Dropping the "Nurse Card"?

Nurses General Nursing

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I am very curious if any of you ever dropped the "Nurse" word to get you out of trouble?

Myself and a couple of buddies are new recently hired nurses and we call each other on our way home after orientation. One day in particular my friend was busted talking on his cellphone and was pulled over. Being upset because I was the one who called him first, I felt as if it was my fault for the trouble he was about to be in.. About 3-4 minutes goes by and he calls back saying he told the cop he was driving home from work and hes a nurse at blah blah hospital and the officer let him go with only a warning!

What was the craziest thing you got (or got out of) after dropping "I am a nurse"?!?! Hoping for some funny stories!

Specializes in MCH,NICU,NNsy,Educ,Village Nursing.

Thank you for your service. Stay safe out there & the best to you in your future career as a nurse!

It's so weird... I was stopped tonight (for having a brake light out) after seeing this thread just this week. Strangely, the officer said that my insurance was also coming up as expired, but I just now verified that I have current coverage and no outstanding balance. At any rate, he gave me verbal warnings for the light and the insurance. I did not identify myself as a nurse, but I was wearing scrubs. Did that help? We'll never know. :)

Specializes in Emergency Department.
Naturally the Queen would be very gracious about the encounter and then not have to pay the ticket. Mayors, governors, president, and all that, you know. On the off-chance that she did have to pay it, it would mean nothing to her - she's a multi-billionaress. She owns jewels galore, numerous castles throughtout her realm, and even the actual earth itself in England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland to name but a few.

Allodial title. You and I think we own our homes and the ground upon which they sit. Well just try not paying the taxes and you will quickly learn who really owns your humble abode. Eminent domain. It can all be taken away from you in the blink of an eye and they don't even have to give you enough money to buy another place without having to get a mortgage.

Better to be the Queen.

What????

Sorry, this makes no sense.

Specializes in Emergency Department.

I don't use the "I'm a Nurse" or "I'm a Paramedic" card. Ever. I never ask for any kind of "special consideration" or anything like that. To me, anybody that does that is basically demanding a "get out of jail" favor from someone that has a lot of discretion and can sour any future relationship between services. In any event, it's just poor form, as the good Captain Hook would say. I know of people that have gotten out of speeding tickets because they were still in uniform and in one case, I know of a guy that got out of a carpool lane violation while going home from work. He was still in uniform and probably had his brain on autopilot and got in the carpool lane and forgot he wasn't driving the ambulance. I heard about it the next day when he started his shift. I wouldn't have had his luck...

I have gotten out of a ticket probably because I was in my scrubs going to work a long way from home and possibly because I was armed. For that commute, I almost always carried because of the hours of commute and the distance involved where there was little to no law enforcement presence. Yes, I have a valid license to carry. The Officer that stopped me did exercise discretion on his own. I was ready (and expecting) to sign for the ticket, got a warning instead.

Most cops are decent people. Motor cops and Troopers are a bit different as they do more traffic stuff than anything else and they seem to really like writing tickets. I used to work pretty closely with a few Sheriff Deputies and I still run into some of them every now and then. Just don't be a jerk (even if you're "asserting your rights" and they'll be decent with you. I've never known anybody that pulled a jerk attitude with a cop that didn't seem to always attract tickets...

Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

No funny stories here, I haven't been pulled over [knock on wood]! Wondering why your nurse buddy was caught talking on the cell phone though when there are so many reasonably priced hands free options on the market?

One thing I have pesonally noticed is the mutual respect law enforcement and nurses seem to have for one another.

And of course - always remember - "It's the nurse that decides the size of the needle and the catheter." LOL

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Never have dropped the "nurse" card. I was stopped twice: once for an improper left turn (too sharp) and another for speeding. I was given a warning both times because I was polite, forthcoming and honest. Neither cop knew I was a nurse. Never occurred to me to tell them so.

Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
once for an improper left turn (too sharp)

You can actually get pulled over for this? While I would not pull the nurse card to try and get out of speeding ticket, I would pull it to get out of this one.

It's one thing to benefit from some kind of unwritten professional courtesy code when pulled over. If it happens, consider yourself lucky. But the people saying that not only do they feel ENTITLED to speed or break traffic laws without consequences, but also insinuate that they would provide substandard care to an officer should they cross paths while working-unbelievably unethical.

The sense of entitlement displayed by some is unbelievable.

It was not my intention to offend anyone with the title or come off as if what my friend did was acceptable. I did yell at him when he called back for the reason he was pulled over in the first place. Hope that makes you feel better.

I meant for this thread to be about ANYTHING that got you "special" treatment for dropping your career choice...NOT just for being pulled over.

I thought the original thread title was meant to be clickbait as that word is quite inflammatory. I think it was appropriate for the mods to change it.

I've never been the beneficiary of special treatment due to being a nurse, other than being seen quicker (or family members being seen quicker)in the ER where I worked. Then again, the last time I was ever pulled over was in 1990, before I became a nurse. After spending 8 boring hours taking defensive driving in order to dismiss the ticket, I decided to ditch the lead foot. So I haven't had the opportunity to test this theory that being a nurse brings special privileges.

Specializes in Flight, ER, Transport, ICU/Critical Care.

I guess, in hindsight, I have never outright NEVER dropped the NURSE card.

The VIRGINIA STATE POLICE trooper asked what I was doing in the state (besides breaking the law) and, frankly, I think, discretion (and that Yellow Hummer) kept me from going to jail. Plus, I just can't lie, I have that curse.

Or maybe it was just the PARAMEDIC CARD. I'm always dropping that one!

:angel:

Specializes in Flight, ER, Transport, ICU/Critical Care.

Truthfully, I'm now trying to think (given that there is criticism of privilege) and I have started to check myself on traffic stops.

1. I tended to drive reasonably.

2. If I was stopped or hit a traffic checkpoint I was always courteous. Interior lights on, hands above 10 & 2 & stationary. Music off.

Other than that, I'm honest if asked questions. There is nothing discernible on any vehicle about nursing or EMS.

Yes, I drive/drove late model vehicles, well-maintained, I'm white, reasonably attractive on a good day, strawberry blond with boobs.

I'm not sure the NURSE variable mattered. The ONLY 2 tickets I got my entire life were while wearing a FLIGHT SUIT on my way to work within 10 miles of what (yep, I know the 25 mph coming out of downtown speed trap - but, he could have showed discretion) I thought was the posted speed I was a fuzz over 40 in a 35 -- NOPE!!! and the other merging onto actual INTERSTATE MOVING HEAVY TRAFFIC at the ENTRANCE RAMP.

80 in 70

43 in 25 but I thought it was a 35 (I was surprised I was 43) - full story in earlier post.

I think the car got too much attention. Really. Never buy a flashy car, kids. Folks would walk over to look at her, when I was getting gas kind of flashy - this will get you tickets. I had driven close to a MILLION miles without a ticket at that point. Boom.

And no, being a nurse, or paramedic meant exactly nothing. I had a FLIGHTSUIT. Told them where I was going. Had a name badge on as big as my hand they could not miss on my Left chest with Critical Care Nurse/Paramedic on it. Yep, doesn't take a Detective to figure that out.

And, yep, those officers knew that my smiling face could be the last thing they ever looked at before they hit the big black abyss of the unknown. Really.

So, get it over it folks, if you're offended at this thread. It's a meaningless exercise.

No QUID PRO QUO exists. Ever.

Carry on.

:angel:

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