"Why don't you just be a doctor?"

[laceface24]

Last night, I was approached by a gentleman, and after a few minutes of small chat, he asked what I was in school for. Proudly, I said "nursing", and he gave me a not so nice look, and replied with "Why don't you be a doctor?". I was immediately thrown off, and very annoyed that this man viewed nurses as not being "good enough". Has anyone else ever been in this situation? Can you please tell me what you said back? I said "I admire the job of a nurse more than a doctor, and can't imagine doing anything else." I can't help but be annoyed by people that have NO idea what kind of work it is to be a nurse!

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

What have I said?

"If I'd gone to medical school, who'd be taking care of you now?"

(Not always a good answer, but it makes people think.)

[nursenow]

Huh? My physician is the same age, gender and race as me. She asked me why I wasn't in medical school. How is this a cultural issue?

CouriousMe, i wasn't replying to you so my answer is kind of irrelevent? Hello?

[CuriousMe]

CouriousMe, i wasn't replying to you so my answer is kind of irrelevent? Hello?

Hello.

You quoted my post.....but you weren't replying to me?

If you saw the post that I quoted....my response might have made sense....if not, let me know and I'll be happy to elaborate.

[nursenow]

Hello.

You quoted my post.....but you weren't replying to me?

If you saw the post that I quoted....my response might have made sense....if not, let me know and I'll be happy to elaborate.

No. If you go back and read my original post, you will see it was a reply to someone else but I have to say I am sorry for my short answer to you. It was kind of rude. You may be the same age as your physician but there are still BIG TIME cultural differences between the two of you. Is it possible that your physician has a different definitian of success than you based on his/her culture? Perhaps your doctor saw something in you that you don't see and was trying to steer you towards his/her idea of success? (take it as a complement from you MD) I can guarantee(when i am finished here i am going to look up the spelling of that word!) that a person that goes to school 12 years full time(plus), is not from the same culture as you.

[CuriousMe]

No. If you go back and read my original post, you will see it was a reply to someone else but I have to say I am sorry for my short answer to you. It was kind of rude. You may be the same age as your physician but there are still BIG TIME cultural differences between the two of you. Is it possible that your physician has a different definitian of success than you based on his/her culture? Perhaps your doctor saw something in you that you don't see and was trying to steer you towards his/her idea of success? (take it as a complement from you MD) I can guarantee(when i am finished here i am going to look up the spelling of that word!) that a person that goes to school 12 years full time(plus), is not from the same culture as you.

Sorry, I didn't know you were having a private conversation.

I guess we'll agree to disagree on the culture thing. As I know the two people in question and you don't. We grew up a town away from each other, very similar family background, etc. I wasn't a medical professional of course, but was a success professional in another field. She was asking about medical school because she know's I have such a bent for science (physiology and biochemistry specifically), and knows the undergrad nursing program doesn't require advanced levels of those classes.....it wasn't a success thing. She works with NP's and holds her colleagues in high respect.

I did take it as a compliment as I know that's how she intended it and explained why I wasn't pursuing medical school (after teasing with her a bit). While it's possible in certain situations, I just don't think this standardly is a cultural issue....

[WondeR.N.]

I was premed prior to nursing school. I generally like the way nurses care for patients, more so than doctors. I want to become a nurse practitioner, however, I highly respect physicians. They dedicate their lives to their patients! I think the general public has no idea what a nurses job entails, unless they have friends/family that are nurses. Ignorance is bliss, in some cases, I suppose. By the way, I am in my 2nd semester of an entry level BSN program and I was just wondering to all of the nurses out there.......is this overwhelming and exhausting feeling normal, and please tell me it does subside some???

Yes, tara, that overwhelming and exhausting feeling is completely normal. My personal experience was that it steadily got more and more exhausting and stressful with each passing semester. I hope that didn't sound discouraging. Just expect that you'll have some really difficult days, but that they, too, shall pass. Be sure you keep studying in advance of the lectures as much as you can--pace yourself--and take good care of yourself. Eat well, get plenty of sleep--and have fun! I loved nursing school!

[healthstar, BSN, RN]

I wanted to be a doctor ever since a was little, I think I was influenced by my relatives. Looking at my family tree everybody was/is either a doctor or dentist. I was a pre medicine student for three years, I wanted to be a doctor because in most parts of Europe doctors do (EVERYTHING) injections, bed baths, vital signs, and they spend a lot of their time with patients. After doing a research study with a NP, I changed my major to nursing. I do not want to write just prescriptions and just diagnose patients and only see them when the nurses do not know what to do, I want to be there for patients (of course If I have some extra time). I noticed that here in US that nurses have a big heart, they spend time with their patients as if they are part of the family; Doctors here are so cold, during my clinicals I do not remember seeing a cheerful doctor, they were so cold with patients. I thought I was the only one seeing that in doctors but no my friends and nursing professors had noticed that too.

[ehooper80]

I think several previous commentators got it perfectly: outsiders don't understand what all nurses really do. And in my experience, hospital patients are the worst.

It was long before my time (does anyone else remember exactly when?) that nurses got the reputation for handing you a cup of pills and then giving you a sponge bath. I don't think many people understand how comprehensive our education is.

But alas! This is just the way it goes. The MD spends 3 minutes with the patient, scribbles in a chart (or asks the nurse to do it) then they're gone, yet they receive all the prestige and glory (not to mention income). It's the nurse that notices when something is wrong with and gets the Dr's butt back to look at you.

[TraumaJunkieRN]

"I'm too smart to be a doctor" :)

Always worked for me but YMMV

[PherbRN]

re: "why don"t you just be a doctor?"

often, certain individuals do not understand what it takes to be a nurse. i have spoken to doctors about nursing and i have come across a few who actually said that it takes a special person to do this job. it takes a huge amount of patience, selflessness to some extent, the ability to problem solve on a dime and always be prepared for the un-expected.

when i was approached with that question i simply replied "i love being a nurse".

[CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN]

I think I was mistaken for an MD as an aide ironically as it may be!

For you're with the patient quite a lot: I worked a step down unit, only four patients. I took it as a compliment, but was too proud to be a CNA to affirm their suspicion of my being an MD! You know there really is something quite special about being an aide. How you can really observe everything about your patient and instinctively pay heed to the needs of the patient.

Nursing is cool, especially for the money, that is definitely a plus; but, I do miss just being in the room with my patient giving them my presence and my silly sense of humor, holding their hand when times are tough and bringing big smiles and high fives on the day of discharge.

I've known a lot of MDs, some of the greatest. Some who sadly no longer walk the earth. Sometimes I wish I were the one getting all the credit, the MD, for the healing of the patient as some families will affirm. Or that I wasn't looked upon as the hand and foot mum to do everything to their beck and call.

In contrast, there's that special moment when your patient says, "If it wasn't for you I know I would have never made it." OR, "You're the best nurse I've had all week!"Or "A thank you card"...I've collected all of mine, to remind me of why I entered the profession.

I'm certain I would have enjoyed being an MD, however with all the overhead and expense and headaches and liability, it's a HEAVY role to play. Really good Nursing is HARD work and most of the time satisfying. I'm glad I chose this profession.

[anonymurse]

I've been asked that, and I truthfully say "Because I'm too old to pay off the student loans before I retire." All they're asking is an indulgence of their idle curiosity.