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??
There are so many misconceptions about nursing out there. Whether its the difference in education, the different roles or even that nurses' jobs aren't strictly limited to pillow fluffing (yes, someone said that to me), people in general just don't think before they speak. I guess it makes sense in a way, because nursing has so many different options as a career, but still, its exhausting!
*** Actually there are many exceptions. Until a few years ago the Air Force would commission ADN RN who also had a bachelors degree in another field. The army and AF guard & reserve would commission ADNs and many of those ADN nurse officers are on active duty to day and have been for a long time. I know cause so many are missing from my hospital on extended active duty tours.
On AD, there aren't really that many exceptions left. Most have been phased out, and the Navy/Army especially do not make exceptions anymore. If the Navy CDR was AD, she would likely have run into few and far between ADNs.
Yeah, it took me a year to get my mother to understand that although I'm in an ADN program (not by choice) that I will still be an RN.....She knows nothing about the healthcare field, she could have been a doctor but she wanted to be an educator soo now her knowledge on our world is basically none -__-
You're right, all the fields overlap in some degree or manner and that makes it really difficult for us to establish a clear difference between who we are and what we do. The only thing I really can say is that a nurse provides the emotional and holistic component that most physicians lack
Specializes in burn ICU, SICU, ER, Trauma Rapid Response.
Why would we expect the public to be more informed than our fellow nurses?
I regularly hear on here that it's all the the same... actually, I usually hear that diploma>ADN>BSN>MSN
*** Probably cause all lead to the exact same qualification (RN) and all do the exact same job, usually for the same pay. Easy to understand how people get confused.
it is frustrating to the public because there are various entry levels to nursing and SO MANY titles. Many people confuse nursing degrees with nursing licensure. I am not sure how much we should expect from others - as long as they are respectful it makes no real difference as YOU know who and what you are.
it is frustrating to the public because there are various entry levels to nursing and SO MANY titles. Many people confuse nursing degrees with nursing licensure. I am not sure how much we should expect from others - as long as they are respectful it makes no real difference as YOU know who and what you are.
You know, I have to disagree respectfully with my colleague classicdame on this. I think it does make a real difference. Our licenses are granted by the states; taxpayers should know what they're paying the boards to do. Patients and families should know the difference between an LPN, CNA, and RN (and housekeeping, but don't get me started :) ) Everyone should know the difference between the steps from an associate degree to a master's. I see no reason not to educate the heck out of everyone we meet when the topic arises as a matter of public health.
Oh just wait, OP I can understand your vent list but wait til you get the people that think "nurses only fluff pillows, follow Dr's orders and fetch water" all the while shocked to learn you have to go to school for that.. So much goes on behind the scenes, people really can't see beyond their own noses.
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!
Exactly! Two girls in my anatomy class are planning to go to a very expensive BSN program near me, and I told them that since I have to pay out of pocket I am going the community college ADN route. They said "Well, you should get your BSN so you can get your RN because places aren't hiring LPNs anymore"! I was like "Uhhh...I will still be able to get my RN with the ADN program"! And these were girls who are going in the nursing field!
I was like "Uhhh...I will still be able to get my RN with the ADN program"! And these were girls who are going in the nursing field! 
LindaBright, MSN
79 Posts
There are so many misconceptions about nursing out there. Whether its the difference in education, the different roles or even that nurses' jobs aren't strictly limited to pillow fluffing (yes, someone said that to me), people in general just don't think before they speak. I guess it makes sense in a way, because nursing has so many different options as a career, but still, its exhausting!