CapoTravers

In response to being mistaken for a doctor: I was taught in our law lecture that it is our legal responsibility to correct them immediately, or we could be accused of practicing medicine without a license or impersonating a doctor or ... something. Anyone else ever heard of that?

I encountered a similar situation in clinicals recently (I am a nursing student). I explained to the patient the purpose of NPO before surgery including the potential risks involved, notified his nurse of the situation, and wrote a very detailed nursing note explaining his resistance to the NPO order. He also had open drinks in his room and a piece of ice he'd been chewing on. I took everything out, told his nurse, and documented everything I observed. He really didn't seem to grasp the importance of remaining NPO before his procedure even after I explained it to him, but eventually backed down. As a nursing student, I think I covered all my bases. I'm glad he didn't push the issue any further, though!

Their locus of responsibility is external. In all seriousness, they have the right to make suggestions and voice their opinions. Perhaps there are some things they are right about. I try to focus more on the lecture and my studies and save my "complaints" for the anonymous instructor and course evaluations and polls my college has us fill out at the end of each semester. Public complaints during lecture waste lecture time and gossipy complaints to other students serve no purpose at all. I think it's important to voice our opinions, but at the appropriate time and place. Good luck with school!

After three semesters of once-weekly clinicals at three different sites, I can report that I have not experienced any sexism as a male nursing student. The one exception is the assumption by nursing home residents that I was a doctor. Of course, a rare female patient or two has requested that I don't assist with a bed bath. Nevertheless, people usually don't have a problem with my gender.

Still a student myself, and sometimes I question my decision to become a nurse as well - usually when I'm burnt out. It seems silly to stop now and let it all be in vain. Finish your schooling, get your degree, and try to find a nursing job you actually like. There are so many options! Worst case scenario, you can use your nursing career to fund whatever it is you'd rather be doing.

Thanks for the heads up! I work in a pharmacy when I'm not in nursing school and this might come in handy.

I'm in nursing school, too. My advice: worry about relationships when you have your license. Until then, focus on school! It was made quite clear before I started school that we would have to give up our social lives for nursing school. In my 3rd semester, I'm not sure I agree with that 100%, but what I do know is that the last thing I need is the additional stress of ending one relationship or starting a new one! While we're all different and indeed we all have different needs, I think if you're serious about nursing school, then you already know that getting through school is what you should really be worried about and not which relationship you want to be in. But you're an adult and should make your own decision! Good luck!