"I Narcanned Your Honor Student"

JKL33 · Jul 1, 2017

ED nurse here and I agree with the article.

Where the arguments break down is that, while many of us dabble a little or rely a lot on gallows humor to get through our days/nights, we largely aren't turning that into slogans for "in your face" public displays.

"I tubed your girlfriend last night!" [insert "Caduceus" symbol] pretend this is a PSA about binge drinking

"Relieving Pain when they're circling the drain!" [again, Caduceus] pretend this is a PSA about end of life care, having living will/DNR in order, or perhaps even a political statement about assisted suicide

"I come through when your kid turns blue!" [symbol...] Obviously a PSA about choking hazards....

I'm not buying it. Are all the slogans mentioned in this thread worth a chuckle? Sure, I'll go along with that. I'd prefer they weren't used for "in your face" public consumption.

If you are proud of your profession, carry yourself that way.

If a bit of gallows humor keeps you healthy in your profession, by all means, indulge.

If you enjoy sharing PSAs, do so.

If you are somewhat insecure and need to show the general public how awesome you are with a slogan such as the Narcan thing...think about spending some time on things that would help you enjoy a healthier self-esteem.

staceylee67 · Jul 1, 2017

Oh for Pete's sake.

Let me tell you something, young and naive nursing student.

Nothing pisses off nurses more that high and mighty students that get all judgy and condescending.

You are allowed to think this stuff as we all did as young nursing students. But the smart ones learned to keep their mouth shut because they knew that as an inexperienced nurse in a world of horrors It is best to keep silent until you really know how it is. And also, you had better learn to laugh really quick because there's a lot a horrible sad situations out there and if you don't laugh you will get burned out really quick

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jul 1, 2017

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.

OK, I'll say it. Walk a mile in our shoes and then see how you feel about the T-shirt.

Gotta say that the nurse wannabe lecturing actual nurses on compassion always makes an awesome first impression. Or was that awful?

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jul 1, 2017

ED nurse here and I agree with the article.
Where the arguments break down is that, while many of us dabble a little or rely a lot on gallows humor to get through our days/nights, we largely aren't turning that into slogans for "in your face" public displays.
"I tubed your girlfriend last night!" [insert "Caduceus" symbol] pretend this is a PSA about binge drinking
"Relieving Pain when they're circling the drain!" [again, Caduceus] pretend this is a PSA about end of life care, having living will/DNR in order, or perhaps even a political statement about assisted suicide
"I come through when your kid turns blue!" [symbol...] Obviously a PSA about choking hazards....
I'm not buying it. Are all the slogans mentioned in this thread worth a chuckle? Sure, I'll go along with that. I'd prefer they weren't used for "in your face" public consumption.
If you are proud of your profession, carry yourself that way.
If a bit of gallows humor keeps you healthy in your profession, by all means, indulge.
If you enjoy sharing PSAs, do so.
If you are somewhat insecure and need to show the general public how awesome you are with a slogan such as the Narcan thing...think about spending some time on things that would help you enjoy a healthier self-esteem.

Something OTHER than complaining about a stupid T-shirt and bragging about how much more compassionate you are than any actual nurse out there who might think it was funny.

GadgetRN71, ASN, RN · Jul 1, 2017

I think the quote is fine, because it brings across the idea that not only the "bad" kids dabble in drugs. They are everywhere.

And, yes, healthcare personnel often have a dark sense of humor. It is so PC now out there that apparently we're trying to mandate what kind of sense of humor a person should have.

If you are the overly sensitive sort, Reddit is not the place for you.

For what it's worth, I like the "relieveing pain while they're circling the drain", and "I tubed your girlfriend last night". I would wear those shirts.

love this meme..it's how I always picture the internet police.. attachment.php?attachmentid=24680&stc=1

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Jul 1, 2017

I think the quote is fine, because it brings across the idea that not only the "bad" kids dabble in drugs. They are everywhere.
And, yes, healthcare personnel often have a dark sense of humor. It is so PC now out there that apparently we're trying to mandate what kind of sense of humor a person should have.
If you are the overly sensitive sort, Reddit is not the place for you.
For what it's worth, I like the "relieveing pain while they're circling the drain", and "I tubed your girlfriend last night". I would wear those shirts.
love this meme..it's how I always picture the internet police..

Apparently we are all wrong because "nurses" on a Reddit forum said they didn't like it.

OP, if you come back, did you actually post that picture on Reddit or did you find it there? What did other "nurses" say? Just because you found 3 comments saying they thought it was rude doesn't mean anything. Everyone is allowed to have their own opinion. You came on the Internet, to a forum for *nurses*. You cannot control the responses/opinions you get from strangers. Just because you don't agree with others replies/opinions, doesn't make them wrong.

Just don't turn into the Internet nursing police since you are not a nurse yet. Even when you become a nurse, no one likes that person. Especially if you do it at work.

donsterRN, ASN, BSN · Jul 1, 2017

OK, I'll say it. Walk a mile in our shoes and then see how you feel about the T-shirt.
Gotta say that the nurse wannabe lecturing actual nurses on compassion always makes an awesome first impression. Or was that awful?

It was awful.

But YOU, my friend, are awesome!

JKL33 · Jul 1, 2017

Something OTHER than complaining about a stupid T-shirt and bragging about how much more compassionate you are than any actual nurse out there who might think it was funny.

For what it's worth, I didn't really read the OP that way. She mentions feeling more compassionate about things [than perhaps she had in the past] since becoming a nursing student, and asks why people would find something humorous. Plenty of people have informed her of their ideas about why.

It's not like that's an entirely unheard of experience (or phase) that a nursing student might have or go through; I think it's fairly common (?) They get in school and realize a little bit about how much suffering is actually in the world; I think that experience is a little shocking and then when they run across something like the "Narcanned" thing, that, in turn, seems a little shocking too.

Isn't that possible?

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Jul 1, 2017

For what it's worth, I didn't really read the OP that way. She mentions feeling more compassionate about things [than perhaps she had in the past] since becoming a nursing student, and asks why people would find something humorous. Plenty of people have informed her of their ideas about why.
It's not like that's an entirely unheard of experience (or phase) that a nursing student might have or go through; I think it's fairly common (?) They get in school and realize a little bit about how much suffering is actually in the world; I think that experience is a little shocking and then when they run across something like the "Narcanned" thing, that, in turn, seems a little shocking too.
Isn't that possible?

I didn't read it that way since she came back with a screen cap from a Reddit forum trying to show us our opinions were wrong because people on Reddit didn't like the bumper sticker.

macawake, MSN · Jul 1, 2017

Oh for Pete's sake.
Let me tell you something, young and naive nursing student.
Nothing pisses off nurses more that high and mighty students that get all judgy and condescending.
You are allowed to think this stuff as we all did as young nursing students. But the smart ones learned to keep their mouth shut because they knew that as an inexperienced nurse in a world of horrors It is best to keep silent until you really know how it is. And also, you had better learn to laugh really quick because there's a lot a horrible sad situations out there and if you don't laugh you will get burned out really quick

(my bold)

Well, I'm a nurse and the OP didn't piss me off and I don't think she needs to keep her mouth shut. In all honesty, I don't think that's a request we could reasonably make or should be making of someone who abides by ToS (or in real life if someone states their opinion in a polite manner, even if we happen to find the opinion misguided).

This is what OP wrote:

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?

If you want to interpret that as being being high and mighty and condescending, I guess you can but I agree with KarenMS who posted this:

Did she tell nurses how they should feel about this? Or did she express how she feels about this?

The OP was expressing how she feels. She doesn't understand why anyone would find that T-shirt/bumper sticker humorous. She wasn't as far as I can tell, telling me how I should feel.

Perhaps her perception of the message will change after a couple of years of nursing experience and she'll find it more amusing, perhaps she won't.

For what it's worth, I didn't really read the OP that way. She mentions feeling more compassionate about things [than perhaps she had in the past] since becoming a nursing student, and asks why people would find something humorous. Plenty of people have informed her of their ideas about why.
It's not like that's an entirely unheard of experience (or phase) that a nursing student might have or go through; I think it's fairly common (?) They get in school and realize a little bit about how much suffering is actually in the world; I think that experience is a little shocking and then when they run across something like the "Narcanned" thing, that, in turn, seems a little shocking too.
Isn't that possible?

@JKL33, once again I find myself agreeing with your interpretation. I think that what OP seems to be experiencing isn't unusual for a student or a new nurse.

As I said in my first post, my advice is for OP to not take T-shirts and bumper stickers to heart. "Deeply troubling" is in my opinion a too strong reaction. But so is (again in my opinion) allowing a (young?) person's naivete and idealism to get you all bent out of shape.

Koshea61, BSN · Jul 1, 2017

It's not feeling superior. But when you see enough parents in total denial about their kids it's understandable. Not my child!...

Maybe instead parents should stop ignoring what's going on in front of them.

tyvin, BSN, RN · Jul 1, 2017

Love dark humor...:)