GUILTY

[GitanoRN]

let me begin by stating the following, this has only happened to me once... and so it goes, i was rushing to my work when the flash-lights of the patrol-car came into view in my rear-view mirror. needless to say i thought "s*## now i'm gonna be late for sure" i pulled out my i.d. and registration before the officer asked as i heard him say "doc, did you realized you were doing 80 on a 65 speed zone, are you in some kind of hurry or something? i said "i'm going to work sir, my apologies for speeding i"... he then interrupted me by saying "are you going to st.joseph's hosp.?" i said "yes" he then said "well doc, i'll give you an escort since i'm headed that way and step on it" before i could say anything he got in his car... i think since i was wearing my scrubs and had my stethoscope around my neck he assume that i was a physician... therefore, i'm guilty for not correcting him on my line of work..my question is, has this happened to any of you?

[MN-Nurse, ASN, RN]

i'm guilty for not correcting him on my line of work..my question is, has this happened to any of you?

no, but i have had one cop immediately give me back my id and say, "have a nice day" as soon as he found out i was a nurse.

[dblpn]

I got pulled over for speeding going to work on the night shift when i was a cna. like you, i was in full nursing uniform with stethoscope around my neck...but, he didnt care still ran my license an everything. unfortunatly, i did have a warrant for a traffic violation from a year prior and went to jail that night.

[applewhitern, BSN, RN]

Yes, a female nurse would never be mistaken for a doctor in my area. The males in our hospitals are automatically "doctors," and the female doctors are automatically "nurses." The male respiratory therapist is "the doctor who gave me a treatment" and the male CNA is the "doctor that brought me to my room from the ER."

[Guest372004]

It was Memorial Day almost midnight. I was exhausted from work, driving slowly thru the many stop signs in my neighborhood when a cop stopped me for "erratic" driving. Was driving out of state car that my son had just given me and not registered. Had no drivers license on me. I handed him my badge and told him the truth and he said "be more careful" and that was it. A lucky break!

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

I tried to play the nurse card, I was pulled over for speeding in my scrubs on the way home from a shift. But the cop was a D-bag. He asked if I was a nurse and when he realized the hospital I worked for was too far away for one he could possibly be treated at, he was a prick and gave me a ticket for speeding because I WAS wearing a seatbelt.

While it's nice to be let off with a warning simply because one is a nurse, your post suggests you believe you are entitled to speed without consequences and that because the policeman held you to the same standards as anyone else, that made him a "D-bag" and "a prick?" Perhaps you didn't mean for your post to come off that way?

[Hygiene Queen]

Gitano :You are sooo not guilty.

You probably would not have gotten a ticket if the cop had known you were a nurse anyway.

Consider it a perk of your job.

I make sure I keep my hospital parking tag on my mirror and (as I am engaged to a detective and former cop) I have a Fraternal Order of Police sticker on by rear window.

This is like double protection!!

No tickets here, lol.

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

Ive been pulled over 9 times for speeding and no tickets yet....

[merlee]

A few years ago we were on our way to a backgammon tournament and were pulled over for speeding. My husband worked at a juvie facility, as a key and video screen monitor, and his badge was hanging from the mirror. The cop let us go with a warning. The irony was that one of our friends - not my husband - was driving! And he was doing 85 in a 70 zone.....

And I am certain I got by when the cop saw my sticker supporting a scholarship program for deceased cops' and firefighters' kids.

[On_the_on, BSN]

I got out of a ticket for being a nurse. Officer was very gruff, almost rude when she pulled me over. I was keeping my tone upbeat and apologetic. I was in street clothes because I was in orientation for a new job. She asked me where I worked and I said I was a new nurse at X hospital. Her demeanor changed and she actually became chatty with me and let me go with a warning. I was surprised, but obviously grateful. I talked to colleagues about it and apparently in this area cops often let medical personnel go due to "professional courtesty". Luckily I've never had to test the theory again.

Had the same thing happen to me. Only difference is I am a CNA and the cop thought I was a nurse. Thanked me for all "we" (the hospital I was working at) do.

[dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN]

I have my badge in my car. I got stopped for not wearing my seat belt. Wasn't in scrubs but did manage to clip my big RN badge onto my clothes before the cop walked up. Got me out of a $5 ticket. Woohoo.

[exmil77]

I have been a nurse for almost 2 years, and it has happened twice for me already. Both times I was in scrubs, and both cops have noticed and asked me about it. I never TRIED to play the "card", but they were happy to let me go! On a side note, I am mistaken for an MD often. I am a male, 34, and have salt-n-pepper hair...so Im guessing they think Im older than I am??

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

I used to work in a well known pedi hospital. Story was that if you had your badge on you would not be ticketed. Never had the opportunity to try that out. Certainly has helped me in the Community hospital where I now work.