Dr. Phil today

talaxandra · Nov 19, 2004

I really object to the comment. I've been nursing for over fifteen years, and in all that time I've seen one woman who became a nurse to 'catch' a doctor - she trained with me, and married a registrar the year we registered.

I'm not saying it doesn't happen, or has never happened, but I also think it's pretty rare (especially now). lay-people watching the show wouldn't get the impression that it's a fairly isolated event from watching Dr Phil, especially as what he says carries so much authority.

SharonH, RN · Nov 19, 2004

I like Phil but honestly he should have known better to make such ugly statements. For starters, his sister is an ICU nurse.

The problem I have with his statements whether he meant to speak of the whole profession or not is that there is this stereotype of nurses and doctors engaging in hospital romances and that type of comment just reinforces it. I can honestly say that in 13 years of nursing I have never known a nurse who even dated physicians let alone entered the profession for the sole purpose of marrying one. I do know of two nurses who married doctors but they both kept working afterward. I don't think the incidence of nurses marrying doctors or dating them is higher than in any other profession in which men and women work together.

I had to send Phil a nastygram regarding this one and I hope he hears from a lot of us. Go through his website, drphil.com.

okie2 · Nov 19, 2004

Dr Phil is speaking from personal experience!!! In Texas, before he was famous he had an affair with a client- who then he hired as his assistant in his counseling practice ( he has a PhD in psychology- not an MD). She had no license or training. She was actually involved in his clients care, treatment, etc. Their affair continued. He got his licence revoked for it, and was required to work only with supervision of another professional. He didn't remain in the profession long and years later became the famous DR. PHIL !!!

I think he's a sham and have no respect for the guy-- especially after a comment like that!!

imenid37 · Nov 19, 2004

I like Dr. Phil most of the time. I think his "description" of nurses must indicate his dealing w/ the healthcare profession over many years indicates he must have spent a lot of time watching General Hospital or As the World Turns. There are women and men in every profession who are gold-diggers or have a poor character. It wouldn't fly if he had said generally that Dr's are looking for a piece of *$$ from the nursing staff or that doctors are cheaters and cads now would it? I have worked w/ more physicians who hit on uninterested nurses way more often than the other way around. This nurse could be quite a "temptress", but it wouldn't phase someone who didn't want to be tempted. This guy (Dr.) is a total loser. How would you like such a creep to be your parent or grandparent's dr. What an *$$ he is. He is so ARROGANT and immature. Do you think if he made an error, he might try to cover it up? HMMMM? As for his wife, she must be totally lacking any kind of self-esteem to even entertain staying w/ this man. If my husband had another woman pregnant, he wouldn't be able to afford a square of toilet paper to wipe his behind!

wooh, BSN, RN · Nov 19, 2004

I just sent an email to drphil.com asking for an apology and for him to remind his viewers that nurses are professionals, not handmaidens waiting for a doctor to take them away. I encourage everyone to do the same. He's in a position where he can do good for our profession with an educated comment, or with a few stupid comments can do a lot of bad.

ceecel.dee, MSN, RN · Nov 19, 2004

I think probably secretaries are painted with this brush in the business field, cheerleaders with football players, housekeeppers with lonely husbands, and those poor pool boys!

It's a men and women issue. Doctors can play with nurses (or vice versa) due to their proximity, just as in the other cases listed above.

dazzle256 · Nov 19, 2004

Dr Phil is speaking from personal experience!!! In Texas, before he was famous he had an affair with a client- who then he hired as his assistant in his counseling practice ( he has a PhD in psychology- not an MD). She had no license or training. She was actually involved in his clients care, treatment, etc. Their affair continued. He got his licence revoked for it, and was required to work only with supervision of another professional. He didn't remain in the profession long and years later became the famous DR. PHIL !!!
I think he's a sham and have no respect for the guy-- especially after a comment like that!!

I never liked the guy but ......ewwww I didn't know that. Didn't Oprah get him his start?

okie2 · Nov 19, 2004

I never liked the guy but ......ewwww I didn't know that. Didn't Oprah get him his start?

Yep- he was a BIG consultant in her legal battles with the beef industry- they claimed she defamed beef on her show :chuckle That was all so silly--anyway that's where they hooked up. He used to run a psycho-legal business of some sort.

boulergirl, CNA · Nov 19, 2004

I know a couple girls whose sole purpose for becoming nurses, were so they can meet a doctor and marry them. After the new residents come every year, its like a picnic. It's disgusting. Some of these nurses go through the new residents the way I might go through shampoo. Its not only the doctors who make rounds folks.

And then we wonder why the nursing profession can't get any respect...:stone

allnurses Guide · Nov 19, 2004

I think probably secretaries are painted with this brush in the business field, cheerleaders with football players, housekeeppers with lonely husbands, and those poor pool boys!
It's a men and women issue. Doctors can play with nurses (or vice versa) due to their proximity, just as in the other cases listed above.

This says it all.

It is a man and a woman issue . ... regardless of their profession or lack thereof.

steph

oostarglowos · Nov 19, 2004

Ok, just now i was watching Dr. Phil interveiw a physician who had an affair with a nurse and he said (as close a paraphrase as I can remember from five minutes ago):
"I've worked in the health care delivery system for a long time and I've seen lots of times nurses playing footsie with doctors because they see it as their ticket out of having to work as a nurse".
Ok, I'm not going to even get into all the problems with this statement since they are obvious, I am writing the show right now to explain why this is not an acceptable way to desribe a profession.
Who's with me?

I was very insulted by that bieng a nursing student this man made it seem like I wanted to be a nurse to score with a doc and stay at home so I can be mommy or wifee. I am in in anything you want to do. He had no right to make a comment like that. Expecially since nurses are extremly educated and professional.

bearzhuny · Nov 19, 2004

This is a pompous Dr. and a nurse. Both obviously know how to procreate. Why didn't Dr. Phil address that fact. They shouldv'e know how to prevent it in the first place. The Dr. the naive wife and the dumb mistress are all thinking adults. I feel sorry for this baby who is coming into such a messed up situation.