random post: comparing roles of nurses and doctors to stereotypical parenting....

[IHeartPeds87]

Funny, I was just thinking about this post. I think it is really hard to explain what nursing is...I have a hard time defining it myself and I aspire to be one! It's one of those things that only a person who has worked alongside/as a nurse can really understand. You have to have been in that environment. It's not like engineering where you have a specific thing you are fixing. Neither is it like medecine, where your aim is really to diagnose the problem the patient is having (problem solving, using all your science knowledge to figure out the problem and the solution). What is nursing? How do you explain it to someone? How do you explain how busy, backbreaking, frustrating, and rewarding caring for other people is? It's not just wiping a butt...the job encompasses so many different things. Yes, part of it is maintaining a person's hygeine, making beds, etc. Other parts of it are dispensing meds, patient teaching, etc. Nursing just encompasses so many things...I can't even explain it. You are so many roles, some good, some not so good. You are the eyes and ears of the physician- you have to be on top of every single change in condition.

I was talking with a friend of mine who is in nursing school. She used to use the metaphor of parents to describe the role of nursing and medecine. In this metaphor, the traditional, stereotypical bread-winner role of dad is the metaphorical "physician." This person has an EXTREMELY important role in the running of a household and the upbringing of children (comparable to the running of a health care facility and the well-being of patients). This person has to bring home the money. Without the money, nothign else can really be done. this is comparable to the doctor's diagnosis and the doctor's solution.

Then there is the role of nurse, the stereotypical stay at home mom. This is a role that takes on many forms and changes daily and based on the children's (patient in the metaphor) needs. Some days, the mother can feel like a housekeeper, doing the tasks at hand. Other days, the mother can feel like a psychologist, getting at the emotional heart of the child. Mother's play many different roles. Sometimes they are detectives, friends, baby-sitters, scientists, etc. They do a lot of seemingly unrelated tasks for the sake of their children. With other children, mothers may have to focus tough love. Just as in nursing, the role is not necessarily defined. Just as with stay at home moms, people generally understimate the difficulty of the job until they are in that situation. Just as with stay at home moms, there doesn't tend to be a lot of respect.

The father has a general idea of what problems the child is facing (aka the doctor has a general idea of what problems the patient is facing). For example, my father knew I was disorganized. My mother was the one physically there, helping me find my lost papers/items and lecturing me on how to do better next time.

A child needs both roles in their life...just as a patient needs both roles.

Just an interesting way of thinking about it....thought I'd share.

I know it's really random...but it got me thinking....

don't mind me, it's been a long day and I just thought I'd share and see your thoughts....

[november17, ASN, RN]

I view my role as a nurse as more of a problem solver than a stay at home mother. But way to go giving nursing a feminist slant (because you know dads are completely detached from their children's uprbringing besides bringing home the money).

I'll define me as a nurse very simply and easily. I'm my patient's "go to guy" and I get things done (physicially, emotionally, and spiritually). I don't really have a problem defining it.

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

That's an interesting perspective, but I don't see it that way.

I see a nurse is the ultimate detective. He/She has to pick up on things that can be easily overlooked. Things that make some people go, "hm..." and "wow".

I had a physician tell me today, had I not picked up on an elongating QT interval, patent might've brady-ed on the floor and coded.

It was a very, very, very, very slight change.

LOVE it when those things happen. So cool.

Doctor wasn't there to catch it because well...he was too busy diagnosing...

Who caught it?

A nurse.

[whichone'spink, BSN, RN]

I really like your analogy there. The mother/father comparison was certainly true in my family. My mom was the one who was always there to offer guidance, whether I liked it or not. My dad was aloof. I see that played out more or less at the ED I work as a scribe at.

[november17, ASN, RN]

I really like your analogy there. The mother/father comparison was certainly true in my family.

Interestingly the nurses view it differently.

[IHeartPeds87]

I do not mean any disrespect. I myself want to be a nurse. I in no way meant that in a negative light. It was just a comparison a friend of mine used that I thought could parallel the way the two professions work together. I did not mean that the dad was aloof either. I apologize to anyone I offended...that was not my intent.

[ellakate]

Some interesting thoughts there! Nursing is an extension of the mother role, I think. We are the extreme advocates for those in our care. Sort of like a stage mother for the patients.

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

I do not mean any disrespect. I myself want to be a nurse. I in no way meant that in a negative light. It was just a comparison a friend of mine used that I thought could parallel the way the two professions work together. I did not mean that the dad was aloof either. I apologize to anyone I offended...that was not my intent.

I didn't think you meant disrespect. But I didn't have those types of roles in my family. My parents were both educated and I grew up with them in professional roles. My mom was never the SAHM type.

=)