As a nurse, I routinely tell friends who inquire of a diagnosis that it’s okay to get a second opinion. As an oncology nurse, if one of my friends or family received a cancer diagnosis, I’d definitely say see another physician to confirm the diagnosis and treatment plan. Yet, when it comes to my personal life and that of my immediate family, I must say I don’t always follow my own advice.

I have a son who has been sick off and on for about nine months now. He gets sick, we go to the doctor, he gets an antibiotic, he gets better. For a week. Repeat.

For a while now my husband has been saying he wanted to go to another pediatrician for a second opinion of my son’s illnesses. As much as I knew he was right, I hemmed and hawed for a good two months. I was torn. I really enjoy our pediatrician, who cares for all my children. I was afraid of hurting her feelings. There. I said it.

Even though my pediatrician and I are both professionals and both understand the value of second opinions, I still live in the same culture as everyone else. It is slowly changing, but for the most part the (first) physician is always right, or so our culture tells us. With all of my healthcare training and network of friends and colleagues, many of whom are healthcare and patient advocates, I still had issues getting a second opinion from another pediatrician.

As it turns out, the second opinion was exactly what we needed. However, it just goes to show that second opinions are hard for nurses, too.