In a conversation I had someone ask me if I was a “real nurse”.
Yeah, let that sink in for a moment.
Here’s what happened:
I was having a conversation with an individual and they asked me what I do, I told them I’m a nurse. Their response: “so are you a real nurse?”
This was my exact face:
I had to ask what they meant by “real nurse”. Their answer? “You know, a real nurse like ones that work in a hospital and not in a nursing home or doc in the box.”
Of course you know this means war…
I ask why those nurses aren’t real nurses. Apparently (according to this person) those nurses don’t really do anything but take vitals and give meds.
Oh really?
OH REALLY?
To people who think like this I have a question, CAN YOU DO IT? Can you be responsible for the safety and welfare of multiple patients, often at the same damn time? It was a real nurse that took care of you at Patient First when you caught the flu. It was a real nurse that got punched in the face by your demented Nana. It was a real nurse that handled your kid’s GI bug that you brought him to the doc in the box for. It was a real nurse that has been the only person some of these elderly assisted living patients get to talk to since you haven’t visited Grandpa in 3 years.
WE ARE ALL REAL NURSES.
Needless to say, I am an advocate for my nurses.
I have no way of reading vitals. Won’t even fool myself lol.
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Great post! Yep, we are ALL nurses! Yesterday was a monumental day for me though! I officially retired from nursing. After I retired as an NP I held an RN license for years, and decided it was time. I did not renew my RN license. That doesn’t mean I stop being proud I am a nurse. Christine
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Congrats on getting to retire! I’m sure you’ve earned it!
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Thank you! It was time, I’m 79! 😍 Christine
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In the words of Madea: Hallelujer!
We’re all REAL nurses that studied the same material, that became addicted to caffeine, passed THE SAME NCLEX EXAM, and love the OPTIONS and opportunities that comes with being a nurse.
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Exactly!!!!!
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This is so true!! It’s a really common misconception here in the UK too. Not just from patients but from student nurses! Some think you have to be in a hospital setting to be a ‘real nurse’ But the most I have ever learnt and the most ‘nurse skills’ I have ever used, is out in the community. Great post 🙂
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I learned a lot about how to communicate with my patients while being a student and having clinicals in an assisted living facility. I hate the stigma applied to nurses that aren’t in the hospital
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I was a real nurse when I helped nana off the floor when she fell and broke her hip, and I’m a real nurse now that I’m helping nana before and after her surgery to repair it. I’ll also be a real nurse when I help her through months of rehab, pain, and tears to get her walking again. #nursing #realnurse
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Exactly! We are all “real nurses” dammit!
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Such a great post ! When I was studying to be a registered nurse, I had people ask me if I was studying to be a real nurse or an enrolled nurse. I couldn’t believe it ! Both enrolled AND registered nurses are REAL nurses, we all deal with the same things like snarky patients, medications and diarrhoeal explosions ! #realnurse
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We are ALL real nurses. It drives me nuts to hear people use the term “real nurse”.
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Thankyou thankyou thankyou….💐
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LOVEEEEEEEE THIS! I get this a lot in the psychiatric world! I’m a psych nurse AND I AM A “REAL NURSE” my job is to literally save lives on a daily basis….this is all I do! Thank you so much for your post! It’s a tough career but, somebody have to do it!
From one nurse to another…thank you for all you do!
See you at the top!
-Janae
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Psych nurses are angels to me because I know it’s not something I could do. Bless you REAL NURSE!
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Love this! So very true. Just because you do not work in a hospital does now mean you are not a nurse! I’m an advocate for all nurses also!
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We are all real nurses!
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This is so true! Thank you for sharing this. This has a lot to do with television shows as well. SO many tv shows portray nurses in hospitals and only hospitals. They forget that you can be a nurse in home care, long term care facilities, public health, doctor’s offices etc.
So very accurate, thank you again for sharing.
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You know you bring up a really good point about television. I never thought about it before but you never see nursing representation outside of the hospital
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