Undercover "Boss"

It all began the Friday before Halloween. Many of the office staff were dressed up in various costumes including Waldo, a butterfly fairy and a few other costumes of sorts. Of course keeping with professionalism but still fun nonetheless. One of our doctors walked by me, in *gasp* "nurses" scrubs with a stethoscope around her neck. She was not wearing her white lab coat, so thinking it was purposeful, I asked, "Are you supposed to be a nurse?" She stopped, looked astounded and wondered why I would think such a thing. Well. Let me tell you..doctors typically wear dingy, blue scrubs that don't fit anyone with a white lab coat that practically screams, "I'M A DOCTOR!" That day she was wearing black (cute) drawstring scrub pants with a hot pink and black fitted scrub top. Much like I wore during my short stint at Centerpoint Medical Center. She didn't think that she looked like a nurse and I chuckled to myself as I knew the "fun" she would have dressed "like a nurse." I playfully "warned" of what to expect being dressed as a nurse..such as being asked to find a chart..etc. I don't think she believed me. Okay, this should be interesting...

Well I was not disappointed...One day, this doctor was mistaken for a nurse while a disgruntled patient, upset with her care at another location came to us..she assumed Doc was a nurse and decided to confide in her how much she disliked most doctors..Fortunately, this doctor was able to laugh it off and shared a chuckle with the patient when the truth came out. Then she was given a chair to sit on in a patient's recovery room after a very long surgery and got an odd look from one of the staff members. He remarked,"Oh, I thought you were a nurse.." (Remember, nurses aren't allowed to sit, pee or eat.)

It does go both ways, however. When I wear those dingy, blue scrubs and my white lab coat, I am sometimes referred to as "Doctor." This happens most while I am making rounds on patients that I had not met in the office. I am always quick to correct them as I am NOT trying to be a doctor nor do I wish to be. But as my doctor got to glimpse these past few weeks, dressing like "a nurse" is not always ideal...especially when she got handed a dirty diaper by a patient while making rounds the other day. She was astounded that anyone would hand a dirty diaper to a nurse to throw away..yep, nurses get to clean up all the yucky messes.

So I will continue to wear my dingy, blue "doctor" scrubs, but will never forget how hard I worked to get here and how hard (and sometimes under-appreciated) nurses work. Meanwhile, my doctor continues be the "undercover boss." Can't wait to hear of her adventures..