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Wolfie
International Captain
- Jan 14, 2015
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I'd disagree with you tbh about not calling them health professionals, although at the same time i think you have a valid point. I personally think its difficult to just put all nurses in the same bracket when there are so many different levels of nurses out there. There is a massive difference for example between an AIN and an EN, same with an RN and a clinical nurse. Clinical nurses are pretty much doctors by another name these days, but again, you cant really lump all doctors in the same bracket either.Nashy nailed it. They aren't health professionals in the sense that many of them think they are. In the same way a brickie's labourer is not a tradesman, an airline cabin staff member is not a pilot nurses, wonderful people they frequently are, most definitely are not qualified to speak authoritively nor judge on matters concerning health.
I've encountered counter staff in chemists who believe they're health professionals. It's true that like nurses they are on the periphery but are simply not qualified to make truly informed pronouncements concerning health.
This does not mean a well informed person cannot learn enough or acquire sufficient knowledge to make a sound decision on such a thing as vaccination. Of course a nurse can. The real danger is someone in that position becoming convinced they are 'expert' because of their tangential exposure. As is said, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
Nurses work in the health industry but are not 'health professionals' IN MY OPINION. This doesn't make them worthless or mean that their opinions are necessarily uninformed.
I do agree though about some of these idiots who think just because they are a nurse they can pass of their opinions as gospel. I think if they got challenged about their qualifications to speak on some of these matters i think they would be found wanting.