Not Good Enough For Medicine - Be A Nurse!

allnurses Guide · Nov 18, 2003

Interesting . . .but only 100 nurses have complained?

steph

MICU RN · Nov 18, 2003

We can't blame our image on one TV show, no matter how popular it is. Nursing is still going through an evolution as profession, just look at what the image was 100 years ago. I feel it has come a long way but has a long way to go. Will it ever be considered as prestigious as medicine, law, or engineering? I doubt it. I mean as long as we are responsible for other stuff besides nursing such as, housekeeping duties, nurse's aid dutuies ( cleaning body watse) waiting on the patients I don't think it will ever be considered on par with those other types of professions. No matter how important we think our job is and I do feel it is important.

sjoe · Nov 18, 2003

Since this issue has come up repeatedly, I'll just say this:

Don't a lot of LVNs think/feel that CNAs aren't smart/good/capable enough to become LVNs? And don't a lot of RNs think/feel the same things about LVNs and CNAs?

(And to those who flame me for pointing this out, aren't you simply creating another hierarchy by doing so--i.e. the superior "good" group consisting of those who are in the know and politically correct vs. the "bad" group consisting of people like me who are willing to state that the emperor has no clothes?)

These kinds of hierarchies are widspread wherever human beings live, and always have been. Why would it be such a surprise to anyone when people have the same notions about the differences between MDs and RNs?

My sugggestion: Get over it and get on with your life.

healingtouchRN · Nov 18, 2003

When I worked in the ER on Thursday nights, I repeatedly leard patients & family members say things like, "they didn't do that on 'ER' "...I would have to remind them that is a TV show. Not really what goes on in our ER. I agree that I,the RN, did the defibrilations, administered the meds, dragged in the "soon to be dead if I don't get them outa the truck" folks & provided bedside instruction on volumes of info. Our docs are good, they have more than once helped me drag a body out of a cab, defib when I was mixing a drip, or try an IV on the other side of a trauma survivor. But mostly it is the nurse providing the care... :rolleyes:

Jamiers · Nov 18, 2003

GO sjoe!!!!! That statement is the truth, there is hierarchy everywhere....so let's get over it!!!!

ps. Everytine I see you user name, I think of.......The "adult" industry Ha,ha,ha :roll

hbscott · Nov 18, 2003

Originally posted by sjoe
Since this issue has come up repeatedly, I'll just say this:
...
My sugggestion: Get over it and get on with your life.

Yes, "SJOE" but who do you tell to get on with your life? The stereotypes is society's (not mine) and any good student of marketing will tell you that "perception is reality" and until the public changes it's perception of nursing these "dissatisfiers" about nursing will continue to exist.

Nursing Image is the real issue here. Can we all just ignore the problem and hope it goes away?

NOT!

acuteobrn · Nov 19, 2003

Can't help but agree with SJOE...hierarchy and feeling superior to the people in the job below your title is a EEOE....it transends any contry, race, religion, sex and creed...it has been and always will be. It however is not true of everyone.

I look at it this way, it is entertainment, they try hard to stick to things that are medically accurate, they focus not only on the hard hitting medical side but the emotional complexities. The cases are for most part interesting, and above all they keep 20 million viewers coming back for more than a decade.

I think that it is interesting that they are focusing on "Abby" Just because she was/is a nurse doesn't mean that it is horrible for her to want to continue her medical degree. I have seen many a nurse put down anyone in the nursing profession that wants to continue their education and become a physician. While I agree there is a need for APRNs becoming a physician is a career change not an advancement, the train of thought is different. Why be offended? There are nurses I know that want to become interior designers, nobody makes a fuss over that in fact some say they would mind doing that or becoming the drive thru window attendent at McDonalds. As for doing more, well when is the last time you saw a APRN making the incision, or participating in more complex care? That opporunity is just not there, yes we can assist but not be the decision makers. Some people do desire this in their career...so let it be, encourage them and congratulate them and thank them for all the time they put into nursing because the differences they made in the lives of their patients isn't just errased when they anounce that they got into med school. I know more than a few nurses that secretly told me they went to take their MCAT or are doing pre-meds, good for them, that is where they want to be, who am I to outcast them and make them feel bad for wanting to do this? Sometimes I think it IS jealousy that causes some nurses to be so against this, and causes some to deject their fellow nurse who is taking that physics course to get into med school. Some people just need to grow up and just do good at their profession whether that has a RN or MD behind their name. Why make physicians the enemy? There are many out there lobying for better nurse staffing and better pay for us! The OB/GYNs at my hospital just went to the nursing director to call for better staffing in our unit. I think some people need to face reality that nurses and physicians ARE different, each a master at his profession which should work TOGETHER to help the patient and not worry over who is doing the procedure. We are never going to be equals, we should be complimenting eachothers talents...and leave it at that.

By the way some of the best physicians I work with were former nurses.

hbscott · Nov 19, 2003

Wonderful comments from all of you but I still say the issue is about nursing image and why society in general does not hold nursing in high esteem. The other comments about professional jealousy may be true but how does that address the nursing image problem cited in the orginal post?

:confused:

tmiller027 · Nov 20, 2003

I've considered, once I finish school and get my bachelors in nursing, to work for several years as a nurse, and perhaps go to law school and get into working on legal issues with medical personnel and representing nurses and doctors in malpractice cases. Just a thought, and a possible long term goal. I'm one of those people who always keeps options open and looks for new ways to improve myself. That doesn't mean my current job, or people still in that field are any less, just means I often find a need to grow.

acuteobrn · Nov 20, 2003

Ok, Hb, I see your point, I did kinda go off in a tangent because the post reffered to the site that did make an issue of Abby going into medicine.

I think it comes down to this:

Yes the public doesn't know all the training we actually go through, all the knowledge we hold and the skills we posess.

Yes ER could do a better job of that, but is it really it's responsibility?

bellehill, RN · Nov 20, 2003

Agreed acuteobrn...ER is a television show. In order for nurses to hold a more positive position in the public's perception education needs to be done. Who can do this education? What about these nursing organizations who continue to find every single television show that might portray nurses in a way that is not reality based. When do they start doing what they scream for TV shows to do?