Yes, I am a nurse, but I am not “just a nurse.” Nursing is one of the largest occupations out there. I went into nursing right away out of high school. I actually took my CNA course while in high school (Certified Nursing Assistant). First I was a nurses aide, then I became a LPN, and now I am an RN. I have worked at 2 nursing homes, a hospital, a homecare and hospice agency, and now a clinic. I have worked rotating shifts, holidays, days, nights, evenings, 8 hours shifts, 12 hour shifts, and I have worked for 16 hours too when pulling a double. I’ve been on call all hours of the night.
The topic of nursing is something I have never really talked about much on my blog before, but I feel like I need to stand up for this amazing occupation after the Miss America pageant.
What am I talking about?
Miss Colorado Kelley Johnson who is a RN came on stage during the talent section during Miss America and gave a monologue that she wrote about the nursing career and the idea of being “just a nurse.” She wore scrubs, tennis shoes, and had a stethoscope around her neck.
Here is her monologue below.
So I’ll be honest I never have liked the talk show The View-never have and now I definitely never will. I feel like it is just a show about a bunch of ladies who constantly talk over each other-I just was never impressed with the show. I saw the video of their viewpoint of Miss Colorado’s performance yesterday on Facebook. The video made me mad!
Here is the link to hear what they said on The View.
My thoughts are below! …..
Dear The View ladies,
Being a nurse myself, these comments are very degrading towards the nursing profession. Your comments just show complete ignorance.
- “She came out in a nurse’s uniform and basically read her emails out loud and shockingly did not win I was like that is not a real talent. I swear to God it was hilarious.”
- “Why does she have a doctor’s stethoscope around her neck?”
- “She helps patient’s with Alzheimer’s which I know is not funny, but I swear it you have to see it.”
First of all, it is not a doctor’s stethoscope. It is just a stethoscope. A stethoscope is a device used to auscultate or listen to the heart, the lungs, and the bowel sounds. A nurse cannot do a complete assessment without one. It can also be used to measure a blood pressure (a very important vital sign) along with a blood pressure cuff (I thought about using the proper term for this, but that would be way over your head). There are other professions that use stethoscopes as well such as a respiratory therapist. A nurses aide uses it too! OMG really how? They can take blood pressures too!
Apparently, you at the View have never been hospitalized or needed any help from a nurse, nurses aide, or a respiratory therapist. Doctors trust their nurses to make accurate assessments of their patients and update them as needed. In the hospital setting the doctor comes in usually once a day and the rest is up to the nurse. It is usually the nurse that tells the doctor about the crackles that just started in the patient. Guess how she or he heard those crackles-by using a stethoscope. Woah-who knew? Right? That is just one of the many assessments that a nurse could make with a stethoscope.
Second of all, no it is not “hilarious.” You’re very naive and ignorant for thinking that her monologue is funny. I’m sure Joe or his family weren’t laughing when he got the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease. For you to say that Kelley “basically read her emails out loud and shockingly did not win” was a horrible and degrading thing to say. What kind of emails do you think hospitals, clinics, or any other medical setting send around?!? Are you really that ignorant? No she did not take that from an email she took that from her heart. See she took care of Joe and got to know him as a person. She will always remember Joe.
I worked at a nursing home for awhile and it was always hard when one of the residents passed away. I will always remember the first death I experienced while being a nurses aide at the nursing home. I remember exactly which room she was in. I remember the first time I had to do CPR. I remember everything about it. I remember being a Hospice nurse and being with families during one of the hardest times of their lives. I remember being a student nurse and watching a baby being born into this world and watching how happy the parents were-it was such an emotional experience I shed some tears of joy with the parents. We remember these people because we have hearts, not a work email account.
Imagine finding out you have Alzheimer’s Disease and you’re going to at one time forget who you are or who your family is. No it is not funny! I have a lot of good memories with Alzheimer’s patients. It is a dream of mine to open an Alzheimer’s care center.
Nurses are one of the largest populations of workforce out there and for you to degrade her speech with those comments is just disrespectful among the whole nursing population. I hope that you or your family are never sick. It might be a wake up call to what nurses really do!
Honestly, everybody in the workforce is important. Yes, the hospital would not run without nurses. But, it wouldn’t run without nutrition services, housekeeping, etc either. Every job is important and it is so rude for you to downgrade us nurses!
Yes, it was a lot different than the normal singing, dancing, and baton twirling talents that people normally do. It does take a special person to be a nurse. Not anybody could do it! It takes a special talent to place an IV in a dehydrated little baby with hardly any veins. It takes talent to calm a combative patient down. It takes talent to be a nurse to children.
With all this being said-I will continue to not watch The View! Due to your ignorance you sadly lost a lot of viewers. #boycotttheview #nursesrock #nursessticktogether #nursing
I am not just a nurse. I am more than that! I am a healer, a listener, and a patient advocate. Good Job Kelley! You have my vote!
Sincerely,
Brittany RN
The Beauty Deputy 