As a patient family member (who is also a nurse), I recently encountered an interesting situation. The nurse corrected the assumption she was the doctor by saying "Oh I'm not the doctor, I don't want that much responsibility"! Attitudes such as this one perpetuate the subservient mentality of many nurses today. We MUST start acting like the educated, experienced, capable professionals we are!
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Recently my husband's grandmother was a patient in the ICU. I am frequently used as the medical translator in the family, this time wasn't any different. I had the opportunity to make a couple of observations I would like to share with you.
Before I continue, let me tell you a little about myself. I have worked in many areas of the hospital. L&D (as and OB tech), Ortho/Neuron MedSurg, ER, Trauma ICU, CVICU (all as an RN). I recently started graduate school in hopes of gaining more autonomy and advancing my education. I LOVE being a nurse. I love the way it blends science and compassion. I am PROUD to be a nurse. Except for one thing.....
I have always had a problem with the societal perception of nurses. I love the show Grey's Anatomy (despite its medical inaccuracies), but can't help noticing that there are no nurses in major roles. I see nurses as a whole represented as coffee-fetching secretaries. My family even says to me "I know you're not the doctor, but what do you think about this....?".
This perception, of course, does not jive with the fact that many nurses have a Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Science, multiple additional certifications, years of experience, and have saved multiple patients from incompetent physicians.
This week, while observing the nurse caring for my family member, I realized a MAJOR part of the problem with the way nurses are perceived. My confused family member mistakenly called the nurse DOCTOR. The nurse replied...
"Oh, I'm not the doctor I couldn't handle that much responsibility".
EXCUSE ME?! Throughout our visit, she repeatedly dodged conversations, referred the family to the doctor with any questions, and generally made me feel ashamed about our profession. I realized that I have encountered that same attitude so many times in my fellow nurses. But WHY?? I once heard a nurse tell a physician who offered to help her clean a patient...
"Oh I'm sure you have more important things to do! This isn't your job."
This is just as much the physician's patient as yours, and if the job needs to be done for the good of the patient, why would you assume this meek, butt wiping maid position to the ALMIGHTY DOCTOR??
Let me start out by saying that I know all nurses are not created equally, but I think this is a mindset bred into many nurses from the beginning of our education. Instead of thinking "I am an educated, experienced caregiver who is more than capable of answering your questions. I shoulder a TON of responsibility every day I come to work." We are taught this...
"The doctor is GOD. The doctor is KING. You are JUST THE NURSE."
This thought is reaffirmed every time we allow a colleague's ideas to be dismissed by a rude attending, or when we don't speak up in family conferences, or when we say things like "Oh I'm not the doctor, that's too much responsibility". This inaccurate perception of the "pecking order" is not only offensive, but unsafe. This mindset is what makes you second guess yourself before calling that mean physician to report a critical value, or bring up an important concern. NO MORE!!!
I'm calling all nurses to WAKE UP!
Empower yourselves through education and experiences. Realize that you are not the secretary, the butt wiper, or the maid. You are smart, you are important, you are educated! Quit it with the subservient attitude and be the powerful PROFESSIONALS you should be. We are separate professionals, MDs are not your boss, they are your colleagues. Quit demeaning our own profession with your engrained lowly mindsets.
OK, rant over... feel free to comment, tell me what you think!!!
