Male SN mistaken for a doctor

Nursing Students General Students

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I'm sure this has been asked before, but sure would like some input. To ask my question I must first relate this experience(which is kind of long... sorry)

I'm a 45 yo male in my first semester of nursing. On the second day of my clinical rotation (nervous as heck) I was doing vitals on clients. I walk into one client's room and introduced myself, and it was apparent that she was somewhat confused. I explained what I was going to do and she replied "It's so nice that a doctor takes interest in me". I explained to her again that I was student nurse.

Well I was about to take her BP and she starts making comments like "I wish I could die", "If I had a gun I would kill myself". I'm thinking ....."Oh no! Not on my second day!!!" I tried using all of the communication skills that I learn in the theory class, I held her hand and with more questions finally got her distracted from the idea about wanting to kill herself. When I was ready to leave she said "oh thank you doctor".

The next day I see her sitting in the common area with a CNA, so I stop by to ask how she is feeling and she comments to the CNA "here is the doctor I was telling you about, he is so nice". Both the CNA and I (again) explained to her that I was a student nurse.

Finally on the third day I see her in the hall and she says "hello doctor, I'm feeling better today". I replied that I was glad she was doing better and then I left it at that.

Question(well actually 3):

1) Is this a common misconception that just because a healthcare worker wears a uniform and is male he must be a doctor?

2) Should have I kept explaining to her that I was a student nurse until she understood?

3) Is there any legal issues that I should be concerned about?

If you made it this far "thank you" and any input would be greatly appreciated.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I think you did the right thing. I don't know the patient, or the particulars about the patient, but perhaps she was confused--especially if she was talking about suicide, it is possible she was really not processing much of what you were saying. You reiterated to her repeatedly that you were a SN, and really that is all you can do. I don't know specific answers to your questions really...I do know that in that situation I would be hesitant to do any invasive procedures (injections, catheter insertion, etc) because of the patient's failure to understand your title. I think you handled it well!

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it happened to me as a student and still does as a nurse. no matter how many times I always make sure i let them know i am not their doctor!

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it happened to me as a student and still does as a nurse. no matter how many times I always make sure i let them know i am not their doctor!

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Specializes in MS Home Health.

My husband is a male nurse and I have seen and heard times when people call him DR. He said it happens alot.

renerian

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Specializes in MS Home Health.

My husband is a male nurse and I have seen and heard times when people call him DR. He said it happens alot.

renerian

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Thendar,

As a senior nursing student (male and 40) I get this one all the time. I won't give you advice on the situation , but I will tell you what I do.

1. I drive home the point that I am not their doctor, even if I have to keep harping on it.

2. identify myself as a student nurse as soon as I enter the room.

3. keep the Jaguar at home,since this really makes them think I'm a Dr. (tongue firmly planted in cheek)

Mito

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Thendar,

As a senior nursing student (male and 40) I get this one all the time. I won't give you advice on the situation , but I will tell you what I do.

1. I drive home the point that I am not their doctor, even if I have to keep harping on it.

2. identify myself as a student nurse as soon as I enter the room.

3. keep the Jaguar at home,since this really makes them think I'm a Dr. (tongue firmly planted in cheek)

Mito

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make sure you document both the confusion and her thoughts on life. Have your professior help you chart it or tell your co assigned nurse. Where I work there is a procedure for suicidal ideations. hope this helps

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make sure you document both the confusion and her thoughts on life. Have your professior help you chart it or tell your co assigned nurse. Where I work there is a procedure for suicidal ideations. hope this helps

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:rolleyes: 1st question, yes, this is very common. Has happened to me a couple of times and Iam a female! 2nd question, no, especially to someone who is disoriented, yes, it's important to identify yourself but as you saw as you kept seeing her in her mind you were a doctor. so it's pointless to keep explaining to her that you are a student nurse...maybe she sees you as her doctor and that might comfort her..as long as you identified yourself you know you did what is right. 3rd question, unless you are going around posing as a doctor or signing "DR. or MD" to your name legally you have nothing to worry about. You have done nothing wrong! You have done what you should have as your role as a student nurse! Sounds like you were there for her and unfortuntely right now nurses (some anyway) don'thave the time to listen to some of their patients because of the overload of patients they have. You were there at the right time for this woman!! You did a great job! Dont sweat it~!;)
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Specializes in Corrections, Psych, Med-Surg.

Happens all the time. I tell them the first time that I am an RN, but don't feel I have to shove this piece of information down their throats when they clearly have higher priorities of their own to worry about (or when they are as confused as that patient seems to have been).

(You sure you weren't inadvertently stepping on her foot while taking her BP? Maybe the pressure on her corns was making her wish she were dead.)

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