Most Annoying Nursing Stereotype

Nurses General Nursing

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What is the most annoying stereotype that you have directly come across. We all know the naughty nurse one. I'm talking more along the lines of, what have you personally had to deal with?

Mine: Well, if you were smarter wouldn't you have become a doctor? :madface:

Well, I didn't become a doctor because I understand that they have to devote more time

and effort into a job than I would like to. To me, a job is a job. Life is what happens when

you're NOT at work. I don't want my whole life to revolve around work. I would like to take

vacations and not be on call, have kids and actually RAISE them. THAT, you idiot, is why

I did not decide to become a doctor. ARGH!

Various facets of the same stone:

That the generic nurse is female...

that a gender-neutral AN username is presumed to mean that one is female...

that there are two kinds of nurses: nurses and male nurses...

Female paramedics encounter the same thing on EMS boards. I don't know how many times people will refer to me as "he" or "him" when I have posted on them. Also, when we showed up on scene, a lot of patients, families, and police officers will talk to the firefighters about what is going on even when I am the one asking the questions and initiating treatment.

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Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.

I get irritated with the LTC nursing misconception. Went to a career fair about 3 years ago. Handed a recruiter my resume for a hospital job, she looked at it quickly, snorted smugly & said "Oh we don't hire LTC nurses. They have no skills" and then handed me my resume back. Took all my might to keep from telling her just how stupid SHE actually was.

Maybe there was a time that the nurse sat and read to a LTC, stroked their hair while they died, maybe passed an ASA now and again, but in 25 years I've never had it that easy. It just keeps getting more and more complicated, ie: wound vacs, Gtubes, trachs, peritoneal dialysis, IV meds, complicated wound care, etc. Sounds more like acute care every day.

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Specializes in Cardiology, Oncology, Hospice,IV Therapy.

One time I was assessing a pt and as I was listening to her heart and lungs one of the family members said"I didn't know nurses knew how to do that". I quickly assured him that nurses are very well educated medical professionals and can't remember what else I said cause I was ******.:mad:

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Specializes in geriatrics.

Thank you Nascar Nurse re; LTC. There are so many misconceptions that LTC is easy. The reality is, LTC is harder, because you are one nurse for anywhere from 20 to 40 people. Try passing meds for this many, and keep in mind all the behaviours, too. Not to mention the wound care, IVs and whatever else happens. I think acute care or some of these other floors can be a little easier, simply because you have 5 patients versus 20, 30 or 40. The other misconception is that LTC is "settling". Not true. I like my residents, and I learn a lot there.

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LOL about the family members! They hear about a construction or car accident and have to mention it to me and that the injured were taken to such and such hospital - LIKE I CARE.

I will take maybe weekly vitals on my mother, just to check for creep since she's been taken off a cardiac med. She just eats up any attention, and tells other family that she might be having rapid heartbeats... so everybody has to be quiet :uhoh3: No mom, you are not having rapid heartbeats. You are fine!!!

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Most annoying stereotype for me would be the "compassionate angel", followed by the "battle-ax Nurse Ratchet sterotype. I'm not bothered by the "naughty nurse" image. I only wish I could look like that!!

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Specializes in Postpartum, L&D, Mother-Baby.
i'm a school nurse and I absolutely HATE the "oh, you do stomach aches and bandaides" thing. I went from ICU to school nursing and had to eat my own humble pie. We have tiny diabetics (sometimes 3-4 years old), adrenal kids, severe allergies (given 3 epi pens in a year and a half) and much much more. Plus, you are the only one medical at the school-nobody there to bounce things off. I hate that I have to justify my job to not only the people around me but to the people in my own profession who feel I don't do "real" nursing.

@ Rachel.caverly.......I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND!!!!!!!!! Some nurses at my hospital who work in ER, ICU, on the medical/surgical unit and sadly even in L&D think that nurses on my unit (postpartum) are not real nurses!!!!!! UGH!!!!! If I am not a real nurse, why aren't these patients sent home one hour after delivery? Why are they sent to postpartum?!

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Specializes in Tele, Cardiac Post Op, ER.
Yes, this stereotype is used in the movie "Meet the Parents". I always cringe at the beginning scene where Gaylord Focker is portrayed as a "male nurse", not a "nurse". His career choice is portrayed as evidence that he is comfortable with his sexuality, and I think they use every joke in the book on that one. People apparantly don't see the sexism inherent to this idea. If a movie portrayed a woman in a male dominated field like this, there would be an outcry.

But isn't that the point of comedy? To focus on society's misconceptions about some role and to get the general public thinking about it in a different way?

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Specializes in Critical Care (ICU/CVICU).

I don't like the stereotype that since I'm studying to be in the nursing profession, I will definately want to hook up, date, and marry a doctor. Ummm no thanks! My own mother even asked me if I would want to eventually marry one. I'm like Hell no! (Well, I guess you can never say never...but how about EXTREMELY unlikely to happen). I didn't dream of wanting to marry a physician, nor did I choose this career for that purpose. I think I would prefer someone not in the medical profession.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.

Nurses who have worked since the year dot, and who brag like they know everything, and swear till they're blue in the face that 'I've never made a mistake and I wouldn't have done it this way, blah, blah...' I stop listening after a while. One older nurse even told me once that she was the perfect nurse!

I've worked with some great older nurses who told me when I was young and green, that you learn something new nearly everyday in nursing. And if you have an open mind, you can learn new and more efficient ways of doing things.

NOBODY in any profession, don't care what anyone says, knows 'everything'.

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Yes, random family member/friend/acquaintance, my possession of a nursing license DOES mean I want to hear about your bowel problems.

Lmao.....yeah, it's not like we actually want a life outside of work and school! :lol2:

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Specializes in Acute surgical, Trauma, Neurosurgery.

The whole marrying a medic thing...UGH. A patient has actually asked me if thats why I went into nursing. Infuriating! Sadly, it does seem to be the goal of a select few that I have met.

That old Hattie Jakes matron business is pretty annoying too!

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