White Collar Nurses

What I Learned Today...

1) I'm less judgmental than I thought. People need compassion. I don't know how you can be in nursing and not understand this basic "how people work" idea. Someone who is a drug user and in the hospital, knows very well--because you can bet they've heard it or felt it from everybody--that what they are doing does not meet with approval. However, a patient who feels judged is never going to open up to you or listen to what you're saying, right? Don't get me wrong, I'm completely against drug use, especially during pregnancy. It just seems to me that you can still show a little care to the mom. She's still human. And, after all, who among us hasn't made mistakes?

2) I don't think I could ever entirely leave the field of nursing behind, as much as it pains me to say it, and it's because of the statement above. My teacher told me today that there are two kinds of nurses: White collar nurses and blue collar nurses. White collar nurses are in nursing because it's their career and it's what they want to do. Blue collar nurses are in it, not to put too fine a point on it, for the money. I personally don't think I would put up with what nurses are expected to put up with just for a little money. Maybe that's just me.