Tired of ppl who says that you are not a real nurse cause you dont work in a hospital

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Ok so yesterday I had a converstation with one of my good friends who is currently studing to be a nurse.She knows I recently started to work as a home health nurse.So yesterday she makes this totally ignorant comment that home health nursing is not "real nursing " and that true nurses (and best nurses) work in a hospital setting ir ltc setting and she also said that home health nurses dont do too much,according to my friend we only take a persons blood pressure and that is all:mad: Forgot an assessment skills,forgot stress of making important decisions on your own (no help around),forget setting up the meds and making sure that patients takes their meds,forgot teaching patients about their conditions and procedures,forgot about good customers skills (since patients are in their own home and tend to have more attitude.I'm not a real nurse because my patient is not septic and about to code any minute now.:devil::mad:

So yesterday she makes this totally ignorant comment that home health nursing is not "real nursing " and that true nurses (and best nurses) work in a hospital setting ir ltc setting and she also said that home health nurses dont do too much,according to my friend we only take a persons blood pressure and that is all

This sounds a lot more like one single ignorant person than "ppl."

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
ok so yesterday i had a converstation with one of my good friends who is currently studing to be a nurse.she knows i recently started to work as a home health nurse.so yesterday she makes this totally ignorant comment that home health nursing is not "real nursing " and that true nurses (and best nurses) work in a hospital setting ir ltc setting and she also said that home health nurses dont do too much,according to my friend we only take a persons blood pressure and that is all:mad: forgot an assessment skills,forgot stress of making important decisions on your own (no help around),forget setting up the meds and making sure that patients takes their meds,forgot teaching patients about their conditions and procedures,forgot about good customers skills (since patients are in their own home and tend to have more attitude.i'm not a real nurse because my patient is not septic and about to code any minute now.:devil::mad:

since your friend is currently studying to be a nurse, she probably knows a lot about being a student and very little about actually being a nurse. i hope you set her straight!

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

I have worked home health and have heard similar comments. I am a clinic nurse, and have been told the same. I had a toddler at home destat before my eyes once at home, and we do have enough emergencies in my clinic to know better. We are nurses, alright. In fact, I decided to put off working at the home until I gain more experience. We are not sitting there to be companions or to look pretty. When something happens, you'd better learn to react quickly. I did not have a bad incident with my pediatric patient, but I knew then, that (as mentioned earlier)...homecare nursing is NOT for sissies!

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I think the whole 'what is a *real* nurse?' problem could be less contentious if acute care nursing were regularly called just that. Like teachers are generally differentiated... high school teacher, pre-school teacher, piano teacher, etc. Who would expect a piano teacher to want to or be able to teach algebra?

A *real* acute care nurse works in acute care. A *real* LTC nurse works in LTC. A *real* home health nurse works in home health. Problem-solved!

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Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.
Ok so yesterday I had a converstation with one of my good friends who is currently studing to be a nurse.She knows I recently started to work as a home health nurse.So yesterday she makes this totally ignorant comment that home health nursing is not "real nursing " and that true nurses (and best nurses) work in a hospital setting ir ltc setting and she also said that home health nurses dont do too much,according to my friend we only take a persons blood pressure and that is all:mad:

Great! I bet she doesn't think real nurses clean up poop or work weekends either. Anyone want to lay bets how long before she gets on here and claims that she's being "eaten"?! :uhoh3:

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
great! i bet she doesn't think real nurses clean up poop or work weekends either. anyone want to lay bets how long before she gets on here and claims that she's being "eaten"?! :uhoh3:

i give it about a week after she starts her first job.

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She's so ignorant that it made me laugh...lol

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

It IS laughable! I have had many people tell me I'm not a real nurse because I'm an LPN...one that works in a clinic, no less. Tell that to all of the patients I teach, inject and send to the ER because I discovered that something was amiss.

First of all, in this economy, many new grads may not obtain their dream positions. They may have to settle for LTC or other so called no action, non-nurse jobs. Having to grab the first available after a long search may teach many people like this a lesson. I have a friend who is an LPN going for her BSN. She works in LTC, and told me that she may have to accept an RN position there because she will retain her seniority and the fact that she is already familiar with the facility might be an advantage. She said she has excellent evaluations, and will probably take a night position while she searches for something else. And, if things don't work out, she will keep that job with a smile.

When there are more choices available, people were able to choose according to their level of tolerance. Some people want the adrenaline rushed positions of the ER (especially trauma), ICU, etc... others require a more predictable, sedate position where they can get to know their patients and have a set routine. Either way, we are all still licensed nurses. All of these patients require our care.

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Specializes in ER.

Don't let it hurt your feelings. You should be chuckling at your friend! Tell her you were disappointed to find there weren't any real doctors at the hospital so you left; you know, the kind that wear that eye thingy around their head. :yeah::yeah:

Thanks for doing the home health thing. Intimidates me to think of going into people's houses. Its definitely about being links in a chain.

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Is she a "real" friend? :)

As a "real" nurse you can tell him/her that you know that it is very hard for now, and maybe for the next few years, to find a "real"job and that she should keep all her options open.

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Specializes in OB/GYN, Peds, School Nurse, DD.
Ok so yesterday I had a converstation with one of my good friends who is currently studing to be a nurse.She knows I recently started to work as a home health nurse.So yesterday she makes this totally ignorant comment that home health nursing is not "real nursing "

:uhoh3: I think you have to consider the source. This person doesn't know a thing about being a real nurse.

Of course, home health is real nursing. There are plenty of nursing jobs that don't require you to be in a hospital. Heck, there are even nursing jobs that never require you to touch a patient! I wouldn't engage someone in the "I'm better than you" nursing wars. Especially not a wannabe. :twocents:

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Specializes in LDRP.

I am a RN who often times doesn't feel like a real nurse because I don't perform skills. (this does not reflect on my opinion of other nurses who also do not perform skills, this is a self view)

I work in nurse case management of low income young children/pregnant women. I go into their homes every month and talk/educate/etc and advocate for them in between-calling doctors offices, making appointments, etc. Sure, I often do nurse-education. Frequently, actually. I taught a non English speakign client about refills on a medication for her child-she thought she had to go to the doctor every time, teach a mom of a hemophiliac how to keep her baby safe from injury and therefore bleeding, discuss with pregnant women danger signs of when tehy need to go to the hospital, teach about the importance of oral hygiene, etc etc etc.

Its very knowledge based because I may never know what someone is going to ask me, and i dont carry around textbooks or have google, or another nurse with me. It's helping disadvantged families access teh care and resources they need in the community. Its workign with clients from other countries, who may or may not speak English (large spanish speaking client base, but i also have some from other far away countries).

I know its valuable work. But, I've been a nurse for 5.25 years now, and even sometimes I feel like I'm less of a nurse because I'm not doing skills/handling acutely ill patients/etc. I feel like a social worker, not a nurse.

So, its not just a view of the uneducated. I did acute care for 4.5 years before leaving. Those of us with self esteem issues can also feel the same way :)

(disclaimer again--my "i dont feel like a real nurse sometimes" point of view is JUST ABOUT ME. i dont think less of any nurses who don't work in teh hospital. Just me)

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