They’re not doctor’s assistants
Nurses are often assumed to be doctors’ assistants, but they actually work alongside doctors and a wide range of professionals including pharmacists, respiratory therapists, and more, as teammates. Before, nurse matrons were more like managers, ruling with an iron thumb.
Nurses do more than take blood pressure and wipe butts
Many people fail to recognise just how stressful it is to be a nurse. They assume, that nurses simply scoot around, checking blood pressure levels, taking temperatures, and cleaning up after patients. But, nurses have lots of people to care for, juggle many tasks, and work long hours.
They know more about patients than doctors
Nurses spend more time with each patient than doctors, checking in on them and implementing procedures. In contrast, a doctor completes their daily rounds and focuses more on giving his professional opinion and prescribing treatments. Often, nurses spot and correct errors made by doctors.
Nurses work part-time, but it’s not easy
While nurses often work part-time, their long hours, huge workloads, and stressful work, mean that their job is far from easy. More often than not, they spend a disproportionate amount of their time off work mentally and physically recuperating, only to go back and do it all again later.
They work tough 12 hour shifts
Nurses work hectic 12 hour shifts, with barely any time to stop, breath, and take stock. Need a pee? If there’s a medical emergency, which there often is, they can forget about it. To say that being a nurse is exhausting, is an understatement.
Becoming a registered nurse isn’t easy
If it was easy to become a nurse, hospitals would be dangerous places. Like doctors, but to a lesser extent, nurses need to study and complete placements over a long period, and then register in order to practice. If you want to become a nurse, you need to be ready for a challenge.
They love their work
Many believe that people become nurses, because they’re virtually guaranteed a job after they complete their education and successfully register as a nurse. But in reality, almost all nurses love their work, finding that helping others when they need it the most incredibly rewarding.
TV and films don’t accurately portray nurses
Most nurses would laugh at Grey’s Anatomy, as features doctors that actually do a nurse’s job. Nurses are often poorly portrayed in film and television series. In fact, the day you understand what nurses do is probably the day that you require their care.
Being a nurse isn’t sexy
Too many TV shows and movies sexualise nurses. In reality, nobody wants to wear uncomfortable lingerie, sexy white coats, and high heels for a 12-hour shift, likely accompanied by some blood and other unpleasant bodily fluids. Being a nurse is hard work and they deserve respect.
Male nurses are just as manly
There’s an unfortunate stereotype, that male nurses are somehow less manly than non-nurses. That’s not the case, the resilience, inner strength, hard work, and dedication required to be a nurse shows strength of character that’s beyond what most men can do.