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.
'Running around the hospital with balloons, teddy bears, flowers, whatever on your scrubs says to your colleagues, "I don't have a brain."'
I'm one of those colleagues and you don't get to speak for ME. That attire, particularly common for peds nurses, may scream brainless to YOU but to me it says 'approachable and nonthreatening'. Heaven forbid the 3-year old client you're trying to serve might think you're lacking in intellectual rigor...
I knew someone from peds was going to jump on this- Sure, balloons, bears, cartoons... great for kids- and appropriate- that wasn't the point. I work adult, acute care. I can't tell you how many of my peers think it is fine to wear scrubs with "Snoopy, Winne, kitties, puppies.... and we are supposed to win over our patient who is a75y/o retired lawyer that we can teach them about post CVA anticoagulation management. I think it is hard to show the public you are an educated health care professional when you look like a clown at a 5year olds birthday party!. Would you be comfortable if your investment banker sat down to discuss your 401K in a pair of cut-offs and a tank top with a "who farted" hat on? I know I took it to an extreme, but what are we trying to say to our patients when we look like a walking cartoon page? They may be in fear for thier life, loss of independence, loss of income, loss of home, grief, depression... and we are are dressed in a way that says -"HEY!! Let's have some fun!!!" . If my wife of 50 years were gasping out her last in ICU after an tragic MVA, the last thing I want is a "Snoopy and Charlie Brown" scrubs wearing nurse helping me through it.
" If my wife of 50 years were gasping out her last in ICU after an tragic MVA, the last thing I want is a "Snoopy and Charlie Brown" scrubs wearing nurse helping me through it."
I knew someone from peds was going to jump on this- Sure, balloons, bears, cartoons... great for kids- and appropriate- that wasn't the point. I work adult, acute care. I can't tell you how many of my peers think it is fine to wear scrubs with "Snoopy, Winne, kitties, puppies.... and we are supposed to win over our patient who is a75y/o retired lawyer that we can teach them about post CVA anticoagulation management. I think it is hard to show the public you are an educated health care professional when you look like a clown at a 5year olds birthday party!. Would you be comfortable if your investment banker sat down to discuss your 401K in a pair of cut-offs and a tank top with a "who farted" hat on? I know I took it to an extreme, but what are we trying to say to our patients when we look like a walking cartoon page? They may be in fear for thier life, loss of independence, loss of income, loss of home, grief, depression... and we are are dressed in a way that says -"HEY!! Let's have some fun!!!" . If my wife of 50 years were gasping out her last in ICU after an tragic MVA, the last thing I want is a "Snoopy and Charlie Brown" scrubs wearing nurse helping me through it.
The "Who Farted?" t-shirt image cracks me up...Truth be told, if I were in fear for my life, I would hope I'd have sense enough to focus on something a little more substantial than the print on my nurse's top. What a total waste of precious time and energy that would be if I didn't.
The "Who Farted?" t-shirt image cracks me up...Truth be told, if I were in fear for my life, I would hope I'd have sense enough to focus on something a little more substantial than the print on my nurse's top. What a total waste of precious time and energy that would be if I didn't.
You would be suprised how those little things are like salt in a wound despite the fact that they are really a trivial matters. When people are under stress or grieving any little thing can get blown way out of proportion. I can remember when my mother died, how angry my sister and I were at a couple of staff members who were laughing in the nurses station.- It seemed so disrespectful and heartless. Now, I know they may not have even known a patient had died on the unit (mom was a no code) Many of us work in an environment where the norm is families and patients overwhelmed with stress. We do them a disservice when we dress like we are going to a junior high slumber party.
You would be suprised how those little things are like salt in a wound despite the fact that they are really a trivial matters. When people are under stress or grieving any little thing can get blown way out of proportion. I can remember when my mother died, how angry my sister and I were at a couple of staff members who were laughing in the nurses station.- It seemed so disrespectful and heartless. Now, I know they may not have even known a patient had died on the unit (mom was a no code) Many of us work in an environment where the norm is families and patients overwhelmed with stress. We do them a disservice when we dress like we are going to a junior high slumber party.
I'm not saying it's beyond the scope of human emotion to focus on something so trivial in times of stress...I've been through my share of tragedy. When my first son died at 11 months, I couldn't tell you what color scrubs the nurses were wearing. Still can't. I was preoccupied with getting one last look, smelling his hair one last time. I wanted my memory of HIM and all the light that he was, firm in my mind. I could give a damn what the nurses were wearing. I know well that when you're hurt or angry, you've just gotta feel it. No way around it sometimes. But it helps to realize at some point, the real reason why I'm hurt or angry so I can focus on what matters and heal.
But even besides that, a healthy sense of humor/irony has gotten me through a whole lot more **** than criticism and prejudice. Sure, I can throw a good pity party when I feel the need to, but I'm an adult and I realize that I can't expect everyone around me to join in or get angry when they don't. My pain is my pain. I don't need the world to stop in order for it to be valid or meaningful.
I understand that you feel it to be a disservice to the suffering. And it can be nearly impossible to imagine that the world doesn't revolve around your pain when you're in the thick of it. But we do ourselves a disservice when we allow meaningless details to stand between us and someone who is willing and able to support us emotionally and medically. And for what? What practical, spiritual, ethical, clinical, purpose does it serve to get angry about a Snoopy print top? What benefit does it offer?
But even besides that, a healthy sense of humor/irony has gotten me through a whole lot more **** than criticism and prejudice. Sure, I can throw a good pity party when I feel the need to, but I'm an adult and I realize that I can't expect everyone around me to join in or get angry when they don't. My pain is my pain. I don't need the world to stop in order for it to be valid or meaningful.
I understand that you feel it to be a disservice to the suffering. And it can be nearly impossible to imagine that the world doesn't revolve around your pain when you're in the thick of it. But we do ourselves a disservice when we allow meaningless details to stand between us and someone who is willing and able to support us emotionally and medically. And for what? What practical, spiritual, ethical, clinical, purpose does it serve to get angry about a Snoopy print top? What benefit does it offer?
You seem to have swithed my role from care giver to care receiver. All I can say when I was a care receiver(or family member) how I felt and reacted, but as a nurse it is my obligation in my professional practice to look formost at what my behavior, dress, attitude, is doing to or for my patients and thier families. If thier is a good chance what I am doing will have a negative impact on how they participate in the care I provide to them, I can't moralize about how they need to look past whatever issuse is offensive and appriciate my support. For something as basic as professional and respectful dress I think nursing has begun to go down the wrong road. Our image suffers, and the view of the general population of nursing is tarnished. That, in turn reduces how effective I can be with my patients.
Oh lord, I know I'm going to be yelled at by a lot of people, but here goes...(deep breath)....
Okay, first of all, I am NOT A NURSE. I'm not going to be one. I'm here because I want to be a better administrator/analyst when I get into the health care administration field. So I'm A. an outsider and B. never going to have an option about scrubs.
Therefore, I don't consider myself qualified to comment on most of this thread. However, when it comes to attire, I'm going to weigh in. I'm female and my particular branch of administration has historically been dominated by women. I've worked professionally in a different field as well, so I have additional outside perspective beyond the health care world.
Fields dominated by women have an unfortunate history of being deemed less intellectually difficult than those traditionally dominated by men. Teaching, nursing, early childhood care - they tend to be looked down upon, even though those attitudes are utter bull and the jobs are demanding, intellectually challenging, and require an enormous amount of skill.
When it comes to winning respect from adult patients and colleagues from different fields alike, wearing businesslike clothing makes it somewhat easier to be taken seriously. If I worked in a bank and wore cutesy little character-print shirts and skirts rather than formal business suits, I'd have much more difficulty being taken for the intelligent person I am, especially upon first meeting someone. Now with time, I could certainly break that down with most people, but why build that extra wall for myself to climb?
I think - and this is just my opinion - that the same sort of thing might go in nursing. Your adult patients may not see you in particular a lot, or they may not remember seeing you. Upon first impression, many of your patients may be consciously or subconsciously inclined to think you're less intelligent because you're wearing something cutesy. Does it make them right? No, of course not - you cannot fairly assess someone's abilities by what they're wearing. But we do so all the time - as a whole, we tend to have more confidence, at least initially, in those who wear businesslike attire. Do you tend to think and expect more of the person wearing the suit or the cutesy sweatshirt when visiting your local bank? If you had a problem with your account, which one would you seek out as the more powerful of the two individuals?
I'm not saying nurses who wear printed scrubs are unintelligent. I'm not saying nurses who wear cutesy scrubs are less intelligent than their solid-color-wearing nurse colleagues. I'm just saying that people might take nurses more seriously and think more highly of them and their abilities if they all dressed to a given professional standard. Obviously, nurses who care for children are a different story; character prints can help make kids feel more at ease, and as such, can be an important icebreaker for young patients who are already scared and looking for someone to trust.
That's all. I'm probably wrong in a hundred ways, but that's just my two cents.
to the OP, you obviously dont need my defense, but you have it any way. I am more than embarassed by much of the comment here. Many are responding to points you did not make, and twisting some you did....and persist in not responding when questioned repeatedly. Showing poor intelectual rigor, and in some cases purely childish resentment. take care
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Actually, cops do whine. http://www.officer.com You have to actually be a cop to post there, though. They probably have some very valid reasons for that.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Would you be comfortable if your investment banker sat down to discuss your 401K in a pair of cut-offs and a tank top with a "who farted" hat on? I know I took it to an extreme, but what are we trying to say to our patients when we look like a walking cartoon page? They may be in fear for thier life, loss of independence, loss of income, loss of home, grief, depression... and we are are dressed in a way that says -"HEY!! Let's have some fun!!!" . If my wife of 50 years were gasping out her last in ICU after an tragic MVA, the last thing I want is a "Snoopy and Charlie Brown" scrubs wearing nurse helping me through it.
No, but a T-shirt saying "I'm With Stupid" and an arrow pointing to the guy at the next desk might be kind of funny. Or a "Kiss the Cook" apron.
Scrub tops - there's an issue that's gotten totally out of control. In what other profession do adults go to work wearing cartoon figures plastered all over their bodies?
The "Who Farted?" t-shirt image cracks me up...Truth be told, if I were in fear for my life, I would hope I'd have sense enough to focus on something a little more substantial than the print on my nurse's top. What a total waste of precious time and energy that would be if I didn't.
suanna
1,549 Posts
I knew someone from peds was going to jump on this- Sure, balloons, bears, cartoons... great for kids- and appropriate- that wasn't the point. I work adult, acute care. I can't tell you how many of my peers think it is fine to wear scrubs with "Snoopy, Winne, kitties, puppies.... and we are supposed to win over our patient who is a75y/o retired lawyer that we can teach them about post CVA anticoagulation management. I think it is hard to show the public you are an educated health care professional when you look like a clown at a 5year olds birthday party!. Would you be comfortable if your investment banker sat down to discuss your 401K in a pair of cut-offs and a tank top with a "who farted" hat on? I know I took it to an extreme, but what are we trying to say to our patients when we look like a walking cartoon page? They may be in fear for thier life, loss of independence, loss of income, loss of home, grief, depression... and we are are dressed in a way that says -"HEY!! Let's have some fun!!!" . If my wife of 50 years were gasping out her last in ICU after an tragic MVA, the last thing I want is a "Snoopy and Charlie Brown" scrubs wearing nurse helping me through it.