it’s not that it wasn’t funny. and believe me, it’s not that i don’t have a sense of humor. i found the whole thing realistically funny. it is one thing to be witty, it is another thing to be down right humorous. i’m pretty sure you will agree with me that michelle is the whole package.

with an opening like that, i hope i made it crystal clear that this post is not against michelle. i do not have any intention to offend her or any of her avid readers, (because i am one of them) and i totally respect her and what she does, both as a doctor and a mother, as she relates in her blog.

the last picture of one of her latest scutmonkey cartoons was laugh out loud funny. it didn’t only make me roll over the floor laughing, but it amazed me how michelle accurately integrated humor into the reality that is so universal among the heirarchy of doctors. the whole picture was undeniably funny, except for one thing.

one very disturbing thing…
the generalized image of a headnurse. a person who “eats medical students for breakfast”.

the fact that nobody among the 40 commenters (as of this time) expressed concern about this image of a headnurse is an implication that this must be happening everywhere where there are medical students and headnurses. it is implied that this is not just a cheap shot to use hyperbolic humor, but it is the sad reality out there. even i, can attest to that reality. it is true that there are nurses like them, and they are vicious. in fact, they not only eat medical students for breakfast, but they also snack on new nurses as if they are entitled to.

my whole point is not to disagree with the issue implied by michelle, but to understand and eventually put an end to this whole “you-are-just-a-medical-student/intern/newbie-i-am-the-mighty-headnurse-you-must-kiss-my-ass” scenario in the teaching hospitals. i know that is a difficult task, but you can’t blame me if i want to try.

so, charge/headnurses, why THE attitude?

why is this so prevalent? is this some kind of a revenge? were you humiliated, insulted, offended, or abused by doctors in the past? do you  get a certain exhilirating sense of power and satisfaction if you embarass someone? were you battered children? are you lonely? do you need attention? don’t you have enough self esteem to keep your mouth shut instead of criticise? where are you coming from? what are you trying to accomplish by being mean? what are you  trying to teach those who are closely watching you?

WHAT are you thinking? where did you get the idea that you can smugly stand there, and ruin other nurses indirectly?

by modeling out an attitude that forces medical students to stick to a negative impression that will last a lifetime, you have built a wall between nurses and doctors that is difficult to tear. by showing other nurses that such cruel behavior can be done without flinching, you make it easier for them to fall into the same annoying cycle.

i wish i have that magic wand. the kind that i can wave over the heads of those self absorbed nurses. a magic spell that will make them realize how important it is to break the degrading cycle of “eating” people for breakfast. a wand that will make hostility and animosty disappear, and replace it with a basic sense of community.

that’s what we’re supposed to be. a commnunity. a group of caring people with a common goal. the goal to help the sick and to encourage each other. we’re supposed to be a team of professionals who provides and advocates for patients’ needs while inspiring each other to be better persons.

that’s what we should aim for, to be better persons.
we should never find it impressive that medical students are terrified to call us their ally.

that is not impressive. to me, that is saddening.