I was at a Walgreens pharmacy waiting with my mom for her scripts to be filled. An elderly woman, wearing a pink ball cap and sparce, thinned gray hair approached the counter. I could hear her conversation without even trying to listen. She asked the pharmacist what she should cleanse a small cut with. The pharmacist told her to use saline and pointed to were it was so she could buy some.
As she passed me, I did not know the pharmacist was making his way behind her, I politely said, "ma'am, I wasn't trying to ease drop, but you can just use soap and water and save some money, I'm a Nurse."
The pharmacist came right up behind me, moved in front of my face and said, "I don't think she asked you, she asked me" as he swayed that neck left to right.
Well, I was pissed at how rude he was, I went and talked to the manager, then went back to the counter to pick up scripts.
He came to the register and stood behind the cashier and said, "Just so you know, I have a PhD, and I know more you do" My jaw dropped and told him his PhD sure didn't teach him how to treat others. He kept arguing with me and mom. Finally, I had to walk away after he told me, "My name is Dr. Peebles " after telling him I was going to contact coporate and file a complaint.
Uggg, I know I was sticking my nose out but he didn't have to act so hateful
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
To the one comment "Less aggravation for me"....but we are in the helping profession... what about "helping" others in general!
I made the 'less aggravation' comment. I still stand by it.
You've got to help yourself out before you 'help' others via unsolicited advice. I know this sounds selfish of me, but selfishness is not necessarily a negative quality.
If the ship is sinking, you will be useless to others unless you help yourself out by donning a life vest. If the airplane is depressurizing, you will be useless to others unless you help yourself out by grabbing an oxygen mask to wear.
It's the same when providing medical advice to strangers. I will be less useful if some stranger pursues legal action and attempts to refer my license number to the board of nursing with a complaint due to bad advice that I gave.
It is better to not give the advice in the first place. Less aggravation for me!
Some people get stuck on initials and assume that makes them superior. While achieving a doctorate in any field takes dedication and perseverance it does not take a doctorate level person to have common sense. That is why I think nurses are the bomb. No matter where we are education wise we shine!!! He was a real pretentious jerk!!!!!
I call Many physicians by their first name because it's their preference. I can't imagine calling a friend Doctor... Unless it's somewhat in jest. And I also can't imagine any of them saying, "I know more than you"
Sorry... Not comprehending the analogy. But thanks. As an infection Control nurse for 15 of my 40 years... Suggesting someone use soap and water for an obviously minor cut over saline... Does not take a Ph.D.
Juat not getting it... But again, I would always be the first inline to help an elderly lady... Or gent!
Sorry... Not comprehending the analogy. But thanks. As an infection Control nurse for 15 of my 40 years... Suggesting someone use soap and water for an obviously minor cut over saline... Does not take a Ph.D.
Juat not getting it... But again, I would always be the first inline to help an elderly lady... Or gent!
Of course it doesn't...that's not even remotely the point...
You are one of the few who realize that you are in a helping profession! To the one comment "Less aggravation for me"....but we are in the helping profession... what about "helping" others in general!
First, I think it is a bit presumptive to claim that the majority of people responding to this thread do not realize that they are in a "helping profession." For the record, yes, I realize that nursing is a helping profession (and so much more).
However, helping profession or not, I'm gonna be not to happy if a nurse interrupts my (supposedly) private conversation with the pharmacist, even if it is in the name of "helping."
Yeah, come ON. You are a nurse in the midst of educating a patient. As you walk off, you see a family member of another patient in the hallway and hear her say to your patient, "Hey, what she said is not necessary. You should do xyz. Trust me. I'm a CNA."
Now, there's nothing wrong with being a CNA; we all know they are an integral part of the health care team, and boy do we miss them when we don't have them. But let's not pretend most of us would not have a major problem with this interaction, and one of the FIRST things we would either think or say would have something to do with the fact that we have more formal education than they do, not to MENTION that the patient neither solicited their advice nor is the advice giver working in any kind of official capacity that would justify their intervention.
And we would all be okay with this if the family member/alleged CNA rationalized their behavior by saying that they are in a "helping profession, therefore it is their responsibility to give their .02 whenever the situation calls for it? Sorry, not believing that for one second.
Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/Critical Care Nursing.
The pharmacist can not say soap and water.........it's not sterile. If the old women is asking such a question she needs looking after.....
A pharmacist absolutely can say soap and water, they don't limit their advice to just sterile treatments. Also, patients ask us questions we deem to be common sense all the time, but that doesn't mean those pts "need looking after". I'm not quite sure how you came to these conclusions...
The pharmacist cannot say that. He is on the job, offering advice, which means anything he says to the lady can come back to him in the form of a lawsuit. doesn't this sound awfully familiar to some of you...
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
The pharmacist cannot say that. .
Yes, he absolutely CAN say "wash it with soap and water". What the heck.
And what did that other person mean that because she's a little old lady, she needs looking after? Old does not mean decrepit. Obviously, she had enough faculties about her that she was able to find her way to Walgreen's.
TheCommuter, BSN, RN
102 Articles; 27,612 Posts
You've got to help yourself out before you 'help' others via unsolicited advice. I know this sounds selfish of me, but selfishness is not necessarily a negative quality.
If the ship is sinking, you will be useless to others unless you help yourself out by donning a life vest. If the airplane is depressurizing, you will be useless to others unless you help yourself out by grabbing an oxygen mask to wear.
It's the same when providing medical advice to strangers. I will be less useful if some stranger pursues legal action and attempts to refer my license number to the board of nursing with a complaint due to bad advice that I gave.
It is better to not give the advice in the first place. Less aggravation for me!