Do You Feel Respected as a Nurse?

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Hello everyone!!

Overall, would you say you feel respected by people in general because you're a nurse? I have had a hard time deciding which career path to take (Nursing or Sonography) but feel like I'm being pulled into the direction of nursing, even though my head is telling me to go for the sonography. Almost like it's my calling to be a nurse (how corny, right?). When I mention to people my desire to go to nursing school, I always get a very respected response, like people put nurses up on a pedestal. I, personally, have always admired and respected nurses. But I have read lots of threads on this website about nurses that hate their jobs because there is no respect from doctors, patients, families, administration, etc.

So, as a whole, do you feel respected because you're a nurse? It would be such a dissapointment to me to put so much time, energy, and money into nursing school, all to find out that I'm not respected. I really want to be a nurse, but this aspect scares me a little.

Thanks,

jollyjenny

Specializes in ER.

I'm not a nurse yet, 1 more year to go, but I am working in the ER over the summer and the doctors we work with are amazing... everyone works together to make the patient get better and they have tons of respect for the nurses in our ED.. sometimes the nurses even tell the doctors what to order for the patients. I think it also varies on the doctor.. today one of the cardiologists was on the phone and asked a question and after he hung up he was like " she doesnt know what she is doing, she is JUST A NURSE"... Me not even being a nurse yet got soo mad! but mostly everyone i talk to have alot of respect for nurses... as my grandmom says " Nurses are angels on earth".. good luck in whatever career you chose, either one will def be rewarding!:)

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when i look at the big picture of nsg then no, i don't feel respected at all.

until we can start being more cohesive and respecting ea other, then we will continue to receive the doormat mentality in which we are treated.

but when i look at the job i hold (inpatient hospice) and my subsequent interactions with the doctors, pts and families, i do feel respected.

the abuses i encounter (pts/families) don't affect me, since i acknowledge the stressors they are experiencing.

and after the pt has died, i am always treated with the utmost of gratitude and respect.

leslie

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Specializes in Neuro/NS-Stroke-Transplant-Burn-Rehab.

I get quite a bit of respect for simply being a nurse. And for the fact that I have over a year of RN experience and I'm only 23. Then when asked where I work, I get a lot for the being an ICU nurse.

But as an aside, I also work at a major rehabilitation hospital, in addition to my Burn ICU job at UK. At the rehab hospital, its the other nurses that I get no respect from. They have *always* treated me like I am stupid. I dont' go in with the attitude that I know everything and all that jazz, but I do know that I am a competent nurse, yet, they treat me as if I'm someone who has never even been to nursing school! Needless to say, this job probably won't last much longer :)

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.
I get quite a bit of respect for simply being a nurse. And for the fact that I have over a year of RN experience and I'm only 23. Then when asked where I work, I get a lot for the being an ICU nurse.

But as an aside, I also work at a major rehabilitation hospital, in addition to my Burn ICU job at UK. At the rehab hospital, its the other nurses that I get no respect from. They have *always* treated me like I am stupid. I dont' go in with the attitude that I know everything and all that jazz, but I do know that I am a competent nurse, yet, they treat me as if I'm someone who has never even been to nursing school! Needless to say, this job probably won't last much longer :)

They probably feel intimidated by the fact that you are smart, self-confident, and have your act together.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Yes indeed I feel very respected and rarely have any difficulty.

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Specializes in UR/PA, Hematology/Oncology, Med Surg, Psych.

Generally, society respects nursing as a profession. But I do feel very disrespected at times. Sometimes by patient's families, occasionally by Drs, and most certainly by administration. In some places I've seen, the nurses were treated so poorly by management, as if they were practically worthless, it was disgusting.

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No, I don't feel respected. I am just a warm body to cover a shift for the management. Doctors barely talk to me. And don't get me started on families.

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