Do You Look Like A Nurse?

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Periodically during my 20-plus years in nursing, when I use a credit card that identifies me as a nurse, I have been told, "Oh, you're a nurse? You LOOK like a nurse."

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? :idea:

DO YOU LOOK LIKE A NURSE?

(Sorry, folks. I KNOW I should've asked the question to all those involved what they meant by "You look like a nurse" but I was always too chicken) :trout:

Yet the question remains...;)

SHOWBIZRN

I never really thought about it until now, but when I first went to meet with an academic advisor eons ago she asked me, "what field of study are you planning on pursuing?" And I said (very proudly), "I want to be a nurse." She responded with, "you look like a nurse." I took it as a compliment, all the nurses I know are awesome people, I guess I didn't think of how they looked on the outside.

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Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

A few years ago, I was sitting @ my son's bedside; he had had surgery and was sleeping. I had a polo shirt and casual pants on.

There was a pt in the other bed; his doc, a kind of old fashioned peds surgeon came in to see him. He glanced @ his pt, then @ me, saying the pts name in a questioning voice. "Oh, no, I'm his.", gesturing toward my son.

"Why do they put a nurse in the room who only has one of the pts? Why can't they give her both the pts?", Old Doc Grumpy rants.

Me: "I understand what you're saying, Doctor, but in this case, I'm the mother!"

Him: "oh."

It must be stamped on my forehead, I guess!

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Well, I do have a preconceived notion or "image" of a nurse in my mind...it may or may not be very accurate, but here is what I think a nurse "looks like"

Female (sorry men)

About 35-50 years old

slightly overweight...like 10-15 pounds (sorry, just my "image")

Average heighth to slightly tall

Short-ish hair cut that is very manageable/easy

Clean hair, body, face, hands, clothes, shoes

Not all "primped up" minimal makeup and jewelry

Calm but competent face.

but I think the nursing "demeanor" is most obvious, a certain body lanugage and posture that emits confidence and authority. Usually a warm smile, but not a "fake" smile like a receptionist or car salesman or something.

Nurses (in my experience) tend to speak calmly about things but with a solid or firm point of view...and often times have a great sense of humor that takes me a while to catch on to... like a dry or sarcastic humor but harder to put a "label" on that that...

I'm not a nurse (yet?) but I don't think I look like one at all! I think I look like a highschool band geek (I've even got the acne and lack of boobs for that! Oh...but I don't play any instruments...darn)

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Specializes in ICU/CCU/MICU/SICU/CTICU.

I have always wondered what a nurse is supposed to look like exactly. I have heard that many times "you don't look like a nurse" huh???? What am I supposed to look like?? Could it be that my hair has 3 different colors in it???? nahhhh...even when it was all one color people asked me that.

But, I always remember this one nurse that took care of my mom when she was in the hospital.........my mom called her "Nurse CrabbyButt"........ very stern looking lady...with the stark white uniform with creases so perfect that you would have cut yourself on....wore the hat......very matter of fact and to the point.....she had NO personality at all.

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Specializes in LTC.

Only at work!:lol2:

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Psych..

Hmmm I dont look like anyone.....I look like myself:D

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I'm in India at the moment and people are curious about where you are from and what you do. When I tell them I'm a nurse you can see their brain cells misfiring and they can't think of what else to say. Maybe it's because I look like a mercenary...or my black pearl earring, lol!

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Specializes in Utilization Management.

I walked into the room for a family reunion-type thing last year and one of my relatives, who hadn't seen me for something like 30 years, jumps up and the first words out of her mouth are, "Angie? You're doing what you were always meant to do!" (Meaning nursing. I used to play "Hospital" with anyone who came near me when I was little...)

I think it has to do with the way we look at people, like when we're standing in line at Walmart and assessing vein size, skin color, and ambulation of the other customers. It's so different from how someone in another profession... say, a cop ... might look at you.

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Specializes in Med Surg/Ortho.
Sometimes a stupid coment deserves a stupid answer.

I'm a nurse working in a Long Term Care facility for over 11 years now. A few years ago a resident's son was watching me doing my med pass and he asked me,"How can you be a male nurse doing this kind of job?"

My response was,"I tried being a female nurse, but it didn't work." He never ever asked me another question after that.

That just made me laugh out loud.

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Specializes in Med Surg/Ortho.

People have told me I look like a nurse, and I take that as a compliment.

I think my mom looks like a nurse (and she is a nurse). Confident, no-nonsense, assertive, intelligent, warm, and caring. She always knows what to do, what to say, and takes charge in any situation. She doesn't procrastinate, if something needs to be done, she does it. She also has this look, like you can't pull one over on her, and you don't want to cross her. It is all very "motherish". I think looking like a nurse, and looking like a mother, are very similar (or if you are a man, looking like a father).

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

I've been told on more than one occasion that I look like a nurse. I didn't ask what it is that a nurse looks like.

(maybe the blood, barf, & poop on my shoes? the fact that I can watch the surgery channel while eating? insomnia? dark circles under my eyes?)

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Specializes in Med Surg, ER, OR.

Nope never been told that. Kinda glad so that people don't expect me to jump in and do something in public during a crisis, but I know that I can if I have to. Just your average Joe who wears jeans and t-shirts or hoodies (depends on the Ohio weather at the time). Not too fancy and not into fashion (like I see most nurses). I may be seen as a nurse later down the road, when males really increase percentage, but don't see that as happening any time soon.

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