Published
After browsing Reddit today, I came across something that troubled me deeply. This is not the first time I have seen something of this nature displayed. Once I seen an EMT with a VERY similar quote on a t-shirt. Being in nursing school has allowed me to open up and become compassionate about many things.
Why would someone take humour in this situation?
The OP isn't even a nurse yet.And now I'm going to shut the hell up before I say something about non-nurses telling nurses how they should act and feel without walking a mile in my shoes. Or something like that. SMDH.
...oh, yes. I mean, I can see OP becoming one of those "fun police" nurses if it's SO troublesome to see a questionable joke on a t-shirt now... But I'm with you. I really love when people who aren't nurses and never have been tell us how we should think and feel and act. It's arrogance at its finest, if you ask me. I'd never walk in to a teacher's lounge when they're venting about students who drive them nuts (to use an example) and be like, "Well, actually, these are the young minds of the future, so you should be honored to be in their presence" or some BS like that... I like the student presence on this site, but I could certainly do without the small segment of them who see these forums as an opportunity to lecture those of us who have been in the field some time now...
I love my "Keeping "em Alive" shirt...for home wear. I have a warped sense of humor from being in health care, starting as a unit secretary, now a nurse.
Part of our patient population is detox. Kinda keeps you humble, because I understand that it can happen to anyone at anytime. I have a relative who's a recovering addict. The scourge can happen anywhere.
I'm trying to come up with a cute "My child with mental/developmental disabilities is more compassionate than your mean, bullying normal Honors student."
I agree. I find so many of those popular "nurse" slogans so pretentious. I own like three...not all of which I wear outside of the house, LOL. The "Night Shift - Keeping 'Em Alive 'til 7:05" is one of my favorites, but the other two are just silly humor that I wear around the house to sleep in (such as "I See Naked People - It's Not As Exciting as You Think.") The only "nurse" thing I've ever taken to work is my mug..."I Am a Nurse...I am Invincible...I am Tired." I like it because it's real without being "look at how great I am." Full disclosure: I do have a "nurses are rockstars" mug, but it was a gift.
No, those shirts sound hilarious and I think you could wear anyone of those outside the house without looking pretentious. Like you said, those slogans aren't screaming "look at me! Awesome superhero nurse over here!" The ones I particularly loathe are:
"Cute enough to stop your heart, skilled enough to save it."
"I gave up my life so I could learn how to save yours."
Anything about nurses being Angles.
The absurdity of the situation: An honor student who overdosed. A High and Mighty who ended up like any other Schmuck.I'm not condoning this meme, merely applying my perspective thoughts on it.
I read an article where some EMS workers are being encouraged to be more compassionate, for what it's worth.
Dark humor is a method some of us use to deal with our feelings. It's not always the best or most appropriate method, but it buoys us through some tough times.
I totally agree about using that dark humor as a coping method. My goodness, if some of our "nursey" conversations were overheard by the more sober bar patrons we'd sound like a bunch of heartless jerks that nobody would want taking care of them. But, we're not wearing our dark humor on a T-shirt that is at best tasteless.
smartassmommy
324 Posts
I love gallows humor.