"My Nurses"

[HairyMurse]

When I was in the OR the other day for a minor procedure (I was the patient), I asked the MD a question and he said "I'll ask one of my nurses." Then again, before I was discharged, he informed me to contact "My nurse" to set up a post op appointment.

My question for all of you nurses is--how do you feel about being referred to as a physicians piece of property?

And yes I know I blew this WAY out of proportion, but I want to know what you guys/gals think of this subject! This isn't the first time I've heard an MD refer to a nurse as their own.

Personally, when being talked about by an MD, I would want them to say my name is Dr. So and so and I work with nurse so and so. He/she will get you the information you need.

Let me know what you think!

[HairyMurse]

Back in the 1980's, I called a neonatologist on using similar terminology. He referred to the NNP's as "his girls." I said, "Oh, do you own these professional women now?" Fortunately he took it well.

The NNP's thanked me for speaking up for them.

I suppose "my girls" sounds much worse than "my nurses."

[llg, PhD, RN]

I suppose "my girls" sounds much worse than "my nurses."

Yeah, I wasn't going to let that one slide by without comment. "My nurses," I might let slide if the situation was OK.

[LonghornChic, BSN]

On the flip side: I've been called "my CA" by RN's multiple times before. Yes, sometimes it bothers me because I know I'm at the bottom of the totem pole but it is what it is and I have much bigger things to get my panties in a wad about. I'm a float CA so I don't want to make a fuss about something at a place that I probably won't be back to for a coupe of days or weeks.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

Too much being made of nothing. I thought about this for a minute, and can name people in all roles up and down the payscale in my department who use this phrasing: when the unit clerk calls us "my nurses" ... when we refer to "our residents" ... etc. It speaks to the underlying team culture.

[babyNP., APRN]

I don't think it's insulting. I am a NP and when I call consulting services like cardiology or surgery and they have care plans that I'm not sure will fly, I say something like, "Let me talk with my attending and get back to you."

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

I'm a DNS is a SNF. I always refer to the staff as 'my nurses'. It's not being possessive as much as being protective of them and how they are sometimes treated or spoken to or talked about by the rehab staff or the docs or the administrator. No one has ever said they didn't like it.

I am only your nurse.. if you are in a bed and I am taking care of you.

[HairyMurse]

I am only your nurse.. if you are in a bed and I am taking care of you.

This was exactly my thought, but to each their own.

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

To me it shows ownership in the team sense. I would always refer to people in the ER as My Tech, My HUC, my Doc. Its not degrading at all. Shows we are all part of the same team. At least thats how I see it

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Depending upon the question you asked, "my nurse" could be the surgery scheduler, the gal who answers the phones, a social worker a Med tech, a medial assistant, a lab assistant or even (but most likely not) an actual nurse. And it burns me to no end that these physicians are misrepresenting their office staff to patients as actual nurses when they are not.

[BeenThere2012, ASN, RN]

Humm? Never thought of it that way. Yes, Ive heard doctors refer to us as "theirs". Maybe I am wrong, but I usually took that like we are all in the same family. My sister....I don't own her, but she is my sister.

[BeenThere2012, ASN, RN]

I'm not bothered by it. Of all the things to be bothered by... Not at all worth it. There are things that are worth it, this is not one.

I can speak to the one about physician saying "my nurse" before a procedure. I work in the OR and while we have "teams" of staff who tend to do specific procedures/work with specific surgeons...our assignments can be changed easily. Surgeons may not know before they walk into the room (sometimes before, sometimes after the patient) who they are working with. I have heard our surgeons refer to our staff as "my staff" or "my nurse" - and I don't think it means any disrespect. They 100% without a doubt know all of the names of staff they work with (ours do anyways). I've ended up doing my pre-op interview with patients/families after surgeons and heard them refer to us as "my...". I think ours are doing it to show that they know and trust us, and to cover that they *may not* know exactly who is assigned to their OR.

Besides, in my environment, we're almost always forgotten. Nobody remembers the nurse (or nurses) and/or scrub tech who help make sure their procedure goes well. That's the point, it's a job well done when patients have no memory of anything they should have been under anesthesia for. As nameless, faceless, easy to forget staff, it's my experience nobody calls us out positively or negatively for their patient experience (I have gotten called out both positively and negatively but it's *far* more rare than when I worked the floor).

Off topic, but compelled to say....Having been a patient on multiple occasions requiring surgery, I haven't forgotten you (even though I don't know you personally or the ones who provided my care). So grateful you are there and for what you do. Since you mention this, I never thought about the fact that you guys get no "thank you for taking care of me" the way many of us do. Surgical nurses rock!

[BeenThere2012, ASN, RN]

Depending upon the question you asked, "my nurse" could be the surgery scheduler, the gal who answers the phones, a social worker a Med tech, a medial assistant, a lab assistant or even (but most likely not) an actual nurse. And it burns me to no end that these physicians are misrepresenting their office staff to patients as actual nurses when they are not.

Wow!

Just wondering, are these "older"doctors? Seems to me that the newer doctors are a bit more respectful of our work. Of course, all types come in all shapes and sizes depending on their personal values and personalities.