So you're just a nurse?

[l1234567]

Other than allnurses and a couple of friends I don't like talking about my job. So much so when I am (example) at the hairdressers I say "I work in healthcare" inevitably I get "so you're a nurse?"

i find it annoying (because inevitablely i have to answer questions about my hospital, what I do etc). Also I also feel like I have to educate people on what I actually do for a living. Therefore a stress free outing becomes a bit too stressful. But there are much more things to be annoyed about in life.

However I have friends that are doctors, pharmacists etc and they read that question (they answer the way I do) as JUST a nurse. I also have friends who are assistants and they read the answer when they say assistant as JUST an assistant. Also I have friends who are male nurses and it is assumed that they are doctors and that they are therefore JUST a nurse.

Obviously I have a sensitive bunch of friends but I am wondering if you view this the same way or have had the same experiences. Is there also a little unintended sexism? And what are your feelings on it?

[desert_MP, BSN, RN]

I've also never had someone say "just a nurse" to me.

Unfortunately I have. Twice (and once by my dad)- "You're just a nurse? Why didn't you become a doctor."

He has regretted making that statement since then.

[feelix, RN]

Last time someone said to me, it hurt. It was at church and someone called for a doctor. Since there were no volunteers, I offered to help. They asked me if I was a doctor and I replied I was a nurse. Well, they never said "Just a nurse", but a very demeaning "Oh! A nurse????"

That hurt, but I helped and got over it.

Come to think of, we all are "just" somebody compared to another. Just a CNA, compared to a nurse. Just an LVN, compared to an RN. Just an RN, compared to an APRN. Just an internist compared to a surgeon. Just a doctor compared to God.

Don't take it to heart.

[BeenThere2012, ASN, RN]

(I'll preface this with I have not read the entire thread.)

So I have no problem telling people I'm a nurse. I'm super proud of my job. What I tend to keep close to my chest is that I'm a PICU nurse. I'm also very proud of that job but saying you're a PICU nurse gets one of two reactions. 1) "Awwwww! Babies!" with that lovey doe eyed look. And then they proceed to say they would love to hold babies all day. You get the gist. Or 2) "Oh wow, I could NEVER do that. Your job must be soooo sad." Both are annoying and lead to superficial clarification. I can't convey my 9 years of experiences in a quick encounter. So I usually say "I'm a nurse" and leave it at that unless they ask more questions. Since most people know what I do, this is mainly with strangers or new meetings and they are just asking to be polite.

I will say I've never gotten a negative response to telling people I'm a nurse (with the exception of an jerk of an ER doc when I was a patient...I discussed a few things with him regarding his comments and he actually came back and apologized). Usually people are like "Wow, that's cool." And regardless, I think my job is cool and that's about all that matters.

*My clarifications: "Actually we see patients from a few days old up to 18 technically, though we see patients into their early 20's as well. We rarely get time to hold babies and most of our patients are critically ill with lines and tubes." Or, "Yes there are some sad moments but there are some pretty amazing moments. I get to see patients who I didn't think would survive a few hours end up making a full recovery."

From one PICU nurse to another....Ive had the same responses. I can completely relate especially that most do not actually know the population we care for and that we rarely hold babies. This is why I like occasionally floating to the NICU, and thank you very much for not giving me anything more critical than feeder/growers. I respect the NICU nurses and what they do. I began to learn more at one time, but then quickly realized I was in above my head. Ha ha. I'll stick to Pediatrics and get my "baby fix" on the occasional float.

[Carabella]

I have found people are very enthusiastic when they find I am an RN!

[RN-Doula]

I say at times "I work in a hospital" and leave it at that to strangers I encounter, chatting in a store, at church etc. I find when I tell some people I'm a nurse, they jack up prices for me. A few hairdressers I went to, I found out charged me more, the bike repair shop, a local jeweler to fix a necklace, etc.

[Scroll89]

I feel that this issue is simply because of peoples misinformation about healthcare as a profession. Unfortunately the media and pop-culture has generated a belief in a "hierarchical" system in which the doctor is at the top and the nurses serve the doctors. We know this not to be the case, but those not in healthcare can only go off what they've been told or have seen on TV. Can't blame them either, if they have no reason to be familiar with the intricacies of healthcare then why should they spend time to learn about it?

Something that you may have overlooked is that the hair-dresser possibly thought you were an MA, aka "Nurse". That is why I purposely say RN when asked. I know the whole MA calling themselves "nurse" is a different can of worms, and I realize that there should be a campaign around the nation to correct this, but we aren't going to change it overnight.

Peoples perception of healthcare and their lack of education doesn't impact me, at the end of the day I'm the RN and they're the potential patients. If and when they have to interact with real nurses (RN's/LPN's) they will quickly learn how it really is.

[whatwasithinking75]

I just graduated from a PN program.

I get " So you're just going to be an LPN."

One person asked me

"So what will you have to do to become a *REAL* nurse after you're an LPN"?

Any nurse... Any healthcare provider.. LPN, RN, CNA, PCT is a huge role in patient care. The only people who would say you're JUST a .. Is not in the healthcare field and if they are they should leave.

We are all *JUST* IMPORTANT.

Obviously I'm sensitive to this. I worked HARD to become JUST a CNA and JUST LPN.

[Paulthenurse]

I didn't understand in my first weeks at a new job, why so many of the email auto-signatures, listed CNA.

I am proud to work for a company, where every person... not already a nurse or having direct clinical contact with the patient/clients, strives to become a CNA. (yes, including the VPs). And they donate time annually to be in that hands-on position.

[compassionresearcher]

It's worse when they say, "you're smart, why aren't you a doctor???"