My mouth is stuck open in dismay after reading "'It Depends': Medical Residents' Perspectives on Working with Nurses" (Original Research, July). Residents continue to leave school and hit the floors with a superior attitude. The idea that only a vast resume of education credits could put us on an even playing field with physicians is ridiculous, to say the least. As a new RN, I don't know what I would have done without seasoned LVN colleagues taking me under their wings. And some of the best physicians I've ever worked with were nurses first. They are more in tune with their patients and treat us nurses with the respect we've earned.

Residents who commented in the article that they'd heard "horror stories" about nurses make it sound like only we make mistakes. Too many nurses can relate the same type of stories about residents and attending physicians who operated on the wrong limb or left objects inside patients undergoing surgery, or ordered the wrong dose of medication. All health care providers should be their patients' advocates and aim to achieve the best outcomes.

Physicians need to understand that I am their eyes and ears in the middle of the night. It shouldn't be a bother when I call-it's essential to providing high-quality patient care. Residency is a time of continued learning, but too often we're subjected to residents who believe they've learned all they need to know and that nurses should simply toe the line. As a nurse, I strive to learn something new every day because it's the best way to improve patient care.

Penny May-Johnston, RN

Lubbock, TX