Public's lack of knowledge about what nursing actually is

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I understand that people can't be informed about all the roles in every career out there, but am I the only one who sometimes gets frustrated about people's misconceptions about nursing/your personal career goals within it?

I'm just starting my nursing portion of my BSN in the fall. My ultimate goal is PMHNP. I knew going into this that I was sacrificing "easy explanation of what I do for a living" for all the other things I like about this career path. However, I didn't expect that the misconceptions would start so soon. Things I've heard so far:

Friend 1: "Oh, you want to be a psychiatric nurse practitioner? Do you want to shadow my friend who is a nurse practitioner in L&D?"

Friend 2: "So nursing, is that a hands-on major?" Me: "Yeah, you need a certain a certain number of clinical hours to sit for the licensure exam.." Friend: "Oh, I wasn't sure, since what you're doing is undergrad and not graduate level." (???)

Friend 3 (for the 50th time): "Wait, so psychiatric nurse practitioners can prescribe?"

Friend 4: "Once you go to graduate school and become a mental health nurse..." (He can't keep it straight that BSN=>mental health nurse, NP=>mental health nurse practitioner)

I could go on. I'm very understanding when I respond to these sorts of statements, but it does wear on me a bit.. allnurses is a nice place to vent. Anyone have similar experiences??

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Try having an extended family who knows virtually nothing about college. Nothing...

Back when I was a student (only a few years ago), my parents wondered why I had to take courses in math, science, English, psychology, and other subject areas if I wasn't planning on majoring in any of these things. They did not understand that colleges have general education requirements.

They did not realize that associate degrees require 60 credits for completion and bachelors degrees require 120 credits for completion.

If they lacked understanding on the fundamentals such as college credits and general education, we can completely forget about explaining concepts such as graduate school and the role of nurse practitioners.

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This is very common in my area as well. A BSN is entirely unheard of, and when I converse with people about getting into nursing school, they are completely confused because they equate nursing with hospital schools or associate's degrees. In fact, most are shocked by the competitive nature of nursing programs. When I explain the difference, I'm often asked why I would put myself through all the extra trouble if I can still be an RN with an associate's degree. I feel like most people in general do not understand nursing as a whole or how variable the field truly is with all the different possible degrees and specialties. I work part-time in retail to pay for schooling and many of my coworkers assume I'm going into hospice care or make snide comments about how I should clean the bathrooms because I'm "going to school to clean up after people and it's good experience." Nurse practitioners are also nonexistent in my community, so when I explain what being a nurse practitioner entails, people assume they are synonymous with doctors. It doesn't really bother me anymore now that I'm in nursing school with other nursing students and nursing professionals who know what I'm talking about.

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Specializes in Neuro Intensive Care.

My favorite is when I'm told that I can't be RN with just my ASN. When I reply with, yes I sit on the same boards as people who get their BSN and they still think its not true.

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My favorite is when I'm told that I can't be RN with just my ASN. When I reply with yes I sit on the same boards as people who get their BSN and they still think its not true.[/quote']

I get that too. I'm asked, "since you are just getting your ADN, will you still be a real nurse?"

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Specializes in Sleep medicine,Floor nursing, OR, Trauma.

I blame the media.

Per the rules of House and Grey's Anatomy, nurses only exist to be catalysts to a doctor's heroism, utilized as sexual fantasy, or serve as physician chew toys.

Those who choose to think otherwise typically think I spend eight hours a day elbow deep in excrement and people's personal bits, or that I spend my entire existence charting and eating bon bons.

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Specializes in Neurology and Cardiology.

My Grandma proudly tell those who ask ( and a lot of people who don't) that her grand daughter is taking nursing training at the hospital. I have long since stopped attempting to correct her. Nod and smile :yes:

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
My favorite is when I'm told that I can't be RN with just my ASN. When I reply with, yes I sit on the same boards as people who get their BSN and they still think its not true.

My Navy Commander sister-in-law said this to me, too! My reply to her was, "As a Navy Commander (MSN degree required), I would have expected you to say ANYTHING but that." I don't know why I expected her to know better. I assumed wrong. She's in her military world and I'm in my medical world. So both our expectations failed to meet the other's......

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

I love to hear people with limited-to-no medical background talk! (And they say kids say the darnedest things....:roflmao:) I don't even try to correct them.....I don't have that kind of time....just nod and keep it moving.:yes:

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Ditto! People seem to think ADN does not equal a "real nurse" and I don't know why! They are schocked when I tell them yes, I will be an RN. They just assume that I will be an LPN. Uh, no, I didn't go to LPN school!

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Um, the quote didn't work, oops! I as quoting the ones about ADN not equaling RN!

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Specializes in Oncology.
Try having an extended family who knows virtually nothing about college. Nothing...

Back when I was a student (only a few years ago), my parents wondered why I had to take courses in math, science, English, psychology, and other subject areas if I wasn't planning on majoring in any of these things. They did not understand that colleges have general education requirements.

They did not realize that associate degrees require 60 credits for completion and bachelors degrees require 120 credits for completion.

If they lacked understanding on the fundamentals such as college credits and general education, we can completely forget about explaining concepts such as graduate school and the role of nurse practitioners.

We must be related. This is my family 100%.

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

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