Nursing should be re-named?

[SunshinePie]

Was pondering over this recently, is calling “nursing” is a bit old fashioned? You now need a degree to be a nurse, and they often are pretty much doing junior doctor jobs. Calling it something else that recognises it’s academic demands, and also more inclusive to males wanting to work in the field…something like Healthcare Medic / Healthcare Practitioner/ Assistant Medic…. Or similar, you get the idea….

-YABU, it should be kept “nurse”, it’s traditional and has roots in “nursing an infant” ie breastfeeding (that reflects the caring nature)

-YANBU it’s old fashioned, insulting to people with degrees and esp males.

@Notallangels

I never said I was

Are you really that blinkered that you cant see how a doctor would be part of the team and not the boss?

that surprises me because I forever hear “I’m just a healthcare assistant” or “I’m a healthcare assistant at the moment but I’m wanting to train as a nurse”. I have never heard a HCA claim to be a nurse.

I was talking about nurses I know, not nurses generally.

And yes, there are some bad nurses, there are also some bad doctors, and engineers, and taxi drivers, and teachers, and ... That doesn't change the fact that the title of 'nurse' doesn't need to be changed.

Being called a nurse is not the problem.

Being chronically underpaid and over worked is the problem.

The consultant is the boss... that's the way hospitals are run.

I get that your ego doesn't want to accept that the young doctors you work with are more qualified than you. But the buck stops with the doctor.

That's why ANPs pounce on the day 1 FY1 to prescribe anything they don't feel 100% comfortable prescribing. Why nurses write "doctor informed" in the notes to cover themselves.

You can't have it both ways. Either you escalate deteriorating patients to the FY1 because they're ultimately more responsible than you, or the FY1 is somehow beneath you.

That was true 30 years ago but not now. Many nursing roles require diagnosing and prescribing. I'm not saying that was a good thing, I've been nursing 35 years, the caring role is no longer valued, it was when I started.

I’m a nurse, I don’t need the name of my role to change. I also agree with a previous poster that it should be a protected title.

@Notallangels

My ego is fine thanks. I'm very secure in my opinion of my professional ability.

More qualified? Depends on your definition.Certainly not more experienced.

I have no choice but to escalate as that is protocol. But most of the time they come and tell me to do what I've already done.

I dont think FY1s are beneath me. But they're not above me either. Neither are consultants.

Thankfully the consultants I work with would be horrified to think anyone thought they should be.

When I came back to work in the pandemic (from retirement) I was given the title Registered Health Care Practitioner. 40 years a nurse and given a different label. Even our occupational health department didn’t know what a RHCP was.

People know what a nurse is. Why change it.

Dear God, I could not care any less if someone zapped me with a could not care less stick.💤

Charge nurse.

Luckily not all nurses view junior doctors in the same way that Topgub does.

Another proud nurse here. I'm an RMN.

I don't think the title needs to be changed at all. Everyone understands what it means.

I've been in nursing for more years than I care to remember and have never had an issue with doctors. We're all part of a team.

I started my nurse training in 1990. At the time they were piloting diploma level courses, so you could do either the traditional training or what was known as Project 2000 which was diploma level, of course nursing is now degree level. My training was apprenticeship model. I was employed by the hospital that trained me, and with a few exceptions was counted as a member of staff on the ward's. So 6 weeks in the School of Nursing and that was ir, I was on the ward's, giving injections and meds (supervised of course). You'd move round the hospital so a typical year would be 1 week Introduction to Acute, followed by 12 weeks on an Acute ward, then a week in School with completed assignments, end of module exams, the annual leave, then 1 week Introduction to Rehabilitation, 12 weeks rehab ward, 1 week consolidation, exams, then annual leave, then the same again for Care of Older Adults.

I know why they changed it to diploma and degree level, it was mainly to make is equal to OTs, SALTs, Physios etc but I loved my training.

The fact I haven't a degree may have made it more difficult for me to move upwards. In theory it shouldn't matter, in practice it does. However, I trained to be a nurse. I have no desire to be a manager. Its too much hassle and takes me away from the work I enjoy which is talking to and helping patients. I think those who ARE managers, (and doctors!) are highly appreciative of experienced staff at grass roots level.

@TabithaTittlemouse

How exactly do I view doctors?

@Topgub Anyway it was the instant omg don't dare say nurses are anything like doctors!!

But they simply are not. Even the degree is questionable as to whether it should still be a diploma. I certainly would not like a diagnosis and a treatment plan from a nurse, I could google that level of knowledge myself.

My definition is very simple: they have a medical degree and you don't.

The value of nursing experience is immense. If a nurse comes to a doctor and says "I know his observations are fine, but I've got a bad feeling about Mr X in 8:2", they best sit up and listen.

But that doesn't mean the nurse is a doctor.

Your hierarchy stinks. Care assistant is often used in a care/nursing home and the skills are TOTALLY different to a CSW by far.

Since moving to the NHS it's CSW that is the common term... and since you have a band 4 and a registered band 4 I would really pipe down!

Nurses are carers also! Well the best nurses I've worked with are

@Notallangels

That they do.

Does that make them more qualified in health care?

Not so sure

It certainly doesn't make them my boss or above me.

They have skills and knowledge I don't and vice versa.

Both are integral to pt care and should be equally valued

@growandhope

Crack on.

The fact you don't think a 5-6 year degree in anatomy, physiology and pathology makes someone more qualified in practicing medicine than you is frankly the Dunning-Kruger Effect in action.

@Notallangels

I didnt say medicine.

DH is in hospital, having just had a big op.
Every time I ask a nurse about his recovery, I'm told they'll get the doctor to phone me.

You're not talking about "healthcare" when you're discussing diagnosing and treating patients - that's medicine.

As an advanced nurse practitioner I’d have to seriously disagree. I see patients independently, assess, order tests, diagnose, create a treatment plan and prescribe treatments and follow up. I am far more knowledgable in my area than a junior doctor (and better paid).
V proud to be a nurse though, I don’t want ‘associate medic’ as though I’m trying to be a doctor. I’m not- i want to be a nurse!