Does this make me really horrible?

[vandiola]

One of the girls in my cohort wants to work in a developing country as a nurse. She mentioned she would like to work in MSF (Doctors without Borders), but she can't as she's not a doctor. I informed her they happily take nurses too, and she asked me what I thought of them. I totally respect what they do, but I dislike their title. More than 50% of their international work is carried out by nurses, but a lot of people assume only doctors work for them, even in adverts shown in this country it makes it come off as doctors are their only healthcare providers. I guess it just frustrates me that the other healthcare workers in their charity don't get the credit. Anyway, the way she looked at me made me feel like I was proper horrible cow.

[Farawyn]

Nope, not horrible.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

If people looking at you makes you feel like a 'proper cow' - I would suggest going back to junior high.

[Emergent, RN]

Are you trashing cows?

[Farawyn]

It's the improper cows you need to be concerned with.

OP, I wouldn't worry about it.

What's in a name?

[vandiola]

I mean disliking a charity because of their name.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

Wuhheelllll....the original name in French uses the word 'medicine', not 'doctors' so refer to Médecins Sans Frontières and maybe you'll feel better.

I don't think what the organization calls itself has any bearing on the relevance of what they do.

Do you also have issues with the Red Cross?

Meals on Wheels expects people to carry packages into people's homes, not roll them in on a wagon. I'm ok with that, too!

[llg, PhD, RN]

I always cringe when I see people and organization lump all health care disciplines under the word "medicine." It's simply incorrect and shows a lack of respect for the many types of health care professionals that are needed. I don't "hate" them ... but it makes me think they are either insensitive or out-of-touch. So I think less of them than I would if they would be more inclusive in their terminology.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I always cringe when I see people and organization lump all health care disciplines under the word "medicine." It's simply incorrect and shows a lack of respect for the many types of health care professionals that are needed. I don't "hate" them ... but it makes me think they are either insensitive or out-of-touch. So I think less of them than I would if they would be more inclusive in their terminology.

Ok, but in the case of this non-profit, would you go so far as to make an issue out of the name being Médecins Sans Frontières instead of Doctors and Nurses Without Borders? But we cannot stop there, if we're going to be recognizing everyone who participates....so.........

Let's face it: Medicine and Nursing and Respiratory and Wound Care and Dental Without Borders gets a little cumbersome, no?

I vote to change the name to Healthcare Without Borders. Think they'll consider it if I ask them nicely? :)

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

Wuhheelllll....the original name in French uses the word 'medicine', not 'doctors' so refer to Médecins Sans Frontières and maybe you'll feel better.

In French, the word (le) médecin means doctor.

That said, it seems kind of unfair to "not like the charity" because you don't like the name of the charity.

ETA: I see that the OP never did say she doesn't like the charity because of its name, but she is annoyed by the name given that doctors are not the only ones who work very hard for that charity.

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

When I have an appointment I'll label it on my calendar as a "doctor's appointment." I'll tell people I need time off work for a doctor's appointment. But when I go I see, in addition to the doctor, the receptionist and a nurse/MA. Depending on the appointment, sometimes I'll see an EKG tech, a nutritionist, a phlebotomist, a respiratory therapist, or a diabetes educator too. Sometimes, I'll even see an NP or PA instead of a physician. So calling it a "doctor's appointment" is certainly a misnomer, but it conveys the meaning clearly.

[Oceanpacific]

I once said in a meeting that I was starting my own organization-- Nurses Without Boundaries.