What is a REAL Nurse?????

Nurses General Nursing

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6 monts ago, I got my first nursing job in a medical spa. I do laser treatments, Botox. Juvederm, etc. etc. etc. I really enjoy it. Most of my clients are nurses themselves. EVERYDAY for the last 6 months, nearly every nurse that has laid on my table has asked me. "So, what's your REAL job?", when I tell them that I don't have another job...this is my job...they kind of roll their eyes at me, give me the pity look, and say, "Well this isn't REALLY a nursing job". Even my own mother who is an R.N. says that a monkey can do my job! It has made going to work very frustrating, because everyone is looking down on me. I love my job, but hearing that people think my job is worthless is very degrading. (Honestly, I don't find these nurses very wise....criticizing someone holding a laser or needle to your face).

I just got offered a position at a SubAcute/Rehab Center, I start in a few days (nervous!!!). Well, when I told my patients at the medi spa about that job...thinking *whew* they aren't going to be so condescending toward me now. They STILL rolled their eyes, shook their head, and said..."Oh well, at least you're ALMOST there to becoming a REAL nurse." I am really apalled at how judgemental other nurses can be! What is this so-called REAL NURSING???? This wasn't just one or two people...at least 20 nurses have criticized me for just working in a medispa...and now they are turning around and saying SubAcute is also NOTHING.

Honestly, I don't need their praise, or acceptance...but hearing it everyday is annoying. I went to college, got my B.S.N., and took the NCLEX just like them. I take care of people everyday...maybe I don't work in a hospital, but I sure as hell am a NURSE. What's with the attitude from these nurses???

Medispa nurses, Clinic nurses, LTC/SubAcute/Nursing home nurses, school nurses, camp nurses, so on and so forth....we are all nurses! Right?

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Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.

Yes, you are correct. We are all real nurses. Unfortunately a large part of the general population and the many in the nursing population believe the only nursing is hospital nursing.

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Oh, I would switch with you in your med spa job in a heartbeat. It sounds fabulous, and I would love the free or reduced price treatments. Ignore those dipheads. They have to pull themselves up by pushing other people down. Some people just love to play the martyr.

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If its one thing I don't like is when nurses put down other fields in nursing. People's ideals that nursing is something that you have to do in a hospital with diseased patients is something they need to get rid of. It's the same thing that some people say about other nursing specialties like Psych, Postpartum ect. It's pretty sad.

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I agree with fungez... Id love that job after school... And You're a nurse Hun!! Don't let the others bring you down...

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How silly. The reason I, and others I have talked to, want to go into nursing is because it's so versatile!

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Specializes in Operating Room.

We are all nurses, just ignore what these people say. I've heard it too, because I work OR. All that matters is that you enjoy your job. Perhaps your nurse clients that put you down are jealous because you have a good job? At any rate, you have to learn to not care what others think.

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Like so many others have said--first off don't listen to them! second off--what is wrong with us? (as a profession!?) it's no wonder we can't all come together and get anything done...because of people like "that" who think that there is such a thing as "not a real nurse?!" Third off--one of the wonderful things about nursing is the versatility of the profession, you can be a hospital nurse, a rehab nurse, a school nurse, a hospice nurse, a home health nurse, a nursing instructor, a spa nurse, and any other type of nurse that you want to be--all in one lifetime and all you really have to do is tell someone in human resources that you are ready for a change and want to learn how to work with a new population. What other career is out there like that?! Not one that I've seen recently--ENJOY what you do, no matter how you do it, and forget about the other nurses out there, who were probably unhappy in the type of "real" nursing that they were doing...

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Specializes in OR Hearts 10.

OR, same thing, we are not real nurses....

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Had to laugh when I read your post. When I worked skilled, I was looked down on for not having any "real" skills. When I worked oncology, I was told I wasn't really a nurse because I couldn't read telemetry (which wasn't on my floor). When I was a dialysis nurse, I was considered someone who needed a very large access to place an IV (never mind why!). Now I do med-surg and I'm pitied because I work so hard. There is no "winning". You'll never be enough by yourself....maybe if you could clone yourself for different jobs. Now I'm getting "I'm going to be a nurse anesthetist (clinician, practitioner...you fill in the blank); I'm not going to be a hospital nurse", from the nursing students and the aides! I just smile and tell them they are wise....lol. Seems like they could get the RN first!

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Specializes in Occupational health, Corrections, PACU.

I agree...there is no "REAL nurse" because the definition depends on what it is that you are doing. I work in a couple of different specialties, and one of them is occupational health. I worked very long and hard to get into occ health, with all the certifications and knowledge it takes to get hired in the first place, and then to take the certification test. I have been certified how as a COHN-S since either 1998 or 1999. And I have talked to so many RNs that have no idea what occupational health nurses do (most that don't know think it has to do with rehab/occupational therapy or something of that nature), and the ones that do know a little about it, don't consider it "real" nursing, and say all occ health nurses do is push paperwork. Be a nurse for yourself, and no other, and know that everything you do makes a difference and touches lives, no matter where you practice and who your patients are.

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Specializes in Occupational health, Corrections, PACU.
Had to laugh when I read your post. When I worked skilled, I was looked down on for not having any "real" skills. When I worked oncology, I was told I wasn't really a nurse because I couldn't read telemetry (which wasn't on my floor). When I was a dialysis nurse, I was considered someone who needed a very large access to place an IV (never mind why!). Now I do med-surg and I'm pitied because I work so hard. There is no "winning". You'll never be enough by yourself....maybe if you could clone yourself for different jobs. Now I'm getting "I'm going to be a nurse anesthetist (clinician, practitioner...you fill in the blank); I'm not going to be a hospital nurse", from the nursing students and the aides! I just smile and tell them they are wise....lol. Seems like they could get the RN first!

:yeah: LOVED YOUR POST !!

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