Misconceptions/truths about specialities

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Specializes in NICU.

Its night shift and this is where my brain is going. Just some fun at 3AM...

What are some common misconceptions and/or truths about your specialty, or that you have about other specialties?

For example, people often think in the NICU we just hold, cuddle and feed babies all day. Maybe in a level 2 unit, but many of our babies are so small, fragile or sick that we don't even touch them unless absolutely necessary. Also, I think there is a thought that NICU nurses are all sugar, spice and everything nice....when in reality NICU nurses have some of the darkest humor I've seen and are savage as hell LOL

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Specializes in Surgical, quality,management.

Inpatient gastroenterology is just ulcerative colitis and crohns disease, jist young people needing infusions and inpatient bowel prep for diabetics needing colonoscopy.

In truth crohns and colitis are on a ton of infusions as we try and prevent needing surgery. Gastroenterology includes the acute haematemisis and malena unit, liver failure, hepatic encephalopathy, training patients to go home with enteral feeds before their head and neck surgery, home TPN training for intestinal failure.

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Ambulatory nurses are just nurses who couldn't cut it on the floor.?

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

OR nurses are just gofers

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Specializes in ER.

ER nurses are all adrenaline junkies.

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Specializes in ICU, LTACH, Internal Medicine.

ICU nurses: evil, arrogant, know-it-all techy jerks

Acute HD: 20 min working, then 4.5 h sitting on your butt playing with your phone while being paid overtime for that

SNF nurses: bottom level, those who did not cut it anywhere else. Also, those only able to hold hands muttering calmly "there, there, dear" all shift long

Case management, QA: are they even nurses? Like, REALLY?

FNPs: masters of nothing.

LPNs: are they ever nurses or just glorified nursing assistants?

Worst part, I heard all that being told directly in nurses' faces by those who ought to know better ??

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Specializes in L&D, Epic IT.

L&D - "OMG that must be so much fun catching babies!"

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

L&D is a fun, hearts and flowers specialty.

It's the only specialty that is 4 specialties in 1 (because in addition to L&D, we are also ED, OR, and PACU nurses), plus we take care of 2 patients at the same time, one of whom we can't see, touch, or talk to.

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Specializes in retired LTC.
1 hour ago, klone said:

L&D is a fun, hearts and flowers specialty.

only until something goes wrong! ?

'In the old days', it used to be the unit where all the older nurses went to work just before they were to retire. True!

6 hours ago, Wuzzie said:

Ambulatory nurses are just nurses who couldn't cut it on the floor.?

No, those who couldn't cut it went to NH/LTC. Because didn't you know, that all the pts sat in wheelchairs (or rockers) with those pretty crocheted afghans covering their laps. Playing BINGO all day.

Oh, and the best one is multi-specialty --- night shift nsg staff only sleep on the job! ?

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Surgical/trauma- just like what you see in the TV shows, right?

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Specializes in L&D, Epic IT.
13 minutes ago, amoLucia said:

only until something goes wrong! ?

'In the old days', It used to be the unit where all the older nurses went to work just before they were to retire. True!

No, those who couldn't cut it went to NH/LTC. Because didn't you know, that all the pts sat in wheelchairs (or rockers) with those pretty crocheted afghans covering their laps. Playing BINGO all day.

Oh, and the best one is multi-specialty --- night shift nsg staff only sleep on the job! ?

Now that's PAT ?

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I wanna work in ICU. You only have one patient!

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