Nursing specialities and various attitudes ("not real nursing")

[purplesteth]

I'm only in my first year, but have spent working in various clinical settings, both as a student nurse (in my "previous" life, lol) and as ambulance crew. And I've noticed there seems to be an attitude going round that the ER and critical care settings are the only "real" forms of nursing; other nurses, such as those in LTC, are looked down on as "second-grade" nurses.

Is it just me or have others noticed this? I think it's sad that so few people want to work with, say, the elderly, 1) because with population aging, it's pretty inevitable that most nurses will have to work there sooner or later, even if just for a short time, and 2) I think the elderly have so much to offer as people. Some cultures almost worship, or at least have huge respect for the elderly, while in the West they're just seen as a weight, a burden.

I would really appreciate your thoughts on this. Thanks :)

[Mezabeth]

I think it all boils down to pride. People want to feel like they are better than other people. They think that their job is the hardest of all, or that their job takes only the best people and that other places take just anybody. It makes them feel better for some reason.

Its not true for sure and it only causes strife.

I know its easier said than done, but dont listen to them.

[tokyoROSE, BSN, RN]

I have noticed this. There was an ICU nurse that was floating on the med/surg floor I was doing clinicals on. After some incident, the nurses on that floor made a comment saying he probably thinks he is better than everyone because he is from the ICU. I DO think that it is silly. Each nurse has an equally important job. And don't even get me started on LTC nurses. I mentioned to a classmate that I would have no problem doing LTC if I couldn't get a job in the hospital. She rolled her eyes. She also thinks there's plenty of new grad positions in California! When I did my LTC rotation, I loved interacting with the residents. They had such delightful stories to tell and most of them is in dire need of company. It is sad that the elderly are not highly regarded in Western culture. My family is from the other side of the globe and it is a completely different attitude there-- like you said. I was raised to obey and respect my elders. It is also unimaginable that anyone would put their parents in nursing homes, for one, they do not exist. It is the children's job to care for their parents, period. I'm not passing judgment on those who choose to put their parents in nursing homes in this country because it is a different culture, a different way of thinking. Just not something I would ever think about doing. I have all the respect and admiration in the world for LTC nurses because it takes a very special person to be able to do that job.

[CNABESS]

Yes, LTC seems to get a bad rap. It is a special place to work and the patience required is on the border of sainthood. I do both Rehab and LTC as a CNA. I love both settings. Perhaps because I am older and do not want the high pressure cooker of an ED. I feel like I am so important in an older, confused residents life. I also feel like I am sooooo appreciated in the Rehab unit by the pts. and their families. In the Rehab unit, these folks are really struggling to get back to their own normalcy, and they seem to appreciate every little bit of care.

I also have to say, with the exception of one person, I work with nurses who are the most awesome and caring individuals on the planet. They work very hard and seem to love the settings. The day is Very, very busy and these nurses run without stopping. Most never get to leave the floor for their unpaid meal break!!! I challenge any nurse to try to keep up. LTC is not for wimps, and I love working with these nurses.

[blackandyellow]

I work as a CNA in both a nursing home and an ICU and I can say that the nurses I work with at both places have told me they would not want to work at the other places. The nurses I work with in the ICU have told me they like having a low ratio and like their patients critically sick plus would not want to pass out meds all day(which they feel LTC nurses do) at the same time one of the LTC nurses I works with has said she likes the freedom of a nursing home and thinks an ICU would be too structured and organized for her. I think they are two different jobs but I work with wonderful nurses in the ICU and wonderful nurses in LTC who are excellent at the jobs they do in the fields they have chosen.

[jjjoy, LPN]

The vast differences between some nursing specialities tends to lead me to question if just one generic 2 yr program for most types of RNs is sufficient. Can you imagine if most teachers had just one generic teacher's credential for most all levels and subjects and the rest was learned on the job without any formal evaluation or certification of directly relevant training and competency?

I'm not saying any one kind of nurse is more or less "real"... just different. I imagine certain kinds of physicians get dismissed as "not real" if they can't manage a hospitalized patient, for instance.

[Nepenthe Sea]

I pretty much have respect for ALL fields of nursing - especially the ones I don't want to go into!

[finallyfound10]

I think about it like this is....... if my loved one were in a LTC, ICU, OB, or whatever, I think that most of the time the RN wants to be in that field b/c they like it, felt called, etc. I think this "looking down the nose" that RN's do to each other is awful!!! Someone mentioned pride and that's really what it boils down to.