Medscape article re: Competence, Caring, Cleanliness,

i read this article and i was very disgusted that the author expected the nurses to serve the patients water in the waiting room. unfortunately as usual, nurses are expected to be servants. where i work, the nurses act and look very professional, we receive compliments all the time and i am proud to say i am nurse where i work at. but when i read articles like this and even when i read complaints about nursing on this bb i probably would not have even considered a nursing career if i thought people were so negative about the profession. i have always thought highly of nurses because i know what we do everyday and i know healthcare would not make it without us, but i wonder what exactly is it going to take for such negative images to go away? i can only be responsible for myself and hope that the image i present to my patients leaves a positive impression. i had a patient tell me the other day that "nurses like you are a blessing from God, thank you for taking such good care of my mother". when i get comments like this i am reminded why i like being a nurse, i just hope that all nurses realize how valuable they are to their patients and take a different out look on the nursing career.

As professionals, we need to be open to CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. I thought the author had some very good points. If we want respect from the public and from other health care professionals, we need to look, dress, and act professionally.

BTW, thanks P_RN for a very thought-provoking article.

I didn't find the criticism CONSTRUCTIVE

Let's think about this shall we

How many people vomit on the parking validation lady? Does she have to crawl around on the floor to plug in a bed? Does she have to climb up on beds to perform CPR? Do seizing, combative or hallucinating patients grab at her clothes or her hair? Does blood get spattered on her clothes, so that she would need to wear hospital scrubs? Does she work 12 hour shifts???

As for the attorney in the article stating she would send a colleague home for not looking professional...how much of the above crap do attorneys do? Most of the attorneys I have seen spend the majority of their days on their butts. They are certainly not manually handling people all day as nurses are. What would be the reason for them to have a hair out of place?

I think 12-hour shifts are a lot of the problem. When choosing what we will wear, shoes and all, nurses are not looking for something that will be comfortable in an air-conditioned office while sitting at a desk, planning for a one-hour lunch break and an 8-hour work day. We are looking for something we can function in for 12-13+ hours. We are not planning for a desk job either. Our shoes and clothes have to be comfortable. Think about what a nurse IN A PATIENT CARE AREA does in a 12-hour workday. Now, get all that done without wrinkling a set of scrubs. I don't know about the rest of you, but after a 12-hour shift, I am so physically and mentally exhausted, I don't give a rat's behind what I look like - I AM TOTALLY DRAINED!! I just want to get home, shower, and go to bed.

I am sick of all the b*ching and moaning about the appearance of nurses when we are treated like work horses, 12 hours at a time, some of us on rotating shifts. The way nurses are treated in many places, people should be grateful we are there at all. I am not for lowering the standards of nurses appearance, mind you, but for promoting better treatment of nurses. BUT SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE - you cannot have it both ways.

As for the comment in the article about housekeeping looking more professional than nursing, I don't know where they were, but where I work, housekeepers wear scrubs. If housekeeping's scrubs were less wrinkled, perhaps it is one of those places where nursing is doing their jobs, and they just swipe their little mops around after the fact.

VERY sensitive topic with me - I am so sick of nurses being put down.

I didn't find the criticism CONSTRUCTIVE

Let's think about this shall we

How many people vomit on the parking validation lady? Does she have to crawl around on the floor to plug in a bed? Does she have to climb up on beds to perform CPR? Do seizing, combative or hallucinating patients grab at her clothes or her hair? Does blood get spattered on her clothes, so that she would need to wear hospital scrubs? Does she work 12 hour shifts???

As for the attorney in the article stating she would send a colleague home for not looking professional...how much of the above crap do attorneys do? Most of the attorneys I have seen spend the majority of their days on their butts. They are certainly not manually handling people all day as nurses are. What would be the reason for them to have a hair out of place?

I think 12-hour shifts are a lot of the problem. When choosing what we will wear, shoes and all, nurses are not looking for something that will be comfortable in an air-conditioned office while sitting at a desk, planning for a one-hour lunch break and an 8-hour work day. We are looking for something we can function in for 12-13+ hours. We are not planning for a desk job either. Our shoes and clothes have to be comfortable. Think about what a nurse IN A PATIENT CARE AREA does in a 12-hour workday. Now, get all that done without wrinkling a set of scrubs. I don't know about the rest of you, but after a 12-hour shift, I am so physically and mentally exhausted, I don't give a rat's behind what I look like - I AM TOTALLY DRAINED!! I just want to get home, shower, and go to bed.

I am sick of all the b*ching and moaning about the appearance of nurses when we are treated like work horses, 12 hours at a time, some of us on rotating shifts. The way nurses are treated in many places, people should be grateful we are there at all. I am not for lowering the standards of nurses appearance, mind you, but for promoting better treatment of nurses. BUT SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE - you cannot have it both ways.

As for the comment in the article about housekeeping looking more professional than nursing, I don't know where they were, but where I work, housekeepers wear scrubs. If housekeeping's scrubs were less wrinkled, perhaps it is one of those places where nursing is doing their jobs, and they just swipe their little mops around after the fact.

VERY sensitive topic with me - I am so sick of nurses being put down.

this topic is very sensitive to me too, because people don't realize what nurses do until they theselves are sick as a dog in the hospital or they have a loved one dying. people that have experienced real lengths of hospital stay are far more appreciative because they get to really see how nurses have to prioritize care. its easy to sit back and criticize when you are in the ED for a sparined wrist as compared to someone else that is 10x's sicker. i am not making excuses for nurses appearances, but as a ED nurse myself i challenge anyone of non-nursing status to do what i do all day. they wouldn't even last 3 hours in my environment.

My first thought when I read the description of the nurse's appearance and demeanor was 'sounds like she's working a double'.

I'm sure the description is biased, but...a sweatshirt? And wearing gloves for blowing your nose, documenting, and taking vitals is a bit much.

We don't wear sweatshirts. If you're cold, wear a scrub jacket. As far as filthy shoes and wrinkles, I do take the time to clean my shoes at least 1-2 times a week. And I iron my scrubs the night before I go to work and have little difficulty even after 12 or more hours. If they get stains on them, I get a clean pair from supply.

My hair is not stylish, but I do keep it clean and out of my face.

I've seen nurses who are just plain slobs at work, dirt under their fingernails at beginning of shift, etc.

I agree we have unique needs as far as clothing is concerned. That doesn't mean we can be sloppy or inconsiderate. The article was as much about attitudes and the way the patients were treated.

I agree, they did not take into consideration that nurses are very overworked and stressed, and every ED nurse knows you don't dare give estimates of the time it will be before someone is seen. But there are a few valid points in there.

I think there is always room for improvement for all of us.......and if the shoe fits, fine. If not, know you are doing your best and you press on. I guess I refuse to take insult where none is intended. I do all I can to keep my stuff uptight, from charting to cleanliness/observation Universal precautions and appearance. I am not stylish either, or any semblance of "cute"--- but I am professional in demeanor and appearance. So I don't feel angered by the article. Shoe did not fit (grin). I also do all I can to make patients/family comfortable, but DO encourage them to help themselves wherever possible, showing them the kitchen area, bathrooms, visitor's lounge and where the vending machines and phones are. This makes my life a lot easier most of the time.

i would like to add:

I think ALL medical/nursing personnel should be held to the same standard. I see unprofessional conduct and appearance in doctors, lab personnel, techs, you-name-it. I don't like anyone pointing accusing fingers at nursing alone for infection rates, poor patient satisfaction, etc. We all need to be members of the team in this.

The shoe didn't fit me either. I always try to look my best. I'm just sick of people that don't know the first thing about what nursing is (like an attorney, for example) going on about what they think nurses should look and/or act like. Most people tend to have the impression that nursing is a desk job -- we just sit around all day until someone saves us from our boredom by asking for (or demanding, usually) something.