Misdirected aggression

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When someone asks you what you do for a living, do you hesitate? I'm a nurse and an R.N. next year. It's gotten so I don't like to tell people that I'm a nurse. Instead of friendliness or even indifference I'm greeted with anger and resentment. My only friends now are other nurses. I wonder if its just the area I live in or the economy in general that's the driving factor in how I'm greeted. I never say I'm a nurse in a demeaning or uppity manner but matter of fact.

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Specializes in Emergency Room, Trauma ICU.

Do people tell you why they are so angry about you being a nurse? That seems very strange. Every time I've said that I'm a RN people are usually overly excited about it.

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Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

I only had one person be nasty. It was a neighbor who would be the 'patient from hell' to take care of. She was a pt at my hospital and I'm sure was as mean as she insinuated. :no:

Otherwise, I have never had anyone be nasty. In fact, it usually turns the nasty people around.

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No one tells me anything and that's why I wanted to ask on this board. It really gets old fast. Everyone around seems to think being a nurse = wealth. I'm sure not seeing wealth from being a nurse. It may be that there is only one nursing school where I live for R.N. they turned away 1000 qualified applicants a couple years ago. It could be everyone knows someone that worked hard to become a qualified applicant and was turned down. It may just be because most jobs in my area pay much less than what nurses make. A combination of those factors is also possible.

I'm hoping to get more feedback from the family of nurses on here.

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Specializes in hospice, HH, LTC, ER,OR.

Yes, normally people are over excited. They want to know if I have access to "certain" medications, and I quickly nip that in the budd. They also assume that my salary is so wonderful and that I just have money pouring out of my ears. The only people I get resentment from are my non medical classmates, some CNAs when I worked in LTC. I have lots of LPN, CNA,RN and people of all fields that I can count on. Good Luck to you.

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I could use some over excitement for a change.

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Specializes in Pedi.

I have never had any anger or resentment as a reaction to my telling people I am a nurse. The only people I don't want to broadcast it to are my neighbors... because I don't want any "my kid fell, my husband is sick, my wife's in labor" knocks on my door.

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Specializes in retired LTC.
I have never had any anger or resentment as a reaction to my telling people I am a nurse. The only people I don't want to broadcast it to are my neighbors... because I don't want any "my kid fell, my husband is sick, my wife's in labor" knocks on my door.
AMEN!!!
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I have never had any anger or resentment as a reaction to my telling people I am a nurse. The only people I don't want to broadcast it to are my neighbors... because I don't want any "my kid fell my husband is sick, my wife's in labor" knocks on my door.[/quote']

I'm the same way. I haven't told any of my neighbors that I'm a nurse.

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Specializes in Emergency Room, Trauma ICU.
I'm the same way. I haven't told any of my neighbors that I'm a nurse.

I had to because my neighbor who I've had 3 conversations with in 3 years called the cops cause my sliding glass door was open, my living room looked like it had been ransacked and my car wasn't in the driveway. I had to explain to the cops and to her that 1) the sliding glass door was open cause it was hot out 2) my dog likes to "redecorate" while I'm at work 3) I always park in the garage! Since I work nights of course they never see me. So over board!

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Specializes in PCCN.

hehe- I get pity when I tell someone I'm a nurse

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Specializes in ICU.

I usually get the over-excited response. Strange.

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