Was at my kid's school today and asked the chick in the nurse's office if she is a "nurse." She said yes--I asked what degree she had (just wondering if she was an LPN or RN as I am thinking about what I want to do after grad).
She told me she is an MA and that she can do anything an RN can do except IV's. She said the only other difference is that RN's get paid more--and she does the same exact work so she doesn't understand why that is. She also stated she has had just as much schooling as an ADN nurse, is just as qualified and has decided not to get her RN 'cuz it is a waste of time.
I was kinda like, "Huh?" I didn't know MA's could go around calling themselves nurses. What is their scope of practice? I thought they just filed stuff and drew blood, but she says she can cath people, give meds, etc. She also said she works under an RN's liscense who she talks to once a week. That scared the poo out of me. I recognize their value but I don't like that they sometimes misrepresent themselves as nurses--as far as I know, they are not.
Maybe I am just an ignorant student, but this conversation really surprised me! How do you guys respond to this kind of stuff?
