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!
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!!!
I finally feel like someone understands how I've been feeling. We pride ourselves on being "nurses" a title that carries so much pride. But when I go to work, my voice matters to no one but myself. When the MD's round, you are nothing more than a runner, someone to carry out their orders. And this is in an ICU where I have the most autonomy I've seen in all of my experience.
While getting my BSN, i was greatful for the knowledge of my professors who saw nursing as a professional title, and taught me that nursing is not just " butt wiping" but a professional role. But in order for us to be seen as such, we have to present ourselves as professionals. We are already there, we follow evidence based practice versus doing things the way they have been done. We are far from being seen as an equal to an MD, even as an NP, but I refuse to be proud of my profession if we are seen nothing more than maids.
As a new graduate nurse and reading some of these responses to this thread are quite saddening!!! To suggest that the "reason" why one is a nurse and not an MD is due to the fact that you don't want the responsibility, is hard for me to swollow!!!! It's Quite ironic how this question is asked so rapantly throughout interviews. You can guarantee that my reasonings are far beyond just responsibilities!!! GodSpeed!
As a new graduate nurse and reading some of these responses to this thread are quite saddening!!! To suggest that the "reason" why one is a nurse and not an MD is due to the fact that you don't want the responsibility, is hard for me to swollow!!!! It's Quite ironic how this question is asked so rapantly throughout interviews. You can guarantee that my reasonings are far beyond just responsibilities!!! GodSpeed!
It is definitely not a feeling shared by all, actually I've never met anyone (outside of this thread) that shared that view. A great deal of nurses that I work with strive to become an NP or a CRNA to gain more respect and responsibility.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
It is definitely not a feeling shared by all, actually I've never met anyone (outside of this thread) that shared that view. A great deal of nurses that I work with strive to become an NP or a CRNA to gain more respect and responsibility.
I find it disappointing that nurses feel the need to leave the bedside to "gain more respect" frankly I have had moments from individuals I wouldn't waste my breath on... be disrespectful...but I have not felt "disrespected" as a nurse.
I've also seen a lot of nurses say these lines. But I never saw that that they let themselves down because they are a nurse. Sometimes, we are asked to do beyond our scope. If I am asked to do such things, I would gladly do it if I can.
I think you hit the nail right on the head. One of the things I love most about working in ER is that our physicians generally have a great deal of respect for us, which is mutual. We work together as a team. And that makes it easier to feel like the educated, hardworking professional that I am rather than some doctor's handmaiden.
Theres nothing wrong with a nurse saying "im not the doctor"
The nursing tree is VERY different from the "medicine" tree.
One of the most prime examples is looking at "nursing diagnosis" vs medical diagnosis. Nothing against nursing, but a great deal of nursing diagnosis are EXTREMELY general and vague. ie "risk for infection" vs a medical diagnosis which generally can be extremely precise and complicated.
To become a nurse requires 2-4 years of undergrad college, while becoming a doctor youre talking years of med school and so forth.
Thats not to say anything bad about nurses, or praise doctors. Just theyre extremely different in every way.
This.
reading through this thread and a few others on this forum I get this sense that there are a select vocal minority of nurses/NPs that feel inferior or feel this strong desire to prove their value on the team. Why is it such a bad thing to not be the doctor? If you want to do the work and get "the respect" (whether it's deserved or not) of the doctor, go to med school. Otherwise, embrace your role as a valued member of the team and let it go.
I'm not about to start giving a patient medical advice only for the doctor to come in and start them on some whole other treatment. It confuses the patient and then the communication between doctor and nurse is broken.
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
This.
reading through this thread and a few others on this forum I get this sense that there are a select vocal minority of nurses/NPs that feel inferior or feel this strong desire to prove their value on the team. Why is it such a bad thing to not be the doctor? If you want to do the work and get "the respect" (whether it's deserved or not) of the doctor, go to med school. Otherwise, embrace your role as a valued member of the team and let it go.
I don't think respect is tied to education all the tine. I have worked with quite a few disrespectful MD's(and nurses) and there are MD's (and nurses) I have no respect for.
Me...I am very happy being a nurse. I have been a nurse for 35 years. I love critical care and emergency medicine...I have done trauma flight. I have NO DESIRE to be the MD. Could I have been a MD? Yup. I got accepted to Vet school.
I don't want an office. I don't want rounds. I don't want insurance billing. I toyed with CRNA a while back but I met my hubby and wanted my children more.
Am I respected...yup! When patients have asked why didn't I become a MD I tell them I am perfectly happy as a nurse.
I am perfectly happy being apart of the collaborative team. I have no inferiority issues...I don't want to be a MD.
chrisrn24
905 Posts
I would just say "oh, no, I'm your nurse." The rest is irrelevant.