Legally Protect the word "Nurse?"

Nurses General Nursing

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Should the word "nurse" be a legally protected title? I am mixed on it. Personally, the word nurse is vague and could mean many different things. It could mean an LPN and it could mean an RN. It does not signify a credential. However, a lot of people assume nurse = RN.

It is kind of like a "doctor" in my opinion. A doctor could be a doctor of anything whereas it is illegal to say you are an MD or DO without being an MD or a DO.

My state does not currently regulate the use of the word nurse. Hence why we have graduate nurse interns or nurse techs (which are PCTs/CNAs).

So what are your thoughts on the issue?

If not I'm racking my brain trying to figure out what nurse doesn't ever do ADLs.

Hmmm.... What kind? Not a very good one, that's what kind. Lol

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
Looks like you've answered your own question... sort of. The answer is along those lines. Being a nurse, I can choose to only work within facilities with adequate CNA coverage which leaves me the time to perform nursing interventions that will allow me to better myself.

ADLs are not nursing interventions? And the purpose of nursing interventions is to better ourselves? Okaaaaaay.

Word to the wise--if you are working as an RN/LPN in pt care, guard your coffee. I'm sure your pts' CNAs will be tempted to spit in it. :whistling:

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Hmmm.... What kind? Not a very good one, that's what kind. Lol

Funny thing is, I do now work in a setting where I really don't do ADLs, but they aren't part of my job function at all....but the NOADLS states pretty clearly s/he IS working in a setting with inpatients. Which makes for completely unbelievability.

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Specializes in critical care.
ADLs are not nursing interventions? And the purpose of nursing interventions is to better ourselves? Okaaaaaay. Word to the wise--if you are working as an RN/LPN in pt care guard your coffee. I'm sure your pts' CNAs will be tempted to spit in it. :whistling:[/quote']

Wait - so this isn't the secret goal of nursing? Man. I'm doing it wrong. Here I thought nursing interventions were all about me.

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.... Which makes for completely unbelievability.

Sigh. If only I could proofread at the same speed with which I type....argh.

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Wait - so this isn't the secret goal of nursing? Man. I'm doing it wrong. Here I thought nursing interventions were all about me.

I hope I have pointed you in the right direction. It is very gratifying for me to know that I have pointed the misguided in the right direction.

ADLs are not nursing interventions? And the purpose of nursing interventions is to better ourselves? Okaaaaaay.

Word to the wise--if you are working as an RN/LPN in pt care, guard your coffee. I'm sure your pts' CNAs will be tempted to spit in it. :whistling:

I never let my drinks leave my sight in any situation. I don't know who is or who isn't a professional rohypnotist.

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Funny thing is, I do now work in a setting where I really don't do ADLs, but they aren't part of my job function at all....but the NOADLS states pretty clearly s/he IS working in a setting with inpatients. Which makes for completely unbelievability.

Ah, and yet you still don't feel you are above them either :) The past posts of NOADLS makes "diaper changing" seem like the worst thing EVER. I can think of far worse things in life.

I hate when nurses get into nursing purely for the money and have no compassion towards human beings.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

MODERATOR NOTE:

This thread is about the protection of the Title Nurse. Please stick to topic.

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To be fair to Nodal,when i worked in a nursing home,i never had time to do ADL's.

With 40 pts and tube feedings to start,blood sugars,and suctioning trachs,,really,who had time?

This was they type of facility where you only had 2 hrs for med pass,and anything over that you were written up.

There was no time to explain to the nurse manager that you placed a resident on the toilet,so that's why you were late doing med pass and wound care.

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Specializes in critical care.
To be fair to Nodalwhen i worked in a nursing home,i never had time to do ADL's. With 40 pts and tube feedings to start,blood sugars,and suctioning trachs,,really,who had time? This was they type of facility where you only had 2 hrs for med pass,and anything over that you were written up. There was no time to explain to the nurse manager that you placed a resident on the toilet,so that's why you were late doing med pass and wound care.[/quote']

Stuff like this is why I can't stomach LTC. I had CNA clinical in a LTC facility and they were just like this. 40 patients, one nurse, and it was a miracle if there were 4 CNAs. If a CNA called out, they rarely called another one. It broke my heart. Completely. These residents weren't getting the care their families trusted they were getting, the care they needed. It wasn't because the staff didn't try, either. They tried so hard to do everything, but how in the world can you get everything done when there just isn't enough of you to go around?

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

What do I think about title nurse protection?

I think the title NURSE should be protected for RN's and LPN's

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Specializes in Transitional Nursing.
I had a patient the other day whose daughter kept saying "I'm in the nursing field." Obviously it turned out she was not a nurse. I just want to say "dude. As soon as you said nursing FIELD I know you aren't a nurse. So just give it up."

HA HA, It's true, though! We also had someone look a doc dead in the eye in the elevator, dressed in his white coat and all, and say "So, do you work in the Medical field"?

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