public's view of nurses

DusktilDawn · Sep 16, 2005

You have just hit the nail on the head! I have recently spent a week, a week can you believe that, in New Employee Orientation (gag me :uhoh21: ), and all week long the number one thing that was stressed was , that's right, customer service. We actually had a presentation by a "consultant" and the whole focus of his talk was just that....the public does not know anything about what we really do as healthcare providers, be it the X--ray tech, the dietician, the RN or a unit clerk. All they want is good customer service, to have their "needs" met, and the quicker, the better! No focus on educating the public as to our roles, only on being "customer service oriented".

But my question is "Why not let the public know what we really do as healthcare providers?"

I think more problems with "customer service" is created by a lack of understanding of what healthcare providers do (and I include XR-tech, dietician, unit clerk, CNA, LPN, RN, RT, pharmacist, housekeepers, transporters, etc). For instance, I think if a patient had to wait 10 minutes for their call light to be answered, they would be more understanding if they were aware that the person taking care of them had 6-7 patients (or more depending on where a nurse worked) instead of assuming that their nurse was lazy and uncaring.

I think if they understood some of the situations nurses have to face it would probably improve "customer service" responses (the dreaded Press-Ganey). For instance, that nurses have to prioritize care based on acuity, perhaps they had to wait 20 minutes for their medication because an unstable patient had to be transferred to ICU. Let's face it, when one patient takes a turn for the worst, often other staff are recruited/volunteer to assist in stablizing that patient, it rarely is one nurse alone. Instead patients are/can be assuming the worst about the staff taking care of them.

I see educating the public about what all health care providers as a means that can actually improve "customer service". Also if there are complaints, the patient is better able to direct their complaints to the appropriate persons/department instead of everything being blamed on the unit staff.

I also don't think it's a bad idea for the other health care providers to receive an education about each others function. I think that could go a long way toward improving employee relationships between CNAs, LPNs, RN, dietary, housekeeping, pharmacy, XR-techs, transporters, physiotherapists, unit clerks, etc.

BTW I'm not for the 4 Star Hotel treatment, I think "customer service" should be the best quality health care we can provide for our patients in a professional manner, and it is not providing lobster dinners.

Clementina · Sep 21, 2005

The public perception of nurses will not change until we actually change the name of our profession. I realise this sounds radical but it is incredible how pervasive a name change can be. For instance, law firms are changing the role of 'secretary' to 'Client Services Co-ordinator'. They did research and found that the esteem of the workers changed and so did the perception of others' and outsiders. I know that Clinical Nurse Consultant 'sounds' good - yet this hierachial element in nursing has been a detriment in a way as the CNS or Clinical Nurse Specialist is deemed prestigious and more aligned with 'professionalism' - I promote this and it is important to us that we have room to move, yet it relegates the 'nurse' role to be perceived as being 'just a nurse'. The public consciousness is entrenched in nurses being perceived as caring, trustworthy, ethical - all great attributes but none requiring an 'intellect' as such. Yes, emotional intelligence is alive and well but difficult to measure. The intellectual element of any profession, degree etc is what influences percpetion. 'Nurse' just sounds submissive, subversive and generally 'mumsy'. It is unfortunate as we all know our role has changed. We are stuck with the historic notions of nursing. A blanket change in the 'naming' of our profession sounds absurd - but could be the simplest and most effective way to change perception. I just have no idea of what we could be called?!!!

dekatn · Sep 21, 2005

It's so weird, just now on t.v., there was a commercial for a local hospital. The pt. was going on and on about how wonderful her experience was. "And I want to thank Dr. so and so, gush gush, and Dr. so and so, gush gush and my husband and my mother, oh, it was a wonderful experience and I'm so grateful to the doctors that took care of me gush gush" Downright sickening!!! Not one single word about the nurses or other staff. I bet she had a clean room with toilet paper and three meals a day prepared by (who), why, I bet her doc went to the kitchen and served it up himself!!!! Sorry about this, I just couldn't resist!!!!

MichaelLooney · Sep 22, 2005

How you think nurses are viewed by the general public?

Thanks in advance for your reply. It means a lot!

Actualy, this is scary. I've heard a LOT of people make the blind assumption that someone becomes a nurse b/c they're not good enough to be a doctor. BUT, on the other hand I've heard a lot of people who hold nurses in a MUCH higher esteme b/c the patient sees the nurse a lot more often than they see the doctor.

MichaelLooney · Sep 22, 2005

The public perception of nurses will not change until we actually change the name of our profession. I realise this sounds radical but it is incredible how pervasive a name change can be. For instance, law firms are changing the role of 'secretary' to 'Client Services Co-ordinator'. They did research and found that the esteem of the workers changed and so did the perception of others' and outsiders. I know that Clinical Nurse Consultant 'sounds' good - yet this hierachial element in nursing has been a detriment in a way as the CNS or Clinical Nurse Specialist is deemed prestigious and more aligned with 'professionalism' - I promote this and it is important to us that we have room to move, yet it relegates the 'nurse' role to be perceived as being 'just a nurse'. The public consciousness is entrenched in nurses being perceived as caring, trustworthy, ethical - all great attributes but none requiring an 'intellect' as such. Yes, emotional intelligence is alive and well but difficult to measure. The intellectual element of any profession, degree etc is what influences percpetion. 'Nurse' just sounds submissive, subversive and generally 'mumsy'. It is unfortunate as we all know our role has changed. We are stuck with the historic notions of nursing. A blanket change in the 'naming' of our profession sounds absurd - but could be the simplest and most effective way to change perception. I just have no idea of what we could be called?!!!

I see you point, but there's just one problem with all this changing: A few generations down the road we'll have to do it all over agian b/c people will be so use to the 'fancy' names for what people do that it'll just become 'ordinary', and then someone will have to come up with a FANCIER title for what they do, and a few generations later an even FANCIER title. It'll become a never ending thing.

bulldawggirl · Oct 2, 2005

All of you have been writing great responses and I would like to thank you for that. Many of you have addressed some of the issues with teamwork and so I had another quick question. How do you think the patient sees each member of that team?

scooterRN52 · Oct 3, 2005

Homework?
Nurses are the most trusted of all occupations, last I heard.

I too heard this phrase recently about nurses and I think it is true that most of the population thinks that nurses are caring individuals and we are trusted, we have to be trusted, we have a lot of resposibility. I also know that most people have no idea what the job description for a nurse involves

and what we need to know in order to do our jobs. :)

scooterRN52 · Oct 3, 2005

All of you have been writing great responses and I would like to thank you for that. Many of you have addressed some of the issues with teamwork and so I had another quick question. How do you think the patient sees each member of that team?

I have seen some pts. get confused about who their nurse is, and that is because most hospitals have added nursing assist. to the team, and everyone is wearing scrubs. I always make sure I wear my name tag, stating my name and RN after it. I have noticed that other people in the team such as, NA, respiratory therapists do not always have their tags on. I

always introduce myself to my pts. and tell them I will be their nurse for the next 12 hrs. By doing this I think it helps the pt. know who will be taking care of him and it is reassuring also.

:)

scooterRN52 · Oct 3, 2005

I see you point, but there's just one problem with all this changing: A few generations down the road we'll have to do it all over agian b/c people will be so use to the 'fancy' names for what people do that it'll just become 'ordinary', and then someone will have to come up with a FANCIER title for what they do, and a few generations later an even FANCIER title. It'll become a never ending thing.

I agree with you, even though there are nurses out there with advanced degrees, we all take the same nclex exam, and our license states the same thing, professional nurse, Registered Nurse. We don't need to change the name of our profession, that would really confuse the issue, anyway I don't see doctors changing the name of their profession. I think if people understood the educational process for the RN, they might understand the difference and think of us alittle differently. :)

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Oct 3, 2005

I too heard this phrase recently about nurses and I think it is true that most of the population thinks that nurses are caring individuals and we are trusted, we have to be trusted, we have a lot of resposibility. I also know that most people have no idea what the job description for a nurse involves
and what we need to know in order to do our jobs. :)

"Trusted" is not the same as respected.

Before the Civil War, many people had "trusted" house slaves, that never complained, never stepped out of line,........but most of them were not respected.

Some Middle Eastern nations/religions talk about trusting the women of their nation, but still enforce draconian laws to enforce "their place" in society.

Nurses are the most "trusted" profession, but most of our job offers are contingent on us peeing in a cup (drug tests). We are required witnesses to narcotic waste, insulin dosing, chemo/blood administration, with double/triple/more checks to ensure safety. We are required to get "permission" from supervisors when we work a minute of overtime, if we want to get paid for it, are made to feel guilty if we leave the floor on a break, and are limited in how many times that we call in sick.

That may be "trust" but it certainly is not "respect".

DusktilDawn · Oct 3, 2005

All of you have been writing great responses and I would like to thank you for that. Many of you have addressed some of the issues with teamwork and so I had another quick question. How do you think the patient sees each member of that team?

They know who the doctor is, but often times they do not know who their nurses are in a lot of facilities. They don't understand the roles of RTs, PTs, OTs, and CNAs for instance. Nor do they understand what the differences are between LPNs and RNs. I don't think they actually "see" each member of the team as a separate discipline.

DusktilDawn · Oct 3, 2005

"Trusted" is not the same as respected.
Before the Civil War, many people had "trusted" house slaves, that never complained, never stepped out of line,........but most of them were not respected.
Some Middle Eastern nations/religions talk about trusting the women of their nation, but still enforce draconian laws to enforce "their place" in society.
Nurses are the most "trusted" profession, but most of our job offers are contingent on us peeing in a cup (drug tests). We are required witnesses to narcotic waste, insulin dosing, chemo/blood administration, with double/triple/more checks to ensure safety. We are required to get "permission" from supervisors when we work a minute of overtime, if we want to get paid for it, are made to feel guilty if we leave the floor on a break, and are limited in how many times that we call in sick.
That may be "trust" but it certainly is not "respect".

Right on the mark. There is a big difference between "trust" and "respect."