"I work in the medical field"

[CardiacDork]

Okay so this is just sort of a vent and probably a little irrational pet peeve of mine.

But I always can't help but wonder what exactly someone actually does when they say ... "I work in the medical field".

So either they do something that the general public doesn't know too much about ... like for example a perfusionist... While highly educated and trained ... The public doesn't know what a perfusionist is for the most part.

So if speaking to non-med people maybe it's easier for said perfusionist to say "medical field".

Another scenario that comes to mind is when someone works at a clinic or hospital but has a 100% non clinical job yet wants to give the impression they are some kind of clinician.

So when people tell me "I work in the medical field", I always wonder --"what exactly do you do"?

[CardiacDork, MSN, RN]

Some of these are hilarious. So many times I've encountered girls on Facebook I went to high school with who claim to be starting "medical school" --- and it turns out they are in an MA program. NOTHING wrong with being an MA so why do they have to be deceptive? You know you are being deceptive when you say, "I'm going to medical school" and casually drop the "assistant" part of the phrase.

I had a daughter of a patient who silenced one of my ICU alarms --- BIG HUGE NO NO NOOOOOO! Omg no! Bad bad.

I firmly and calmly lectured her on why these alarms are not silenced by people other than other RN working on the unit ... She said "Well I'm in the medical field".

it turns out she worked the front of office of a family doctor. No offense to her position but I don't want ANYONE touching my alarms....whether you're a doctor or MA or CNA unless you're another nurse on the unit ... Hands off.. K thanks.

[Daisy_08, BSN, RN]

Had a patients family tell me she was in medical school, I ask questions, suddenly she was a nurse, kept chatting... she did a few nursing courses...well not actually...she started a PSW program (Canadian aide for personal care) but doped out....Thanks for the advice lady....

[AutumnApple]

My experience has shown me it's someone with whatever position who wanted better.

CNA/phlebotomist/unit clerk/transport who failed nursing school.

I usually ask what it is they do specifically and there is very telling eye twitch that almost always occurs. Funny thing is, they lead with what it is they wanted to do: "I was in nursing school but I'm working as a (CNA/phebotomist/unit clerk/transport) at the moment."

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

My experience has shown me it's someone with whatever position who wanted better.

CNA/phlebotomist/unit clerk/transport who failed nursing school.

I usually ask what it is they do specifically and there is very telling eye twitch that almost always occurs. Funny thing is, they lead with what it is they wanted to do: "I was in nursing school but I'm working as a (CNA/phebotomist/unit clerk/transport) at the moment."

"But I'm going to go back as soon as my loan goes through/my parents can watch my baby again/my HESI score improves a bit/I get the work schedule I want..."

[djh123]

You never know what they mean ... but sometimes people do seem to try to uh, elevate their standing, so to speak, by saying that. (But please don't think I'm snooty when I say that - everyone has a job to do, every job & person matters, etc.).

However ... this does remind me of the daughter of a resident I had briefly, who had him moved to another unit because she decided in a millesecond that I was the Worst Nurse Ever because - I know none of you have ever experienced this (bwahahahaha) - I didn't drop everything else and spend 100% of my time on the guy the minute he rolled in. (Oh, and how did this relate to the OP's original idea? - this daughter 'worked in the medical field', about as fringe-y as you can get - but of course, that's how she knew I was so totally incompetent).

[djh123]

Had a patients family tell me she was in medical school, I ask questions, suddenly she was a nurse, kept chatting... she did a few nursing courses...well not actually...she started a PSW program (Canadian aide for personal care) but doped out....Thanks for the advice lady....

Hmmmm, "doped out" might be the most appropriate typo ever. Or maybe not. We'll never know.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

My sister in law is a mammographer. You can imagine the kind of inappropriate conversation that follows that revelation; especially in areas where alcohol is involved. She just says she works in the medical field, leaving it go at that.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I attended a medical assistant training program when I was 19 years of age back in 2000. One of my classmates, a woman in her 40s who had a previous career as a cashier at a car dealership, continually insisted that she was in 'medical school.'

I was sensing a degree of self-importance oozing from her...

[MikeyT-c-IV]

it almost always is someone in a low level position.

Same here. When I'm at the bedside and they tell me this prior to my explanation/education I tend to crank up the proper terms just to watch the funny facial expressions. And then take it back down a notch. :)

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

The one I hear most often is "medical school," and when I ask which, it turns out to be MA school.

[EDnurseNY]

I bought a home in another town while keeping the same job in the original town. One night one of my kiddos needed ED care for respiratory issues. Of course, this means going to the nearest competent provider/facility. Since none of the staff knew me, I took the opportunity to remain anonymous...however, as we all know by the kind of questions I was asking, I wasn't doing a very good job. I deflected questions by answering along the same lines as OP's pet peeve. "I'm in the business" (Hey, it was 3 am and I was very tired, haha) This was met with healthy doses of side eyes from the staff, and more pressing questions. Later, after sleeping on it, I was sure they pegged me for a support staff trying to front.

Meh.

You never can win with this situation. There was another thread a few weeks ago(?) talking about whether or not to "reveal" that you're a nurse when seeking care or with a family member. The consensus was no, that it looks like you're being overbearing or pompous. So if you're trying to talk with the provider in higher terms than a layperson would, it's either "I'm a nurse" and you look pompous, or "I'm in healthcare" and it's assumed you are support staff trying to 'look good.'

Somewhat related, back when I was still a nursing student, my provider (over the phone) sent me to an urgent care to have labs done for possible electrolyte imbalance. I hadn't mentioned that I was a nursing student, I didn't try to guide the nurse or doctor, I didn't try to act like I knew more than I did, I didn't act high and mighty. I was in the middle of studying for the NCLEX, and so my brain was pretty much a set of flashcards at this point. The doctor asks me if I had felt any spasms when my blood pressure was taken, and I said no. In my brain, "trousseau's sign!" popped up and so I laughed at myself. The doctor looked at me to explain, and I just quickly explained what had happened and that I was studying pretty hard. Again, not trying to run the show here, this was the first mention of me being a student. She finished up, walked out of the (non-soundproof) room and complained all the way down the hall to the nurse that she hated having nursing students as patients and they're terrible to work with and they think they know everything and etc. Thanks, doc. You just lost all my trust as a patient and if I ever work with you (possible if she rotates to the ED I now work at as an RN, like some UC docs do), all professional respect.

[malamud69, BSN, RN]

Perhaps it is a vast field where all of the overpriced medical supplies are grown??? Otherwise why would I ever waste my valuable life energy dwelling on anything so tepid?