Rude nursing comments

Nurses Relations

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After reading the post about whether spouses were in the medical field, it reminded me of a comment that my husband made to me that to this day he regrets. (It was over 5 years ago.) I had been an LPN for about 10 years and we were discussing an RN that we have known for a long time and he said, "Oh, she's the one who is a REAL nurse, right?".............yes, the silence was defeaning (sp), then.................to top it off, when I said, "Excuse me, I AM a NURSE!!!" he said, "Well, I just meant that she had a degree." ....................Oh, did he pay for that one. I was so angry that he didn't even understand what he had said!!!! Believe me, he does now!!!

Oh, and by the way, since I have gotten my RN, my husband can't stop bragging. So I guess he has paid his dues now!!! And I certainly don't think I am "above" or "better" than anyone now that I have my RN. We are ALL nurses!! That's why the license says, "licensed practical nurse." or as we used to say, "low paid nurse."

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the sad thing about lpn's is that they are real nurses, they're just not paid as if they were. (IMHO) . one of our dr's was asked a question by a pt. about when she could be dc'd and she (the dr.) answered "i don't know. ask the nurses. they are the ones really in charge around here!" she thought she was joking!

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Some of the worst are those that reduce us to servant status.

"Where's that little nurse who's waiting on me?" and the like.

Also the docs who say things like "I liked it when nurses knew their place." (And just where is that place,I wonder..probably not too far from barefoot and pregnant)

Parents mean well, but it hurts when they make a dig like 'you're too smart to be a nurse...why didn't you become a ____ or a ___.'

Or "You should have married a doctor." Bad enough I gotta work with 'em, I sure don't want to have one around the house too....LOL.

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Specializes in midwifery, ophthalmics, general practice.

well still dont understand all this LPN etc stuff you have... arent we all nurses? I'm a nurse practitioner (but the nurse is the important bit of the title to me!) and I hate it when people ask when I am going to complete my training to be a doctor!! If I wanted to be a doctor.......................

Karen

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We are all nurses.....CNA's LPN's and Rn's.I can't understand why some people just dont get it.My ex-mother in law use to say to me all the time.....i dont know how you can do that kind of work.Good thing we dont all have that attitude!!!!Wher would the world be????

Bella548

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I'm a nursing student and one day at my office when one of my boss' asked me what I was going back to school for and I said nursing, he said "Well, you may have the personality for it now, but I'd like to see you in 5 years."

Still don't know what that means. I think he needs to find a personality and some manners to boot!

What gets me all the time is that when I meet people and they find out that I am back in school they always want to know what type of program and which school. When I tell them that I am in a 2 year program they get these quizacle looks on their faces and wonder/ask will I be a RNafter two years. When I tell them yes they don't believe me because so and so or so and so had to go to school for 4 years and that I must have my degrees mixed up.:(

Edited to add I just give up at that point and change the subject.

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I expected ignorant comments when I decided to pursue nursing; it's my just reward, I used to be one of those ignorant people myself!

:imbar

But to my pleasant surprise, I've gotten almost all positive reactions. My best girlfriend from college is an M.D., and she was thrilled with my decision; she said I'd make a great nurse and that good nurses are indispensable! Lots of folks have commented on what important work nursing is, and a friend who recently had her first baby talked about how much the nurses helped her during and after her delivery and how much she admired them.

A friend of my mom's did ask "why doesn't she go to med school instead?" (eye roll)

And since I already have a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field, some people seem to think I'm taking a step backwards by going for an associate's degree at a community college. But it's the most affordable option for me, and has a higher pass rate for the NCLEX than any of the local 4-year programs, so I know it's the right decision for me.

I wonder if we can turn rude/ignorant comments around into a positive by taking the opportunity to educate those people? Any one have any ideas about how to correct the public's misperceptions and give them an understanding of what a nurses' job really entails?

Ms. Pomfrey

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A dear friend, 66 years old, recently said she did not know why I went to school for four years to get a two year degree because her neice just took one class while in high school and is a nurse.

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This is funny, but so typical... yesterday one of my patients said he had a doctor waiting on him all day,come to find out it was one of our male nurses :roll

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Originally posted by spitfire

This is funny, but so typical... yesterday one of my patients said he had a doctor waiting on him all day,come to find out it was one of our male nurses :roll

:eek: ....it would have been interesting to see your patient's expression to find out who had been "waiting" on him....

^5 to all the male nurses !! It is nice to have both sexes in the profession!;)

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I cannot believe the ignorance of some people! I have always (as has all my family and friends) respected nurses. My family and friends are thrilled that I am interested in going to nursing school. (LPN/LVN OR ADN to get my RN alike) They are excited for me and supportive either way. I really cannot believe patients and their family members have the audacity to treat nurses disrespectfully, as I have heard in many stories on this board. My husband was in the hospital a few weeks ago for surgery. My husband, and I were very appreciative to all the nurses on staff, and their aides. I know he and I both said THANK YOU or "We appreciate your help" each and everytime they did something for us. I also didn't expect them to do all the little things for my husband that I could help out with. (Like go and get him a fresh cup of ice, etc) It's a shame some people have such bad attitudes and manners that they treat nurses like their servants. Do they not realize these "JUST NURSES" are vital for their care while the doctor is off golfing?? (okay not all doctors are like that, but some are, right?) My second child was delivered by a "JUST A NURSE" staff. My doctor delivered the afterbirth LOL It was a big joke until I left the hospital. Anyway, not to be disrespectful toward doctors, BUT...my recent experience with my husband's doctor left a bad taste in my mouth. He had the bedside manner of a rock, and treated us as nothing more but a number he needed to get out of his way. If it weren't for the nurses, I think I would have had an emotional meltdown in the hospital. I don't even want to think about what would have happened to my husband without those "JUST NURSES" I know stereo typing, and shallowness compounded by ignorance rears it's ugly head in every profession. I'm suprised to learn it goes on so much in nursing. Some people really need to get a clue.

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Ah, the nursing image. I was in line today at one of those big warehouse grocery stores where you bag your own groceries. The clerk who was ringing up my groceries while I was bagging was talking with the next checker about how much nicer male nurses are than female. It went on and on until finally I smiled and said, "careful, you are waiting on a female nurse". Well, she stuttered and stammered and turned red and apologized all over the place. But stuck by her story. And in her limited experience with nurses, it might have been true. But you can't make blanket statements based on limited experience.

steph

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