"I don't want to do bed side nursing"...SAY WHAT!

Nurses General Nursing

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had a couple different nursing students say: "well, i'm going to school so i don't have to do bed side nursing". one even told me she want to work in plastic surg. office, not at the bed side. o.k. , i'm an "old nurse...47 yrs old", but when i went to nursing school in the 80's , we knew we knew we would most likley have to work our way into other areas of nursing after some experience in an acute care facility or some other such place. i hate to sound like i want to eat my young but, a part of me wants to see these new nurses go through the ranks like many of us did. not because i want to see them go through he double thooth picks, but because i feel , taking care of pateints, hands on , learning orginizational skills, pt. asses. , are the best way to learn nursing skills. as a critical care nurse of 27 years, i continue to be amazed at how much i can find out about a pt. during a bath and bed change. we have beds that turn, vents that suction, monitors that alert a critical care team half way across the city, bells, beeps and whistles,,,,what ever happened to good old hands on. i think it is funny that a nursing student thinks if she goes to a plastic surg. office she will only see tummy tucks, face lifts and boob jobs. she's forgetting the big ugly draining wounds , burns, and amputations etc..these office settings see. would love to be a fly on the wall when she takes care of her first pt. with these things and says......"oh my gosh, a plastic surg. takes care of these people too...!" guess i'll go into dermatology.... ha , if you've been around the block you know what awaits her there too. hee heee....but i swear i don't like to eat my young !:lol2: :rotfl: :clown: :lol2: :lol2: :uhoh3:

This is just my humble opinion, which is allowed under Ms Ruby's diversity quote. I would like you to ask the next ten non hospital affiliated people you meet if they think nurses have direct patient care. I think the majority if not all will say yes. Those of you who don't have direct patient care seem very defensive about the prospect of not considering yourselves nurses. You can be a researcher with a nursing degree (by the way that is another example of the corporates trying to save money, years ago you never heard of a someone with a nursing degree doing research----maybe I'm going too far back for some on you younguns). You can be an administrator with a nursing degree and on and on. When I classified LVNs and CNAs I said that NURSING had changed to include them in more patient care. They are part of nursing not nurses hence they don't take the NCLEX-RN. This seems to be a question of semantics. As for someones statement of working for free--don't be ridiculous, but every nurse I've met, with 10 years or less experience, has gone into it strictly for the money. Twenty years ago most men would never have thought of being a nurse and the ones that did were ridiculed. My neighbor quite his job as a police officer to become a nurse because he said he could make more money and not get shot at. On the internationl forums on this board the main questions other than visas is how much money they should hold out for. If the wages for nurses were to drop----how many would leave the profession to include those of you in research etc....

Don't get me wrong----I don't think RNs should change bedpans or make beds. In most cases it is the nurse not the doctor that notices and intervenes in saving a patient's lives, especially in ICUs where RNs do everything.

LPN/LVN's ARE nurses though...

This is just my humble opinion, which is allowed under Ms Ruby's diversity quote. I would like you to ask the next ten non hospital affiliated people you meet if they think nurses have direct patient care. I think the majority if not all will say yes. Those of you who don't have direct patient care seem very defensive about the prospect of not considering yourselves nurses. You can be a researcher with a nursing degree (by the way that is another example of the corporates trying to save money, years ago you never heard of a someone with a nursing degree doing research----maybe I'm going too far back for some on you younguns). You can be an administrator with a nursing degree and on and on. When I classified LVNs and CNAs I said that NURSING had changed to include them in more patient care. They are part of nursing not nurses hence they don't take the NCLEX-RN. This seems to be a question of semantics. As for someones statement of working for free--don't be ridiculous, but every nurse I've met, with 10 years or less experience, has gone into it strictly for the money. Twenty years ago most men would never have thought of being a nurse and the ones that did were ridiculed. My neighbor quite his job as a police officer to become a nurse because he said he could make more money and not get shot at. On the internationl forums on this board the main questions other than visas is how much money they should hold out for. If the wages for nurses were to drop----how many would leave the profession to include those of you in research etc....

Don't get me wrong----I don't think RNs should change bedpans or make beds. In most cases it is the nurse not the doctor that notices and intervenes in saving a patient's lives, especially in ICUs where RNs do everything.

I agree, most people do go into it for the money, and I am one of them, I found myself at the age of 33 with a Cosmetologist license and a lot of sporifice part time job experience. My sons are a littler older and I wanted something with a future and decent pay, so I chose nursing, there were other things I would have done first, but, crappy pay to go to school for 2 or 4 years??? No way. I hated the first semester of NSG school, loved the second and have crawled through the 3rd.

I really thought I would hate patient care but I would deal with it, I am not a touchy feely person and I like my personal space, I was okay, and I felt really bad for patients and wanted to help them, and, as I had quoted several posts ago, most of the time when you are in a patients room and they need help it bothers them 10 times more than you.

And some of the time when people go into Nursing school they do plan on using that as a base for something else. Alot of the Admin jobs won't hire someone who does not have the knowledge of a nurse, due to them being able to understand what they are reading or seeing in their paperwork.

As for me I totally enjoyed my psyche rotation working with Drug Rehab, talk about a can of worms to open, people are really negative about that, especially a lot of nurses I have met, they don't want to even give non-rehab patients their pain meds, well I say if it is ordered and ordered correctly, then I will give it, it is not my place to hold it, I have even heard nurses say that they use a large bore needle just to give them their meds:angryfire how mean is that??? These people have a problem and need help, yes, some do not want help, but you have that everywhere. So, I found my niche Psych, and I am very pleased. So, maybe God sent me to nursing school for a reason.

Specializes in Research, ED, Critical Care.

I have the original first job offer my mother had out of school. I keep it framed. It always makes me smile. Enjoy.

Verbatium (Original is typed old time style on good vellum paper)

______________, R.N.

Director

Massachusetts General Hospital

Nursing Department

August 11, 1956

Miss ______ _______

Bartlett Hall, MGH

Dear Miss ________:

This is to confirm your appointment to W5AC on September 17. Your beginning salary will be $56.00 for five days. Please report to the Staff Education Office on Monday, September 17, for orientation.

We are happy to have you join our staff in Nursing Service and hope that you will find it a happy and profitable experience.

Sincerely,

_________________

Assistant Director, Nursing Service

White Building

P.S. If you have not already been to the Personnel Office, please do so before reporting to work.

Specializes in PICU, Nurse Educator, Clinical Research.
This is just my humble opinion, which is allowed under Ms Ruby's diversity quote. I would like you to ask the next ten non hospital affiliated people you meet if they think nurses have direct patient care. I think the majority if not all will say yes. Those of you who don't have direct patient care seem very defensive about the prospect of not considering yourselves nurses. You can be a researcher with a nursing degree (by the way that is another example of the corporates trying to save money, years ago you never heard of a someone with a nursing degree doing research----maybe I'm going too far back for some on you younguns). You can be an administrator with a nursing degree and on and on. When I classified LVNs and CNAs I said that NURSING had changed to include them in more patient care. They are part of nursing not nurses hence they don't take the NCLEX-RN. This seems to be a question of semantics. As for someones statement of working for free--don't be ridiculous, but every nurse I've met, with 10 years or less experience, has gone into it strictly for the money. Twenty years ago most men would never have thought of being a nurse and the ones that did were ridiculed. My neighbor quite his job as a police officer to become a nurse because he said he could make more money and not get shot at. On the internationl forums on this board the main questions other than visas is how much money they should hold out for. If the wages for nurses were to drop----how many would leave the profession to include those of you in research etc....

Don't get me wrong----I don't think RNs should change bedpans or make beds. In most cases it is the nurse not the doctor that notices and intervenes in saving a patient's lives, especially in ICUs where RNs do everything.

I've never ever given anyone a hard time for having an opinion- I'm just pointing out that some of the things you state as facts aren't true.

As for the poll of non-medical folks- I assume you mean I should ask them if nursing is 'only' hospital nursing. Well, it's likely that most laypersons think that way- but is nursing defined by what the public thinks? If so, all nurses do is clean up poop, get the docs coffee, and wear skimpy white dresses to arouse the male patients. oh, and don't forget the sponge baths.

Please.

As for my indignation at you suggesting I shouldn't be called a nurse- yup. I think it's a silly idea. I'm a nurse, I'm practicing as a nurse. Had I not needed a nursing degree to become a research *nurse*, I would've just gone straight into research without bothering to go back to school.

I'm not sure where you got the idea that research nursing hasn't been around for long, but my mother in law was a cancer research nurse for 30+ years. And no, she didn't consider herself to be a cancer researcher who also happened to have a nursing degree- she was a cancer research nurse. I'm a research nurse. One can get a MSN in research nursing. I suppose you think that shouldn't be considered a nursing degree, right? Who do you think should be doing all the myriad activities involved in research? Academic PhD types? MDs? I think your view is coming at it from the wrong direction. It's as much about nursing expanding to include more hard science, autonomy, research and critical thinking than it is about 'corporates' saving money by utilizing nurses in research.

As for some of your other statements:

LVNs/LPNs are licensed nurses.

Are you saying men shouldn't be in nursing? And why is it bad that your neighbor became a nurse because he could make more than he could as a police officer?

As for the wages dropping- he** yeah, I'd leave if I were suddenly unable to make a decent living as a nurse. And frankly, I don't know a single nurse who would stay under those conditions. It's ridiculous. Nurses are already underpaid, especially hospital nurses. And your insinuation that any nurse who isn't doing direct patient care is somehow less dedicated to nursing is illogical and completely unfounded.

I get the impression you think wages should drop to keep out those who don't feel nursing is a 'calling'. Okay- enjoy your tripled patient load.

I don't normally have such a strong reaction to posts here, but I think your attitudes are the *very* reason nurses are misunderstood by society. Perpetuating the angel of mercy martyr nurse stereotype reinforces the belief that nurses aren't highly educated professionals who can do more than hand out tylenol and change bedpans. And that is a *big* factor in why nursing isn't getting the respect it deserves.

i've never ever given anyone a hard time for having an opinion- i'm just pointing out that some of the things you state as facts aren't true.

as for the poll of non-medical folks- i assume you mean i should ask them if nursing is 'only' hospital nursing. well, it's likely that most laypersons think that way- but is nursing defined by what the public thinks? if so, all nurses do is clean up poop, get the docs coffee, and wear skimpy white dresses to arouse the male patients. oh, and don't forget the sponge baths.

please.

as for my indignation at you suggesting i shouldn't be called a nurse- yup. i think it's a silly idea. i'm a nurse, i'm practicing as a nurse. had i not needed a nursing degree to become a research *nurse*, i would've just gone straight into research without bothering to go back to school.

i'm not sure where you got the idea that research nursing hasn't been around for long, but my mother in law was a cancer research nurse for 30+ years. and no, she didn't consider herself to be a cancer researcher who also happened to have a nursing degree- she was a cancer research nurse. i'm a research nurse. one can get a msn in research nursing. i suppose you think that shouldn't be considered a nursing degree, right? who do you think should be doing all the myriad activities involved in research? academic phd types? mds? i think your view is coming at it from the wrong direction. it's as much about nursing expanding to include more hard science, autonomy, research and critical thinking than it is about 'corporates' saving money by utilizing nurses in research.

as for some of your other statements:

lvns/lpns are licensed nurses.

are you saying men shouldn't be in nursing? and why is it bad that your neighbor became a nurse because he could make more than he could as a police officer?

as for the wages dropping- he** yeah, i'd leave if i were suddenly unable to make a decent living as a nurse. and frankly, i don't know a single nurse who would stay under those conditions. it's ridiculous. nurses are already underpaid, especially hospital nurses. and your insinuation that any nurse who isn't doing direct patient care is somehow less dedicated to nursing is illogical and completely unfounded.

i get the impression you think wages should drop to keep out those who don't feel nursing is a 'calling'. okay- enjoy your tripled patient load.

i don't normally have such a strong reaction to posts here, but i think your attitudes are the *very* reason nurses are misunderstood by society. perpetuating the angel of mercy martyr nurse stereotype reinforces the belief that nurses aren't highly educated professionals who can do more than hand out tylenol and change bedpans. and that is a *big* factor in why nursing isn't getting the respect it deserves.

:smiley_ab wow, what a great debate this has become. :monkeydance: good for you. you hold a nursing degree, you practice in a field of nursing, you are a nurse. which brings me back to the definition of nurse----it is not just hospital floor patient care anymore. here is definition according to websters dictionary (online) registered nurse/rn-a graduate trained nurse who has passed a state registration examination and has been licensed to practice nursing. hmmmm....doesn't say floor nurse, research nurse, home health nurse, etc. the stereotype that most people think nurses are is waiting on someone hand and foot no matter what they need. it is up to us nurses to change that stereotyping by educating lay people or other nurses about the diversity. i have great respect for nurses in general, if you can get into a nursing program and pass, then pass boards. that in itself is the biggest accomplishment you will make in your nursing career. (well that is my opinion;) ) i love this board. and i am glad to be conversing with nurses, no matter what our opinions are.

A lot of the posts I have read seem to have a very narrow definition of bedside nursing.

First, there seems to be some discrepancy between bedside nursing and med/surg nursing. Some posts are arguing that people should/shoulnd't have to do med/surg, while others are saying that people should/shouldn't have to do bedside nursing. The two are not interchangable. You can be a bedside nurse and do cardiac, ICU, burn pts, peds, etc. There are so many different opportunities out there, and to echo what a few other people have said, there is crossover. If you are working on a cardiac floor, that doesn't mean that the pt won't have other issues as well as their heart problems.

Second, bedside nursing is not all "wiping butts" and bedpans. Yes, it's involved sometimes, but do I do it all the time? No. I help when I can, and if I can't, I have to grab a tech and say, "She wants to get off the bedpan, but I am in the middle of passing meds. Can you please help her?" They're not always thrilled about it, but they do it. And they rarely get mad at me. And if they do, they get over it. True, some of them need more direction than others, but they will all do it. I guess it's because they know that I help when I can, and probably because they know I was a tech for 4 years and know what it's like. Or maybe we just have a good group on my shift (but believe me, not eveybody is a good apple!).

This is a good discussion...I'll be interested to see what else comes up!

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

>>>

I want to ask you to clarify what you mean when you say that an LPN is NOT a nurse. If I took it the wrong way, then, I apologize in advance, however, as an licensed practical NURSE, I am offended. We did not take NCLEX-RN, however, we ARE licensed NURSES. When I do patient teaching, I do it on my level as a NURSE, when I medicate my patients, I medicate as a NURSE; when I insert the foley or hang an IV piggyback I am doing it as a NURSE. You have NURSES that have passed NCLEX-PN or NCLEX-RN...different entry levels, different scopes of practice, however, we have the right to be considered as nurses. I will never misrepresent myself as an RN because I did not take the course or have the prudentials, however, I am a NURSE in my own right, that works under the aspice of the RN. I have a nursing license of my own that I have to protect and I value mine as an RN would value hers. To assume less allows the so called grudge between LPNs and RNs to continue rather than work together towards the common cause and THAT is insulting to the nursing career, period.

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
LPN/LVN's ARE nurses though...

:angryfire :angryfire Yes, we ARE:angryfire :angryfire

Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: what is it about this subject that is so very confusing to people. is it a comprehension, reading problem or just plain old fashion ignorance.....

licensed vocational nurse

when i classified lvns and cnas i said that nursing had changed to include them in more patient care. they are part of nursing not nurses hence they don't take the nclex-rn. .
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: what is it about this subject that is so very confusing to people. is it a comprehension, reading problem or just plain old fashion ignorance.....

licensed vocational nurse

not sure, but this person sure needed more training where she attended school.

Specializes in Critical Care, ER.
If they don't want to do bedside nursing, then don't do it. Let a nurse who really cares do the bedside nursing. That's who I would want to be at my bedside if I was ill.

I really agree with this. I mean someone who doesn't value being at the bedside shouldn't be given that priviledge. After all every human being is the maker of their own destiny, aren't they?

I am sorry for any person who despises every minute of the time they spend at work. I also fear for the wellbeing of their patients. People who are sick and weak deserve passionate and strong advocates/caretakers in their time of need.

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
When I classified LVNs and CNAs I said that NURSING had changed to include them in more patient care. They are part of nursing not nurses hence they don't take the NCLEX-RN.

Gee, if LPNs aren't nurses, then just WHAT does the N in LPN, stand for then?? :rolleyes:

Ever heard of the NCLEX-PN? The N in PN stand for 'nurse' as well.

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