NurseLili

I've been allowed to shadow a nurse with scrubs as a nursing student. As an orientee, I've also worn scrubs. If scrubs are not allowed, I suggest comfortable dress slacks with a lab coat.

Ok, GAnurse, now that you have explored some experiences with flirtation & flattery.... Remember that as a nurse you alway uphold a standard of professional conduct, never mind the hospital's guidelines, it's about the professionalism you convey. You never cross the patient-nurse professional boundary. Plus there is always someone watching you and willing to dispell rumors (true or not) about your character and integrity. You really didn't have to lie to that man on the phone. If you would have said "I don't hold relationships with my clients" (yes, pt's families are our clients too, remember?) This would have been more honest. Another thing, if you observe inappropriate behavior with co-workers, it is your responsibility to address it to someone who can tactfully correct the situation and the co-workers' behavior. There is a thin line between verbal flattrery and sexual harassment in the workplace. I don't suggest that you should solve those problems in your intitution, but not doing anything about it will only make it permissible. Simply walking away from innuendos only puts the nurse in a helpless position. That's not the work enviroment what nurses need. You seem to be very young and taken by the flattery. But like someone wrote earlier, there is a time and place for that. Best of luck.

:chuckle YES, SOMEONE HAS BEEN STUDYING NURSES' BEHINDS- I read an article last week. This happened in a London hospital last summer, where nurses in a cardiac unit were banned from wearing thongs. Evidently, when the pts. would see a nurse wearing thongs under her white uniform, this increased the pts' heart rate by a significant percentage, where it potentiated the risk of cardiac complications. Who determined this? A cardiologist apparently was observing this and watching the pts. reactions when the thong-bearing nurses walked by....The alarms in the cardiac monitors would go off for no other apparent reason... Nurses protested the newly imposed dress code and questioned: Does that cardiologist have anything better to do than to study their behinds? They insisted thongs were the most comfortable & practical piece of attire, especially in the hot months. However, given the effect observed in cardiac patients, the new rule had to be upheld... Hey, maybe thongs can be used instead of persanthine thallium for stress testing...It's a cheaper method! The article was published in spanish. Funny but scary.... PS: go with the flesh-colors, or thicker white fabric (ie. 100% cotton Levi Dockers)

Inevitably most of us will be in that situation, and it wil all depend on the culture of the family. I agree it's pretty ugly to witness all the rib-cracking, skin-fizzling shocks and nasty intubations that occur during a code, but if I can give a little advice, it's essential that SOMEONE stays with the family, at least initially to explain what's going on and to give a little of support in this awful moment. There's nothing like knowing your loved one is in peril and you don't know what's being done... I remember an incident when everyone ran to the room and no one stayed with the family. The pt's daughter walked in at the end of a 20 min. code & her mother had expired, spread on the bed like a sacrificed animal... It was an awful scene... The daughter let out a scream and passed out on the floor.:stone

I missed the prime time special but watch the show regularly. As lighthearted as the "ugly nurse" sketch might have been, I concur with many of you, that didn't make it right because with the critical nursing situation we cannot affort further denigration of nurses perpetuated by the media. As for The View, I have mixed opinions, and I've also seen Meredith announce once that there was a group of nurses in the audience three weeks ago, and they received a strong round of applause....