Miss Manners for Nurses

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Specializes in ER.

Ok class, if someone at work offers you a piece of the apple pie they brought, what is the best response if you don't want any?

a) *sneer* Oh, I can't stand apple pie, yuck!

b) *smile* No thank you.

The answer is B. A simple no thank you is the courteous way to refuse an offer of food.

I'm hoping that others here can politely offer some etiquette tips to help uplift our fellow nurses and improve our profession. I find that boorish behavior is far too prevalent amongst nurses, and in society as a whole

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Ortho, ASC.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

I think that there has been a disintegration of manners in general....we are losing how to interact in polite society.

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Now I feel just awful, you just reminded me of a time when a really sweet physician (hailing from Scotland) I used to work with, brought us all a giant serving of Haggis

(made by him with all :barf02: the ingredients from the original recipe) and I don’t think I

quite managed to hide my look of revulsion in time…

But I agree, a simple no thank you is the polite option :yes:

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Didnt everyone learn that lesson by third grade??

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Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

I would say well I'm on a diet and I shouldn't .......but yessssss I want that pie .. I changed my mind please give me a big piece and do you have vanilla ice creme ? Piece of cheese? Then I would say no thank you to a second helping .. To be polite ... Secretly praying they make me take another piece .... ... Then I would politely say " yah know blueberry pie is very yummie" just offering a statement ... Lol ......I've never met a pie I didn't like ... My aunt Bess would turn over in her grave at my manners ... lol she graduated from Wellesly and was very prim .. I loved her a lot even when she told me " take your elbows off the table , you weren't brought up in a barn " she really was my fav I loved her I think of her often especially when I find my elbows on the table

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
Didnt everyone learn that lesson by third grade??

Not if the teacher had to interact with said unruly parents on what NOT to teach their child... :blink:

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

PLEASE don't tell me your life story in the first 15 minutes after we're introduced.....

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Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

haggis is a toughy .. I'd have a rough time with that one

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Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

hi I'm from NY , I love cats and apple pie ... Are we introduced ?

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Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

I do agree with you ... I even have older pts who never say please or thank you and I thought they would be the ones with the most manners .. I grew up with very strict manners my grandmothers were victorian and well educated and rich . I am grateful I was raised with manners .. Anyone else go to Emma Willard in Troy Ny ? I loved it there and was taught manners as a young child ..

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

I've gotten compliments from multiple people on both my kids' manners (my boy is 10, my girl is 3). I don't blame disintegrating manners on young people, I blame it on their parents.....most of the time. It's work to raise your kids with manners, but it's worth it. My son can't stand hearing the rude things that get said at school and on the bus by those around him.

Rude adults are generally unhappy people. I've learned over time to feel sorry for them rather than feel angry at them. Doesn't excuse the behavior but thinking that way makes me less likely to take it personally.

My own add-in: If I'm talking to you and sharing important information, please acknowledge me.

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