Nurses or any medical people..... Question for you

[npmommie]

Does it bother you when people ask for medical advice or ask you to do something?
Someone I know casually asked me if I would take stitches out of her husbands hand!!!!!!
I don't know these people that well I can't get over that she even asked! I said no. I really think she thought I would do it.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I'm not either, but ewwww.

Who does that? Asking for stitches removal (to save a buck, I might add!) is not tantamount to advice. I don't ask friends to perform medical tasks. I know a few nurses.

 

[dakcp2001]

My first semester of nursing school people started calling with questions. I was like you should prob ask someone who finished school ?!!??!!

 

[NHdisneylover]

Asking for suture removal is going too far as (as a pp pointed out) it is not advice but actually a task. I don't see any big deal with people actually asking you for ADVICE though. People tend to do that with all kinds of professions. They ask friends who are auto mechanics what to do about a noise the car is making, or they ask friends who teach for ideas on how to handle an issue with their child. It's normal to turn to people you know who have some experience in an area for a first line of advice.

 

[indimom]

Asking for suture removal is going too far as (as a pp pointed out) it is not advice but actually a task. I don't see any big deal with people actually asking you for ADVICE though. People tend to do that with all kinds of professions. They ask friends who are auto mechanics what to do about a noise the car is making, or they ask friends who teach for ideas on how to handle an issue with their child. It's normal to turn to people you know who have some experience in an area for a first line of advice.

Agree 100%. We've asked for advice from friends who were mechanics, teachers, nurses, contractors, personal trainers, etc. We do NOT ask them to do a job for us for free. And I wouldn't put a medical professional at risk by asking them to do a procedure outside the office anyway (no matter how "simple" that procedure might seem).

 

[WL Fan]

With some of the questions I get, I'd way rather take out a few stitches! I've had people ask me all kinds of things from what to do with their puking kid to older men with chest pain. It's a lot of responsibility, but people really don't know what they should do sometimes, so I always end my advice with "but you really should see your doctor." I don't want to be responsible for what someone else finally decides to do.

 

[Agri]

Not so much stitches, but I think it happens to everyone in a dedicated profession. My mom is a retired teacher who had brain surgery last December, which is definitely obvious when she gets tired or stressed, and people will still ask her about their kids' problems in school. They completely skip over the fact that she only ever taught kindergarten, too, but that does not stop someone from asking about their kid's calculus class.

As soon as someone hears you are in x profession, they start asking *you* questions they should be asking their doctor, lawyer, teacher, etc.

About the stitches...that's weird if you do not know them very well, but I know a lot of people who do not have health insurance do not want to pay for another doctor visit to have stitches removed from a minor wound. If I was in that situation, I would not ask someone unless I already knew that they would be willing to help me because they knew my personal issues (no insurance, etc.).

 

[npmommie]

With some of the questions I get, I'd way rather take out a few stitches! I've had people ask me all kinds of things from what to do with their puking kid to older men with chest pain. It's a lot of responsibility, but people really don't know what they should do sometimes, so I always end my advice with "but you really should see your doctor." I don't want to be responsible for what someone else finally decides to do.

yes this is what I say too. I really don't mind the questions, but sometimes its something complex, and I don't want to be responsible so I always always say check with your own doctor.

About the stitches...that's weird if you do not know them very well, but I know a lot of people who do not have health insurance do not want to pay for another doctor visit to have stitches removed from a minor wound. If I was in that situation, I would not ask someone unless I already knew that they would be willing to help me because they knew my personal issues (no insurance, etc.).

I only know the mom from gymnastics. talking in the waiting area. I have never met her husband.
she is very nice, and does have insurance ( I only know because she is a teacher )
so I think its a saving the copay and time factor.
anyway, I told her how to do it herself if she doesn't really want to see the doc again. Its pretty simple, not rocket science LOL.

 

[Acklander]

People all the time ask me tax questions, I don't mind answering if it's a simple question.
Many times I'll ask people questions about their profession when I'm at a party or something. It's not that I'm trying to get free advice but more of an "ice breaker". When people talk about something they know, they relax more.

The taking out the stitches question is weird - sounds like you gave the perfect answer though. I know it's not difficult taking out my own (I've done it before) but sometimes people are a little uncertain about things that they're told the Dr. needs to do. I'm sure the person who asked felt much better about doing it herself after you told her it wasn't a big deal.

 

[RachelEllen]

I really don't mind, but, I'm so specialized (neonatology) that I can just tell most people that their questions are out of my field. I also warn people that I'm going to be very conservative in my response, so there's a very good chance I'll be telling them to either call their doctor or go to the ER unless it is a very clear-cut question.

I don't mind the occasional procedure if its something I can easily and safely do. I've fixed a nursemaids elbow, drained a subungeal hematoma (big fingernail bruise) and taken stiches out of my neice. But if that was a common request, I might think twice. (And the non niece procedures were both on airplanes, so the people didn't have many options!)

 

[MulanUSAF]

I don't mind giving out advice, but just because I went to medical school doesn't mean I'm an expert in every specialty. I also hate it when people think they can be their own doctors and then wants my opinion (more like agreement) on their self-diagnosis.

For example, a lady that I volunteer with asked me if I could take a look at her daughter's knee. The poor girl was hobbling around in pain with her knee wrapped in an Ace bandage. I asked how long has it been and she said, "oh about two weeks, but I don't think it's serious... the co-pay is so expensive and I hate to go through all that trouble and then have them tell me there's nothing really wrong with it like I thought" I told her she needs to take her daughter to an urgent care or orthopedic specialist right away. She was like, "we might do that if it doesn't get better soon..." UGH! I did mention to her that if her daughter is in pain and going to school like that, the teachers may call Child Protective Services on her. I hope that got through her tightfisted mindset... she's not an awful woman, just very very frugal about money in general.

 

[npmommie]

I don't mind giving out advice, but just because I went to medical school doesn't mean I'm an expert in every specialty. I also hate it when people think they can be their own doctors and then wants my opinion (more like agreement) on their self-diagnosis.

For example, a lady that I volunteer with asked me if I could take a look at her daughter's knee. The poor girl was hobbling around in pain with her knee wrapped in an Ace bandage. I asked how long has it been and she said, "oh about two weeks, but I don't think it's serious... the co-pay is so expensive and I hate to go through all that trouble and then have them tell me there's nothing really wrong with it like I thought" I told her she needs to take her daughter to an urgent care or orthopedic specialist right away. She was like, "we might do that if it doesn't get better soon..." UGH! I did mention to her that if her daughter is in pain and going to school like that, the teachers may call Child Protective Services on her. I hope that got through her tightfisted mindset... she's not an awful woman, just very very frugal about money in general.

Yes I hate that too!

I have also had people ask me to write prescriptions for them. one family member visiting from FL even had the nerve to ask me to write her a narcotic script!!!!!

ummmmm NO!

 

[ols386]

I think it would depend on specifically what they are asking you to do, and also how well they know you. If it's a close family member, I think that might make a difference, but again, depending on what it was.

 

[yoopermom]

My SIL is a GP, and is very strict about NOT being a medical professional during her time off. This has caused some hard feelings in the family, not because we expect her to remove stitches, but because once a year or so something happens that we would appreciate her advice on. (Example: at a summer picnic an elderly relative fell in the bathroom and skinned her forehead. My DF asked SIL, "Should we take her to the ER, or do you think a bandaid would do?" She refused to answer, so we asked the fallee if she would like an ambulance called, and she said, "Get out the bandaids!") I'd like to think that if a *true* medical emergency happened at a family gathering that she would respond, but...

Terri

 

[krcit]

So you're saying that I shouldn't have asked the gynecologist I met in the grocery store to take a quick look..................

 

[ols386]

So you're saying that I shouldn't have asked the gynecologist I met in the grocery store to take a quick look..................

 

[Miniefan]

I'm not a nurse or doc, I'm a Dental Assistant and ever since I graduated people are always asking me about the teeth or to look inside their mouths

 

[mickeymedic]

I'm a paramedic - so anyone who might want medical advice from me needs to know that most of my medical consult conversations end with "what hospital would you like to go to today?"

 

[Squirrel!!!]

I am in the veterinary field, and when I was younger, I had people step over the line all of the time, in my opinion. At a party....can I cut toenails on their 7 100 lb unruly brutes?, Discuss why their previous Veterinarian was a money grubbing jerk?

But, I do not have that happen anymore. Maybe I am just better at stopping people in their tracks, or with age comes respect?

I am more than happy to give some general advice, but mostly recommend that the animal see a health care professional.

However, my DH gets questions all the time. He, by marrying me, is a veterinarian by proxy.

It is funny. Maybe I am too scary and they have to go through him?

I do get asked human medical questions all of the time though, and my response is that people are not my species.

 

[cm8]

I don't mind giving out advice, but just because I went to medical school doesn't mean I'm an expert in every specialty. I also hate it when people think they can be their own doctors and then wants my opinion (more like agreement) on their self-diagnosis.

For example, a lady that I volunteer with asked me if I could take a look at her daughter's knee. The poor girl was hobbling around in pain with her knee wrapped in an Ace bandage. I asked how long has it been and she said, "oh about two weeks, but I don't think it's serious... the co-pay is so expensive and I hate to go through all that trouble and then have them tell me there's nothing really wrong with it like I thought" I told her she needs to take her daughter to an urgent care or orthopedic specialist right away. She was like, "we might do that if it doesn't get better soon..." UGH! I did mention to her that if her daughter is in pain and going to school like that, the teachers may call Child Protective Services on her. I hope that got through her tightfisted mindset... she's not an awful woman, just very very frugal about money in general.

Isn't that so true!

I really don't mind, but, I'm so specialized (neonatology) that I can just tell most people that their questions are out of my field. I also warn people that I'm going to be very conservative in my response, so there's a very good chance I'll be telling them to either call their doctor or go to the ER unless it is a very clear-cut question.

I don't mind the occasional procedure if its something I can easily and safely do. I've fixed a nursemaids elbow, drained a subungeal hematoma (big fingernail bruise) and taken stiches out of my neice. But if that was a common request, I might think twice. (And the non niece procedures were both on airplanes, so the people didn't have many options!)

Hey, that was my specialty...I the babies

Does it bother you when people ask for medical advice or ask you to do something?
Someone I know casually asked me if I would take stitches out of her husbands hand!!!!!!
I don't know these people that well I can't get over that she even asked! I said no. I really think she thought I would do it.

no, but it does depend on why they are asking!