Survey:When you are the patient or family member, do you identify yourself as a nurse

[Brian]

Here are the results of last months survey question

When you are the patient or family member, do you identify yourself as a nurse? :

Please feel free to read and post any comments that you have right here in this discussion thread by clicking the "Post Reply" button.

Thanks

[janetrnc]

WHen my 2 year old was on a vent in PICU and his vent kept alarming and his nurse was no where to be found and at one point (he was hypertensive too) sent and aide to reset his BP alarm, I found the nurse manager and told her that even though I was a nurse, I wasn't trying to be nobody's nurse at that point my role was as a mother only!!

[Mattigan, RN]

I would rather people didn't know I was a nurse but everyone around here knows me and the other hospital is for Native Americans patients only.

[Scavenger'sWife, RN]

Interesting topic...

Usually I don't tell right off that I am a nurse, but my family also has the "big mouth" disease...they are just proud that I went to school at the "advanced"age of 45, so I understand. But my town has only one hospital, so I always know someone who is caring for me or the family member, and my "secret" is no more.

I don't know about the "nurses get better treatment" idea... I went to our ER 4 weeks ago w T104 oral, N/V x 3 days, back pain8-9/10, dehydrated, etc....ER doc gave me a script for BACTRIM and sent ne home!!!! Grrrrr....my temp never went below 103 for two days even in the ER. Turns out I had pyelonephritis and bronchitis. I should have been hospitalized or at least bolus IV fluids and IV ATB. My doc gave me Levaquin and told me to forget the Bactrim.

When I went back to work, one of the first patients I admitted to my floor was a 45 yr old female with the (gasp) HORRIBLE diagnosis of ....

exudative pharyngitis. Duh.

[UKRNinUSA, RN]

Sometimes - but I regretted not telling my OB nurse that I was a nurse when I was in labour with my son. She took my barrage of questions as anxiety and doped me up with Demerol - the side effects of which were more unpleasant than the contractions. So beware!

[Furball]

I usually don't divulge my occupation, although when my dad was seriously ill in the ICU my questions tipped the nurse off...couldn't help it! She was great though ...she would slip me his lab results, cxr reports ect ect.....I SO appreciated this! I made sure to remember her name when filling out the satifaction survey.....revealing that you are an RN is helpful at times

[sbic56, BSN, RN]

No, I don't announce it. I don't see where there is any place for it, really. When dining out, I didn't see any benefit in telling the employees at the restaurant that I, too, was a waitress, when I was, either.

[Step]

I was admitted once to a hospital in my own area health service so when the admitting clerk asked me what I did for a living I told her computer tech... she then punched out my name and birth date on the computer and it came up as "nurse employee" *sheesh* big brother is watching us all

[shygirl]

Yes, I do. I feel that the family member or friend will receive better care if they know someone who knows what the he** is going on.

You can also discuss more freely terms and procedures.

[DIPLOMATICRN4HIRE, MSN, RN]

Its the first thing after my name that falls out of my mouth. I try not to flash the card that often but I also alert those that work on me that Im the worst patient they will have and that whatever needs done I can do it unless Im in a coma, then I have a designated Nurse to care for me in that case. Im not rude about it but I know thier work load is high and if its something I can do for myself I will be more than glad to do it , all of the Drs I see know this and its common knowledge, I try not to be admitted , I try not to ask for anything , and I try my best not to be seen or heard unless Im having chest pain , other than that Im ok to deal with , but if its a family member m God help the Nurse, I want to see the chart , I want to speak with the Dr and I want to see what has been done. I have been thru so much with my family( father was a med error once that put him into cardiac stand still) and I have been that way since. I do however reward the staff for thier job and thier dedications, all shifts, with the usual stuff your mouth and enjoy worthless foods of Breakfast for first shifts, subs and pizzas on second shifts and for third shifts , My darlings I have them personally sent baskets with what they enjoy. Im a hard woman but I do so understand what is going on , and from both sides.

[Fgr8Out]

As many others here have already stated... I try not to mention my Profession unless I feel the need.

I've had the opportunity to care for Nurses and Physicians alike. Unless the Physician is being treated for an illness that is within their specialty, they generally appreciate the information I'm able to provide. I recall one specific instance when a Physician admitted freely he had "no idea" what to expect with his particular diagnosis/treatment/convalescence. I was only too happy to educate him and he was truly thankful.

Nurses... I think I'll leave that for a future post....

Peace:)

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Same here. Usually NO but as soon as you pronounce a medical term correctly...they know. Usually I say I'm retired.

[Youda]

When a family member was hospitalized, I just came and visited like any other "civilian." Then, my family member got into respiratory distress with O2 sats dropping. The nurse just turned up the O2 and went about her business. Notice that she didn't take any other interventions or even call the doctor about a change in condition. I sat in naive expectation that something was going to get done while sats continued to drop and I started to see some pallor. Finally, I went and found the nurse and asked her if she'd called the doctor. She said, "Well, I don't have time to call doctors when I spend all my time talking to family members in the hall. We're 'professionals' here and we know what we're doing! You're just the family member, we're the NURSES!" Well, at that point, I sure identified myself as a nurse. Then, *I* called the doctor. Within minutes, there were emergency personnel in my family member's room because of the call I HAD MADE to the doctor! When my family members was safe and out of danger, then I found the nursing shift supervisor and had a few things to say to her. Do I tell that I'm a nurse now? You bet! And, for myself, I make sure I take every concern that comes to me as seriously as possible, even if I think it isn't important or relevant.