How do I explain to my snobby family why nurses are important and worthy of respect?

allnurses Guide · Dec 14, 2014

Nurses are the ones who interact with patients, hour by hour; not a twice a day check in by the MD. Nurses assess for and pick up on the little changes, especially when somebody starts to crash, and often prevents the really bad stuff (like cardiac arrest).

Nurse monitor cardiac rhythms; administer medications that keep people alive, prevent sepsis, keep hearts beating in a decent rhythm; start and maintain IV lines and fluids, preventing dehydration or overload; prevent bed/pressure sores, wound infections, change dressings and assess surgical sites; are responsible for knowing and watching for side effects of drugs, or interactions, and patient teaching so people can go home safely; prevent blood clots by pushing people to get out of bed when it hurts to do so (or does range of motion for limbs that people can't do for themselves; prevent pneumonia by pushing for respiratory hygiene.

Nurses teach new diabetics how to give themselves shots, teach cardiac patients about their drugs and exercise regimens, and every other disease under the sun.

Nurses hold your kid when they cry in the night, and comfort them on the way to surgery or one more painful procedure.

Bedpans are disposable these days, we empty and throw them away. While assessing skin for breakdown, patient mobility, water loss or constipation, or blood loss.

The reason hospitals exist, is for nurses to provide 24/7 care.

Lev, MSN, RN, NP · Dec 14, 2014

Nurse are with the patients all the time

We pick up subtle signs and changes

A doctor gives orders and prescribes treatments, but if nurses weren't there, the patient wouldn't get better

Nurses suggest things to doctors all the time and with experience more and more the doctors take their suggestions

Nurses are active members in CPR and usually get CPR started before everyone else shows up

We constantly tell doctors and PAs to check their orders (are you sure you meant to write 1000 instead of 100?)

We educate - constantly

We hold medications and then ask for an order to hold it

Patients tell us things they don't tell the doctors because they feel more comfortable with us

We ambulate patients, prevent bed sores, pneumonia, blood clots etc

We have special encourage powers to make sure patients take their medications, eat, drink, and do what they have to do to get better

We can look at a patient at a patient and know who's sick

We are wound experts

We know how to take a BP, when no one else can hear it and the PA wants to get out the Doppler

Alex Egan, LPN, EMT-B · Dec 14, 2014

Practice the following. "nurses are a very important part of the healthcare team. They are highly trained in the science and art of nursing, which differs from the science and art of medicine in ways that I find more appealing. I am excited start school in the profession, and I hope you can support me on doing what I believe will make me happy"

Then realize that your family will probably be like this for any profession you choose. Even if you were a doctor, why aren't you a specialist? Oh your a specialist why don't you teach? Why don't you have your own practice? And so on.

enuf_already · Dec 14, 2014

Tell your family that you've decided against nursing. You've discovered it's such an unimportant job that the hospital you are going to for your "minor procedure" has done away with their nurses. Family members are expected to provide all nursing care.

You want to know which family member will agree to provide anesthesia. After all, you don't want to be awake and in pain. Someone will need to assist the doctor with your procedure and monitor you in the recovery room. You may have to spend the night so they can monitor you closely, control your pain, and interpret lab results. In the morning, a family member will need to provide discharge teaching so they'd better brush up on their anatomy and physiology as well as disease processes. They will need to interpret, in layman's terms, what your physician told you. They can help to arrange for any services you may need at home.

Remind them that this should be fun and they will have very little to do since you are ambulatory and won't need a bedpan.

Miss Infermiera2b, BSN, RN · Dec 14, 2014

Thank you for all the fantastic and thorough responses!

To big al lpn: I particularly appreciate your point about the possibility that my family would be critical regardless of the profession I chose. The fact is, I'm going to pursue this no matter what, and as much as I'd love the support, I don't need it to follow my passion.

Raviepoo · Dec 14, 2014

Don't bother. They might never really understand. Some people just don't. You are not doing this for them, are you?

RNperdiem, RN · Dec 14, 2014

No amount of logical explanation is going to penetrate their emotional reaction. Give it time and they will get over it.

The more you try to jump around saying "nurses are important! I matter!" the more dignity you lose. Gain their respect by not trying to justify your choices to them and succeed at your plans.

Miss Infermiera2b, BSN, RN · Dec 14, 2014

No, I'm doing this for me, and that's true, they may never get it. Thank you for your advice.

Red Kryptonite · Dec 14, 2014

Don't explain. If they respected you at all this wouldn't even be happening. Just say, "I've chosen what I want to do and it's not open for discussion." Every time. Over and over. Eventually they'll get bored start criticizing someone else.

mhy12784 · Dec 14, 2014

Try to make your argument simpler

If you go to nursing school you ll be out of school and working after 4 years (total) making 60-80 grand/yr (depending on where you live)

If you go to med school youll be acquiring debt for 10-12 + years depending on your focus, possibly having 200-400$ + in student loans

Just to give you an example

I went for my BSN in nursing, a friend (actually 3) of mine got their doctorates in physical therapy. They all make in the ballpark of 30%~ more than me

But all 3 of them have well over 200 grand in student loans. My one friend is on a payment plan where hes paying around 1200-1500$ a month for the next 25 years

I on the other hand dont have a penny in student loans.

If you have a full scholarship to medschool or something on the other hand, thats a different story. But med school aint cheap.

Of course theres more than plenty of doctors who are driving mazaretti's and making close to 7 figures a year, but theres certainly a risk involved plus a ton of loans. If nothing else nursing is a relatively "safe" choice

anh06005, MSN, APRN, NP · Dec 14, 2014

They possibly get their view from TV shows, movies, and limited experience dealing with nurses (it's possible they've only dealt with nurses in a doctors office where he nurse just weighs them, takes vitals, etc.). You might remind them nursing is NOTHING like on TV.

When they are in the hospital and start to crash who will take care of them for the 5-10 minutes it takes to get a doctor there??? The nurses.

Who will be the one to question the doctor when they accidentally ordered 2 different beta blockers (one of which is extended release but they doses it at twice a day)?? The nurse (I actually had this happen. Patient was getting THREE doses of heart medication while in the hospital.)

Who will recognize when a patient is having an allergic reaction and intervene quickly to avoid anaphylaxis?? The nurse (again I've had this happen).

Nurses do much more than take vital signs and report those to the doctor. We are the doctors eyes and ears and MUST know about diseases, meds, complications, etc. so we can SAVE LIVES. If nurses only checked vital signs and emptied bed pans and doctors rounded 1-2 times per day and were expected to be the ones to noticed a change in the patients status there would be so many dead people right now.

As others said they would likely be critical over anything you chose. Just do you and make sure to do something you enjoy.

If you want to give them more insight into real nursing on TV Hawthorne is pretty good as is Nurse Jackie (minus the substance abuse lol). But both show nurses as smart, experienced, patient advocates, and a critical part of the healthcare team.