[SMK1]

Originally Posted by Cajun-Junkie

Does it really matter? The fact is, I could pass the NCLEX with my eyes closed!
You continue to think the way you do, when Im finished with school Ill be able to run circles around you! RN or not!


Amen to that!

Aww, we've come to the often used "run circles around you" phrase. Better buy some good NIKES so you'll be prepared! The curriculum of a CMA vs a BSN is beyond far from comparable so you'd better start training for that marathon. lol

[SMK1]

Originally Posted by Cajun-Junkie

This is why I said what I did.

I dont have to explain myself, or my views, I chose to. I was in no way insulting anyone, I tried to explain why I feel the way I do & I was trying to have a grown up debate. Apparently you guys had it rough in school, I havent had that problem, and I dont anticipate having it in the near future. I can and will continue to think the way I do. I dont have a big ego, Im confidant in my abilities, there's a biiiggg difference.

Confidence is great. I am confident that I could be accepted into medical school. I am smart, I have the grades, I have taken a few of the prereqs and done well. But you know what, if I go over to Student doctor network and spout off that I know just as much as a physician because I took a few of the prereqs and will soon be an RN, they would laugh themselves silly and rightfully so. Now I KNOW, that I am smart enough to become a physician. Just like you know that you are smart enough to become a nurse. No one is debating that because we don't know you. However, since you are NOT a nurse, you also can't presume to tell nurses what they learned in school, because you didn't complete their course of study or take their licensing exam so speculating on how you would do is not worth much. I can say that I could pass the MCAT with a competitive score with my eyes closed because I have studied some of the coursework. Doesn't mean I have a clue.

[SMK1]

Originally Posted by nursingis4me

So what would you do when A PATIENT who doesn't know (or care) about the differences in tile refers to you constantly as a "NURSE"? Do you risk offending the patient (to the point of that person not wanting to return to the practice, thereby losing income for the entire office staff) by correcting them...or gracefully smile, knowing that when referring to yourself or other staff members, you will use correct titles?

What's wrong with saying "this is my assistant ____ who will be assisting you today" ? My doctor's office introduces himself as a medical assistant all the time.

[SMK1]

Originally Posted by nursingis4me

When you work in setting where a good portion of the patient population is older, you must remember that these are people who have different values than you do and may take offense at something which you may deem to be a "kindly correction". These patients are usually of the same age as your very own grandparents, and should be therefore given the respect that position so richly deserves; this may mean biting your tongue when trying to correct them-however "gently" you phrase it-sometimes an elderly patient views you as being disrepectful to your "elders" and won't want to come to a practice where the staff is considered to be disrepectful (even though you weren't). This may be a beloved patient by the doc, so to have that (patient gets "offended" and leaves the practice) happen would cause him or her to question your ability to provide the patients with the care the docs deemed necessary; remember, while we are there to assist the docs and provide patient care, it is also a service industry-one in which an unoffical mantra is "the patient/customer comes 1st (and is usually right-as ultimately patients generate income and jobs for us all)."

Nope, not buying it. It is against the law to impersonate a nurse or a physician. Introduce yourself from the beginning as the title that you are and you shouldn't have any problems. I worked as a nursing assistant in an ALF and never once offended anyone (elderly or not) by politely correcting them and attending to their needs.

[SMK1]

Originally Posted by nursingis4me

Hopefully, you'll never have that experience, but I know that it can and does happen-based on personal work experience (18+ years work experience); people react differently to corrections-no matter how kind-so sometimes you have to keep your thoughts in check~just know that it doesn't help you in trying to educate the patients on proper titles/terminolgy when the physicians refer to the medical assistant staff as "nurses" (that same patient may say to themselves that the word "nurse" must be correct, if the doctor is using it).

But the doctors shouldn't be using the term nurse unless it actually is a nurse. Most doctors would throw a fit if an NP or PA was usurping the title doctor in a medical setting. They spent upwards of 8 years in school. If they can master organic chemistry and advanced physics, then they can remember to call a medical assistant a medical assistant and a nurse a nurse.

[sharona97]

dear shirleyjt2003,

I think you explained your post very well for your situation. I wish you the best of luck with your career!

Sheri

[nursingis4me]

SMK1-
I read your last three posts; it looks like you did get the gist of what I was saying--that is while it is both unlawful and incorrect for anyone to refer to themselves with a title they have not earned (such as a medical assistant calling her/himself a "NURSE" when they aren't), it can be difficult (it's like fighting an uphill battle) to change the way doctors randomly use the title "NURSE".The problem is that they'll say "It's minor--you and the patients know what I mean!!" But they don't understand that it's not minor, if MAs are addressed incorrectly by the docs, it'll only cause confusion when the patient comes or calls in to the office requesting assistance "from the nurse working with Dr. Doe". You are correct to say that docs would be upset if NPs or PAs were referred to as "Dr"- I've personally witnessed this! A PA in my practice is always called "Dr. C------", it burns the physicians up to the point that a staff meeting was held on the proper usage of titles; the docs were really upset when they realized that the staff was addressing "Dr. C-----" correctly, as he held a PhD, and thereby did indeed earn the title of "Dr." (How they missed that, I'll never understand--for the fact that he has a PhD seems to be printed on everything posted in the office touting the fact that there's a PA on staff.)

[SMK1]

Originally Posted by nursingis4me

SMK1-
I read your last three posts; it looks like you did get the gist of what I was saying--that is while it is both unlawful and incorrect for anyone to refer to themselves with a title they have not earned (such as a medical assistant calling her/himself a "NURSE" when they aren't), it can be difficult (it's like fighting an uphill battle) to change the way doctors randomly use the title "NURSE".The problem is that they'll say "It's minor--you and the patients know what I mean!!" But they don't understand that it's not minor, if MAs are addressed incorrectly by the docs, it'll only cause confusion when the patient comes or calls in to the office requesting assistance "from the nurse working with Dr. Doe". You are correct to say that docs would be upset if NPs or PAs were referred to as "Dr"- I've personally witnessed this! A PA in my practice is always called "Dr. C------", it burns the physicians up to the point that a staff meeting was held on the proper usage of titles; the docs were really upset when they realized that the staff was addressing "Dr. C-----" correctly, as he held a PhD, and thereby did indeed earn the title of "Dr." (How they missed that, I'll never understand--for the fact that he has a PhD seems to be printed on everything posted in the office touting the fact that there's a PA on staff.)

I realize that it is hard to change the doctor's terminology, but the very fact that a PA being called Doctor burned up the physicians at your place of work enough to hold a meeting, just illustrates my point. They have no problem correcting patients when the issue is one that hits closer to home. I still say that anyone who survived medical school has a good enough memory to call their coworkers and staff by the titles that they earned.

[Tanzanite]

Lets just all remember that it is illegal to call your-self a "nurse", if you have not been issued a nursing license.

[Tweety]

Originally Posted by Tanzanite

Lets just all remember that it is illegal to call your-self a "nurse", if you have not issued a nursing license.

After 10 pages aren't we ready to say "'nuff said"?

It doesn't matter who can pass NCLEX with their eyes closed and the knowledge base they have (considerable though it might be), the role they have in the MD's offices, and how respected they are by patients, etc., etc. etc., blah blah blah.

Bottom line, if you didn't pass NCLEX, you're not a nurse. 'Nuff said.