come out saying "Well, I have paged_______ (insert the name of the doc this family member works for", ect.
My father was in the hospital this past week and he was in south Louisiana so I was about 5 hours away. I periodically called the nsg. station just to ghet some HIPPA appropriate updates, and I didn't call too often because I knew they were busy. I always told them "My name is Anne and the patient in room 235 iss Mr. ________________ is my father." Never did I divulge the fact that I was a nurse. I spoke to the physician via phone 4 times partly due to the fact that he was checking out d/c plans because Dad would need close f/u care at home.
During the last phone call speaking with the MD, I did give that information to him just to help the d/c planning. He was very nice, and didn't give off that "Oh, crap" that I have seen people at work develop.
I try to give all my patients the very best care I can give, and try not to treat the patient that has a nurse, or whatever in their family. Sometimes that info can help in a critical situation, but sometimes it just "chaps" the nurse or MD that are trying to care for their ill or injured family member. Just my .02.
As a nurse providing care, I like to know if my pts family members are in the field- and more importantly what specialty! I love the "I'm a nurse know it alls" that seem to be critiquing your work, watching your every move. Then they start quizzing you on why you are doing something "that way" because "they've never seen anyone do it that way" - I ask their specialty and they are always an adult med surg or psych nurse(or something totally unrelated). An I just want to say oh so you know all about Pediatric Open Heart patients!
On the other hand, I don't like to advertise that am am an RN- for the above reason. My grandfather was admitted for AMI, he was in the ICU on a Heparin gtt and of wouldn't you know it-he tells his Dr's and nurses "my granddaughter is a nurse". I made sure to say that I was a PICU nurse and had NO experience with adult patients or MIs and to please explain things to me like you would any other granddaughter!
It depends on the situation - but sometimes I do, or sometimes my questions give it away because my 'need to know' isn't satisfied with some of the layman level info. (we nurses have inquiring minds - don't we?) I am NOT AT ALL bothered when someone tells me or "hints" around. Why would I be? I'd rather know so I can give them the info on their level - if they want it.
I would be offended if another nurse felt I was seeking special attention just by disclosing my profession.
If the situation warrants it, I will say what I do for a living; otherwise, I don't feel the need to state my profession.
For instance, when asking for a haircut that is quick & easy to style, where hair won't get in eyes or fall forward when I bend and can look good without brushing it for 14 hours, I sorta have to say why it is needed. Also, when my dog needs IV treatment or SQ/IM injections at home, it certanly is easier to inform the vet that I have the capability to care for my dog at home.
you never take a chance with little ones.... and assuming there was a pump - it would have alarmed with bubbles... (please say there was a pump involved!)
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I was also hard pressed not to reset her IVs when the alarms went off...CAN'T.TOUCH.NOT.MY.JOB!
alkaleidi
214 Posts
I have mentioned that I am an RN a few times when my better half has received medical care. The reason is similar to many people who have responded to this thread. I want the MD or RN that is giving care (or the "sports therapist" who I think was a PTA or CNA) to talk to me and my boyfriend like we are educated and have a clue what's going on -- I would rather them think they might be talking over our heads than dumb everything down and in turn, we feel like they aren't being thorough, honest, or clear.
A couple times, being an RN has been a hindrance. My trauma/ED experience got my panties in a twist when my boyfriend wound up in the ER with plans for surgery that same Saturday night, and the nurse put a little 20g IV in him, and left the cannula half exposed. I guess in retrospect it wasn't a big deal, but (a) put the IV in properly, and (b) the guy is a bodybuilder with ginormous veins -- put the biggest thing in his arm you can if he's going to surgery, dang it! Those were just my thoughts, and I had to bite my tongue not just because I wanted him to receive excellent care, but because he was already stressing as a first-timer in a hospital AND first-timer for surgery.
I think being an RN is difficult when you have family members receiving care from someone else. You know how you would take care of them, or how you think things should be done, and you are often critical of every little thing just because you have lost that little bit of control over being "their nurse." LOL. It does seem silly, but at some point in time I'm sure we all experience that.