7 Myths about nursing

Nurses are attracted to the doctors. That is why they went to nursing school... to find their next McSteamy.

Sorry to my fellow doctor friends {that are male} that think that the status of MD instantly brought their attractive factor up a few notches. And I am sorry to all the girls out there that thought those TV shows accurately portrayed every doctor to be the next McSteamy. In fact, its very rare. Not saying that they are not attractive, but lets just say they don't all come out of medical school looking like Eric Dane. Which, might I throw out there, not all nurses go into the profession thinking they are going to graduate nursing school, find a doctor, and then stay at home. Really?

Nurses and Doctors have intimate relations

Since we are talking about the two above, lets just cover this base as well. Repeat after me... THIS IS NOT A TV SHOW. Right? I feel like all you ever hear is about how doctors hook up with nurses? Why? I mean... sure... you have your occasional story here and there. "This guy got this girl pregnant. That one cheated on his wife. That girl has no clue." But I don't think it is any different than any other work place? But then again... this is coming from the girl who finds out like a year later about a scandal. I'm like the old mom the doesn't get in on the gossip I guess.

No, but really, just think... the two professions actually come to work. Who would have thought.

Nurses are idiots and couldn't get into medical school

Not a very nice word to use period. However, its crazy how one nurse or one situation or one mistake can put this "name" behind the title. You see, both nurses and doctors are just human and do in fact make mistakes. Don't let one situation or one person cloud that image. Despite what some people say, some of the most brilliant minds that I have had the pleasure to meet have been those that were wearing the scrubs and not the white coat. Although, I have met some of the most brilliant in white as well.

The second part of that, is that many people think that nurses do what they do because they just couldn't make it into medical school. Like I mentioned above, I have worked, and still do, with some of the most brilliant nurses that could have very well gone to medical school but chose not so. I have also graduated with many nurses that went on to medical school, and worked with some that were going through medical school.

Remember, nursing is not just a profession, it's a lifestyle and passion for many. Not all, but many.

Nurses praise the ground a doctor walks on

When I went into nursing, I remember thinking that doctors were saints {and they are} and almighty {and they are}. I used to think that they walked on water. If I heard that someone was a doctor, I would be like... "Ohhh wow, so brilliant, amazing, and what a privilege." Not sure who fed that into my brain or what TV show I watched, one too many times? Regardless, I just had this high respect for the title of a doctor and had not yet realized that it cannot be applied across the board. And not that I don't now, it's just that I have gained knowledge throughout the years and am able to differentiate the really good ones from the eh-so-so ones. So when I started, I used to think that nurses dropped everything that they were doing when the doctor came by? Not so much. One of my friends {in white} used to tell me that when he was going through medical school, nurses would stand up as a doctor walked by.....

Boy have times changed.

You can find a job right out of nursing school, wherever you want

Want to be an ER nurse? Sure! ICU? Why not! NICU? Come on over!.... That's what I used to think nursing was all about. Pick your field and you're in. That's what they lead us to believe through school. But when I graduated? That was not the case. ER, ICU? Experience, experience, experience. And how exactly do you expect me to gain experience if you aren't willing to hire unless I have experience. So it was a big wakeup call when I actually had to get experience on the floor first before heading to the unit. But? I was lucky. I know nurses from other schools that had to get a nursing home job because hospitals weren't hiring.

They get paid to "clean poop"

One of the oldest and silliest myths out there. I mean, really, if you are sitting out there thinking that this is in fact true, shame on you. I remember hearing this for the first time from my parent's when they came home from my uncle's house one time. They had told my extended family that I had just gotten accepted into nursing school, and my cousin {very young naive cousin}, at the time chimed in about "HA! She's going to school to learn how to clean poop!" What. Little did I know, there were other people that were under that impression.

Rest assured, friends, nurses are doing a little more than getting their hands dirty.

Nurses don't collaborate in the decision of care

One thing that I learned early on in my nursing career, especially in the intensive care unit, is how big of a role the nurses had in the plan of care for our patients. In fact, many times, the doctors {the new ones straight out of school} were turning to the nurses for advice. Many times when we call to report a critical lab value or change in patient status, we follow that up with a request for a certain medication or intervention. Because of our critical thinking skills, our eyes and ears, our doctors trust our judgement and rely on us to help assist them in the proper care for the patient.
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I have many more that I could ramble off here, but I felt as though these were some of my favorite. You know, like not nurses are women, no they don't wear just white, and those nurses cap are long gone.

Like I have mentioned before, the job is as "rewarding" as you hear.... however, it always has its challenges as well. Part of the challenge is when people are clouded by a certain image and expectation of "a nurse."

It sure isn't how you see in movies and shows.
It sure does have its highs and lows.

But? I wouldn't want to be doing anything else.
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