Is Phys. Office nursing "Really Nursing"?

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I am going through school with a friend, (we are taking our pre-req's together), and I happened to mention that I was interested in working in a Physicians office. To which she said, " I don't really consider that nursing". I was slightly taken aback, and thought that was a pretty snobby view to take...I mean, it's not floral arranging. It's nursing. Nursing is nursing, right? I know there are many different fields and specialties, and I happen to think Physician's office nursing sounds like a good fit for me. Regular hours, weekends and holidays off. I like the idea. And, I like the feeling of being in a smaller place than a hospital.

Frankly, I think if you're good, it doesn't matter where you work.

Do other people have this view of office nursing?

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I think that if you want to work in an office and it is a good fit for you, then you should not worry about what other people think, just do what makes you happy!

I do not see any shame in working in a doctors office. My aunt has worked in one for 21 years and she loves and it and the patients like her. She is satisfied.

Good luck!

Gator

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Specializes in ICU.

Welcome to the "What teh heck is our scope of practice " debate. :)

Nursing is such a broad field with so many openings and jobs that defining the role has stumped the experts for the last hundred or so years.

It does not matter if you work in a physicans office or intensive care you are still a nurse. My only advice would be to get some experience first in a hospital. Ask around to find out the skill you will need most i.e. wound care and try to get expeerience where you can not only consolidate those skills but build up a network of resource people who you can ring and discuss issues with.

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You hit the nail on the head with the statement..."If you are good you can work anywhere."

Well I am Good...lol

My advise is work Med Surg in a hospital setting for 2 years at least to use the info you worked so hard to learn...

I worked Med Surg,OB,ER over a 13 year span...and Boy am I a good office nurse.

If you go into a speciality like OB...you can be good but not very well rounded to do Med Surg,ER, or Office because you will not have applied what you have learned...and will forgot so much.

Good luck!

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I do plan to work for a while in a hospital for the valuable experience and knowledge.

Thanks, all, for the advice!

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Originally posted by ana115

I do plan to work for a while in a hospital for the valuable experience and knowledge.

Thanks, all, for the advice!

I think that is a good decision. Working in the hospital (especially Med/Surg where ther is a huge variety) will really "set" the things you have learned as a student. Not just the hands on skills but thinking ones also.

Office nursing is more than just giving shots and taking phone messages for the doctor. There is a huge amount of critical thinking involved.

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I am not sure where the stereotype that office nurses do nothing came from, but I have to say that before I worked in the office I didn't know all that it involved. When I first went to the office I did go through a bit of withdrawal from patient care but that was short lived. I love the office and feel that I help my patients just as much in the office as in the hospital just in a different way. I know that the hospital nurses that I worked with still feel that I don't do much but they are so wrong.

Whatever job you do as a nurse just make sure you enjoy it. I did my share of job searching before I found the place that I fit. Good Luck

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I am currently a HH nurse... but I have an interview @ a doc's office...I am really excited about it......

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Specializes in Clinical Risk Management.

I don't get it...why is it that the only sort of nursing that is valued is that which takes place at the bedside? I'm in telephone triage after having performed bedside nursing for a number of years. A doc last week was ignorant enough to suggest that what I do isn't "real nursing." Oh please, suggest to your friend that she get over it. Nurses in doctor's offices (and in other non-bedside fields) do a tremendous amount of teaching that patients need (to keep them out of the hospital) IN ADDITION to the critical-thinking skills necessary to provide quality care to their patients!

If this is what you want, then by all means, go for it!

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Wow, is your friend out in left field! I have 21 years experience in just about every aspect of nursing and use darn near all of it the office I work at right now. I have found that I have experience that expands what my doc can offer his patients and I offer the patients the education they need and can't get from him because he doesn't have the time. Oh yeah, Office Nursing very much is a valid nursing speciality and it takes a special kind of nurse to do it, just like every other kind of nursing specialty.

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I think if you know what you want to do , do it. If you dont like bedside, dont do it. Life is too short to care what others think of you, and to be unhappy.

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Right now I am considering re-entering nursing.

I am interested in several areas of Cardiac Nursing.

Personally, the Registered Nurses that I know who work in Cardiology offices don't look like they are practicing "pseudo-nursing!"

From where I'm sitting, they look like they are shouldering a tremendous amount of responsibility.

I think we should all find the niche in nursing that best suits each of us.

:cool:

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