Medical Students vs. Nursing Students

[psustudent5]

My classmates were having a debate on job duties. The pre-med students were talking about clinical rotations during medical school. Since they aren't in med school yet, I'm not sure if they actually know what they are talking about. They were saying how it was funny that nursing students (LPN or RN) get to do all the grunt work since that's their job and they don't do anything like that. They probably don't have to give baths but what about catheters, enemas, etc. ? They were also saying that nurses come into contact with so many more hazards than doctors. What? Is that true or are they wrong? I thought med students have to still do grunt work and still come into contact with hazards such as chemicals. They aren't interns, residents, MD's, or licensed. They are just med students.

Basically my question is what do med students actually do that's so much "higher" than nurses? I thought that they had to come into contact with everything since they are getting the higher degree and are basically going to be in charge.

[questionsforall]

I will tell you taht the smartest MD is the one that works together with their nurses as a team. The worst doctors are the ones that believe that nurses are below them and are their to carry out their god given commands.

I understand that doctors have a job to do (nurses have jobs to do too, but they are asked to do more than they are required to and they do); however, if they are in the room and my patient needs to be pulled up and there is no one else around I think that it is appropriate for them to help me pull my patient up and reposition the patient. If they want me to get my patient out of bed and they are around; I would greatly appreciate it if they helped me. We work together. I may find something on my assessment of the patient that the doctor did not see. I may have some suggestions as a nurse that may benefit the patient that the doctor did not think of because he/she is not around the patient as much as I am.

As for med students, having the attitude that they are superior to the rest of healthcare practioners, they already have the wrong attitude and will suffer because of it when they become an intern because they will realize that ordering people around is not how things get done. They will realize that those first years of residency that the nurses experiences with patients will exceed their experiences and knowledge learned from experiences with patients.

By the way, I don't think I would ever want a nurse to take care of me that only followed doctor's orders because interns and residents can make some huge mistakes taht I am glad I never followed. (They should be greatful that the lowly nurse caught the mistake that the godly doctor made before the patient was hurt).

[allennp]

How is this attitude acceptable among nurses? MDs have a job to do - and if they stopped to pitch in with every patient, they'd never get it done. We don't do our jobs only when people ingratiate themselves to us.

its called leadership and team work Laura!!

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

how is this attitude acceptable among nurses? mds have a job to do - and if they stopped to pitch in with every patient, they'd never get it done. we don't do our jobs only when people ingratiate themselves to us.

a physician who wants the patient cleaned up so he can do an exam, wants the patient sat up or rolled on the side so he can listen to breath sounds, or wants the patient stood up so he can assess balance ought to be willing to help with that process. or wait for the 30 minutes it takes me to round up another nurse to help. fortunately most of ours help, even without prompting.

[FutureFatMan]

Medical students do NOT do grunt work on a "nursing" level. We call consults, coordinate patient transfers, etc. We RARELY place catheters, clean up or deal with chemicals. It's not in our scope of practice, and it's not a good use of our time. Our grunt work is still obnoxious and any monkey could do it, it's just a different flavor of crap.

Also. Premeds typically don't know a damn thing, but neither do pre nursing students.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Premeds typically don't know a damn thing, but neither do pre nursing students.

Thank you for resurrecting this 6.5-year-old thread from its deep slumber to post your thoughts.

[Darcy Bhaiwala]

I know a couple medical students from other countries (now licensed MDs) whose schools' required them to do a two-month stint as nurses before they could graduate. Still some of the most respected doctors I know (other than the doctors who were previously RNs). I wish that was still a requirement for medical students