Why hire RN's when other disciplines can do the job

[Marisette]

Has anyone noticed that pharmacist at major drug chains administer flu, pneumonia, and other vaccines at large pharmaceutical chains. The medical assistant at my doctors office calls in medications for me because they don't hire RN's. In the hospitals we have nursing aids, & patient care technicians assist with patient care. I know the value of RN's doing the many functions, but I ask myself when did personnel or professionals from other disciplines start performing what was once mostly performed by RN's.

Could this be part of the reason new grads. can't find employment, or frankly many nurses in different markets. Why bother hiring RN's ? I Know that nurses do more than administer medications, call in medications and perform other physical labor, but sometimes I ask myself if the push for more anxillary health care help is slowly replacing the need for RN's. I recall getting injections from RN's at the large pharmaceutical chains years ago, but now the pharmacist administers. They hire nurse practioners for the outpatient clinics at the large phamaceutical chains or drug stores, but they are advanced degree Registered Nurses. Does anyone value a nurse with a simple RN behind her name anymore?

[Marisette, BSN, RN]

I recognize that nurses are far more than the task they deliver,but when in school I was thought you asses and educate patients while in the process of delivering care. Why should pharmacist administer medications, when RN's can't dispense medications? And Yes I'm aware the LPN's are nurses. I believe many of the task previosly done by LPN's are more often delegated to less trained assitive personnel, also. I know men in nursing and would love to see more, but frankly when I use, she, I refer to most of the nurses in healthcare.

[elprup, BSN, RN]

Well what we first need to do and this will probably cause a flurry of controversy but the word nurse MEANS something and hold weight. We need to regulate the use of the title nurse to well nurses LVN/LPN's RN, NP's actual licensed nurses.

There are some really good M.A's out there but they should never be referred to as a nurse ( usually the Dr encourages this so their patients don't realize how cheap they are) and the same thing in LTC's a good chunk of the time the patients refer to the CNA's as nurses and the CNA's do nothing to discourage this.

I'm not putting down these above professions at all they DO have their place but they should not be coopting the name "NURSE"

Forget occupy Wallstreet. Lets take back our titles!

I totally agree. It is all about educating the public. I have said it before, there are over 500,000 nurses registered at all nurses.com. I would think we could come together and make changes where they are needed. Until the public realizes what a nurses role really entails, and that we are fighting for their rights as a patient, only then will they start to understand and really back what needs to be done.

[PetERNurse]

By definition, a nurse is one who "cares for the sick or infirmed". Therefore it is not inaccurate for these non-RN types to be called nurses when they are performing the act of nursing. We all have the same goal.

I think it is more important advance your career (and the field) and push for increased responsibility. As one poster said, nursing tasks are increasingly more advanced, and the less advanced tasks get passed down to staff who may not be RN, but are qualified to perform said task. It is the nature of progress.

[SDALPN]

There are laws to protect the title. But they aren't being enforced. That would be the first step. The officials need to be going to Dr offices unannounced/undercover and ask the person assisting the Dr what their title is. Wrong answers must be enforced!

Just Craigslist alone would weed a few out. I see more people on that site saying they are nurses with a CNA license (CNA's are certified, not licensed here). They tell people they are nurses and most of the public have no idea how to check for a license.

[leslie :-D]

i don't think there's anything wrong w/pharmacists giving injections, and aides assisting w/pt care.

it's good business sense, and doesn't detract from or negate what the nurse's role is.

even having duties taken from us, we remain stressed and overwhelmed.

and fwiw, no one can do our job except us, the nurses.

we are so much more than tasks, which only nurses understand.

it is the ignorant and uninformed who think otherwise.

shame on them.

leslie

[SDALPN]

By definition, a nurse is one who "cares for the sick or infirmed". Therefore it is not inaccurate for these non-RN types to be called nurses when they are performing the act of nursing. We all have the same goal.

I think it is more important advance your career (and the field) and push for increased responsibility. As one poster said, nursing tasks are increasingly more advanced, and the less advanced tasks get passed down to staff who may not be RN, but are qualified to perform said task. It is the nature of progress.

Using your logic....since things will get passed down in the long run anyway...let just go ahead and do it now. Lets let CNA's place PICC lines and push IV meds.

There is a reason for education. There is a reason for titles.

Since titles don't matter, who cares if your Dr is really a Dr.

[PetERNurse]

Using your logic....since things will get passed down in the long run anyway...let just go ahead and do it now. Lets let CNA's place PICC lines and push IV meds.

There is a reason for education. There is a reason for titles.

Since titles don't matter, who cares if your Dr is really a Dr.

Maybe one day it will get to that point.

Point is, I don't care if my doctor is titled Dr., or Grand Pubah, the EDUCATION is what matters. Titles are made up. You can't "make up" education. It's the knowledge that makes a nurse a nurse, not the word.

[SDALPN]

It is the education that makes a nurse. But a medical assistant doesn't have the education a nurse has. Thats why we have titles.

[tothepointeLVN, LVN]

I don't have a problem with a pharmacist administering a vaccine. Since the entry level for pharmacists now is a PharmD I think they are more than qualified to do so especially since pharmacology is their expertise. However all the pharmacists I now hate giving injections and feel it distracts from their real job.

But profit and convenience to the customer dictates that they must do so. I ended up getting my flu shot at a CVS Minute Clinic which was administered by a NP inside a nice little exam room. That I feel is a good way to get a vaccine especially since the NP printed out some paperwork which enabled be to get reimbursed. A GOOD utilization of resources.

[kenyacka]

I think it just has to be mentioned. It's a little funny to me that so many people want to separate RNs and put them on this pedestal so far above LPNs because they have more education. Yet, so many of these same people don't want to admit that a BSN has more education than an ADN.... so does that mean they should be set apart as well?

Also, someone posted that the world needs to know that their care is being administered by someone who doesn't earn more than a Starbucks employee. Who cares? Is a person's education or expertise really defined by their paycheck? I'm a CNA, just starting out in tele, and I can already see that a lot of RNs ask the other CNAs questions because in some areas, we are better trained than they are. It's not about who's better or worse, all of these professions have different responsibilities and each one is equally important. If you don't think so, try working a night as an RN without any of your CNAs or techs there.

[tothepointeLVN, LVN]

Good point! I'm sorry if my post was also insensitive to LPNs, although that wasn't my intent. I confess not to know a lot about LPNs because I don't work with many.

Well ask the few that you do work with what they do. Chances are it's not that difference. When you come down to it if you list all the core things that makes a nurse a nurse you'll find both LVN's and RN's can both do them. There are just a few limited skills which are the provence of the RN.

In a nutshell LVN/LPNS are very similar to RN's just more awesome :D:D

[tothepointeLVN, LVN]

I think it just has to be mentioned. It's a little funny to me that so many people want to separate RNs and put them on this pedestal so far above LPNs because they have more education. Yet, so many of these same people don't want to admit that a BSN has more education than an ADN.... so does that mean they should be set apart as well?

If you count it in years of education there is more of a difference between a ADN and a BSN than there is between an LVN/LPN and a RN.

Most LVN/LPN's that transition into the role of RN comment that its a subtle change. I'm part way through the process and I will let you know opinion when I'm done. So far with just finished up the core non-nursing course its more a broadening of knowledge than a dramatic eye opening thing.

Ok but look see how easily we get distracted from the core issue.