I'm not the doctor!

[sweetdreame]

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!!!

[Christy1019, ASN, RN]

You are NOT a physician nor in any way qualified to be one. Most nurses couldn't have gotten in to medical school to save their lives; nursing school and med school are two entirely different ball games, no matter how "advanced" the nurse's education. Let it go - you aren't a doctor and most likely never could be. That's why you became a nurse.

Wow, what makes you think that most nurses couldn't get into med school? The only truth to your generalized, hateful statement is that nurses aren't doctors. Not because we CAN'T be, but because we chose not to!

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

You are NOT a physician nor in any way qualified to be one. Most nurses couldn't have gotten in to medical school to save their lives; nursing school and med school are two entirely different ball games, no matter how "advanced" the nurse's education. Let it go - you aren't a doctor and most likely never could be. That's why you became a nurse.

Is that why YOU became a nurse?

[sweetdreame, BSN, RN]

You are NOT a physician nor in any way qualified to be one. Most nurses couldn't have gotten in to medical school to save their lives; nursing school and med school are two entirely different ball games, no matter how "advanced" the nurse's education. Let it go - you aren't a doctor and most likely never could be. That's why you became a nurse.

Josie "RN",

I have just a few thoughts that lead me to believe that you struggled in nursing school, and possibly still are...

1. Your reading comprehension: You did not at all grasp the concept of the post.

2. Your bitterness toward your own profession.

3. The illogical spewing of "facts" without evidence to back it up. Do you know that most nurses couldn't make it into medical school? How? Just because you couldn't? Do you know ANY nurses who went to nursing school because they couldn't get into medical school? I don't. I won't go into this much because (outside of personal experiences) I don't have evidence either way. But, in my opinion it would be illogical for a pre-med student who couldn't hack it to go the RN route instead of choosing PA or another field.

Nursing isn't a field of med school drop outs. Nursing is a very rewarding profession comprised of educated, intelligent, passionate, diverse people who CHOSE nursing.

What is the basis for your opinion?

Again this rebuttal has NOTHING to do with the original posting. It was not intended to be a MD/DO vs. RN. It was intended to empower nurses, not bash doctors. I just couldn't keep from responding to your baseless argument.

P.S. I'm currently taking grad school classes with med students. The nurses in my group consistently outscore the med students. Its not a competition, but just wanted to offer a small bit of concrete evidence in rebuttal of your ridiculous opinion.

[AmyRN303, BSN, RN]

You are NOT a physician nor in any way qualified to be one. Most nurses couldn't have gotten in to medical school to save their lives; nursing school and med school are two entirely different ball games, no matter how "advanced" the nurse's education. Let it go - you aren't a doctor and most likely never could be. That's why you became a nurse.

Whoa. This is offensive. Nursing isn't a second choice, it's a choice. FWIW, I could definitely have gotten into med school. Yes, they are different ball games, that much I agree with. But to insinuate that nurses are nurses only because they could not become doctors is ridiculous. Apples and oranges, Josie.

[wehttam]

i'm a nursing student and one of the things our lecturers always preach to us is patient advocacy. From experience i've seen in the hospitals to many times nurses failing to educate their patient and passing on the responsibility to Doctors. As a nurse(speaking in general) certain questions you can answer but i notice nurses failing to do that, i'm not certain if it's a lack of knowledge or they are just afraid of saying the wrong things.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

If every physician order was executed by the nurse without question, some nurse would have given 50mg of IV (that is, not PO) hydralazine to a hypertensive patient and likely killed them or stroked them out because the physician "thought it was 1:1." Or they might even have given 6mg adenoside to a symptomatically bradycardic patient, instead of 1mg atropine since the young doc must have mixed the two "a drugs" up. The MD mistakes we catch are huge, and great harm could result if it wasn't for the "second set of eyes" that are nurses.

Yes I do believe physicians and nurses should have ongoing professional and respectful conversation for the good of the patient. I also wish I got more credit for the knowledge that I have (although I do acknowledge the greater knowledge of physicians). However, I do not want the responsibility (and with it, accountability) of a physician. At least not as long as I'm being paid or respected as little as I am as a nurse.

MD's obviously do not all always have greater knowledge. Your own exaples of wrong orders prove that.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

I have heard many nurses that I work with that respond that way and it does not bother me because I agree with them. If I wanted to be a doctor I would have gone to medical school, but I wanted to have somewhat of a social/family life.

I don't think nurses are putting themselves down by responding in that manner, frankly I do not want to be on call or paged for tylenol at 0200. I rather come in take care of patients and go home.

Doctors have plenty of social/family life.

Nurses miss plenty of their kids' games, concerts, plays, etc., plenty of holidays with family, and so on.

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

You are NOT a physician nor in any way qualified to be one. Most nurses couldn't have gotten in to medical school to save their lives; nursing school and med school are two entirely different ball games, no matter how "advanced" the nurse's education. Let it go - you aren't a doctor and most likely never could be. That's why you became a nurse.

There are plenty of nurses who started as nurses then went to med school. And there are many nurses who never wanted to be docs. They are happy being nurses. Let's hope that's the kind of nurses you and your loved ones have when you need nurses, not the kind who are bitter about not being doctors (yes, these exist).

You sound awfully angry, Josie. What is that about?

[MyCall2Nsg]

Thank you so much for sharing this. I embrace every word of what you have shared. I agree that we need to stand up as nurse and let doctors, family, patients and even administration know exactly who we are what we stand for and what we represent. Too long we sit enslaved under the disguise of "I'm just the nurse and allow doctors to treat us like uneducated pill pushers. While we are not doctors we are patients' advocate... I agree that we should stand up, educate our selves be independent and take on the role of a nurse in the true sense of the word. Thank you, thank you thank you!!

[MyCall2Nsg]

Thank you so much for sharing this. I embrace every word of what you have shared. I agree that we need to stand up as nurse and let doctors, family, patients and even administration know exactly who we are what we stand for and what we represent. Too long we sit enslaved under the disguise of "I'm just the nurse and allow doctors to treat us like uneducated pill pushers. I agree that we should stand up, educate our selves be independent and take on the role of a nurse in the true sense of the word. Thank you, thank you thank you!!

[AmeliasAunt]

chillnurse,

I am currently pursuing my MSN in nursing education. A few of my friends are surprised that I did not choose to become an NP, and some even telling me that I eventually will. When I tell them that I just do not have a passion to prescribe and diagnose their response to me is "well there is a doctor there to micro-manage everything you do, so no worries". Really? Yeah, that's what I want, to give up all autonomy and have someone looking over my shoulder. Of course, this could come from NPs not quite achieving their rightful plan in healthcare yet and may vary from state to state, etc. But overall, I agree with you that yes, the doctor will know more!

[BostonFNP, APRN]

"well there is a doctor there to micro-manage everything you do, so no worries". Really? Yeah, that's what I want, to give up all autonomy and have someone looking over my shoulder.

This is not how the vast, vast majority of NPs practice. I would check your sources.