Nurses don't do anything!

pumpkinhead · Apr 17, 2008

I've been told (by non-nurses) that all a nurse does is give shots and change beds. And then asked... why would you want to do that?? I plan on doing so much with my nursing career and I can't wait to prove them wrong!

RainDreamer, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2008

We don't do anything?! Pfffft!

I "feed and rock babies all night", that's something!

chevyv, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2008

All we do is start IV's UGH!! I'm in my 3rd semester and can now start an IV. Well, I haven't had the opportunity as of yet. I've worked on them at home with family members as my victims, I get flashback, but then I seem to go through the vein. Maybe a non medical family member can teach me??? Those nurses that do nothing but start IV's and sit at the nurses station talking don't exist. Most of the time they are working on charting (though the only person I've seen consistently at the nurses station is the HUC and she's also off and running much of the night). Ahhh, ignorance can be bliss.

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 17, 2008

I am a Nursing Student.... The other day I asked a patient what his occupation was for my prep work. He responded that over his life-time he could do just about anything but be nurse. He informed me that it was because nurses do not do much but sit around all day and that they remain in doors. I smiled and asked him if he had ever been admitted to this floor (a critical care Medical Surgical floor), and he had said "No." I just nodded and said "You might be surprised how fast this floor runs." He found out really quickly that the nurses do not "sit around" all day because there were times that his nurses were so busy with patients crashing that he had to wait for his pain medications because unlike other patients he was in stable condition. :rolleyes:

First semester I was angry when I heard such comments... Now I brush them off because I know reality from working in the hospital setting (as a tech, Nursing Student, and Nurse Extern). I understand that others watch way too much TV that illustrates a nursing role through an actor playing a physician. I also know that people will find out that he/she is wrong when he/she becomes sick or when he/she visits a sick person. I am waiting for Hollywood to wake up and hire a Nurse to write shows for a change! In the meantime I will boycott watching anything medical related with the exception of "Scrubs" because it is just soooooooo funny.

rockenmomRN · Apr 17, 2008

you know I have to admit, I used to think that all nurses did was follow orders, pass meds and if someone needed changing you just call the CNA. now i wold gladly take a job at starbucks!! when I come home from clinical I want to fall down!! and thats only with 3 patients, not 4.

people who say this are ignorant as I once was. just smile and say alright...

Acosmo27 · Apr 25, 2008

I have been so excited that I got into nursing school! When I tell my family and friends I have had more than 2 people say, "Nurses don't do anything, and get paid a lot!" Can you guys believe this? It really makes me mad that people think this. I am not a nurse yet, but I believe that nurses are very smart, important people! My husbands grandmother is a house keeper at a local hospital. When I told her I was going to nursing school her reply was, "they don't do anything except start IVs, and sit at the nurses station and talk!!":no:
What do you guys think?

There wouldnt be adequate healthcare without nurses. period. The hospital/facility would literally be non functioning without us.

Jules A, MSN · Apr 25, 2008

It makes me wonder what kind of friends you have that would say something that ignorant and downright mean. My friends and family know that I'd tell them to shove it if they ever had the indecency to say that to me. Maybe I'm just blessed with great peeps but they would be supportive if I wanted to major in underwater basketweaving. :)

mercurial1101 · Apr 25, 2008

I must say that I've seen both sides of the fence. Some nurses are terribly lazy and some are very proficient in their job. I had a preceptor who would laze around most of the day, taking numerous smoke breaks and would just flip through Avon books while the call bells were going off like mad. She would rush through her assessments and chart even quicker, just so she could take an extended breakfast break. Speaking for myself, I try to answer the call bells by the third ring everytime. I also try to do extremely thorough assessments, checking things that are usually just shrugged to the side if time permits. During most of my time on the floor, I would take a short breaks just so that my patients were well taken care of. Most nurses are fabulous at what they do; on the other hand, some need to find a new profession.

MySimplePlan · Apr 25, 2008

If nurses* don't 'do anything', then why do my feet hurt so much at the end of a shift?

*I am a week away from being a nurse intern - the RN is on its way!

emetcal1 · Apr 25, 2008

That is funny you mention your husband's grandmother being a housekeepers because I am currently finishing up my last clinicals in my BSN education and I am so knowledge overloaded at the hospital, I look at the janitors and lean over to my collegue and say, "Don't you ever wish at this point you were just cleaning rooms instead of doing all this work we have to do!" Don't take that comment to heart though. There are some lazy nurses out there, but I bet they don't get as much reward in their job as you will one day.