Do I LOOK Like A Nurse To You?

Gabbyfl RN · Dec 26, 2004

i have been nursing for a long time and i know nurses come in all shapes, sizes, color and both sexes. they all may look different, but we all have one thing in common, it is what is on the inside that counts and is the same. it is best said by the following poem that i just love.

the heart of a nurse

by pauline hamblin

nurses are compassionate and caring,

with love in their hearts for all.

forever extending a heart of mercy,

always there when there is call.

endless hours they stand on their feet,

wondering did i do my best

to help this patient get through this illness,

ease their pain so they can rest.

in their hearts you hear god's whisper

through a nurse he sends his love.

ever sensitive, kind and caring,

souls as pure as a snow white dove.

angel yes, she tends to be,

for her presence comforts me.

concern for the sick shows on her face,

her gentle touch, my fears erase. :saint:

_____________________________________________________

anthony robbins

it's your unlimited power to care and to love that can make the biggest difference in the quality of your life.

GingerSue · Dec 26, 2004

You know... I had a strange occurance like this also. I'm an ER nurse from Georgia, and had gone with my unit director to Boston for business. While there, a member of our group started complaining of calf pain (and had a hx of DVT). We took her to a local ER, and waited while they ran the standard tests.
While she was in US, we decided to sneak outside and be naughty. We were in "normal" clothes, smoking (I know I know), laughing and joking around when this disheveled guy with jaundiced scleras comes up to us and asks,"You guys wouldn't happen to be nurses would you?"
We stopped.... looked at each other kind of stunned and replied,"Well... as a matter of fact yes we are." He then asked,"What does it mean when your eyes are yellow?" Needless to say he was using, and we got him to go and check in with the triage nurse. But to this day we wonder what it was that "marked" us as nurses. We were outside...... normal clothes.... no tote bags or jewelry that had anything to do with nursing. He had just been dropped off so he hadn't heard any of our previous conversations---We must "look" like nurses. ????

Yes - it's possible that your appearance(s) might include confident demeanour, approachability, intelligence, friendliness - based on your experience(s) interacting with people. On the other hand - maybe the man was asking everyone he encountered if they were nurses, until he found someone who was.

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Dec 28, 2004

Average height and weight here too. Sort of bald, but make up with it with the beard. Most colleagues like the beard. I think it is a nice distraction from my balding top. I wear an earring in my left ear...sort of a tribute to my dad and my roots. My 68 year old dad still has his hoop earring in...an ex-biker from the 60's. Do I look like a nurse? Maybe, maybe not. I make great efforts to present myself as professional, to my colleagues and patients, as possible. But, in general, I agree, it is what is inside, one's knowledge, and how one behaves that counts...at least for me.

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Dec 28, 2004

Anyone else get a goofy reaction like mine?

My family (both sides) has come out solidly on the "I'm so proud of you" side. I didn't get 25% of this when I got my BA or my MA, not to mention my LMFT or when I had my children.

Apparently the family likes it.

The only "goofy" thing was my DH, who "named" my laptop (the household computers are in a network, so they all have their own names) "Nursie," which he pronounced with a deep, throaty, gutteral voice that made me giggle.

Still does.

:rotfl:

rockin'1997 · Dec 28, 2004

How you can tell you are a nurse if:

1) you have the patience of a saint

2) you have a bladder than can hold 3 liters of fluid

3) you have a smile for everyone

4) you have the ability to remember all 9,632 things you need to get done in 1 shift, and get them done

5) you can grap a piece of pizza and eat it while sitting on the toilet because they just called a trauma and it may be hours before you get the opportunity to eat and pee (you do what you gotta do)

6) you are not afraid to cry

7) you are not afraid to laugh

I'm sure there are many others. I think it's time we start tooting our horns and letting the world know what a Nurse really looks like.-

ragingmomster, BSN, MSN, RN · Dec 28, 2004

People can't believe I'm a nurse, either. They think I am some kind of movie star. I get mixed up with Julia Roberts a lot.

Personally, I get lots of pt's and fellow staff who do double takes thinking that I am Meg Ryan. I had to color my hair red in order to decrease the "Aren't you..." conversations and get some work done!

NursiePoohRN · Dec 30, 2004

Well you should be lets see according to some of my patients be somewhat old and ugly with a white dress below the knee and that god awful hat on ...lol...they need to get up to date as to what a Nurse is these days, we are machine operators more or less...lol....and no I don't have a small towel drapped over my left arm going around asking "what can I get you" ...but some pts. think we do.... Happy New Year...

barefootlady, ADN, RN · Dec 30, 2004

Average height

Average coloring

Fat

Shortish curley hair with more grey coming every month

Clean nails

very little makeup

light body spray in clean lemon scent

good tennis shoes

pants and tops that are comfortable, clean, and not revealing

small purse but a goodie bag with pens, pencils, note pads, pen light, hemostats, bandaids, normal saline spray, and tape

and every one I meet always knows I am a nurse before I tell them

graysonret · Jan 5, 2005

I had to laugh reading "headhurt", especially "3". Yup, we nurses get together and, sure enough, we forget the "non-medicals" standing around. But. may I add another one. The nurse is also the one with the ringing cell phone...not someone saying "hello", but someone with a medical question. "Is it still okay to take Aleve?".

sparkyeel · Jan 5, 2005

I have to agree with RN4NICU...How CAN a stereotype like this be made by educated women...in the Millenium...It's amazing...and Perplexing... and probably not worth my thinking about for one more minute! :rolleyes:

Really? I can't imagine any rhyme or reason to what a nurse looks like. I know just the nurses on my unit run the gamut from liposuctioned-barbie-doll-wanna-be's to great-grand mothers. Tall & short, heavy & thin, men & women, young & old (and just about everything in between) - all in my one little unit. What is the certain look that nurses have? - now that my curiosity is piqued I MUST know!! :icon_lol:
PM me if you don't want to post it here :Santa5:
I am loving these holiday smilies - just in case anyone could not tell
:Present1:

RE Agent · Jan 5, 2005

Thanks Christina Aguilara! This past week end I attended a holiday party and the discussion moved on from "what kind of car do you drive?" to "what do you do for a living?" . When I replied that I was a Registered Nurse I was met with gasps, a few snickers and some lewd comments, along with "funny, you don't look like a nurse!". Now folks, I am not some blond bombshell busting out of my scrub top, teeting on 6 inch Manolos while applying lip gloss. I present a clean appearance and a conservative outward appearance.
This leads me to ask....what the heck does a nurse look like anyway? Anyone else get a goofy reaction like mine?

Just poot, and blame it on them. Shame on them.

kat911 · Jan 5, 2005

In the 70's I heard a speaker talk about her experiences at a Nuring Convention, she said there was no doubt that everyone was a nurse because everyone was wearing polyester pants and tops. She apparently wanted every one in a business suit. I'm into comfort, the sensible shoes, jeans, T-shirt. Don't own any business suits, nosiree! :rotfl: