I work alongside nurses and am in the process of becoming a nurse myself.
While I have great respect for the profession and my coworkers as well as a passion for it (hence my reason for going to RN school), I've noticed nurses (many but not all) have this superiority attitude like their job is the only job in the Healthcare field that matters. They talk down to all the other professionals (respiratory therapists, social workers, occupational therapists, etc) and disregard any of the hard work they do and just expect a pat on the back for every little thing. I've even heard some nurses say they should get paid more than the doctor because their work is more important.
Also, I hear many nurses complain that they have too much to do, and then when anyone tries to give them a hand they have this turf battle and think everyone is trying to take over their job and isn't competent enough to do so even if it's something as simple as helping bathe a patient.
Again I completely see where the OP is coming from as I was there myself...but it's all in perspective I believe. Plus of course some of us go on the offense when someone is questioning our profession that we have spent years and years dedicated to. I sincerely hope the OP continues with nursing school, has passion for it, and does well. We need solidarity with strong nurses rather than those who only see the "downsides" of it. I suppose the old saying is true: "When sharks see blood in the water..."
I was pushing several meds on a patient once and got called by the tech telling me to put the roommate on a bedpan, "since you're in there anyway."
Yea....I'll just leave my syringe of Digoxin taped to the IV while I put the roommate on her bed & stand there waiting for said lady to finish because her "I'll only be a second & don't leave me because I passed out last week doing the same...." Never mind that I'm trying to lower that 160 heart rate, roommate CAN go potty in the bathroom because she has an order to do it AND that aide just wants to take her 5th smoke break in as many hours???
Oh, and my patient with the high heart rate is confused (nothing new) & today I DID play the, "call HER nurse to assist you, please. I'm tied up." Really, I WAS keeping the confused lady from tying me up in her sheets....
You don't have an assigned parking space? I used to, but I shared it with another nurse who also worked nights....all the way on far end of furthest parking lots. That hospital assigned us spaces and rarely did it mean you were actually able to use it. Most of us shared with someone on the same 8 hours shift rotation!
Free lunch? I've had a few of those, but it was horrible food. Even the ones with a discount offered is usually pitiful. My last hospital gave us 5% off. The brochure said, "deeply discounted meals for employees" & of course the public reads that as, "they eat for almost nothing" & think we can just buy them a meal. I mean, we make "killer money" ($150,000 was quoted to me as what the person THOUGHT I made per year) & I can't correct them OR the techs who said, "or more!" as their response.
I worked with awesome HUC in past. We were going crazy down a tech & one went around helping pass ice water. Even someone at the desk directing people, answering phone, and keeping people from trying to follow us INTO another room/med room is a huge help underestimated by management.
Nothing I hated worse than family banging on med room door when I went in there to be able to talk to the MD and/or get my meds ready. Loved it when I was working & med room was where our clerk could see it. They stopped many families from interrupting us.
I worked with awesome HUC in past. We were going crazy down a tech & one went around helping pass ice water. Even someone at the desk directing people, answering phone, and keeping people from trying to follow us INTO another room/med room is a huge help underestimated by management.
Nothing I hated worse than family banging on med room door when I went in there to be able to talk to the MD and/or get my meds ready. Loved it when I was working & med room was where our clerk could see it. They stopped many families from interrupting us.
You are not realizing the crux of the issue. Unit clerks... nursing assistants..any and ALL ancillary staff are appreciated by nurses.
Corporate america is FORCING nurses to take OVER the unit secretary duties.
My opinion is you're being deliberately offensive.
®Nurse said:
I think we have a *** and Ditch on our hands. The OP is nowhere to be seen.
MIA.
Haha! I think he/she is! First time I read this topic/thread, I thought it may be a FLAME BAIT! But too bad, I bite the bait!
Lesson that I learned: When I perceived that a certain topic/thread is a flame bait, better not to respond. If a topic is intentionally trying to insult/offend nurses, I will just ignore... it is a flame bait! Posting a comment on this kind of topic/thread is just a waste of time.
The Nightingale Pledge was composed by Lystra Gretter, an instructor of nursing at the old Harper Hospital in Detroit, Michigan, and was first used by its graduating class in the Spring of 1893.
A pledge means SQUAT.
I started and ended my career at Harper. Also did agency work there in between.
Things must have been better back in 1893. I am still beat up.
No, you misunderstood me. I was commenting on how much I love having a unit clerk. They've not taken them away at our hospital, but they've fussed about the cost since we went electronic.
Our clerksite have cross-trained to other duties, not just to be able to safely help us, but for job security.
I think you are extremely perceptive, especially your noticing that some nurses who say they are "So busy" and absolutely refuse any assistance or advice. I strongly suspect some of this ilk refuse help because they are worried they will be expected to reciprocate.
My personal pet peeve, and something don't tolerate is when I work with one of these nurses that refuse help AND they say they are "Too busy" for me to go on break. Almost always, the reason these people are "swamped" is because they are tragically disorganized.
I've said straight out, "You can either accept help from me or you can cover while I go on break, but you cannot refuse help and refuse to let me go on break."
They will always say "Just go!" Which works out because I never go on break unless I am sure my patients won't need anything from these goofballs; I know sure as hell they aren't going to help any of my patients.
Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.
funtimes said:
I've noticed this mindset in Nursing as well. It just seems like modern nurses see themselves as the center of the universe. It's what drove me away from Nursing school and into Respiratory therapy. I hate to say this, but from working as a tech and EMT for many years I gradually realized that I just didn't like Nurses very much. Gone are the days of people who get into the profession because they genuinely cared for people. Now its all ME ME ME.
I like being an RT, and loved working EMS, because I was around people who didn't just do it for the money, and who had a team mentality. I don't see that in Nursing at all. I think its a profession in crises, and I think maybe other health professionals need to step up and reduce the role of RNs in health care. They will always be necessary of course, but they've accrued way too much power and influence and patient care is suffering as a result.
I glanced at your post history, and to be honest it sounds like you have an ax to grind here. Please don't take it out on an entire profession.
migsie1
25 Posts
Again I completely see where the OP is coming from as I was there myself...but it's all in perspective I believe. Plus of course some of us go on the offense when someone is questioning our profession that we have spent years and years dedicated to. I sincerely hope the OP continues with nursing school, has passion for it, and does well. We need solidarity with strong nurses rather than those who only see the "downsides" of it. I suppose the old saying is true: "When sharks see blood in the water..."