Nurse Marge in Charge

Dear Nurse Marge,

What do you say to patients when they ask “When are you going to become a doctor?” I get this all of the time (it might be because I’m a male nurse but some of my female colleagues get it too!) and I never know what to say!

I’m Good With Being a Nurse, Thanks!

Dear I’m Good With Being a Nurse, Thanks!

Immediately after my lobotomy.

That’s my answer of choice, although you have to be careful not to share it with patients immediately in front of a doctor! The public doesn’t realize that nursing is a highly skilled profession; any opportunity we’re presented to change that image is a good one — provided, of course, you’re not doing any of the seven million other things that come into the typical shift, including the channel-changing, pillow-fluffing, call-light answering, family-member herding that appears to be the lion’s share of the day and that trivial nonsense of saving people’s lives.

I turn to you, my readership: I know you’re funny folks! What do you say when people ask when you’re going to be a doctor?

Good Luck!

Nurse Marge