Is it illegal to say you're a med student if you are not in medical school?

[psu_213]

OK, so I say that in jest; however, given the large number of discussions on AN about "can an MA call themselves a nurse?" I found this amusing.

Today in the ER, my pt told the resident (a medical school graduate, a full fledged MD) "I am a medical student too. I am studying medical coding." At this point I am trying to hide a smile and suppress a chuckle. The resident handled it professionally (i.e., ignored it), but I though it was kinda amusing and, well, really rude. Of course, I'm glad he didn't say anything....if he had corrected the pt that would have hurt our Press Gainey scores.

[hiddencatRN, BSN, RN]

First, I was just joking about it being illegal...I only said this vis-a-vis the many AN discussion on the illegality of calling oneself a nurse if one is not actually a nurse.

Anyway, I don't know if this pt said it to boost her own self esteem or to try and get on the same level with the resident (who, incidentally, is not a med student either) or to just make it sound like she knew what she was talking about. Whatever the case, I just found it to be a bit...umm...improper.

I think the joke was missed, despite the fact that you also spell it out in your OP. Some of us got it tho

[jessamyn]

Ugh. Okay. I have a little rant that I'd like go get off my chest here.

I was browsing reddit one day, looking in the AMA section. It's a forum where people who may or may not be interesting post and let people ask them questions. I saw an AMA from a nurse who worked with people with intellectual disabilities.

I thought neat! That's cool, I might have something to ask. I work as a cna with the same clientele and thought it would be interesting to see what a nurse deals with.

Turns out, the woman was a cna too. I was reading her responses, and it occurred to me that she was a cna, and representing herself as a nurse.

It infuriated me. I posted, and called her out on it. Her argument basically was that she passed meds, so she was basically a nurse, and that one of the clients called her a nurse. I left it at that, because obviously this woman thought she was a nurse and no one was talking her out of it.

I have no idea why this made me so angry, but to this day it still does. I think it was that even when called out, she still defended her position as a nurse.

[katherine100, LPN]

I find the Press Gainey thing funny. We used them at my last hospital and I really cannot imagine a patient complaining about being corrected.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

First, I was just joking about it being illegal...I only said this vis-a-vis the many AN discussion on the illegality of calling oneself a nurse if one is not actually a nurse.

Anyway, I don't know if this pt said it to boost her own self esteem or to try and get on the same level with the resident (who, incidentally, is not a med student either) or to just make it sound like she knew what she was talking about. Whatever the case, I just found it to be a bit...umm...improper.

Some people actually believe what they tell you.....that is the beauty of dealing with the public. I've had people tell me they were in the medical profession as well.....and they worked in the kitchen.

They can't represent themselves as a Dr., Nurse, Rn, LPN...etc...but technically only 37 states actually have legislation preventing it.

[proud nurse, BSN, RN]

When I was in the LPN program, I had an instructor who referred to us all the time as "student nurses". To me that sounded so different from what we called ourselves, "nursing students". It made me feel like we already earned the title as nurse, and we were only half way through the program.

Anyway, I think it's freaking hilarious that a patient considered herself a med student while studying for med coding! HUGE difference!!

[Tait, MSN, RN]

Ugh. Okay. I have a little rant that I'd like go get off my chest here.

I was browsing reddit one day, looking in the AMA section. It's a forum where people who may or may not be interesting post and let people ask them questions. I saw an AMA from a nurse who worked with people with intellectual disabilities.

I thought neat! That's cool, I might have something to ask. I work as a cna with the same clientele and thought it would be interesting to see what a nurse deals with.

Turns out, the woman was a cna too. I was reading her responses, and it occurred to me that she was a cna, and representing herself as a nurse.

It infuriated me. I posted, and called her out on it. Her argument basically was that she passed meds, so she was basically a nurse, and that one of the clients called her a nurse. I left it at that, because obviously this woman thought she was a nurse and no one was talking her out of it.

I have no idea why this made me so angry, but to this day it still does. I think it was that even when called out, she still defended her position as a nurse.

The nice thing about nursing is it IS illegal to state you are a nurse without a licence I would have asked her for her RN licence number, otherwise it was illegal for her to proclaim the title.

PS. I hate Reddit lol

Tait

[Tait, MSN, RN]

When I was in the LPN program, I had an instructor who referred to us all the time as "student nurses". To me that sounded so different from what we called ourselves, "nursing students". It made me feel like we already earned the title as nurse, and we were only half way through the program.

Anyway, I think it's freaking hilarious that a patient considered herself a med student while studying for med coding! HUGE difference!!

I never thought about it until I read your post how that could sound! Interesting. :)

[dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN]

Cool story, technically illegal time:

When I was nineteen, I worked as a tech in the ER. I looked like I was about thirteen. At the time, my now-husband lived about ten hours away from me so I'd drive up to see him in my scrubs. (Usually after working five back-to-back twelve hour days. God, to be young again!)

So I'd stop in the middle of Corn Town, Iowa to get gas in my scrubs and get a LOT of stares. Eventually, I'd usually get a "So, are you a doctor?" from someone. It was a patently absurd question. I'm nineteen-going-on-thirteen.

Usually came up with something witty. "I'm a brain surgeon." Or, my favorite, "Yes, I transport organs. I'm taking a heart up to BFE, South Dakota."

[NurseDirtyBird]

I love it when patients tell me "I'm a nurse too, so I know!" Then I catch a CNA doing something wrong to cut corners, but the "nurse" never says boo.

However, I really love it when I have an actual nurse or doctor as a patient. I work PRN, so I change a lot of dressings for pts I've never seen before. I really appreciate it when the nurse/MD pt. walks me through a complicated dressing change. It makes things easier.

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

I love it when patients tell me "I'm a nurse too, so I know!" Then I catch a CNA doing something wrong to cut corners, but the "nurse" never says boo.

For me, it's when I say that I'm going to start an IV. The pt says "Oh, I know all about IVs...I'm a nurse too!" Meanwhile, they are wearing their CNA name tag. Nothing against CNAs...I used to be one. However, they are not nurses (sorry, let's not get off on that tangent).

[vintage_RN, BSN, RN]

There is a girl I went to high school with who I have on Facebook. I know she went to one of those career colleges and that she is a PSW (Canadian for CNA) because it's all over her Facebook and I saw her in her scrubs with the career college logo when she was there. I saw her on the bus once and she asked me what I was going to school for...i said I was in nursing school. She was like "Oh yeah cool...that's what I do too!"...i dont think she knew that I knew that she wasn't. nothing against them...but I've seen her post nursing quotes and "you know you're a nurse when" things on her facebook.facebook. Accept what you are and be happy with it or if you aren't...change it!

[DawnJ]

The term "medical" covers a whole lot for some people, apparently