Introduced as "The Nurse"

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Specializes in Education, Administration, Magnet.

Do you ever go places with your family, and they introduce you as "the nurse" or "the RN"?

I have just graduated last week and my husbands family took me several places (restaurants, church, family reunion) this weekend. When it was time to introduce me to the new people, I was introduced like this:

"This is my daughter in law - the RN". OK, first I was correcting them saying that I am not an RN yet. Then it got old after the first 10 times. Then I thought it was funny. I mean those people don't know my name or anything else about me, but they know that I am an "RN". I guess that has become my name now. I know that they are proud of me, because nobody in their family has ever went to college, so I am honored by that.

How about you guys? Am I alone with this?

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Specializes in NICU.

I totally know what you mean. I have one semester left and whenever I'm with people (mostly my grandmothers) they say, "This is my grandaughter....she's a nursing student." No mention of my name, just what I am studying. I always think it's funny. Like you said, if these people wanted to get my attention they'd have no earthly idea what to call me other than "hey, you, the nursing student." It's nice though that everyone is so proud of us being nurses....or almost a nurse anyways.

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lol that is sooo cute! I'm not a RN yet, but that's funny.

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Specializes in Education, Administration, Magnet.
I totally know what you mean. I have one semester left and whenever I'm with people (mostly my grandmothers) they say, "This is my grandaughter....she's a nursing student." No mention of my name, just what I am studying. I always think it's funny. Like you said, if these people wanted to get my attention they'd have no earthly idea what to call me other than "hey, you, the nursing student." It's nice though that everyone is so proud of us being nurses....or almost a nurse anyways.

That's cute. You are right, even during nursing school, I was "THE NURSE".

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:lol2:
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My family always say, "This is Trudy, our sister/aunt/cousin/whoever, and she's a Registered Nurse."

Then they expect me to not act like a nurse and get upset if I want to examine an IV site, arrange bedside items so they're in the patient's reach, or if the doc or staff start getting defensive or involve me in a clinical discussion. Go figure.

I think it's wonderful that they are so very proud of you. Anybody with any sense has respect for us, admiration and appreciation for our education, skill, and goodheartedness. Let's try to never let them down.

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Specializes in FNP, Peds, Epilepsy, Mgt., Occ. Ed.

MM-hmmm. "My-daughter-the-nurse." Not always how I'd choose to introduce myself, but I don't argue about it. Then I usually get "oh, my daughter-sister-niece-next door neighbor is a nurse, too!" Either that and/or an "organ recital" (every ailment, surgery, etc) for the last 20 years. Always keep this phrase handy: "You really need to talk to your primary care provider about that."

It can have its drawbacks (that is, besides the conviction the general public seems to have that we want to hear all about every ailment and issue). My late mother-in-law started, but did not complete, nurses' training back in the 1930's- early 40's. Her concept of nurses and nurses remained stuck back in that era. She really could not get her mind around the concept of Nurse Practitioner. At all.

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Specializes in Education, Administration, Magnet.

I think once we become "the Nurse", it follows us where ever we go.

My husband: "Hi, how are you? Have you met my wife, the RN of the family?

I will never again be "Kiyatylese", but "Kiyatylese, the nurse", or even better "the nurse" without any names by it :mad: .

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Specializes in IMC, ICU, Telemetry.

All. The. Time.

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I have one semester left to get my BSN and I'm starting notice people taking off their clothes for me. When I didn't ask them to. "Can you just look at this spot on my...?"

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Specializes in Education, Administration, Magnet.
I have one semester left to get my BSN and I'm starting notice people taking off their clothes for me. When I didn't ask them to. "Can you just look at this spot on my...?"

Wow! I am so waiting for that to happen. (kidding)

People in my mother-in laws church were talking that now they won't have to go to the doctor, because it is so much cheaper to see me!:eek:

I was like "are these people serious???" They were all sweet little ladies in their 70s and 80s.

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Specializes in Corrections, neurology, dialysis.

This is similar to what happens to my girlfriend. She's a programmer but can do a good job of taking a computer apart and putting it back together. Anyway people in her family are constantly telling other people she'll fix their computer for them and won't charge them for it. We have a steady stream of busted computers going in and out of our house. It's partly her fault for not saying "no", but she feels that since her family is the one doing it, she can't say anything.

And yeah, I'm already getting phone calls from people asking about their meds or their medical conditions, and I'm still a nursing student. Usually I just say "I don't know" and they don't ask anymore.

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