Watchers vs. Doers

16 The nursing world is divided into one of two groups. Watchers and Doers.

Doers = Nurses who's hands actually touch the patients

Watchers = Managers, Supervisors, CNS, etc

Why is it that it always seems like becoming a watcher is considered "moving up". It seems to me that nurses who acturally touch patients are looked upon as the ditch diggers of the nursing world.

Realize this, patients are in the hospital because they need help. The kind of help they need requires hands touching them. If they didn't require hands touching them, then they wouldn't need to be in the hospital. That is where the rubber meets the road and the real "service" they are there for.

The service could continue with half as many watchers, but without Doers there is no service.
I prefer to be a doer.Nice post.

As a "Doer", I strongly agree.Well said. Especially with your last sentence.

I'm a doer!Isn't that why we went into nursing in the first place??Great post and I, too, thought the last sentence was well said!

But if they were watching, wouldn't they know what was going on?

Quote from systolyBut if they were watching, wouldn't they know what was going on?

I sure hope they are watching what they're doing!

I've been a "doer" and a "watcher".It does go both ways, you need both. The so called "watchers" are there to provide best practice for the doers, guideline which allow you too keep your licenses in good standing and so much more.the "watchers" are "doers" too, even though they may not me physically touching patients.

Let me tell you that not all watchers are "Managers, Supervisors, CNS, etc". In fact, I left my last job because too many people in the "doers" category were in fact "watchers" without the pay grade!

To a lot of peopleDoer = blue collar worker, less status, more dirty work.Watcher=white collar worker, thinker, more status, cleaner workFor the record, I am a hands-on bedside nurse.

I prefer to watch you do. KIDDING. I will always be a doer, even if I was in management, which I would not be, just not for me.

I don't mind when the watchers are watching me do something, but I sure as heck take exception to the peanut gallery telling me which color I should paint the deck when the ship is sinking. Nothing makes my blood boil faster.

I am a doer and satisfied with my status. Some doers who want to become a watcher may be very nasty they think they will be promoted faster if they are nasty. I used to work in the biggest and nastiest hospital in my area. Once I wanted to go to a different department and asked my friend from a float pool in which department a manager is good. She replied, "there are no good managers in this hospital. Managers who treat their nurses nicely do not work here longer than a year.