2644
by ErickC
-Got into a minor scuffle with one of the LGSWs who has a particular issue with acting like a know-it-all and in particular acts somewhat dismissive in my direction; is particularly immature for her age and comes from a particularly privileged background. Attempted to explain how, given their patient's akathisia concern comes from chronic medication use would most likely be tardive akathisia; was "corrected" several times that I meant tardive dyskinesia; attempted to cite clinical education materials and explain the difference; she said "I was right, that's tardive dyskinesia!" I rolled my eyes, described the incident to a psych resident (also a POC, of Latin descent) who laughed. Described it to mom today at dinner (was working yesterday, so I took her and my brother out for Mexican today). She's not a clinician, but she used to be a PCA at several group homes for patients with schizophrenia - she noted that she had patients with both and my coworker is a dumbass.
-Later that night, got into another minor scuffle with an RN who didn't like the fact that a patient was boarding overnight. I had just finished talking to the attending physician (a PA) about the plan, which was her plan, not mine, and her thought was, with the patient very intoxicated, she wanted the patient monitored overnight and wanted social work to discuss resources in the morning when the patient was sober and thus more appropriate to meet with. I concurred. The nurse felt the patient was "appropriate and sober enough" because they "could talk and engage and didn't want to stay" and she "didn't think they were holdable." I discussed that I wasn't the one with the authority to discharge the patient and that I could discuss it with the attending physician; I also noted the ethical issues inherent with having a very existential conversation with someone who isn't sober enough to consent and probably wouldn't even remember the conversation in the morning. The nurse dismissively expressed an understanding that I'd talk to the attending.
It's like - bitch? You are an RN with an associate's or bachelor's and a wee bit of experience under your belt. I don't want to be classist about academic credentials because I think experience and judgment are what counts (in fact, several of the social workers who I look up to and respect the most are LSWs with bachelor's degrees), but I had to have a cumulative two years of supervised field experience before I was even allowed to get the master's degree that allowed me to get my learner's permit, then I needed a further two and a half years of supervised clinical experience before I was allowed to take the test to get my big boy degree to practice without eyes over my shoulder. I will tell you when it's appropriate for me to meet with the patient. Call me back when you get your APRN, because then you'll have equivalent credentials to the PA who came up with the plan and the clinical judgment to do the psych assessments I do on the regular. You just don't want to have the patient on your workload. Fuck off. Also, why are you harassing me instead of calling the PA? Oh, that's right, social workers are below you...
I am so goddamned sick and tired of privileged twenty-something white women who have never heard the word "no" in their entire lives getting the bare minimum qualifications and acting like they're god around everyone they think is somehow beneath them, be it by perceived differences in class, job title, or good old-fashioned racism. Every time I meet other POC at professional social service conventions, it's the same fucking story, working with young white women and getting treated like dogshit. Getting talked over, shushed, talked down to, and treated like a goddamned idiot, but you damn well better not ever interrupt anyone or correct them when they're really fucking wrong about something. And don't ever talk about politics, it's very triggering for them - didn't you know that, as women (self-anointed representatives of all women, remember), they have the most to lose?
Total_douche, MSW, LICSW (lulz)
