Are nurse's and physician's colleagues?

My children's new pediatrician, on finding that I was a nurse, made the comment: "It's so much easier explaining something to a colleague, then it is to a lay person." While I appreciate her intended meaning (that I could be more readily instructed in treatment modalities because I understood their rationale), it got me contemplating ... While I assuredly do not consider myself a handmaiden or think of Dr. E. Go as my "boss,"


Do you consider physicians your colleagues? And vis a vis, do you believe physicians consider you a colleague (obviously the antiquated hedonist need not apply)?
Quote from kalirnmy children's new pediatrician, on finding that i was a nurse, made the comment: "it's so much easier explaining something to a colleague, then it is to a lay person." while i appreciate her intended meaning (that i could be more readily instructed in treatment modalities because i understood their rationale), it got me contemplating ... While i assuredly do not consider myself a handmaiden or think of dr. E. Go as my "boss," do you consider physicians your colleagues? And vis a vis, do you believe physicians consider you a colleague (obviously the antiquated hedonist need not apply)?

I consider myself a colleague. Most docs do, too, but of course some don't.

A more interesting question would be: do most doctors see nurses as their colleagues. I see doctors as colleagues along with the pharmacists, PT, OT and respiratory therapists. The tone is set by the senior doctors in my hospital. The ICU director at my hospital is a former PA, and nursing input is a part of rounds.

Yes, I think we're colleagues. Sure, some doctors don't think so, but that's their problem. I think your children's pediatrician was sweet to say that. I think she's a keeper.

Yeah, a good number of 'em are utterly unconscious of rank when in problem-solving mode, which is good, 'cause so am I.

Some docs have been colleagues and some have not. Just depends on the doc. Most of them value my nursing opinion and very few of them have actually tried to throw me under the bus....so I think the "nurses are handmaidens" thing is not as prevalent as it has been in the past.

Absolutely! Why would you think anything less? It sounds like you have a very outdated idea of the nurse/doctor relationship. We work together as a team; gone (supposedly) are the days when docs were considered with a God like status barking orders without a care. Mutual respect and understanding are the only way patients will get there due.Self confidence is key. If you know or work with a doc who doesn't work and act like there an equal part of the health care team you need to set that one straight.

I think we are all parts of the health care team and hence, we are colleagues. The docs with whom I regularly work seem to view the relationship that way, too.I also view the CNAs, housekeepers, dietary folks, etc as my colleagues.In order for the system to function, all the parts need to work.

I do, and all but a couple of our very old school doctors do as well. The docs I work with depend on my to give them clear, accurate summaries of patient status in order to direct their ordering for ongoing care.

I wouldn't say that nurses and physicians are colleagues per se. And I wouldn't say that a CNA or a pharmacist, or occuptional therapist are colleagues either. I'm not implying that it is like a caste system; they are just different, unique professions, and a colleague seems to more accurately describe someone who is a member of your profession. Of course different disciplines ideally ought to work together in a collegial fashion.