what's your take on this?

[stumps]

Hi! I'm a new grad and just got hired onto my local ED. I had been warned by my manager not to tell anyone where I work. Also while in orientation there are some regular need surg nurses I talk to who say they don't tell anyone what they do. Is there a particular reason why this is? Should this even be a concern?

[Fiona59]

Depends, are you working in an inner city hospital, in a high crime area?

When I was hired my hospital stressed having our paycheques deposited into a personal not a joint chequing account. Turned out they had had several nurses in abusive relationships who's other halves emptied out the account as soon as their cheques went in.

[stumps]

Yes I am working at a higher crime rate area but am currently single. I guess I'm just a little freaked out when multiple people tell me not to tell anyone I'm a nurse when I have no reasoning behind it. At first I thought it was a lawsuit thing but can't find anything online about it

[86toronado, BSN, RN]

I have been threatened by patients when working in the ER, so I could see it from that perspective. I don't know why the med-surg nurses would need to watch their backs though...

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

Yes I am working at a higher crime rate area but am currently single. I guess I'm just a little freaked out when multiple people tell me not to tell anyone I'm a nurse when I have no reasoning behind it. At first I thought it was a lawsuit thing but can't find anything online about it

I agree you need to be careful but if you are dating someone then I don't see a problem with telling them what you do.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

This is really odd to me, however, I think there's a big difference in "I am a nurse" and "I am a nurse at XYA Hospital, I work nights, I walk home at 3 am..." to some complete strangers.

It has always been told that in social media outlets, to not name one's facility--but that seems to be due to anything one posts not tying one into said facility. Especially if venting.

And the post regarding direct deposits of paychecks--as much as facilities would say not to tell anyone where you work or what you do--works both ways. I would never get to a point where my job was directing my personal life on that level.

Sometimes people are "half joking" when saying "don't tell anyone you are a nurse" as the next thing you know you are out socially and multiple people want to have social conversation of what to do about the weird rash on their leg, or how long of a wait there is in the ER.

Work life and personal life seperate.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I wonder why you don't ask, when you hear someone say this, "Why do you say that?".

Seems to me a reasonable response to "don't tell anyone where you work, or that you're a nurse".

I'd be asking "Why not?"

[Fiona59]

I have been threatened by patients when working in the ER, so I could see it from that perspective. I don't know why the med-surg nurses would need to watch their backs though...

Floor nurses get to deal with the "challenging" families for days and months on end. They can get pretty intense. We also get to deal with prisoners and those lovely GSW patients post op.

[whichone'spink, BSN, RN]

I think it's reasonable what your manager asks of you. The majority of people are not to be trusted, so it is best not to divulge personal information. That being said, I have tried to tell my mother to not tell people I'm a nurse but she does anyway. Bloody hell.