Nurses, perception difference and education

"Hearing 'it was way too easy it was pathetic, I can't believe I went to university for this' is as bad as hearing 'oh my goodness, it was the most difficult thing I have ever done' ... both make me cringe."

ADN here that thought my boards were very easy......

What is your point?? Guess I'm not smart enough to get it!!!!

It is a matter of priority for the p't.

Because he already has his immediate vodka he will have the money to fill the prescription and eat. Therefore he might take his Metformin and also he might start his antibiotics for his cellulitis.

If he doesn't have much money he will prioritise and buy vodka to the detriment of the other.

It isn't at all far fetched - we see it all the time

I once saw one of my former patients after discharge post cardiac cath standing on the city sidewalk with a sign saying "will work for beer". Wonder whether he was thinking of that plavix refill! Understand that patients who have addiction only care about one thing only" their drug of choice" giving the liquor back will not change a thing but enable the addict.

Each person's perception of a situation has more to do with values, culture, life experience, and gender. Level of education or degree isn't nearly as important.

You're assuming the pt. will do those responsible things.

This feels like either someone working on a paper or showing off a bit.

offered that thought earlier in this thread.....was ignored.

offered that thought earlier in this thread.....was ignored.

Oh, I agree. I just didn't want to participate in this. Her position is not even clearly articulated.

To be honest, OP, it sounds a lot like you think you are smarter or better-educated than the people you work with or come into contact with. You're coming across as though you want everyone else to be educated the same as you and think the same way you do, as though your education and thinking process should be the standard.

If this is not what you meant, I apologize, but that is what I am getting from your posts.

I think it would be a wonderful thing for all nurses to be equally educated and go back to diplomas as the entry point, with the option to continue to BSN, MSN, etc. Perhaps if all nurses had the same foundational education, they may find more in common with each other.

I don't think you will be able to change how each individual sees things, however. I think it's a false assumption that equal education will give everyone a similar outlook. Education plays only a small part in perception. There are multiple cultural influences, experiential influences, and shifts in perception due to life changes and current events.

I would like other people to be more like me, too, for the sake of being comfortable, but I would sorely miss the chance to learn something new from someone who is NOT like me.

Here's an example that crops up quite a lot in my unit.

A p't arrives intoxicated with a supply of vodka in their belongings. Many of my coworkers automatically throw the alcohol out because the 'p't has come in here drunk' and alcohol abuse is one of their problems.

However I keep the alcohol and the rest of their belongings in a secure place and return on discharge.

My rationale is based on a few points:

- The p't will just go buy more alcohol on discharge and that will likely mean they wont have enough money to fill their prescriptions on discharge and eat properly. Thus we will have them back in soon enough. It may also mean they could be so skint at that particular time - will be evicted as can't pay the rent -therefore now homeless and with all the problems that entails

- Will need to keep drinking in the short term to avoid withdrawl

- Alcohol is legal

-The alcohol is p't property

- It can be kept away from the p't and others whilst admitted so no risk keeping it in the hospital.

This difference in perception exists amongst our staff nurses and also amongst our group of charge nurses

You are extrapolating from a flawed construct. Trust me, people (even moderately educated ones), do not act rationally and in a linear manner. You seem to want things, and everyone around you, to fall into some thought process that agrees with your vision of how things should be. Life, and people, are a lot messier than we all would want them to be.

Every registered nurse educated in Australia after 1994 has had a three-year degree (our secondary education is more standardised than yours, so the year lopped off is the freshman-equivalent).

I suspect that if I put your example to my colleagues I'd get as many opinion on what the right thing to do was, and why, as people I asked. And I think it would be the same regardless of whether my audience were nurses, doctors or allied health staff.

I believe that in decisions like the example you gave, clinical experience is the biggest determiner, followed by degree of insight, personal experience, belief system and education. I also think that many people would act differently depending on nuances in the scenario: stumble-down homeless frequent flier clutching a brown paper bag of cheap hootch vs wealthy, well-groomed older woman with a $200 bottle of scotch in her high-end carry-on bag?

I've been busy away from here.

Have come back, read the posts and wish to state:

- I admit it was a poor example. I mentioned that.

- However the original topic ' Nurses,perception difference and education' is a valid topic and people needn't get so upset if it is discussed.

- Some people really get their underwear in a twist whenever nursing educational difference is discussed (some of these people are not even nurses). I'm getting tired of this. Crabs in a bucket. If nurses want to be real professionals they need to get over this issue.

- Other professions insist on more standardised academic entry and higher academic standards ... wonder why so many nurses and observers get so upset whenever suggestion is made that nurses should have those sorts of standards too? Really some people need to get over themselves. Pink collar highly skilled role vs profession?.... hhmmmmm

- Insinuating that someone is some kind of snooty, arrogant uppity individual for even mentioning the topic is silly. Crabs in a bucket -again

Each person's perception of a situation has more to do with values, culture, life experience, and gender. Level of education or degree isn't nearly as important.

Quite frankly disagree.

The nurse educator I work with has a lot of education and a high level of intelligence. Her perception is often of more value than mine. That is because she is very smart and has a couple of good quality nursing degrees. She doesn't even have a whole lot of experience. Maybe ? five years.

I don't get upset about that.

Many of the doctors I work with .... well they have even more intelligence (usually) and possess even more education.

Their perception of many situations carries more weight than mine and the nurse educator.

Do I get upset about that ?

NNNOOOOOOO

I value their input and seek it often. They are smarter than me and took way more classes in medical school. I have grown a lot.

My perception has improved and developed over the years .... the docs have helped me with that.

Are they snooty arrogant whatevers for gently and respectfully insisting their perception might carry more weight than mine ?

No.

They are more intelligent than me and have more education.

I don't get upset about that.

It's important that docs be highly intelligent and have lots of education

Some nurses have less education than me and probably not as smart. Do they frequently come ask me for my input ?

Do they value my perception? Yes ... that's why they keep asking me. They tell me they like seeking my input because I am 'smart' and 'see things more fully'.

Does that mean i'm better than them?

No *sigh*

PS I would hope a health professional's educational level contributes to perception.

That's why we seek higher education

Edited Nov 9, 2011 by pedicurn

Hmm, three mentions in one post that the doctors you work with are smarter than you - maybe that's the problem.

The doctors I work with unquestionably have a deeper and longer education than I do, and often have more theoretical and technical knowledge, while I have considerably more experiential, holistic and practical knowledge. I've no doubt some of them have a higher IQ than I, and at least as many have a lower IQ - if intelligence was all health care took (in either profession) then that would be that.

It's not, though. And while confusing length and type of education with intelligence is common, it's untrue, even if we're only confining ourselves to intellectual intelligence.