Non medical advice!!

[CordaeP]

Has anyone encountered someone who has not had any type of medical training what so ever, but is always trying to tell you something about the medical advice? My boyfriend's sister worked as a receptionist at a clinic for about a year and a half verifying insurance, so now she thinks that she is an expert. I just recently found out that I am pregnant, but I was also on birth control. She argued with me and said that I was not on birth control because a person does not have periods on birth control; therefore if there is no period there is no way of getting pregnant. However I never stopped having a period. So I did have a period. I told my doctor that I was on birth control and asked her how it was possible. My doctor said that I was very fertile. She never said that it was not possible. My boyfriend's sister that she has been on birth control for 4 years and is not pregnant and her doctor told her that she cannot get pregnant on birthcontrol.

I also have a cousin who is always trying to tell me how to administer medication to my children or tell me that their doctor is wrong about certain things because of whatever reason. Her mother was an lpn so I guess that she feels that she is an expert. She also tried to tell me that if I be an rn not to work in the hospital because I will only make 13 dollars an hour. I had to correct her on that because I have a friend who had already given me the information about the salary for the hospital here.

Just things like this that kind of irritate me. I am not a nurse yet; nor am I a doctor, so I do not try to force my wannabe knowledge on someone else.

[Eagle2110, ASN, BSN, APRN]

Oh yes, have ran into many of these people, especially mothers who think they are prenatal experts just because they have a child, lol. Tell your boyfriend's sister that the only birth control that's 100% effective is ABSTINENCE!

[Saysfaa]

The best response to people like this, is "Please pass the bean dip." You ca'nt discuss the issue with them because they will not hear you. Arguing with them accomplishes nothing and often escalates. Ignoring them is very likely to cause issues between you. So, acknowledge very briefly what they said (or that they said something) and then talk about something else.

For example...

You are at a family gathering and sil says, "You don't have periods on birth control." You say, "Interesting. Oh, by the way, have tried this bean dip."

Or, she says, "This is how to administer medication." You say, "Thank you for the heads up. I think Auntie Em tweaked her bean dip recipe this time, have you noticed anything different?"

If you can get your acknowledgement of their idea to be an agreement, that is better. It is really hard to argue with someone who is agreeing with you. For example, "Nurses make only $13 at that hospital." "How much nurses make is important, thanks. Do you think she put black beans into the bean dip this time? It is darker than it usually is."

Sometimes, with very persistent people, one must discuss whose bean dip it is, how long she has been bringing it, what she puts in it and whether the recipe has changed, whether it is might be good to eat with celery sticks or..... just continue to give mild, ambiguous acknowledgements and shift to the bean dip.

It obviously doesn't have to be bean dip, but try to avoid the weather unless you have a pretty good relationship because that is so obviously a message. It can feel pointed to some people.

They don't believe doctors, it is unlikely they will believe you even after you are an RN (besides having to be careful not to give medical advice) but this keeps one issue from escalating into a mess.

[dawniepoo]

Great advice Saysfa.