Does anyone know what this is?

onlyhope · Nov 16, 2006

this is just a guess but...

since neurosis is a very old-school term in psychology refering to being overly nervous/anxious (think of someone you would call neurotic) i would say intern neurosis is the anxious nature of an intern...

too simple? maybe but sometimes you just have to guess

good luck!

JentheRN05, RN · Nov 16, 2006

That sounds truly viable to me !!

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Nov 16, 2006

Don't cry, Sherry. I think we can figure this out. Although I can't find any definite sources to back it up, I'd like to make what I hope is an educated guess.

I think they're referring to the problem where a medical/nursing/allied health trainee reads about a particular disorder and then begins to wonder whether they have that disorder. For example, an intern might have an itch on his arm and attribute it to liver failure.

I've heard it referred to as 'medical student syndrome.' I think that's where they're going with this.

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Nov 16, 2006

I was actually thinking the same thing, or along those lines when i read the OP. Sounds like someone that either has neurosis of interns,, or an intern with neurosis.

kellerpatty · Nov 16, 2006

Hi:

Intern Neurosis can be a serious malady in the nursing world.

I know my own case of Intern Neurosis manifests itself every morning (I work nights in an ICU at a university/teaching hospital), when:

They all come around taking my charts and nursing documentation while I'm trying to give report;

They resolutely take up residence in my chair to pretend to intently scan said documentation after I've been running around for about 13 or 14 hours with no food and a full bladder;

They start asking me lazy questions about things when the answers they seek are clearly given in the flowsheet that they've just taken from me (see above), and

When they are walking around talking and acting like they know what they're doing (while quietly pumping the nurses for info before the attending gets there)!

If that's not Intern Neurosis, I don't know what is...ha!

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Nov 16, 2006

Somehow my reply got posted twice. Disregard and read on......Cheers!

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Nov 16, 2006

Intern Neurosis
We were told to find out what it is, but no one in my class has been able to find ANY information on it. I've looked for hours and haven't found the term mentioned even once.
All we were told is that it has something to do with psychiatric/mental health nurses.
I'm exhausted, have a headache and am nearly in tears. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

My thought is that it may be a neurosis which keeps the patient from doing anything. The patient is sooo neurotic that all the fears keep them interned. Is that making any sense? Let us know when you find out. I'd love to know what it really is. Now that I read your post again I see that it refers to nurses so it probably is what everyone else is saying. Let us know!!

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Nov 16, 2006

could you possibly be looking for "interium neurosis"

meaning temporary mental imbalance causing distress but doesn't prevent rational thought or significantly impact persons ability to function in daily life....

often seen in nursing and medical students along with persons undergoing severe life stressors: divorce, serious medical illness, marriage etc.

interim [color=#880000]/ˈɪntərəm/

[color=#558811]–noun 1.an intervening time; interval; meantime: in the interim.

2.a temporary or provisional arrangement; stopgap; makeshift.

3.(initial capital letter) church history. any of three provisional arrangements for the settlement of religious differences between german protestants and roman catholics during the reformation. [color=#558811]–adjective

4.for, during, belonging to, or connected with an intervening period of time; temporary; provisional: an interim order.

neurosis - wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

the bio-social theory of neurosis

babynurselsa, RN · Nov 16, 2006

I was thinking it might be how all the nurses feel who work in a teaching institution around July 1st....

BSNtobe2009 · Nov 16, 2006

i'm wondering if it's a "joke" that he's asking you to look that up...here is what i found on dictionary.com for the definition of "intern"

1.a resident member of the medical staff of a hospital, usually a recent medical school graduate serving under supervision.

2.education. student teacher.

3.a person who works as an apprentice or trainee in an occupation or profession to gain practical experience, and sometimes also to satisfy legal or other requirements for being licensed or accepted professionally.

–verb (used without object)

4.to be or perform the duties of an intern

this is what i found for the definition of "neurosis"

any of various mental or emotional disorders, such as hypochondria or neurasthenia, arising from no apparent organic lesion or change and involving symptoms such as insecurity, anxiety, depression, and irrational fears, but without psychotic symptoms such as delusions or hallucinations. no longer in scientific use.

here is my conclusion:

i know there is a normal "condition" that applies to nurses/medical students/psychologists that read about diseases and/or conditions and as they are reading, they suddenly "feel" that they have the disease or condition. i do know this is a trick of the human mind and perfectly normal.

are you a new nursing student by chance? i'm wondering if this is why he is having everyone look the term up.

let me know if i'm right!

i think this may be your first 'critical thinking' test...as you have to gather from your own interpretation for this term, as no such definition, per se, exists.

augigi, CNS · Nov 16, 2006

I agree, I assumed you meant interim neurosis.