Have you ever been told

Nurses General Nursing

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Have you ever been told by someone (non-nurse)that nursing is easy? because "the only thing nurses do, is give out meds"

I was told this the other day and I wanted to slap the person silly

Specializes in Geriatrics/Retirement Residence.

Sorry if this offends anyone, it's just that she really got under my skin! Isn't it crazy when people can just plant that little bug in your ear and it stays there forever just buzzing and irritating you until you go insane? Seems like that's what she did to me, and putting all of it out here where someone else could understand helps a lot.

Julie :)

Julie, just let it go, if you're proud to be a nurse, you gotta let it go! :)

It bugs me when I hear people say these kind of ignorant things... but I forget in 2 mins, and I continue being proud of what nursing is, and how far it has come (and can't wait to join your ranks!) :) I would just wait and see where that little bug is 10 years from now, if she'll make it or not:rolleyes:... If I was in your shoes at that moment I would probably be sarcastic :devil: and say something in the lines of: "Why would you want to settle for PA? go and be a DOCTOR!!!" This would "downplaying" the importance of PA, and it would propably bug her, it would be interesting to see what she'll say to that! :D

Specializes in Geriatrics/Retirement Residence.
Wow, that's completely ignorant. Even before I (a non- and never-will be-nurse) wandered onto this site, I was aware there was a lot more to nursing than "doing what the doctor says" or "wiping people's butts." How sad and scary it is that people are so clueless about the true nature of nursing!

If it makes y'all feel any better, half my extended family still thinks I'm going to school to be a "medical transcriptionist." Yes, because I'd need a bachelor's degree to do that.... I don't know what hurts the most when I hear that: my tongue, my head, or my pride! :)

ouch! family gotta lov 'em!:D

what are you in school for? (just curious)

Specializes in Health Information Management.
ouch! family gotta lov 'em!:D

what are you in school for? (just curious)

I'm studying health information management and will sit for the Registered Health Information Administrator exam when I graduate. It's an expanding and fairly cool field, but somehow people always seem to think we're the people who have those jobs you see advertised during daytime or late-night TV. "You too can work from home as a medical transcriptionist!" Ugh. :uhoh3: ;)

Specializes in Geriatrics/Retirement Residence.
I'm studying health information management and will sit for the Registered Health Information Administrator exam when I graduate. It's an expanding and fairly cool field, but somehow people always seem to think we're the people who have those jobs you see advertised during daytime or late-night TV. "You too can work from home as a medical transcriptionist!" Ugh. :uhoh3: ;)

Good for you! It is an expanding field :) I see your pain, I know someone who is studyng health information management too and when some people ask if that person is going to be a dr's. secretary :uhoh3::mad: *** ppl?

I had a family member say this to me:

So, who is gonna take care of my grandma all night? I replied "I am your grandma's nurse". Then she goes on to say, when will the doctor be in to take care of her? I explained docs make rounds in the AM, but for the most part I will be with your grandma for the next 12 hours. She then says, what if something goes wrong how is the nurse gonna handle it? I want the doctor here with my grandma instead of the nurse. Grandma will get better care if the doctor take care of her instead of the nurse.

After seeing red, I calmed down and told her this:

Ma'am, I'm not sure if you are aware of what nurses do. However, the doctors do not come and sit with patients for 12 hours. It is my job as a nurse to go over your grandma's medications, assess her every 4 hours, and if my assessment findings show something abnormal, I call the doctor and tell him. I will also make suggestions to the doctor regarding your grandma's care. Doctors and nurses work together to implement care.

She then goes on to say: you better take good care of her and walks out. The patient tells me "honey just ignore her, she's a little special if you know what I mean".

After that, I felt alot better.

Specializes in student; help!.
Yes, and I wanted to thow something heavy at them:mad:, and I'm not even a nurse yet, I'm a 1st semester nursing student! I can't stand it when people say things like that, about things they know nothing about! The public in general is VERY missinformed about what nurses do, what nursing school entails etc, etc...:rolleyes: It frustrating to say the least!:mad: They either think that nurse do nothing but empty bed pans, other says we nurses do nothing but give pills all day long, other think we just do what the doctor says etc, etc, ugh:uhoh3:.

*I* was misinformed about what nurses do until this semester, so I'm not surprised the public is.

Specializes in ER, education, mgmt.

I have no idea what you all are talking about. I sit around all day painting my nails and eating bon-bons. Being a nurse is waaaaaay easy.

*insert sarcasm and eye rolling here*

Specializes in Geriatrics.

I still, after all these years, have family members think that what I do as a LTC nurse is " oh, you write letters for the nice old ladies". Ya. those nice old bats that can beat the crap out of me when I offer them meds, or change a dressing, or flush there pic line- yup- those nice old ladies!! You just gotta live it and let go....

Specializes in LTC, home health, critical care, pulmonary nursing.

I too, find the med pass to be a necessary evil, that must be completed in order to actually do the important parts of my job.

I am sure pharmacist feel the same way - I hear people make comments about how they just count pills all day!

Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

The fact that a lot of people are a never-ending source of dumb comments is almost as sure a thing as death and taxes, lol!

Just wait until you get the flip side of it, which is like "ohhh, you take care of sick children?? (or sick elders/cancer pts/newborns) I could neeev-er do that! I'm way too tenderhearted blah blah blah" ==pow!!== right in the (imaginary of course:)) kisser!!

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