quarternote Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Just need to vent! My neighbor (who is a nice guy) is convinced I am a nurse. He's in his late 70s and every time he sees me outside he says: "how's our nurse?" he goes so far as to introduce me to the neighbors as a nurse. So far I've been polite and just replied:"I'm not a nurse". This has been going on for 2 years. I've even given him a patient handout on what a PA is and does. I don't know what else to say. Today I just smiled and rudely walked off to keep from saying something I would regret and embarrassing my husband. I think next time I'm going to say: "I'm a PA, sorta like a Dr. But not an MD" Not sure how to get it across to him. He's a nice guy, educated, has a PhD in art history. Just clueless when it come to this profession. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joelseff Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Just need to vent! My neighbor (who is a nice guy) is convinced I am a nurse. He's in his late 70s and every time he sees me outside he says: "how's our nurse?" he goes so far as to introduce me to the neighbors as a nurse. So far I've been polite and just replied:"I'm not a nurse". This has been going on for 2 years. I've even given him a patient handout on what a PA is and does. I don't know what else to say. Today I just smiled and rudely walked off to keep from saying something I would regret and embarrassing my husband. I think next time I'm going to say: "I'm a PA, sorta like a Dr. But not an MD" Not sure how to get it across to him. He's a nice guy, educated, has a PhD in art history. Just clueless when it come to this profession. I have A neighbor who's 87 yo lady from Guyana who is a retired nurse who calls me the "Doctor's Assistant" and tells all the neighbors too. I don't sweat it too much but she always tries to get a curbside consult whenever she sees me outside. I tell her to ask her doctor. Lol Sent from my HTC MT4GS using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swooshie1 Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Just need to vent! My neighbor (who is a nice guy) is convinced I am a nurse. He's in his late 70s and every time he sees me outside he says: "how's our nurse?" he goes so far as to introduce me to the neighbors as a nurse. So far I've been polite and just replied:"I'm not a nurse". This has been going on for 2 years. I've even given him a patient handout on what a PA is and does. I don't know what else to say. Today I just smiled and rudely walked off to keep from saying something I would regret and embarrassing my husband. I think next time I'm going to say: "I'm a PA, sorta like a Dr. But not an MD" Not sure how to get it across to him. He's a nice guy, educated, has a PhD in art history. Just clueless when it come to this profession. I realize this can get old and you just need to vent, but maybe there's a not-so-obvious reason he's "clueless" and you shouldn't waste your energy wondering how you're going to get it across to him that a PA is different than a nurse. In a case like this, since he's not a patient and he's a nice neighbor, maybe you just continue to smile, take a deep breath and say "I'm well, how are you?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCrownover Posted April 9, 2012 Share Posted April 9, 2012 Start referring to him and greeting him as Mr. (something other than his name). When he tries to correct you smile, wink, and say AND I'M NOT A NURSE. If that confuses him then just let it go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterallsummer Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 How about next time he says "Hey it's our nurse" say "Hey it's our senile geriatric senior citizen" then politely wave and smile back. I think the guy is messing with you and you should get him back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorRRT Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Start referring to him and greeting him as Mr. (something other than his name). When he tries to correct you smile, wink, and say AND I'M NOT A NURSE. If that confuses him then just let it go. ...........this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFarnsworth Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Sometimes you just can't win. I was at a party where a young boy fell hard on his hand. I did a brief exam and gave his mother some advice... she asked if I was a doctor and I told her I was a PA. Later I heard her referring to me as an NP, as in, "it's so nice to have an NP right here". I told her again that I was a PA but I saw that glazed look in her eyes...so I gave up. I also give up when my family members continue to refer to me as, "she's pretty much a doctor". If they were patients, then that's one thing. I will continue to try to correct them. But when others don't quite get it and you are not their provider, I try a few times and then let it go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator LT_Oneal_PAC Posted April 10, 2012 Moderator Share Posted April 10, 2012 I was working with a CRNA and a retired RN one day and the CRNA (who is older and didn't really know any PAs) said "So you're going to be a NP now?" The other nurse quickly said "No no, he's going to be a PA. On the hierarchy it's much better and more respected than an NP." I started to open my mouth to try and be modest, but then I shut it because it may be the only time I ever hear that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFarnsworth Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 I was working with a CRNA and a retired RN one day and the CRNA (who is older and didn't really know any PAs) said "So you're going to be a NP now?" The other nurse quickly said "No no, he's going to be a PA. On the hierarchy it's much better and more respected than an NP." I started to open my mouth to try and be modest, but then I shut it because it may be the only time I ever hear that. That's awesome. I never heard that before, and I've been in practice for 12 years. I have heard employers say, "we prefer and NP for this job" and when I ask them why they have no idea that PAs can practice without their SP being connected to them at the hip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unewillow Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Your neighbor sounds like my neighbor. I too have tried correcting him, but now I just smile and let it go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator rev ronin Posted April 10, 2012 Administrator Share Posted April 10, 2012 Have you considered that it may not be misunderstanding so much as residual stereotypes? There was a time, not outside of the older gentleman's lifetime, when a female medical professional was, without many exceptions, a nurse. I love older nurses who have good attitudes. They are an asset to any clinician. The goodbye I said to my last preceptor's nurse was "When I'm on my own seeing patients, I want a nurse just like you", because she has experience enough to guess what is going on in odd cases, and when she said "I have never seen anything quite like this" you sat up and took notice. As an aside, I wonder if nursing will lose some of its prestige because so many capable and intelligent young women are choosing "better" healthcare careers? The RN's who are administrators and whatnot generally came in when nursing was "the" route into healthcare. Their successors are not choosing nursing with anything near that frequency, now that they have other workable choices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quarternote Posted April 10, 2012 Author Share Posted April 10, 2012 Thanks guys. I know that in this area it is very much a stereotype. It just gets old...as in walking in to round and hearing: I have to go the Dr's nurse is here. My sp is great. If he hears it he makes a joke and says oh she's not a nurse, she will not like it if you call her that and chuckles....my neighbor is another thing. Some of my neighbors eventually become my patients. Like I said I was just venting. Thanks for the response...I just need to keep a sense of humor about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFarnsworth Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 I think rev is right, the stereotypes are still out there. My neighbor asked me once if I was a nurse (I was wearing my lab coat), and I said, no, but my husband is. She apologized for the "sexist" comment but I thought it was interesting that her first instinct was that I was a nurse. Maybe I should have told her I was a rocket scientist... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Steve Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 :-) Sometimes it is not a matter of knowing what I am but rather self awareness of what I am not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToppDog Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 Have you considered that it may not be misunderstanding so much as residual stereotypes? There was a time, not outside of the older gentleman's lifetime, when a female medical professional was, without many exceptions, a nurse... I was thinking this too :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFarnsworth Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 [ATTACH=CONFIG]881[/ATTACH]:-) Sometimes it is not a matter of knowing what I am but rather self awareness of what I am not. Love it Just Steve! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quarternote Posted April 12, 2012 Author Share Posted April 12, 2012 Lol! When we first moved in My husband (who is not in the medical profession) was working in our yard. A different neighbor came up to him and asked if he was my "yard boy" :-) he said: "yeah, yard boy with benefits" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sk732 Posted April 19, 2012 Share Posted April 19, 2012 Maybe the guy is hoping that he'll be your "doctor"...given the PhD. In Art History. Of course, that degree may also explain his cluelessness...:=D: SK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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