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Discussion

Nurses vs doctors

In the most recent RCNA newsletter, an article discusses the need for change in order to continue to deliver effective health care to the Australian people. The president of the Victorian branch of the ANF, Lisa Fitzpatrick, is quoted as saying "doctors... need a slap about the head" in order to allow change. She states that doctors and their egos are the reason that potentially beneficial changes to health care delivery are not being made.

While I agree that egos among some doctors are certainly problematic, I HATE the continued spats between nursing and medicine. In uni, we were taught that the medical students were being taught that they were gods, and that we'd better get used to the idea that they would try to lord it over us.

How is this productive? I found Ms Fitzpatrick's quote to be unprofessional and unhelpful. Surely one of the solutions to the health care crisis is to improve the solidarity between medical, nursing and allied health. I know I, for one, will see the doctors I work with as colleagues and not adversaries (unless individual doctors rub me the wrong way, of course!). Young doctors I have spoken to about this issue agree that constant bickering is detrimental to health care, so let's hope a new generation of medical and nursing staff can ease the professional animosity.

What do you think? Is it possible that we could ever work together without this 'us against them' mentality?

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I have seen it in action many times, and it is becoming more frequent. There was one specialist whom I kept thinking was an RMO. He used to sit down and talk to us. He was compassionate, particularly with the dying, and believed in endstage care. In one person's notes he actually wrote, 'excellent care provided by nursing staff'.

I totally disagree with the statement. There are some doctors that need to change their attitudes, but hey, so do some nurses. Doctors and nurses at ground level have no say in what goes on high.

  • Experts

This old thing has been around since Moses played fullback for Jerusalem!

THIRTY NINE years ago they were saying the same old -same old. BORING!

Nurses V doctors. Doctors V nurses. Blah blah blah ...........

Some time back, they actually had medical students working alongside nurses so they could LEARN and come to know and understand just what nurses do. I wonder what happened to that exercise?

You will meet jerks in both the medical AND nursing profession.

Jusy always remember to have some humility and graciousness yourself and leave the jerks to find out the hard way that their attitude wins them NO points with anyone!

GOOD LUCK! :)

I find if you can provide clear evidence as to how the change will benefit patient care most medico's are on side. I'm currently involved in a fairly radical change at the moment and am getting more heat from my colleages than the medicos. Anyway as an earlier poster has said you get jerks in both fields.

Some time back, they actually had medical students working alongside nurses so they could LEARN and come to know and understand just what nurses do. I wonder what happened to that exercise?

OMG I remember one following ME around when I was an EN. He didn't really do any thing though. But that doesn't mean they were all like that. Wonder what he is doing now?

You made me feel old!

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