WOW! The public really doesn't like us, huh?

[Mrs. SnowStormRN]

I recently read a news article in relation to call bell systems and posted it here. (I'm not sure if it's spamming if I mention the name of the article, until clarification I will just leave the title of the thread off). Anyhow, I just took the time out to read the 127 comments and only 6 of them were positive. A large majority (maybe 98%) of the negative commenters blamed the nurses. Many of them called us lazy, some said our only job is to pass meds so why can't we answer call lights. One lady was mad because it took 5 mins for her call bell to be answered. Another issue I think is that many patients believe that nurses are the only people responsible for the call light system, when in reality all healthcare professionals present on the floor can answer a call light. Some of the comments say we just stare at the computer or our cellphones all day, often laughing and gossiping with eachother. Nursing shortage was brought up a few times and followed by, it's not the shortage it's the laziness. A commenter said we should be checking on patients every 15 minutes. Upon the 127 comments, many people were "liking" these negative comments. I wasn't really shocked in the beginning but as I kept reading I became more and more shocked with disbelief. So what happened to Nurses being one of the most trusted professionals out there? GEEZ! I am not sure that this poor image of us will be changed, but I bet the hospital CEOs are happy they aren't the ones wearing the blame. I just wanted to vent. Feel free to vent here as well

[Stcroix, ASN, PhD, RN]

Like others have said..."malcontents" and "stupid". But I must say, aren't we all fed that attitude day and night? I mean, open a newspaper or any other form of news for that matter, nothing but negative reports. And nasty dirt too, like what's the latest with Charlie Sheen or whoever is the current whipping boy. We are immersed in it, and apparently it sells, so I guess 'we' must like it! I don't get it, and I think I take pride in that fact. So, public commentary? Take them with a grain of salt, they are "malcontents" and "stupid".

[nikkicoliCCRN]

I take it that you didn't get the memo that we are nurses, housekeepers, hotel managers, drug pushing, pillow fluffing, psychic, lazy, mean people!!? I have learned that people think that we should stand by the bed and hold their hand all night long. They are always the only patient on the floor and they want what they wanted ten minutes before they ask. They also don't have to tell you what they want because you should already know. I must admit where I work now is much better because it's military, but I worked in the civilian world for years and it is awful what the public thinks of nursing. I wish there was something that could be done to change it.

[ZippyGBR, BSN, RN]

Gosh ...so many seem upset with nurses having degrees.

What is their problem.

In class conscious Britain, does this mean some people think nurses have got uppity with a university education?

Risen above their 'station' ??

Must they stay working class .... plus never forget they are to spend the bulk of their time doing hygiene cares ? Oh and don't forget families are to never ever assist their relatives to walk to the bathroom or help feed them.

They can sit there and visit for a few hours but wont lift a finger to walk Grandma to the toilet or get her a drink ....and then that makes the nurses absolutely horrid because the care is so awful

The assumption is that degree education has made Nurses 'too posh to wash' and that Student Nurses spend all their time in Universtiy rather than on the wards ...

There are also myths put around aobut what supernumerary status has meant for student Nurses, not helped by some Nurse lecturers who have backed Students who have tried to use it as an opt out of doing things ...

Often these comments were 'backed up by people such as the Late Clare Rayner who made great stock of being a Nurse - when pontificating on such matters but neglecting to inform people that she had been no where near clinical practice in the past ca. 50 years ...

[sweetnepenthe]

I have six years to go. The general public are ignorant and selfish and entitled. I would never encourage people to go into nursing anymore unless they can let this stuff just roll off their backs.

Even up until a few years ago, I encourage people to enter the field, but no more.

Just one too many know-it-all, entitled, "internet-and-tv-educated" demanding patients.

[divaRN*]

sadly healthcare is becoming more customer serviced based and the actual healthcare is being put on the back burner. press ganey places too much emphasis on the customer service aspect. "was your pain well controlled?" a patient may respond "no" which will reflect poorly on the hospital. when in reality the patient's blood pressure was tanking/ unstable and administering a narcotic would put them over the edge so the healthcare team decided to keep the patient alive and hold the narcotic until BP was stable. but we get a bad review for poor pain control. on the other hand if the narcotic was given with a bad outcome due to unstable BP the hospital would be labeled "careless". we cant win.

[NoviceRN10]

Well shoot, if people would just remember they are in pain WHILE I AM IN THE ROOM asking them if they need anything they wouldn't have to wait another 20 minutes because I have moved on to my next patient when they call the desk 5 minutes after I leave their room and tell the clerk they want something .

[ledzepfan]

Oh the poor entitled masses. You didn't get your glass of ice water because your nurse was busy in a code,

your call light wasn't answered after ringing 3 times because your nurse was up to her elbows in C-diff diarrhea.

Geez, nursing has gone to hell in a hand basket hasn't it?

I too read the comment about the woman crawling on the floor on her hands and knees and thought, yeah....right.

The problem is the public reads these comments, and BELIEVES this as the gospel truth.

[JerseyBSN]

I saw this exact same post on another nursing forum. It wasn't written by the OP. What's up with that?

[pedicurn, LPN, RN]

and blaming 'modern' degree educated Nurses for all the ills of the NHS .... oddly enough i don't see (m)any Matrons or Directors of Nursing who are P2k or post P2k RNs ... no nursing management is still full of trained Nurses rather than Educated ones...

.

Same story in Australia

In my experience .... I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of senior nurse managers who have a university degree.

Their staff nurses generally have more education than they do.

Not just the newer nurses with a BScN but also second career nurses with a BScN plus degree/s from previous career.

Somethings got to give - I can't see this situation being tenable for much longer

[middleager]

folks, I am an outsider here. I am not a nurse, if i could pick any profession to be in at this point of my life I would love to be a nurse. Not for the money, I am a business man and make more money then I ever thought I would, its a pretty shallow accomplishment. From my experience, from the perspective of my family, and from what I know from talking with others, nursing is one of the most respected and appreciated professions there is. We know when we are in the hospital, nurses do 90% of the care, we know if somehting isn't right it will most likely be a nurse that notices and reports it. There will always be the minority who in this case as in other segments of our society are the most vocal, who will complain, blow things out of proportion, and just plain lie. We are becoming a society of whiners and victims. We have to have a bad guy to be a victim, and we have to have someone to take responsiblity for our bad choices. But rest assured, your work and compassion is recognized and appreciated by the vast majority of society. I lost both of my parents within a few months so I spent a fair amount of time in the hospital, I can honestly say, all but one of the nurses were just exceptional, each and every one exceeded everything my family expected. Even though we lost our parents, we made a donation to the hospital recognizing the NURSES who made their last days, and out time of need as good as it could be. That is what the majority sees, not some sniveling, whinning, whimps who use the anonimity of the net to be victims. Hang in there, you are treasured more than you will ever know.

[ledzepfan]

Middleager....thank you.

[amandakash]

I'm not a nurse yet, but I was inspired to become one based on the nurses I've encountered over the years. Not only from my hospital experiences, but those of my family as well, especially my grandmother. I know that when you're in pain you think that you're the only person in the world and the time it takes for someone to answer a call light might seem like an eternity, but I think for the most part nurses are working as hard as they can to do everything they can for their patients. At least I know that's what I plan to do and what I've felt from my nurses over the years. No one is perfect. We're all just doing our best. It seems to me that while nurses work hands on helping sick people, they are somehow expected to be exempt from 'running behind' or 'being swamped' that happens at 'regular' jobs all the time. Doesn't seem fair to me. But, such is life. There will always be whiners and complainers, sad but true!