Etiquette question

nakitamoon · Nov 3, 2002

Ask,,,

Your rights as a consumer,, even if you are not part of the healthcare field,,, you have the right to know who is providing the service for you,,,

I also like the suggestion of writing to the dr,,or clinic,, with the positive and negative experiences you had,, It just may help,,,,

As a nurse,, I always wear my name tag,,, always introduce myself and alway explain what I'm going to do and why,,,, even though I work in an Assisted Living Faciltiy,,, and my residents know and trust me,,, I still explain,,, tell them who / what I am,, what I am about to do & why,,,,

Everyone has the right to be fully informed,, it should be second nature to caregivers,, just my 2cents,,,,,,

~~kitamoon

abrenrn · Nov 4, 2002

Another thing that's bothered me for a while, didn't think it bothered others. MDs always call their assistants nurse, whether they are or not. Answer I've gotten is "cause it's easier for the pt to understand."

I wonder what's easier and who it's easier for. It's easier for MDs to have their patients think they are seeing nurses.

Not a put down for MAs - you have great training, why do you want to be called something other than what you are.?

Flo1216 · Nov 4, 2002

Because some people want the respect associated with being a nurse but do not want to do the work it takes to get there. A few of the CNAS I work with wear scrubs and no name tags and the pts think they are nurses. These CNAS don't correct them. it bugs me.

Trauma Columnist · Nov 4, 2002

I will always remember when my oldest son was about 12 - ten years ago he was getting allergy shots in an MDs office. He has a hx of true anaphylaxis, intubated, ICU the whole thing. So...I asked about a crash cart, epi and then found out there wasn't a licensced nurse in the place!!!! The MD when I questioned him felt that 911 and the two block drive to the hospital wouldn't harm my son. NO WAY!!!! Left that practice and picked up with another MD who had RNs present with ACLS skills and crash cart. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

MollyMo · Nov 4, 2002

For history taking and vitals, I don't have a problem with unlicensed personnel in an office. For any type of invasive procedure--injection, phlebotomy,iv's,etc you darn well better have some type of license and training to back you up before you touch me. And I do ask. I worked with a PCT who used to introduce herself as a nurse. She once told a patient of mine that if we didn't let him put a foley in his bladder would explode. When I came in the room he was near hysterics because of what the "nurse" told him. It took me a while to get him calmed down. We had to call in a urologist to place the foley because the guy had BPH. I had the "nurse's" butt for lunch. And there is a school here in Florida that calls themselves a nursing school. But they train MA's,X-ray techs, CNA's. I have big issues with that.

Lausana · Nov 4, 2002

I've noticed at my own doctor, the nurses wear nametags and introduce themselves as a nurse, the others don't...not sure why they don't wear a nametag stating MA or whatever because it only takes deductive reasoning to figure it out anyway :rolleyes: Yep they all including the "office desk" staff wear the exact same pants/polos.

I've never felt I needed to ask due to questioning what they were capable of, but I definately would--but I may blame it on me being a curious student, lol, that always works! I have positively commented on a girl at my old Dr, whose nametag clearly stated her name and that she was a medical assistant in training. It saved me wondering who she was as she was taking down info!

sanakruz, ADN · Nov 4, 2002

Lvns are Lpns everywhere except California and Texas.

I dunno but I think CNAs can call themselves "nurses" at least to the patients cuz of all the "hands On".....