How would you describe bedside nursing to non nursing individuals

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So I have the utmost respect for bedside nurses, having been a bedside nurse myself for 20 years. I am now an outpatient nurse and still recall how much I was expected to do as a bedside nurse....I recently had a discussion with a family member who really does not grasp or believe that being a bedside nurse is as challenging as I described it...So is it just me or will no one outside of healthcare understand how difficult a nursing hospital job can be...

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Specializes in Med-Surg/Neuro/Oncology floor nursing..

It can be very difficult and very frustrating..but for me the good days definitely outnumber the bad days. Only way I can really describe it is you are the jack of all trades...superwoman/superman :) You are a nurse, sometimes a social worker, transporter, waitress, teacher, tour guide(my hospital campus is HUGE)psychic/mindreader and maid all rolled into one. Not to mention sometimes your patients family members are also your patients..some of them require more care than your patient actually does! It can be very emotionally and physically draining of course though very rewarding.

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Specializes in Pedi.

I try not to discuss any of my jobs with non-medical people. They don't get it and trying to explain it just frustrates me.

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So I have the utmost respect for bedside nurses, having been a bedside nurse myself for 20 years. I am now an outpatient nurse and still recall how much I was expected to do as a bedside nurse....I recently had a discussion with a family member who really does not grasp or believe that being a bedside nurse is as challenging as I described it...So is it just me or will no one outside of healthcare understand how difficult a nursing hospital job can be...

The only thing I care to explain is that I MUST get sleep. If I go to work tired, I can literally kill someone. Other than that, I don't care if people understand.

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I've never felt the need to explain to anybody what I do. I'm too busy doing it. They don't have any real need for details of my job.

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I recently had a discussion with a family member who really does not grasp or believe that being a bedside nurse is as challenging as I described it.

If this person isn't your spouse/partner or someone else sufficiently close to you that you might expect/require understanding, then let it go. Don't waste energy worrying about what very well may be someone's ego issue. :nono:

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