MAs call themselves Nurses at my office..opinions please?

Nurses Relations

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  1. Is it okay for MAs to refer to themselves as nurses?

    • 185
      No way!! They are not nurses and do not have same scope of practice as LPN or RN
    • 1
      Might be okay...depends on the circumstances.
    • 1
      It's okay as long as no one gets hurt.
    • 6
      Don't care if they call themselves nurses.

193 members have participated

Hi,

I have been an LPN for 2 1/2 years and am a new Grad-RN since 9/2011. I got a job working at a Dermatology Office last November. It's the only job I could get, and I am making the best of it. They have me training to work with all the providers...general pathodermatologists, cosmetic dermatologists and the Moh's Cancer surgeon. It was not my first choice, but I am very grateful for the opportunity and grateful to all who are helping train me.

My question is this...while I have the GREATEST respect for the Medical Assistants who work there and really know their stuff, they refer to themselves as nurses to the patients in person and when making phone calls to patients. I have to say, as someone who worked SO hard for my RN, this really bothers me. I'll reiterate...I respect them, BUT they are not nurses. I wouldn't even think of referring to myself as a PA or MD. One of the MAs said it just makes it easier to refer to all of us as nurses.

May I have your opinions on this matter? I don't want to rock the boat as a newbie. There are other RNs who work in the office. I haven't asked them if it bothers them. Would it bother you? Thanks!!!

So...we agree to disagree?

As far as I'm concerned, yes. I dislike the way your posts are written, I perceive them as arrogant. I comprehend your views of the situation. I dislike the way in which you presented them.

0 Votes
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
"...when thea y need her assistance..." So all nurses are female? No, the majority are however which is why, instinctively, you used the word "her". Being a male, I am not offended, and understand.

It'm heartened. I usually put in one reference to he/she in a post, but sometimes I sacrifice politcal correctness for speed. It has absolutely nothing to do with the topic, though which is based on your supposed knowledge of what another person is thinking. I don't have superpowers, but I do have long experience working with all stripes of healthcare workers and patients which leads me to confidently declare that your working premise is false.

The fill-in-the-blank-space (not a quiz) really was a shorthand way of asking you what you or your like-minded coworkers would fill it with, if not the way 95.55%% of people would in such a situation, "I'll get your nurse". Clarification of subsets in other disciplines happens all the time, too.

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Specializes in Clinical Research, Outpt Women's Health.

LOL! Bluedevil does have a habit of raising quite a reaction around here at times.:roflmao:

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Slasher, you are making a flawed argument to the OP here.

MA=MEDICAL assistant

LPN=licensed practical NURSE

RN=registered NURSE.

I can have an LPN, ADN, diploma, BSN, MSN, wtv. When I introduce myself to a patient, I say 'I am your nurse'. Because although they obviously all have different very valuable degrees of education, they are all essentially nurses. I might WRITE my other titles after my signature when I chart, but I think it would be beyond arrogant to introduce myself, if such were the case as "Hi, I am Jeweles26, BSN." (And I don't have one, I am just making a point).

An MA referring to themselves as a nurse is just wrong, regardless of the educational difference or quantity (where I am, LPN's study for 2 years I think, and my employer has an MA program that lasts just a few months). They should not refer to themselves as nurses simply because they are NOT nurses.

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So we agree to disagree, you dislike the way my posts are written, and I don't care for yours. The way I see it, we break even.

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You don't have super powers? What's wrong with you? Just kidding. I don't either.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Well it's not so much disliking the way it is written as it is that it is wrong.

You tell me that a patient's BM looks like beef stew, I dislike how you say it because I like beef stew and now that's what I associate with the image.

You tell me the patient's BM smells like apple pie, you are either confused, or ignorant, or delusional. Whatever.

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Ok. Point taken. Did you understand the point I was making? MA's shouldn't be called nurses. LPN's and RN's are nurses. I think I have covered this already. Are they the same? No. That was my point. I also explained that when someone simply states, "I am a nurse", the average person hears this and thinks of a person with the skills of an RN. When somone says, "I'm a doctor", the first thought most people have isn't, "I wonder if this person has a Doctorate in NP." They assume this person is an MD. Again, I see your perspective now you see mine. We are talking about semantics and using them in certain circumstances. Now that we are all on the same page, how do I get that smiley face with the flicking tongue that BD had. I want to use it when I post something.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

On top of the text box there is a little yellow smiley face. If you click on it, it gives you a bunch of different emoticons. The pink tongue flapping thing is in there.

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You're comparing what is understood amongst healthcare workers vs. the average person on the street. Second, a BM is a BM but the point being they aren't all necessarily the same.

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Thank you.

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:cheeky: Sweet. Ok. Everytime I post and make people mad I am going to post this tongue flicker thingy. BlueDevil, since I have deterred the flack from you I am stealing your signature mark. The smiley face that looks like he is...well...nevermind, is mine.
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