Why Are Nurses Given Such A Bad Rap Today?

nursemike, ASN, RN · Apr 24, 2005

Look in your Introduction to Sociology book for the "Pink Collar Ghetto" definition. Someone has been studying their sociology book and just learned the term to insult women with an old phrase.

I don't believe the phrase was intended to insult women, but rather to depict the lack of respect and limitted opportunities for advancement the profession suffers. It should motivate, rather than offend us.

As a soon-to-be-nurse, I have a rather more optimistic view of our present status and future prospects, but "pink collar ghetto" neatly summarizes the views of many who post here.

I only hope I'm still as optimistic five years from now, but only time and experience will tell.

pooh54 · Apr 30, 2005

Do you guys think, perhaps, it might be because we don't demonstrate respect of and for ourselves?
Think about it, who's the first person you hear putting down another nurse (usually for the whole world to hear in the nurses' station)??? ANOTHER NURSE!
Who's the first person to turn in a nurse???? ANOTHER NURSE!
You don't see doctors doing this, not to the extent you see nurses doing it in any case.
How are we to get respect when we don't respect ourselves?
Can I tell you something? I think this should be part of our curriculum in nursing school. Instead, all of the emphasis in "professional relations" is put upon interdisciplinary as opposed to intradisciplinary.
In my opinion, it goes way beyond just being trained to "follow doctors orders." This is generated from within. For example, how often is a nursing students' question to a perceptor or instructor received as a challenge of their knowledge rather than as an opportunity to share their wisdom?
Also, I'd like to say I believe much of this stems from "divide & conquer" issues. It doesn't seem to me as if there's a general respect for eachother out there as simply nurses (as if this isn't enough somehow) rather we must emphasize "they're just an lvn" or "I'm a BSN" or specialty of this or that. It's so funny, all these initials, we within our profession don't even know what they stand for. Somehow, I seriously doubt the general public gets much good out of it.
Oh well, I know I've got some flight of ideas here (this is my first post). Let me know what ya'll think (not a critique of my post but of the issue). :)

OMG! You are SO RIGHT!!!!

Sailingshoes · Apr 30, 2005

As a Flight Attendant for a major US carrier and an RN. it's amazing the similarities I see between the two professions. Patients, passengers, doctors, pilots, hopital, airport... The problems affecting both of my professions at this time; compesantion, work rules and lack of respect, I believe are related to primarily female dominated positions. What will it take to make changes? Solidarity? More men?

live4today, RN · Apr 30, 2005

.............................What will it take to make changes? Solidarity? More men?

I used to think "more men" would be the key, but I don't think that so much anymore. I think it is going to take "women healing women" to make a change. It is going to take women standing up and embracing one another without the competitive edge of "I'm better than you" or " I have a need to compete with you because....". It's going to take women protecting women, and getting a united backbone to stand up to the abuse women dish out on each other. Women are going to have to say "HELL NO...WE WON'T FIGHT EACH OTHER".

WOMEN??????? CAN YOU HEAR ME??????? :stone

pooh54 · Apr 30, 2005

:smiley_ab

I used to think "more men" would be the key, but I don't think that so much anymore. I think it is going to take "women healing women" to make a change. It is going to take women standing up and embracing one another without the competitive edge of "I'm better than you" or " I have a need to compete with you because....". It's going to take women protecting women, and getting a united backbone to stand up to the abuse women dish out on each other. Women are going to have to say "HELL NO...WE WON'T FIGHT EACH OTHER".
:yeahthat:
WOMEN??????? CAN YOU HEAR ME??????? :stone

So true, I have read the ANA article on workplace violence. Interestingly, it only speaks of physician to nurse issues, we need more studies and action taken on the horizontal violence problems and abuse of power by those in our leadership roles. I've seen too many nurse's become discouraged through nurse to nurse interaction then physician to nurse. Kudos to those working on the MD-Nurse problem, but, hey people, we have problems between ourselves. :smiley_ab

pooh54 · Apr 30, 2005

I used to think "more men" would be the key, but I don't think that so much anymore. I think it is going to take "women healing women" to make a change. It is going to take women standing up and embracing one another without the competitive edge of "I'm better than you" or " I have a need to compete with you because....". It's going to take women protecting women, and getting a united backbone to stand up to the abuse women dish out on each other. Women are going to have to say "HELL NO...WE WON'T FIGHT EACH OTHER".
WOMEN??????? CAN YOU HEAR ME??????? :stone

You are SO right! This is so inculcated in our profession, we don't stop and think of the damage we do toeach other and our image. Doc's DO NOT do this to each other! Why do we allow this to go on?! :crying2: Sorry, posted twice

live4today, RN · Apr 30, 2005

You are SO right! This is so inculcated in our profession, we don't stop and think of the damage we do toeach other and our image. Doc's DO NOT do this to each other! Why do we allow this to go on?! Sorry, posted twice

Don't apologize for the double posting. Sometimes things need to be stated more than once to get a message across. :kiss Docs may argue with each other, but they will save it for their "doctor gatherings". Nurses WILL argue with each other no matter who hears the discord. We don't have to like each other, but we need to "love each other". Love doesn't entail emotions like the word like does. Love entails giving a situation or person our very best selves in spite of the drama attached to having to do so. :)

nursemike, ASN, RN · May 1, 2005

Don't apologize for the double posting. Sometimes things need to be stated more than once to get a message across. :kiss Docs may argue with each other, but they will save it for their "doctor gatherings". Nurses WILL argue with each other no matter who hears the discord. We don't have to like each other, but we need to "love each other". Love doesn't entail emotions like the word like does. Love entails giving a situation or person our very best selves in spite of the drama attached to having to do so. :)

What you said! I think the word I would use, though, is charity. I think we all need to look for the best in each other and to be slow to judge. Arguing in private is a good first step, but we also need to be more collegial in how we argue. Sometimes, when people screw up, it isn't because they don't care, or are stupid, or are bad. Sometimes they just haven't been shown how to do it right. Sometimes they may even actually be doing it right--just not the way we are used to. If we could approach every conflict with the assumption that the person on the other side wants to be just as conscientious as we do, at least we could begin to say that nurses have the respect of other nurses. And that, I believe, would be huge.

pooh54 · May 1, 2005

I'm getting more religious the more I read these posts. Mike, you have a powerful insight there. Sometimes we're in such a battle that we forget to think of where someone else is coming from. Thanks!

live4today, RN · May 1, 2005

Mike and pooh54........I agree. :)

Here we are nurses who take care of "the sick". The worst kind of sickness is the "unseen kind".........mental illness, emotional pain, financial stress, the loss of a loved one through death, divorce, or other means, pressures in the home, pressures about aging parents, pressures of raising teenagers, pressures of worrying about adult kids whom we can't control anymore..............there are MANY factors that affect our lives every day, and keep us up at night. We still have to work to survive, to pay the rent, the huge car payments, the electric bill, the groceries, buy clothing for the family......money is tight or nonexistent...no where to turn for help.................IF we keep these things in mind when we go to work each day, it will make it a little easier to listen better to one another, to offer encouragement to one another, and to know that in spite of all the day to day pressures we ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL are under, we can support one another as a unit to get through each shift. We simply must start caring more about one another. What effects one should effect the other. We are to be encouragers of one another. Most of all, we need to keep first and foremost in our minds that we are human and subject to human error, and the need for forgiveness on those intolerable days that we all have. :)

warrior woman · May 1, 2005

Mike and pooh54........I agree. :)
Here we are nurses who take care of "the sick". The worst kind of sickness is the "unseen kind".........mental illness, emotional pain, financial stress, the loss of a loved one through death, divorce, or other means, pressures in the home, pressures about aging parents, pressures of raising teenagers, pressures of worrying about adult kids whom we can't control anymore..............there are MANY factors that affect our lives every day, and keep us up at night. We still have to work to survive, to pay the rent, the huge car payments, the electric bill, the groceries, buy clothing for the family......money is tight or nonexistent...no where to turn for help.................IF we keep these things in mind when we go to work each day, it will make it a little easier to listen better to one another, to offer encouragement to one another, and to know that in spite of all the day to day pressures we ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL are under, we can support one another as a unit to get through each shift. We simply must start caring more about one another. What effects one should effect the other. We are to be encouragers of one another. Most of all, we need to keep first and foremost in our minds that we are human and subject to human error, and the need for forgiveness on those intolerable days that we all have. :)

Right On Renee!! So eloquently stated,and sooooooooo very true. As the old saying goes; A house divided against itself cannot stand. We must not only reach out to others, but not be afraid to claim our own nurturing. We all need it for our own health's sake.

nursemike, ASN, RN · May 1, 2005

Mike and pooh54........I agree. :)
Here we are nurses who take care of "the sick". The worst kind of sickness is the "unseen kind".........mental illness, emotional pain, financial stress, the loss of a loved one through death, divorce, or other means, pressures in the home, pressures about aging parents, pressures of raising teenagers, pressures of worrying about adult kids whom we can't control anymore..............there are MANY factors that affect our lives every day, and keep us up at night. We still have to work to survive, to pay the rent, the huge car payments, the electric bill, the groceries, buy clothing for the family......money is tight or nonexistent...no where to turn for help.................IF we keep these things in mind when we go to work each day, it will make it a little easier to listen better to one another, to offer encouragement to one another, and to know that in spite of all the day to day pressures we ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL are under, we can support one another as a unit to get through each shift. We simply must start caring more about one another. What effects one should effect the other. We are to be encouragers of one another. Most of all, we need to keep first and foremost in our minds that we are human and subject to human error, and the need for forgiveness on those intolerable days that we all have. :)

I think we may be on to something. I don't mean to dismiss political activism or union organizing or public relations, but before any of that can mean anything, we need to unite with the nurses on one floor, for one shift, and care for each other.

Pooh, I don't know where it is leading, but since starting nursing school, and in some part from these boards, I have felt a reawakening of some sort--a need to at least explore my spiritual side in greater depth. I've been praying more, even when I don't exactly know to whom or what I'm praying. I have real problems with parts of Christianity, but some parts of the Bible sure seem relevent, here.

Another funny thing has happened, since I started school.

I work with some great nurses--people I want very much to emulate. But, of course, not all nurses have equal skill, or even equal temperment, and before I started school, I could have named several I wouldn't let watch my cat. Lazy, inept, bad attitude--or all of the above.

Now, the longer I'm in school, the less I know, and I find myself at work learning things I need to know from some of these same crappy nurses. Which isn't to say every nurse I know is a complete role model, but it's getting harder and harder to think of any who don't have something useful and important to offer. I have a feeling that if I could make that a part of my everyday practice, I could love this job.

But, all kidding aside, I think the key is that we should care for each other, and ourselves, just as we care for our patients. Toward that end, I offer:

Disturbed Mental process, related to delusional behavior, as evidenced by: wants to be a nurse.