Don't know if I've ever posted before today (been a member for a while), but a post in another thread prompted me to respond to it and to post this. I've spent the last few years preparing for a career change into nursing and am in my first semester as a BSN student, and I'm irritated. I am NOT bashing nursing as a profession, but I am dismayed at the constant whining and complaining as well as the lack of any trace of intellectual curiosity that I have found in my short time around the profession among many BUT NOT ALL nurses. The #1 complaint among nurses that I have seen is a lack of respect by other health care professionals. You want to know why there is a lack of respect? Read on. In my short time, I've been around amazing nurses (bright, dedicated and excellent in what they do), but there are far too many that should be doing some else. Here's why nursing gets less respect than it should...
1) Constant whining. Nursing school is too hard, floor nursing is too hard, etc. News flash: most professions are really hard. Nursing isn't special in that regard. Medicine is brutal. IT, my former career, is cut throat. School teachers often have a miserable jobs. Cops work bad shifts and put their lives on the line. The list goes on an on. People that whine about nursing would whine no matter what career they are in.
2) The nursing culture. The claim of nursing being a "caring profession" (as if med techs, rad techs, RT's, etc. aren't caring), yet there is constant bashing of "bad" patients that are "noncompliant." In addition, many nurses go out of their way to humiliate students and new grads, talk about each other behind their backs, call physicians and other providers incompetent, and are in general rude, sour and bitter. Yet nursing is supposed to be the "caring" profession.
3) The nursing culture part II: Running around the hospital with balloons, teddy bears, flowers, whatever on your scrubs says to your colleagues, "I don't have a brain."
4) Nursing education. Learning to "diagnose" a patient with "Ineffective coping mechanisms related to disturbed transpersonal energy field" sounds like a bunch of hooey to a lot of people. Why? Because it is. It too screams, "I don't have a brain." Thankfully such stuff is only in the textbooks and not in the real world.
5) Feminization. I have heard ad nauseum that traditionally, physicians are men, nurses are women and that accounts for much of the disrespect. I actually agree. Ironically, many more women now are entering all health fields traditionally dominated by men (pharmacy, medicine, etc.) but there's barely been an uptick in the number of men going into nursing. Why? See #3 above for starters. Here's some other reasons. The local Sigma Theta Tau chapter at my school has brown and pink for their colors. The local CC has a teddy bear wearing an 1800's nursing hat and a big heart on its (her) chest (that'll make males race to apply to the program). Which, BTW, also screams, "I don't have a brain."
6) Lack of intellectual curiosity/knowledge. See #3 and #5 as well. One of my instructors this semester (who is a licensed pediatric nurse practitioner) could not answer a question as to what a lesion is. A nurse during my clinical last week did not know the difference between a H2 antagonist and a proton pump inhibitor, yet has been nursing for 20 years. My clinical instructor (with an MSN) "corrected" me and explained that myasthenia gravis is an intestinal disorder. I'm guessing they are like the students I had in my science prereqs that hated science and were just glad to get them done so they could apply to nursing school - never mind the fact that the sciences are the foundation of all modern health care practice. Would you go to a doctor that hated or was bad at science? What about a respiratory or physical therapist? Do everyone a favor - if you hate or are bad at science, spare your future patients and find another career.
In short, there's got to be a change in nursing culture for the profession to be respected.
1. I had a BS in neuroscience before I became a nurse and I will say that nursing school was harder. Once you actually become a nurse you will see that everything always falls on the nurse. If a change needs to be made, it all falls on the nurse. Doctors are not filling in time in/time out sheets, oh the nurse should be on top of it (now they fill them out). Oh, there is an increase in central line infections (So now the nurse must fill out a quality assurance document for every incersion on top of their regular charting). Patient and family is not satisfied with explainations or updates they are receiving, must be the nurses fault. Doctor ordered medicaiton wrong, pharmacy must call nurse, so nurse can deal with the issue. Again, I like how the person who said that you don't hear a family member come in and say, can I talk to the CNA, EKG tech, radiologist about my mother. We have a lot on our shoulders. We can whine a little if we want because all day we have to listen to patient's, families, administration, doctors whine to us.
2) I do not think that the other professions do not have to deal with the patient's at their worst. They may spend two minutes with the patient as opposed to twelve hours. They are not always so caring. The other day, my patient, who was 1 day post heart transplant in a tremendous amount of pain, and constipated. He finally had the urge to make a BM and I just placed him on the bedpan when the ECHO tech came to do a bedside ECHO. I told her the patient was on the bedpan, she said she needed to get the ECHO done now because she was going home in an hour and he was her last patient (ECHO may take 30 min max). So threatened me with the oh I can't wait forever, could you do something about it. I should have told the patient he had to hold it for 30 min until the ECHO was done (even though he already feels like crap). She waited 5 minutes. I went to answer my other patient's call light and she went in the room to do the ECHO while the patient was on the bedpan. I just hope someone shows her the same courtesy if she is a patient.
3) I will admit, the crazy scrubs can be a bit much, but as a patient I would rather my nurse be competent than wear solid scrubs.
4) Nursing diagnosis help nurses with their assessment of situations. A nurses assesment is his/her most valuable asset. Doctors rely on nurses assesments. In the ICU doctors make clinical decisions based on the nurses assessment every minute.
5) I don't see how #5 has anything to do with making nurses look like they do not have a brain.
6) Again, not one person knows everything. Even doctors don't know everything (except for you apparently you know everything). I am a CTICU nurse and I couldn't tell you more than a handful of material related to maternity nursing. And an OB/GYN physician could probably not tell me how to titrate my ICU drips.
WOW, some of ya'll are downright mean. It's no wonder the OP has the thoughts she has if those around her have the same attitude as many on this board have. Please go back and reread the OP without the tudes, (remember when you thought nursing was nobel), have we all become so jaded that newbies are not entitled to their opinions??
I've spent my fair share of time in the hospital after several surgeries, and I didn't really care who wore what scrubs top. But just because you as a patient and a nurse didn't and don't care what type of scrubs top other nurses wear, that's not necessarily how others feel. Doctors, other health care professionals, and especially the people on the business side - how do they perceive you? Many of them don't work with you all the time, and so have no real idea of your abilities, intelligence, or professionalism. Even if they don't consciously judge you by your attire (and let's face it, some people actually do), how do you think it affects their perception of you individually versus nurses who wear solid scrubs? How do you think it affects their perception of the nursing profession as a whole to see so many nurses wearing cutesy scrubs rather than the standard "business" attire for your particular business?
As I said in my earlier post, not being a nurse but merely a student in health care administration/data analysis, I don't have a dog in this fight. Clearly no one is any more or less intelligent or capable by virtue of the scrubs he or she chooses to wear. However, there is a professionalism issue that comes into play in this, simply because of the way people in general perceive others. We consciously or subconsciously expect more of the woman wearing the suit than we do of the woman wearing "I Love Frogs" sweatshirt (please note: I love frogs and own a frog sweatshirt) in a bank office or insurance center. We generally tend to think "She's dressed more professionally, so she probably has more power to help me and and is smarter than the other person." So in order to capitalize on that tendency, nurses as a whole might be better off adopting the standard business attire - meaning solid scrubs, not a business suit, clearly! - of the active health care professions.
I hope that makes sense. I'm not sure if I'm explaining myself clearly, and I definitely don't mean to offend anyone or personally call anyone unprofessional because of the scrubs s/he wears.
Disagree with everything you've stated. You can't please everybody all of the time, nor should you try. Personally, I hate prints...not just on scrubs, but on comforters, clothes etc and you wouldn't catch me dead wearing them. However, if people want to judge your intelligence based on what you wear, then that's their ignorant mind that needs to change, not your attire.
To be honest, I kind of like the printed scrubs. Guess I'm "ruining the professional nature of nursing" because to me, it's more comforting. The doctor is in business formals/white coat/etc and I'd feel less comfortable asking him questions and more comfortable asking the friendly (presumably) nurse. Then again, I'm only 19, so take my words with a grain of salt.
On the subject of scrubs, has anyone considered the fact that nurses wore ALL WHITE while handling feces, urine, blood, vomit, sputum, etc. Then the only selection available in the stores were the pajama looking stuff. Now the new stuff coming out is finally decent.
On the subject of scrubs, has anyone considered the fact that nurses wore ALL WHITE while handling feces, urine, blood, vomit, sputum, etc. Then the only selection available in the stores were the pajama looking stuff. Now the new stuff coming out is finally decent.
Quite honestly don't see why persons say handling, or rather having to clean up bodily fluids is a reason not to wear whites. Aside from a patient flinging a full bedpan or urinal at you, or otherwise upsetting the contents thereof, if one goes about patient care properly the stuff pretty much goes where it belongs.
Have had more problem getting Betadine or various other meds out of a uniform than feces or urine.
The only thing to recommend darker or coloured uniforms or scrubs is that they make stains less visable. Well I don't like wearing stained clothing regardless. At least white good quality white clothing (scrubs, uniforms, whatever), one can wash away with bleach and hot water to get the things clean, something you cannot do with coloured clothing.
One can find used/vintage white nursing uniforms at thrift shops or eBay, all of which if they were properly cared for are just as white and clean as they day they were purchased. So unless the fomer owners found some magic way to avoid patients who had bodily functions......
To be honest, I kind of like the printed scrubs. Guess I'm "ruining the professional nature of nursing" because to me, it's more comforting. The doctor is in business formals/white coat/etc and I'd feel less comfortable asking him questions and more comfortable asking the friendly (presumably) nurse. Then again, I'm only 19, so take my words with a grain of salt.
I am a year older than you.. if ... as a new nurse.. people took my words with a grain of salt.. I'd be really ticked off.
But yes me too I'd much rather confide in the more personable nurse with the Spongebob top than the doctor in the suit and lab coat.
Wrong. I have nothing to do with peds. That wasn't the point.
My point is that perception is not a universal experience and usually reveals a great deal more about the perceiver than the person being perceived. So when someone makes a sweeping generalization, as the OP did, stating that 'a' person wearing a scrub top with a youthful feel "appears to 'colleagues' as brainless"...yes, I'm going to say "speak for YOURSELF". I think it's highly revealing that of ALL the conclusions one can arrive at concerning the person behind the attire (e.g., individualistic, not in tune with what's most appropriate for this particular setting, etc.)...particularly when a number of one's colleagues might be adorned in such attire...arriving at "brainless" says TO ME that this individual has an overinflated sense of self-importance stemming from a determination that they are in possession of an intellect that's superior to the co-workers surrounding him/her.
your comment on "preception" right back at ya" she didnt say "youthful feel" and she excepted those working in peds, and she, at least implied, that it wasnt only her thoughts. YOUR preceptions are showing/
WOW, some of ya'll are downright mean. It's no wonder the OP has the thoughts she has if those around her have the same attitude as many on this board have. Please go back and reread the OP without the tudes, (remember when you thought nursing was nobel), have we all become so jaded that newbies are not entitled to their opinions??
I see a little eating of the young here...
As a newbie myself...I think OP brought it all on herself. She knew when she posted what would happen...and happen it did. While she sits with a smirk I imagine, thinking she has proven her point. Reality is negativity begets negativity. Nothing new or surprising there...and not at all a confirmation that she was right.
IMO, the problem with nursing is that is dominated by nurses who have expressor commmunication styles and they frequently respond emotionally to people with analytical questions or comments. Most expressors do not realize that their communication style often sounds like whining to analytical types. Anaylitical types find it easy to dismiss expressive nurses who do not give data or supportive evidence to back their point of view. In contrast to the nursing profession, the rest of healthcare is dominated by professionals who have analytical communication styles. When hospital adminstrators, physicians and other allied professionals use analytical communication styles in the workplace they are speaking the same language and this results in a higher level of interprofessional respect for each other. If nurses want the respect they need to speak the language.
dishes
THANK YOU! unfortunately, the analytics will always see the expressors as childish/childlike..... we see it here at AL frequently......should the expressors have to change ?? of course not, but they do if they want to see any change in their job situations.....
NightNurseRN
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