That person

[AmandaRn912]

As to the fact that we all here are nurses, what is everyone's thoughts on telling others your a nurse when your the patient or a family member??

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Au contraire Pepper. I was always respectful and '"helpful". It depends on the culture of the unit your loved one is on. And of course the physician response.

My FATHER ended up DEAD. Following a simple reanastomosis of ileostomy. Oral fluids ordered before bowel sounds returned.. he dehisced.. bowel hanging out .. took 8 hours to get him back to surgery.

But that's another thread.

[RyanCarolinaBoy, ADN, BSN, MSN]

I don't/haven't felt the need to tell others i'm a nurse. And to me, it's generally annoying whenever family members come in saying "I'm a RN"...usually this is followed by some request that means they expect me to cater to them since they're a "nurse". i'm always like "Ok and?" I mean, no other profession feels a need to do this, why should we?

I'm going to provide the same care to EVERY patient under my care/license. It doesn't matter to me if you're a nurse/police officer/priest/oil field worker. You're gonna get the exact same care...

[klone, MSN, RN]

I don't announce it, but like others said, I will ask questions about procedures or test results, and the physician or nurse will usually say "are you a healthcare provider?" Lately, though, I'm asked "are you a physician?" I'm guessing it's because of my gray hair :-/. Although, all the docs I work with seem ridiculously young to me.

[kungpoopanda]

When my daughter-in-law was in labor, my son made sure everyone knew I was a labor and delivery nurse and that the other grandma was a lawyer. I don't know which one of us was the most intimidating, but she got excellent care.

You approve of other nurses being intimidated for no good reason?

[Alex Egan, LPN, EMT-B]

You approve of other nurses being intimidated for no good reason?

Eh I think it's as valid a tactic as the rest of us who play secret nurse. On some level we are ready to pounce if something is not right. I have had people use both tactics. Generally I just roll eyes and give the same care I would if it wasn't a hostage situation.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

Eh, I keep it to myself unless the family member is in a position where they will need the services of a nurse when they are discharged. When I am the patient, I am me, not nurse me. So again, I don't announce it.

For family members, they are entitled to privacy. So unless they are telling me and perhaps questioning things, I just don't think grilling the care nurse is appropriate--and if they do have questions, I do refer them to the nurse taking care of them, but can offer some insight if I can--if nothing else for support reasons, not "pop quiz" fashion.

[zyll349]

I think its better you dont say it but if u tell them or say things related to nursing they will eventually think u are a nurse.

[NurseGirl525, ASN, RN]

I'm not a nurse yet, but have been doing prereqs and am hopefully starting the program in the fall. One of my first discussions was with my doctor about whether he thought I could do this with my conditions. I have epilepsy and fibro. He supports me and thinks I will make a great nurse. I have been doing the prereqs since last year. Now that he knows I am doing nursing, he talks to me much differently. He speaks to me on his level and told the student who was shadowing him last time I was in on how I could just be told I had a streptococcus infection. I feel like he has a little more respect for me now.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

I think its better you dont say it but if u tell them or say things related to nursing they will eventually think u are a nurse.

Just wondering -- how difficult is it to write out the word "you"?

[Mandychelle79, ASN, RN]

My son broke his arm right before he turned two, it was 3 days before I took him to the ER for treatment ( who breaks their arm tripping over a high chair) so I am sure that the break drew abuse concerns, which it should. After the 7th time of explaining the story I finally had hit my limit and told whoever... Look he was running through the house, he tripped on the chair leg and fell, I did DCAP-BTLS as soon as those initials popped out I was asked if I was a nurse, to which I replied truthfully, No, but I am a trained EMT and suddenly the questions stopped. Fast forward a few years

I went to the the ER with something funky going on with my eye ( now I would just go to an urgent care center but none where open at that time) and when we were getting ready to leave I told my husband, see I didnt tell them I was a nurse, to which he replied pretty sure saying you flushed your eye with 500 cc's of saline gave me away. Or when I went in with my gall bladder and complained of RUQ pain radiating to the chest and back.

[HappyWife77, BSN, RN]

:banghead:I can tolerate everyone......except "THAT PERSON" .

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Interestingly, while no one wants to work with "that person," posters will gleefully tell you that they ARE "that person." (Without actually SAYING "I'm that person.")