"She's a FLOOR nurse..."

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I love ER, but I am currently watching my least favorite episode, "Fear of Flying."

Why do I hate this one? It involves a MedSurg nurse being pulled to County's ER and, during the course of the shift, depicts floor nurses as dumb people who have too much time on their hands.

I think the show has shown nurses in a positive light for the most part (soap opera stuff ignored) especially with the characters of Carol, Sam and Haleh. So why did they feel the need for the low blow to MedSurg nurses?

Of course, I was "raised" in the perioperative environment, and had instilled in me the belief that floor nurses were the ones who couldn't hack the real world of nursing, so I'm not shocked that Hollywood feels the same way!

I know I need reminding sometimes that we couldn't function without other types of nurses. If we all worked on the floor, who would be the RRT nurse, the LTC nurse, the triage nurse in the ER? We're all pieces of the same body!

Ugh!

Specializes in OR.

i dont understand this mentality... im basically a new grad now... but ive worked as an extern and as a tech on a med-surg floor, and i dont see how this is right.

doing rotations to the OR and speciality clinics in clinicals, id MUCH rather be something else than a Med-Surg nurse! theyre overworked and underthanked.

i think the best and most knowledgable nurses COME from the med-surg floors! unless there is something im missing here....

Specializes in Peds Hem, Onc, Med/Surg.

I would like to see these people that write this stuff take a med-surg 12 hour shift, then they can say how "dumb" med-surg nurses are.

Schmoo1022

520 Posts

I think it is sad that any type of nurses are disrespected. I hear it all the time when I say I work in LTC. I hear,"I would never do that." or "Whats the matter you couldn't cut it as a hospital nurse?"

I love LTC, well, I should say I love working with the elderly. I can do without the bad staffing, bad pay and bad benefits, but that is a whole other post lol.

IndySkies

57 Posts

Floor Nursing is the 'Boot-Camp', 'Trial by Fire', (LTC is the 'Hell-Hole), that other specialities could only wish they had the fortitude, skills, and intelligence, to be able to master, much less survive.

I have always said that the standard uniform of the typical Med-Surg nurse should include a red-headed wig, since they are treated like a 'red-headed step-child by most facilities. (Oh...by the way...I'm an ICU nurse).

AlabamaBelle

476 Posts

Specializes in Peds Critical Care, Dialysis, General.

I work PICU, but I've been floated to the general peds floor - those nurses kick *** out there! Gotta love them! They are awesome!!!

As the sister of a hardworking, diligent Med/Surg RN, the above portrayal of Med/Surg RNs is offensive.

I just gotta brag on little sis - she was just named Med/Surg RN of the Year at her facility - she is the first Med/Surg RN to receive this distinction! So proud of her!!

Christy's proud oldest sister,

Cindy RN

oramar

5,758 Posts

I work PICU, but I've been floated to the general peds floor - those nurses kick *** out there! Gotta love them! They are awesome!!!

As the sister of a hardworking, diligent Med/Surg RN, the above portrayal of Med/Surg RNs is offensive.

I just gotta brag on little sis - she was just named Med/Surg RN of the Year at her facility - she is the first Med/Surg RN to receive this distinction! So proud of her!!

Christy's proud oldest sister,

Cindy RN

Two thumbs up to your sis. A lot of ICU nurses will post that they would not go back out on the floor for all the money in the world. I have worked in ICU, CCU and stepdown as well as med/surg and rehab nursing. Med/surg is by far the hardest in my opinion, on any given day half your patients ought to be in ICU but ICU does not have enough beds. There is a technique to dealing with 6,7,8 or more patients. Not everyone can get the hang of it.

oramar

5,758 Posts

I think it is sad that any type of nurses are disrespected. I hear it all the time when I say I work in LTC. I hear,"I would never do that." or "Whats the matter you couldn't cut it as a hospital nurse?"

I love LTC, well, I should say I love working with the elderly. I can do without the bad staffing, bad pay and bad benefits, but that is a whole other post lol.

Your post brought tears to my eyes. How can anyone say a disrespectful thing like that to a person who cares for the elderly, frail and disabled. These patients are in such desperate need.

Specializes in OR.

im still in talks with a hospital to work on a med/surg floor that typically doesn't hire new grads but considered me cause of my orthopaedic experience as a nurse extern.

working as a tech on that floor.... i have to say.... its so scary to even imagine working on my own there. just seeing all the seasoned nurses pulling meds left and right like tazmanian devil out of the pyxis, while simultaneously shouting at patients in their rooms, to helping other nurses at the same time.... man.... i just dont know, lol.

kudos to them =(

Specializes in Critical care.

What a hateful expression but unfortunately one that gets used A LOT. I "did my time" on a tele floor and absolutely would not go back unless I desperately need the money. Those floors are HARD work and the majority of the nurses out there are running all day long. I've met a few stupid people on the floors, but I've met stupid people working in every department of the hospital. Just because one works on the floor does NOT equal stupid.

I don't know why some areas of nursing look down on other areas. It's unprofessional and doesn't do anything to improve workplace hostility.

TrailBlazerRN

41 Posts

Specializes in Burns, ICU, Plastic Surgery.

I totally know which episode you're talking about. The comment that bothered me was when the two other nurses abandoned Carol and said "we're not babysitting her." I mean what??? Yeah, of course a med/surg nurse might be a little out of place in an ED, but c'mon seriously?

Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.

I have been a LTC nurse for 20+ years. I have been assigned up to 40-50 residents at a time (back in the day - not so much now). I can do a mean med pass, do foleys, IV's, wound vacs, complicated wound dressings, TPN, soothe families, recognize impending doom in a patient, effectively communicate and have the respect of the same Drs that work in the hospital, etc... but had a hospital recruiter tell me within the past year "Oh, you are just a LTC nurse - we are not interested due to your lack of skill".

Your loss sweetheart!

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