Quite frequently, I find myself caring for patients who are nurses or who are former nurses, or those who have family members who are nurses. I have to say that these people make me a little more anxious than those who are not and those who do not have any family connection to nursing. When I see RN after a patient's name, it almost makes me intimidated, even though I'm an RN myself.
Although I'm not sure what, exactly, causes this anxiety, I think part of it has to do with feeling the necessity to perform to perfection. Not that I give substandard care to non-nurses, but I feel like I have to be especially mindful when I'm caring for a nurse. After all, they know what is going on, and will likely know if I'm doing something wrong or am missing something.
I've never had a problem with a nurse being the parent of one of my patients (I work in pediatrics). I DID have a difficult time once when the parent of my patient was an adult surgeon at the adjoining hospital. He basically refused to speak to the nurse about anything beyond when the next dose of tylenol was due and when the doctor would be rounding. Actually, he barely looked up when the nurse would walk in the room and greet him.
He also asked the attending physician if there was a special parking lot for the doctors that was closer than the visitor lot, and if you needed a badge to access it.
He also went behind the nursing station and started digging through files and papers, trying to find a blank sheet of paper and a pen so he could try to draw a diagram of his child's surgical repair (which he ended up drawing wrong).
He also tried to use the computer station in the patients room to chart on his patients, despite the nurse kind of NEEDING that computer, you know, to do their own work.
Most frustrating of all, the attending physician catered to him and would give him test results without also sharing them with the bedside nurse (before the computer report would come up), so the nurse ended up looking clueless through no fault of their own.
I would have gone to someone to put a stop to this behavior immediately. He was a parent and did not have the rights to what he was doing. He was way out of line.
I'm curious if MD's gain an appreciation for nurses after being patients themselves?
I had no idea what the nurse's role was either. After having my babies and undergoing emergency surgery, I was in awe of my nurses. And so I wanted to have that role. I'm a nursing student now and I cannot wait to call myself a nurse.
Great topic! Yes, as I new grad I would feel anxious caring for nurses as patients. As an experience RN, I actually enjoy caring for fellow RNs! Since we both "speak the same language" I connect with them and find them great to work with in collaborating with their care.
I've had a few nurses as patients (I'm still a student).
I had one would use the call bell to call me into his room every time he had an ostomy consult because he thought I would like the learning experience. He was great.
I would have gone to someone to put a stop to this behavior immediately. He was a parent and did not have the rights to what he was doing. He was way out of line.
That is likely grounds for peer review by the board. You do not get to violate HIPAA once you have a doctorate. All the rest is simply annoying, but rummaging around behind the desk/using the computer, etc. is a clear-cut NO.
I'm curious if MD's gain an appreciation for nurses after being patients themselves?
I had no idea what the nurse's role was either. After having my babies and undergoing emergency surgery, I was in awe of my nurses. And so I wanted to have that role. I'm a nursing student now and I cannot wait to call myself a nurse.
I have taken care of a few MD's. Some of them even remarked that they had no clue about all of the things we did. They also had a different tone when they spoke to us afterward. Honestly, I don't think many people understand the violence and filth we deal with on the daily. They believe it to all be casual-pace medicine passing and bandage applying. Not joint-lock on the psych patient who is trying to hit people and slam the geodon, or blood all over the floor from the GSW victim on the table.
I work with the elderly, and currently have 3 former nurses in my care, and there have been several in the past. I find that it can go either way, but mostly they are nice...and very understanding of how busy we are!
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I feel somewhat anxious only if the nurse to whom I deliver the care is of the mouthy variety. You know...the type who plays the one-upmanship game via condescension and hints that (s)he feels (s)he is knowledgeable while you are not.
As a home health CNA I have taken care of 2 "old school " registered nurses and I was absolutely nervous. These ladies were strict and I could not miss a step without hearing about it. But they ended up teaching me so much and ended up being my favorite patient's ever.
sherri64
77 Posts
I would have gone to someone to put a stop to this behavior immediately. He was a parent and did not have the rights to what he was doing. He was way out of line.