Why are nurses disrespected so much?

Atl-Murse · Sep 13, 2017

OP, you should change your name to Drama queen . lol just joking

brownbook · Sep 13, 2017

Reminds me of a saying I read from from Rubyvee, (which I'm sure I am not getting exactly right), if I meet one rude person they are the problem, if everyone I meet is rude I am the problem.

Davey Do · Sep 13, 2017

When entering into any new situation, we may have our guards up, and be highly vigilant.

If we perceive an area of concern, we may express that concern to others in order to discern if our concern is consenual.

Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN · Sep 13, 2017

That experience is far from universal, fortunately. I mean every once in a while a pt or family can be jerks, but guess what? Some people are jerks, and their jerk behaviors are directed at lots of people -- not just at nurses. In care settings, that can appear skewed because the nurse (or CNA) is the most consistent presence.

Physicians' bad behaviors are generally not tolerated either, because it's recognized as a barrier to safe pt care. I actually used to work with one who got fired because of his conduct.

As far as nurses "literally being mean girls?" Awfully early on to be insulting an entire profession, no?

pixierose, BSN, RN · Sep 13, 2017

One other thing to consider, OP: with such an attitude so very early on, you're going to see "mean girls" everywhere, cry "NETY!" when it's constructive feedback, and be that "mean girl" that you are finding everywhere (despite how "kind" you think you truly are; you DID insult an entire profession).

Food for thought.

labordude, BSN, RN · Sep 13, 2017

I generally walk around like I own the place. It's amazing how a little body language goes a long way in the responses you get. Head up, eye contact, walk as if your hips are driving you, and just OWN IT. Of course, this has to be combined with some diplomacy and nursing school will not teach you that. Actually, required reading should be "How to Win Friends & Influence People" by Dale Carnegie. Read it and learn. If nothing else you will take on situations like this in a whole new way. Also, be like a duck and let stupid things just slide right off your back...learn this now...not kidding.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Sep 13, 2017

fitfabfunnurse said:
Hi all! I just started our clinical this week as a new nursing student and there is something that's been bothering me and I just can't seem to come to terms with it... why are nurses so disrespected? I've seen nurses treat other nurses like dog crap and the pts treat them like slaves essentially-- ungrateful, degrading, etc. I'm shocked that this is the way the heirarchy is structured... Dr's are gods, nurses are peasants. We've worked way too hard in school and beyond to be subjected to this treatment. I guess this is also my phlegmatic personality coming thru... but wow!! Nurses are literally like Mean Girls. Sometimes I wonder, how did I end up choosing this profession again? It sickens me the way HCP are supposed to nurture and support their PTs yet they can't even treat their own coworkers like human beings... I guess I have "thin skin" but yikes this is not the kind of work environment I want to be in! Why can't we all show compassion towards each other? I'm a very kind person and I feel like I'm going to get spat on in the nursing world... rant over.

First, unless you were already a licensed nurse before starting nursing school (LPN to RN?), you cannot use the term "nurse" in your user name. Unless you're licensed, you aren't a nurse.

Second, I don't believe nurses are disrespected as much as all that. Yes, society in general is more rude and disrespectful that it was in previous generations, but that's across the board. Nurses aren't singled out to be "subjected to this treatment". Nor do I believe "Dr's are gods". Most of the hard-working physicians I know respect nurses as valuable members of the health care team, and will stand up for us if a patient or family member disrespects us. (I'll never forget an intensivist telling the patient's wife he was shocked at her rudeness to the nursing staff. "Visiting is a priveledge, not a right, and if you don't know how to behave when you visit, you don't need to be here visiting.")

Nurses are Mean Girls? Perhaps that's more in the eyes of the beholder . . . as someone new to the field and to the clinical site, perhaps your perceptions are inaccurate. And then again, perhaps it is your self-assessment of being a kind person that is inaccurate, because this post is really nasty. You demand that we all show each other compassion and support, yet here you are complaining that nurses are all mean girls and that they treat each other like crap. Why aren't you modeling that compassion and support you think everyone else should be showing?

I'm not sure I under stand why HCPs (Health care providers?) are supposed to nurture and support Physical Therapists. They are valuable members of the health care team, certainly, but I don't think they require (or demand) any special nurturing and support.

Workplace relationships require work.

You're awfully new to have such strong and negative opinions. You went from complaining that nurses were disrespecting to disrespecting us yourself. Perhaps get some experience in the field before making such sweeping generalizations.

guest52816 · Sep 13, 2017

Maybe the OP could elaborate on what he/she meant by disrespected. Maybe the OP saw outrageous staffing ratios and took that as disrespect (it is).

Like many of you, I have met wonderful patients, and rude, lazy, non-compliant patients. People are just people. Just because they are hospitalized, doesn't mean their basic personality will change from bad to good.

And yes, Mean Girls In Scrubs is a very real thing. I met one of them while working on a cardiac floor. She was the most popular senior nurse on the floor. My guess is she was so popular because nobody wanted to be her target. But she trash talked LOTS of nurses. The nurses I worked with in psychiatric nursing were very supportive. And the night shift nurses I work with now on med-surge are very supportive. But I wouldn't work the day shift at my hospital because again, there are plenty of Mean Girls in Scrubs.

I prefer to spend my caring for patients and learning new tasks as opposed to watching my back at times. The latter is too time consuming.

For what it is worth, I didn't feel disrespected by the OPs comment. But I would like further explanation of disrespect.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Sep 13, 2017

brownbook said:
Reminds me of a saying I read from from Rubyvee, (which I'm sure I am not getting exactly right), if I meet one rude person they are the problem, if everyone I meet is rude I am the problem.

Much more tactfully stated than what I actually said! Well done.

Purple_roses · Sep 13, 2017

To be fair, I've seen my fair share of angry patients yelling at their doctors too. Sick people in general aren't always on their best behavior.

ETA: I used to creep on other professions' forums, and med lab scientists feel that people are rude to them, respiratory therapists often feel bullied, CNAs, residents...the list honestly goes on and on. It's a human thing. Some of us are great. Some of us suck. There are good and bad in every profession.

TrashPanda · Sep 13, 2017

"I guess I have "thin skin" but yikes this is not the kind of work environment I want to be in!"

Then before you waste any more time or money on a profession that is obviously not optimal for you, I would suggest you change your career choice. I guarantee you will not find a unit that is devoid of individuals that do not appeal to your need for continuing compassion and endless warm fuzzies. I would suggest Zen garden sand tray raking.

fitfabfunnurse2b · Sep 13, 2017

But it's true and maybe not every unit/floor is handled in the same way but this is simply what I've observed.