Published Feb 4, 2010
blondy2061h, MSN, RN
1 Article; 4,094 Posts
Someone I haven't seen since High School im'ed me. I ignored him at first, since there's almost always some motive behind im'ing me. He persisted, and I ended up answering. He told me he suddenly had the worst headache of his life, is blacking out, and his BP is up. I told him to go the ER, of course. But isn't that so obnoxious when people just come out of the blue to ask for medical advice?
NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN
3,959 Posts
Yup, I don't like it either.
Straydandelion
630 Posts
Have had it happen a few times and I agree, you don't hear from someone for ages, and all they want is medical advise when you do.
RNandRRT
398 Posts
I just send them a bill.
EarthChild1130
576 Posts
My standard response is 'I am not your doctor. Go see your doctor.' (except for mom...even then I'll say 'I am not a doctor...it could be X, Y, or Z...but call YOUR doctor'!) lol
fiveofpeep
1,237 Posts
yeah its funny instead of being excited to profess my new graduate nursingness to the world, I dont want anyone to know so they'll stop pestering me with uncomfortable questions.
isnt it weird how some people can ask you the most bizarre, intimate health questions yet they clam up with their own md?
Perpetual Student
682 Posts
I don't care about the questions. It's when people start dropping their pants and expecting me to Dx lesions that I start to get annoyed. :barf01:
cheska_rn, ASN, RN
172 Posts
LMAO! Okay, I am a first semester student, and yesterday I had an associate (who rarely speaks to me), come up to me to and says "I know you are a nursing student, maybe you know this... my family member has been recently diagnosed with brain cancer and had the tumor removed, and now his eyes are bulging out, and the shunt they put in his stomach is causing an abcess... do you think this is normal? Do you know why his eyes are bulging out?"
Umm... sorry lady; we are learning occupied bed baths and ROM's right now.
NurseNinaFla
96 Posts
It is annoying but remember to always tell them,"I advise you to see your Dr." as a nurse you cannot diagnose and should not dispense medical advise
AngelfireRN, MSN, RN, APRN
2 Articles; 1,291 Posts
I have a family member who is a drug addict from the word go. Needless to say, she was overjoyed when I became an NP. That was the ONLY time in my career that I was actually glad that NPs can not write for scheduled drugs in my state (any other time, it gripes the crap out of me). Therefore, no unlimited pill pipeline for her, more's the pity.
Heck I won't even write MYSELF anything, I wouldn't even write for PLO gel last week when I had gastroenteritis (and a very big TY to my DH for sharing), so there is no way I'd write anything for anyone that was not my patient. Just saves a whole passel of trouble down the road.
I agree, it's a line that most people would never cross, but yet, it's OK, because "you're in the field".
Drives me insane, even more so when THEY WON'T DO WHAT YOU TELL THEM TO (i.e: go to the doc/ER/whatever)!
HmarieD
280 Posts
The funniest one (well, funny from my perspective) was when my DMIL called to tell me she had a stick stuck up her nose. That's right. She was mowing when a small piece of branch at least a cm in diameter went flying up her schnozz and got stuck. Against my better judgement, I did try to help her get it out but it was really wedged up in there, and ended up sending her to the ER.