If you are not a nurse, do NOT use the title, please

Nursing Students General Students

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I'm starting a blanket thread, rather than doing individual posts like I have been the last few days, because this might get some people's attention better.

The word "Nurse" is a legally protected title in most states (as well as "LVN/LPN", and "RN"). The law was written to prevent people who are NOT nurses from using those titles.

Beyond that, if you are posting ON THIS WEBSITE, AllNurses.com has a clear Terms of Service posted that you agreed to when registering for a username. To put it simply, you may not use the word "Nurse" or "RN" or "LPN" unless you hold an active LICENSE for one of those titles.

Usernames such as Nurse2Be, or FutureRN, or HopeToBeLVN are obviously not in violation of the TOS, as it is clear that the member is not misrepresenting himself or herself as a current nurse.

If you are someone who has mistakenly registered an incorrect username, please take the time to CHANGE IT. There are many members here who will be angry with seeing your fraudulent use of the title; some will be nice about it and ask you politely to change it (as I am doing) and some will be far less pleasant....and both will be right.

CNAs, MAs, who are using the word Nurse in your name....please stop. Students, post-students who have yet to pass the NCLEX, please do not use a title you have not earned.

You wouldn't call yourself Doctor Sally (I don't think?) if you aren't a doctor. Please give Nurses the same consideration.

Thank you.

Amen!!

Specializes in ER.

I thought it was only in some states that nursing was a legally protected title

Specializes in ER.

Technically people would call themselves Doctor Sally if their name was Sally and they had a doctorate in basket weaving. Calling themselves Dr. Sally, MD would be another issue.

For those who are curious about what their state says: Title "Nurse" Protection: Summary of Language by State

Double check your own state laws as there is no guarantee that the page is accurate or outdated.

My state doesn't actually have a say on the word nurse, hence why we may have nurse techs. I always wondered about that.

My mom, bless her heart, kept telling people I was a nurse when my dad was in the hospital. I kept emphatically saying "I'm NOT a nurse! I am a nursing student!!" I had to explain to my mom (I don't think she still "gets it", but it at least got her to stop) how inappropriate it was to tell people I was a nurse, when I am in fact NOT a nurse. Oy.

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

It is not only inappropriate its illegal in most states.

My boyfriend is always telling people I'm a nurse, I always follow up with "almost".

Specializes in Hospice.

Werd.

I've found that most people who call themselves nurses, and are not, know that it's inappropriate- they just don't care.

Technically people would call themselves Doctor Sally if their name was Sally and they had a doctorate in basket weaving. Calling themselves Dr. Sally, MD would be another issue.

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Oy. I hesitated to put that analogy, guess I'm sorry I did :rolleyes:

My mom, bless her heart, kept telling people I was a nurse when my dad was in the hospital. I kept emphatically saying "I'm NOT a nurse! I am a nursing student!!" I had to explain to my mom (I don't think she still "gets it", but it at least got her to stop) how inappropriate it was to tell people I was a nurse, when I am in fact NOT a nurse. Oy.

Ah, but at least you correct her. YOU are not walking around saying "I'm a nurse"....which is what I'm seeing more and more of....and it's irritating as all get-out!

Ah, but at least you correct her. YOU are not walking around saying "I'm a nurse"....which is what I'm seeing more and more of....and it's irritating as all get-out!

I was completely mortified the first time I heard her say it!! She did it a couple of times and the nurses she said it to probably thought I was off my rocker because I kept apologizing and telling them I wasn't a nurse, still a student LoL

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