Anonymous
Post 12/01/2011 19:15     Subject: Re:Stereotypes and misconceptions associated with your job/career
Anonymous wrote:come on nurse poster---stop making nursing seem like rocket science. It's anything but.

I went to nursing school after getting a biology undergrad degree and was BORED OUT OF MY MIND with nursing. Following doctor's orders day in and day out and not making ANY of my own decisions outside of maybe tritrating medication drips was mind numbing. Sure, I liked the patient education part of things (and would sit with patients and their families for hours) and I agree I was the "eyes and the ears" of the physician and saved many a young physician's ass but ultimately you could have trained a robot to do my job. I lasted 4 years as an inpatient nurse--and yes, I was at Hopkins--in the MICU, CCU and the ER.
The most frustrating part of nursing to me was that I received about 1/10th of the education of the physicians I worked with. I had a really desire to understand what was happening and all I had been given in nursing school was a very superficial understanding. I LONGED to take a medical school level class. My husband is a physician and his understanding of the human body was (and is) light years above mine. I took a graduate level nursing anatomy class as Hopkins and it was more of the same. Crappy survey without any real depth.

After about 8 years total in nursing I left, got a law degree and now actually feel challenged at work. It's not for everyone but I love the opportunity to think and write and use my brain.


NP here and happily a RN: I'm glad you are happy. There is no reason you couldn't have gone on to pursue specialized work in your field and study harder in nursing, but I would agree that people with your mindset aren't able to deal well at the bedside. We had a bunch of "career change" lawyers on the floor about 5 or so years ago and they were hopeless---completely inadequate with patients, unable to manage a normal patient load without meltdowns, and lost their shit on a regular basis.

Nursing isn't rocket science but neither is law: you just wear fancier clothes when you are a lawyer and I'm willing to bet that you work a hell of a lot more hours too. You have clerks and assistants that do all the real work and you just sign off on it. Some of us actually like real work that makes an actual difference in people's lives. And not making decisions? You needed a better union, is all I can say. We have real autonomy and exercise it.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2011 18:27     Subject: Re:Stereotypes and misconceptions associated with your job/career
come on nurse poster---stop making nursing seem like rocket science. It's anything but.

I went to nursing school after getting a biology undergrad degree and was BORED OUT OF MY MIND with nursing. Following doctor's orders day in and day out and not making ANY of my own decisions outside of maybe tritrating medication drips was mind numbing. Sure, I liked the patient education part of things (and would sit with patients and their families for hours) and I agree I was the "eyes and the ears" of the physician and saved many a young physician's ass but ultimately you could have trained a robot to do my job. I lasted 4 years as an inpatient nurse--and yes, I was at Hopkins--in the MICU, CCU and the ER.
The most frustrating part of nursing to me was that I received about 1/10th of the education of the physicians I worked with. I had a really desire to understand what was happening and all I had been given in nursing school was a very superficial understanding. I LONGED to take a medical school level class. My husband is a physician and his understanding of the human body was (and is) light years above mine. I took a graduate level nursing anatomy class as Hopkins and it was more of the same. Crappy survey without any real depth.

After about 8 years total in nursing I left, got a law degree and now actually feel challenged at work. It's not for everyone but I love the opportunity to think and write and use my brain.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2011 17:22     Subject: Stereotypes and misconceptions associated with your job/career
Nothing wrong with shit. Seriously.

I change incontinent patients, it is the ones who come from home unwashed and with sores because their families didn't want to be bothered that sicken me. Poor people.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2011 17:18     Subject: Stereotypes and misconceptions associated with your job/career
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Wow! Nurses are poor writers. Who knew?



Yup. But I start a spiffy IV, and can read your EKG and tell you where the blockage is that's causing your chest pain. Much more important for what I need to do. And for that matter, can run the code that happens when the ED doc doesn't believe that only 2mm of ST elevation was important and sent you up to the floor instead of to the cath lab.

You go ahead with your perfect sentences. My break is over and I've got real work to do.


Please ignore the nasty PP. As someone who recently spent a week in the hospital I can vouch for the importance of having a good nurse, especially when you need an IV started, a catheter inserted, and other fun procedures performed. And I also agree that it's the nurse who spends the most time with the patient.

Thanks, nurse PP, for your good work.


or change a bed pan with poooooooooooooooooo
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2011 16:54     Subject: Stereotypes and misconceptions associated with your job/career
Anonymous wrote:The fact that doctors are compensated higher than nurses and there are fewer is a result of the demand and diffculty of becoming a doctor.


No one is arguing that fact. The same can be said for any field.

All we are saying is that not everyone becomes a nurse rather than a doctor because they aren't smart or ambitious enough. They made the choice to be a nurse because of they prefer the duties, benefits, flexibility of being a nurse than the demanding job of being a doctor, despite the money. Some people chose their profession based on what makes them happy, not the job that gives them the most money at the cost of giving up their personal life.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2011 16:49     Subject: Stereotypes and misconceptions associated with your job/career
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Wow! Nurses are poor writers. Who knew?



Yup. But I start a spiffy IV, and can read your EKG and tell you where the blockage is that's causing your chest pain. Much more important for what I need to do. And for that matter, can run the code that happens when the ED doc doesn't believe that only 2mm of ST elevation was important and sent you up to the floor instead of to the cath lab.

You go ahead with your perfect sentences. My break is over and I've got real work to do.


Please ignore the nasty PP. As someone who recently spent a week in the hospital I can vouch for the importance of having a good nurse, especially when you need an IV started, a catheter inserted, and other fun procedures performed. And I also agree that it's the nurse who spends the most time with the patient.

Thanks, nurse PP, for your good work.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2011 16:45     Subject: Stereotypes and misconceptions associated with your job/career
The fact that doctors are compensated higher than nurses and there are fewer is a result of the demand and diffculty of becoming a doctor.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2011 16:35     Subject: Re:Stereotypes and misconceptions associated with your job/career
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Nurse---people tend to think a) not smart enough to be a doctor and b) sleeping with the doctors. Infuriating (and not true!).


You may be smart enough to be a doctor, but you lacked the ambition.


Unless you are a doctor, you also lacked the ambition to become one, correct?

I am not a nurse, nor am I doctor. I am not interested in school/training that can last a decade. Nothing wrong with that.


And might I point out, it's a different kind of ambition. My ambition wasn't to spend years and years going to school. Yes the money as a doctor would be nice, but that's not what I wanted. My ambition lies directly with the patient. Direct patient care. I spend 12 to 16 hours in a day with my patients, while the doctor might come in twice a week and spend five minutes with the patient. If something goes wrong, the doctor, the patient, and the patient's family, depend on me to correct the problem. If a patient codes, who's guaranteed to be there to revive the patient? The nurse. I respect what doctor's do, but the nurse is the true patient advocate. In addition, as a mother I can adjust my hours as needed, I have excellent benefits and I can pretty much go anywhere in the world and have a job. It's pretty damn nice.


But you'll always be lower in the pecking order, and take your orders from, MDs.



Actually, in many situations the nurse will suggest to the doctors what he should write as an order. More often than not it is well received and encouraged by the MD's. It's called team work and taking care of the patient and being an advocate.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2011 16:30     Subject: Stereotypes and misconceptions associated with your job/career
Anonymous wrote:Wow! Nurses are poor writers. Who knew?



Yup. But I start a spiffy IV, and can read your EKG and tell you where the blockage is that's causing your chest pain. Much more important for what I need to do. And for that matter, can run the code that happens when the ED doc doesn't believe that only 2mm of ST elevation was important and sent you up to the floor instead of to the cath lab.

You go ahead with your perfect sentences. My break is over and I've got real work to do.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2011 16:30     Subject: Re:Stereotypes and misconceptions associated with your job/career
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Nurse---people tend to think a) not smart enough to be a doctor and b) sleeping with the doctors. Infuriating (and not true!).


I'd blame 30 years of soap operas (back when GH stood for General Hospital instead of General Hoodlums.)


Sleeping with the docs and taking drugs as we have free access to them.......thanks Nurse Jackie!
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2011 16:26     Subject: Stereotypes and misconceptions associated with your job/career
"You are either a troll or despicable if you are going to pick on a nurse for her writing skills...... "

It's the Net.
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2011 16:22     Subject: Re:Stereotypes and misconceptions associated with your job/career
Seriously, you are picking on nurses??? Its bad enough that people on DCUM constantly slam nannies (who care for our children) and teachers (who educate our children) but nurses?? The people who keep our children alive and healthy?? Really?? I only wish that I could say that I was in a profession as honorable as nursing.

You are either a troll or despicable if you are going to pick on a nurse for her writing skills......
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2011 16:19     Subject: Re:Stereotypes and misconceptions associated with your job/career
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Nurse---people tend to think a) not smart enough to be a doctor and b) sleeping with the doctors. Infuriating (and not true!).


You may be smart enough to be a doctor, but you lacked the ambition.


No, I never wanted to see people for five minutes a day. I like taking care of people and helping them.
Yes, I usually prefer to see the nurse practitioner at my medical practice because I know that he/she will have time to talk to me and properly advise me while my doc will rush in and out.


Same here. I get the best care when I see the NP
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2011 16:16     Subject: Stereotypes and misconceptions associated with your job/career
Wow! Nurses are poor writers. Who knew?
Anonymous
Post 12/01/2011 16:10     Subject: Re:Stereotypes and misconceptions associated with your job/career
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Nurse---people tend to think a) not smart enough to be a doctor and b) sleeping with the doctors. Infuriating (and not true!).


You may be smart enough to be a doctor, but you lacked the ambition.


Unless you are a doctor, you also lacked the ambition to become one, correct?

I am not a nurse, nor am I doctor. I am not interested in school/training that can last a decade. Nothing wrong with that.


And might I point out, it's a different kind of ambition. My ambition wasn't to spend years and years going to school. Yes the money as a doctor would be nice, but that's not what I wanted. My ambition lies directly with the patient. Direct patient care. I spend 12 to 16 hours in a day with my patients, while the doctor might come in twice a week and spend five minutes with the patient. If something goes wrong, the doctor, the patient, and the patient's family, depend on me to correct the problem. If a patient codes, who's guaranteed to be there to revive the patient? The nurse. I respect what doctor's do, but the nurse is the true patient advocate. In addition, as a mother I can adjust my hours as needed, I have excellent benefits and I can pretty much go anywhere in the world and have a job. It's pretty damn nice.


But you'll always be lower in the pecking order, and take your orders from, MDs.


Um. Not really. The docs are as inclined to ask me what to do as I them, and it isn't orders in the way you think: yes, they write meds. But often, I'm the one calling and telling them what we need, or they are rounding and asking me if I think this patient can be extubated yet, or if we can wean the bipap.

In this day and age, it is a collaborative effort. The docs fully recognize who it is getting their patients healthy. Hell, the docs don't even have their own area to chart at my hospital, but the nurses do....