Medical Assistants being called nurses

Nurses Relations

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  1. Are you comfortable with MAs calling selves Nurses?

    • 56
      Are you receiving info in your MDs office from an MA who says they are Nurse?
    • 29
      Is it self to pose as a nurse if you are an MA in MD offices
    • 66
      Why are MDs allowing MAs to pose as nurses
    • 101
      Why is it not being addressed by BNE that MAs can not identify as Nurses
    • 31
      Who should give you diagnostic info if not md an MA?

13 members have participated

I have serious concerns about Md offices hiring medical assistants and calling themselves nurses. They are given diagnostic results and education to pts, but identify as nurses . I have had the experience and new immediately that I was not speaking to a nurse ended up calling 911 b/c the md would not return call, the MA was uncomfortable taking note to md and I was a post op pt. I am RN of 28yrs and out of 7 providers only one hires licensed nurses, were name badges. These other offices refer to the MAs as nurses and really have not seen this address. How long would it take if I said I was an md in an office before it would be addressed as a very serious matter? I think it is perfectly fine that Mds want to hire MAs, but is it ok that they say they are nurses and they are doing nursing duties? How comfortable are you with not knowing who is talking to you at the mds' office? I know it is not legal so why is this not a serious concern?

The problem with that is, if anyone can call himself a nurse, people WILL assume that person is an RN or LPN.

[/quote/

I do not think most of the public knows what an Lpn is. The public really needs to be educated on the role of lpn's.

Specializes in Peds(PICU, NICU float), PDN, ICU.
The problem with that is, if anyone can call himself a nurse, people WILL assume that person is an RN or LPN.

[/quote/

I do not think most of the public knows what an Lpn is. The public really needs to be educated on the role of lpn's.

I don't think they know the role of RNs either.

Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
The problem with that is, if anyone can call himself a nurse, people WILL assume that person is an RN or LPN.

[/quote/

I do not think most of the public knows what an Lpn is. The public really needs to be educated on the role of lpn's.

Interesting; usually when I say I'm a nurse, most people (on the street, grocery store, etc) have asked, "RN or LPN?"

I find that living in an area saturated with nurses, a great percentage of people KNOWS what a LPN, RN, CNA, and MA is.

Specializes in Family Practice, Mental Health.

I think the doc says "my nurse" because the words fall off the tongue much easier than "my medical assistant", or "my MA". It's probably part laziness, part ignorance, and part willful disrespect of the law (for both the MA and the health care provider involved). In the state of California, it is a CRIME for even allowing someone to Assume that you are a nurse, if you are not.

http://theemedicalassistants.com/calling-yourself-a-nurse-is-a-crime-no-less/

"....Practicing nursing without a license is always a criminal act which is punishable by the sentencing rules of the appropriate statute. For example,California part of the nurse practice acts states that a person cannot let someone assume they are a nurse, much less call themselves one".

It is illegal in all states to claim a license you do not have. For more information about boards of nursing please visit National Council of State Boards of Nursing. (https://m.ncsbn.org/boards.htm)

®Nurse, you have the perfect screen name for this thread!

Interesting; usually when I say I'm a nurse, most people (on the street, grocery store, etc) have asked, "RN or LPN?"

I find that living in an area saturated with nurses, a great percentage of people KNOWS what a LPN, RN, CNA, and MA is.

I was not trying to be funny,but when i was an lpn many assumed that an lpn was not a nurse.

I lived in North Jersey at the time,(very populated area)but i guess the fact that i had to call the Rn to do certain things like hang an Iv made patients question why a nurse could not hang an IV.

Nj is very strict when it comes to Lpn scope of practice.

We could not insert an NGT,nor a GB for that matter.

There was a commercial awhile back in 2005 that said "Make sure the person caring for you is an Rn".

It was in reference to being in a hospital. I have to find it.

Specializes in LTC, Psych, Med/Surg.

...I think the facility for whom I work (ha! take THAT, Brandon!) has decided that since the research is mixed, they're erring on the side of cost savings. The MAs with whom I work (shazam, again!) do switch out the needles. I only do if I'm entering the vial more than once.

Since you made a point of wishing to use correct grammar...it should be "facility for which" since the facility is not a person to whom you might refer. :geek: (I have the feeling I am going to regret saying this...)

Catmom :paw:

I am responding to Thimbalina aout MA running hospital.

The MA could be charged with a felony for misrepresenting herself as a licensed nurse, even 20 yrs ago it was easy to find out if someone had a license.

The hospitl knew and let it go on.....THEY SHOULD BE HELD MORE RESPONSIBLE, BC SHE CERTAINLY DID NOT MAKE HER OWN CHECKS AND SIGN THEM.

NOBODY MINDING THE SHOP WHAT MORE CAN BE SAID.?

This is iin reference to smartnurse 1982..

LVNs and as Associate, Diploma degreed RNs evolved out of the extensive shortages of. 4Yr RNs.

My mom was one hell of an LVN, who was trained like an RN when she hit the floor. She worked with prominent physcians out of the Houston Medical Center fir 30yrs back in the late 60s, 70s, 80s til her health failed.

Because of her extensive training believe me if you were ill and in the hospital you wanted her to be your nurse. This is no exagerration. Given where she grew up and being a woman of color , and the time she grew i p, my mom wanted to be an RN, but would have aspired to be a doctor if there had not been so many barriers .

Her mds on her orthopedic floor,relentlessly pursued her on the floors to take care of their pts, as well as recruited her for their private practice,but her heart was in hospital nursing. She had to remind them often that they did team nursing ( which they knew )j

My mom was the comsummate professiional that you dont see everyday. Her name tag said LVN, but during that time there was very little distinction between duties/responsibilitie of the LVN and RN. But the pay was quite diffetent . My mom bc of experience and competence she was a preceptor to new RNs. She was often the team lead on her unit, now known as the charge nurse.

LVNs hung blood, started, changed IVs, and was responsible for central lines, IV push neds....YES. they did everything.

My mom had to continue to let the the docs know that they did team nursing and not private duty in the hospital.

Funny you should mention that one should know who is taking cate of you an RN or LVN. The implication was it should be an RN, so i am addressing that.

Nursing started getting more RNs , the profession began to evolve eliminating the role and duties of the LVNs. And hospitals startied eliminating their positions because they prematurely thought that the RNs had arrived. They forgot one important thing, who would train these new RNs.

Yes tthere were RNs but they shot themselves in the foot because BSN programs focused on a lot of theory, preparing RNs to be mangers and clinically they were not strong yet. So we saw a surge in needless pt catasrrophes that no one would dare talk aboutt .

Moving forward to the present:

My mom was killed by an RN in 2003 simply because she gave a med my mom was allergic to and prior to administration of the med my sister stopped the RN and said she is allergic to the med .

This was an ICU Rn, and her only job was to give the meds, my family did all of her care 24/7.

My mom coded after 5 mins after receiving the med IV, and this sophisticated, educated RN gave it becuse the doctor ordered it.

When my mom practiced as an LVN, these men and women were highly regaded because of their training and expertise and patients could identify them because they wore name tags.

Again in 1999 a brilliant RN sent my aunt home from dialysis bc she was 5 mins late. I guess this RN in charge was doing behavior mod with my 48yr old aunt, who drove herself 3times a week to dialysis. That RN showed my aunt and our entire family what it means to be an RN with pseudo power and no regard for pt's lives.

My aunt died in her home that day alone bc some damn RN decided to send a pt home receiving life sustaining treatment.....so BULLY for today's RN, because i would take a trained, thoughtful LVN as ny care take any day over some these RNs today.

When LVNs were needed they were trained very well, they had a team concept about pt care. Today icharge nurses assign duties and everyone wants to do there thing and the hell with their pers and pts not assigned to them.

Also when we no longer had the need for LVNs hospitals discarded them like yesterday's trash, and we lovely brilliant RNs became so entitled that half of them have enteed the field bc they thought it provided security. And as we can look down on team members that are not RNs them we feel superior and hospital administration makes us feel so good about being an RN they do these kinds of things,: chronically understaffing the units, alrhough pts are sicker, using intimidation tactics to make us work short, cuting nursing education ( like disbanding internships, not encouraging growth, glass ceilings on income, poor or no orientation periods, not acknowleging our expertise when we are trained in specialty areas, not paying money that commissurates with experience,) encouraging managers not to do appropriate evaluations like rating nursing excellence, they can be rated as good or satisfctory, but not excellent, putting the fear of. God in nurses iin the BIBLE BELT if nurses should dare speak of unions, having patient ratios that are severely unsafe, converting all RN positions to 12 hr shifts and the list goes on and on. And we feel so great about ourselves bc we have the title of RN we moan about these things and do nothing about it.

So how dare RNs step on the necks of LYNs, or look down on them. They are not the cause of the problems and they are not interfering with the real progress of the nursing profession.

So you see it is one fine day to be an RN.

Perhaps if we had just thought about LVNs as being our rescuers and peers vs competition our shear numbers would have given us the power to truly evolve into a profession. And perhaps our kindness could have trickled over to MAs having a desire to be a part of the group vs allowing their money to be taken by these places that promise so much and have no intention of delivering these folks' dreams. So being an RN Is not a ticket to heaven these days .

Incompetence is found everywhere in healthcare.

I dont trust anybody in healthcare until they can demonstrate competence, bc my family and i have paid the ultimate price in. RNs. thinking that a title registers competence.

My mom did not have the title RN, but she functioned with the training and ethics that everyone given their scope of practice should have.

When i watch people attempting to celebrate themselves and at the same time denigrating others, the first qwestion i ask is, "who is oppressing them and why can't they identify their real reasons that they dont feel appreciated in ways that are meaningful to them. BECAUSE OPPRESSED PEOPLE HISTORICALLY WILL FIND SOMEONE THAN CAN OPPRESS , UNTIL THEY DECIDE TO TRULY DEAL WITH THE ABUSE. AND ABUSED PEOPLE ARE VERY LIMITED IN HELPING OTHERS.

I am afraid of incompetence taking care of me if I should need care,, and they dont wear name tags.

I apologize for not staying focused on the original thread of MAs being referred to as nurses, but i will always address this insidious hinderance to nursing growth like LVNs cant be trusted over RNs.

There is enough in healthcare for all groups, as long as we manage our scope of practice by identifying to our pts, peers , facilities, WHO WE ARE and WHAT WE DO.

Another apology for all the typos....i respond to the posts on my android and it is not the most reliable machinery to manage,so please dont get all aggravated by it.....it just is not that critical. And if you have suggestions for others please be kind it is not hard to do,

i think we can take the feedback but being rude over things you can not control seems silly to me.

Some of us are new to social media, forums etc and could use a little slack.

Ask for what you need or want in a way to get it. Snide remarks, sarcasm, brow beating etc does not work.

This is an opportunity to lay down sticks,old negative habits,and create a place to grow....if not, then what is the point.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Unfortunately this is not accurate. In ALL 50 sttes nurse is a protective title.....i t is not ENFORCED it all states but it is a licensed professional who have obtained additional training and passed an r exam. LVNs/LPN ,RN or an RN with additional training and or education may refer to themselves as a nurse. Not a CNA, MA or PA, or any other group may refer to themself as a nurse.

The only reason in a lot of states that this is not enforced as a legal matter is because it evolved out of the meical model and unfortunately evolution has not taken place at every level.

I promise if some injurious incident happens to a patient who is informed, the doctor's offic r will have legal consequences as well as the not informed MA.

And i suspect the MD with their resources will not be honorable and admit they gave the MA the title NURSE.

She or he will be thrown under the proverbial bus.

If you question the isdue that Nurse is not a safeguarded title in all 50 states s nd Puerto Rico called th r state BON.

Unfortunately....the title Nurse is NOT protected in all 50 states

Title "Nurse" Protection

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
A few years back a woman ran for office as a 'nurse' and after she was elected it was discovered she was an MA... Everyone was mad as heck but apparently 'nurse' is a broader term than LVN or RN. She stayed in office and served her term... It was for a seat on the hospital board which is voted on by the city. Kind of funny that an MA was basically running the hospital and made $40k a year which at the time was a lot as this was... about 20 years ago.
could you find a reference for this?
Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
This is iin reference to smartnurse 1982..

LVNs and as Associate, Diploma degreed RNs evolved out of the extensive shortages of. 4Yr RNs.

My mom was one hell of an LVN, who was trained like an RN when she hit the floor. She worked with prominent physcians out of the Houston Medical Center fir 30yrs back in the late 60s, 70s, 80s til her health failed.

Because of her extensive training believe me if you were ill and in the hospital you wanted her to be your nurse. This is no exagerration. Given where she grew up and being a woman of color , and the time she grew i p, my mom wanted to be an RN, but would have aspired to be a doctor if there had not been so many barriers .

Her mds on her orthopedic floor,relentlessly pursued her on the floors to take care of their pts, as well as recruited her for their private practice,but her heart was in hospital nursing. She had to remind them often that they did team nursing ( which they knew )j

My mom was the comsummate professiional that you dont see everyday. Her name tag said LVN, but during that time there was very little distinction between duties/responsibilitie of the LVN and RN. But the pay was quite diffetent . My mom bc of experience and competence she was a preceptor to new RNs. She was often the team lead on her unit, now known as the charge nurse.

LVNs hung blood, started, changed IVs, and was responsible for central lines, IV push neds....YES. they did everything.

My mom had to continue to let the the docs know that they did team nursing and not private duty in the hospital.

Funny you should mention that one should know who is taking cate of you an RN or LVN. The implication was it should be an RN, so i am addressing that.

Nursing started getting more RNs , the profession began to evolve eliminating the role and duties of the LVNs. And hospitals startied eliminating their positions because they prematurely thought that the RNs had arrived. They forgot one important thing, who would train these new RNs.

Yes tthere were RNs but they shot themselves in the foot because BSN programs focused on a lot of theory, preparing RNs to be mangers and clinically they were not strong yet. So we saw a surge in needless pt catasrrophes that no one would dare talk aboutt .

Moving forward to the present:

My mom was killed by an RN in 2003 simply because she gave a med my mom was allergic to and prior to administration of the med my sister stopped the RN and said she is allergic to the med .

This was an ICU Rn, and her only job was to give the meds, my family did all of her care 24/7.

My mom coded after 5 mins after receiving the med IV, and this sophisticated, educated RN gave it becuse the doctor ordered it.

When my mom practiced as an LVN, these men and women were highly regaded because of their training and expertise and patients could identify them because they wore name tags.

Again in 1999 a brilliant RN sent my aunt home from dialysis bc she was 5 mins late. I guess this RN in charge was doing behavior mod with my 48yr old aunt, who drove herself 3times a week to dialysis. That RN showed my aunt and our entire family what it means to be an RN with pseudo power and no regard for pt's lives.

My aunt died in her home that day alone bc some damn RN decided to send a pt home receiving life sustaining treatment.....so BULLY for today's RN, because i would take a trained, thoughtful LVN as ny care take any day over some these RNs today.

When LVNs were needed they were trained very well, they had a team concept about pt care. Today icharge nurses assign duties and everyone wants to do there thing and the hell with their pers and pts not assigned to them.

Also when we no longer had the need for LVNs hospitals discarded them like yesterday's trash, and we lovely brilliant RNs became so entitled that half of them have enteed the field bc they thought it provided security. And as we can look down on team members that are not RNs them we feel superior and hospital administration makes us feel so good about being an RN they do these kinds of things,: chronically understaffing the units, alrhough pts are sicker, using intimidation tactics to make us work short, cuting nursing education ( like disbanding internships, not encouraging growth, glass ceilings on income, poor or no orientation periods, not acknowleging our expertise when we are trained in specialty areas, not paying money that commissurates with experience,) encouraging managers not to do appropriate evaluations like rating nursing excellence, they can be rated as good or satisfctory, but not excellent, putting the fear of. God in nurses iin the BIBLE BELT if nurses should dare speak of unions, having patient ratios that are severely unsafe, converting all RN positions to 12 hr shifts and the list goes on and on. And we feel so great about ourselves bc we have the title of RN we moan about these things and do nothing about it.

So how dare RNs step on the necks of LYNs, or look down on them. They are not the cause of the problems and they are not interfering with the real progress of the nursing profession.

So you see it is one fine day to be an RN.

Perhaps if we had just thought about LVNs as being our rescuers and peers vs competition our shear numbers would have given us the power to truly evolve into a profession. And perhaps our kindness could have trickled over to MAs having a desire to be a part of the group vs allowing their money to be taken by these places that promise so much and have no intention of delivering these folks' dreams. So being an RN Is not a ticket to heaven these days .

Incompetence is found everywhere in healthcare.

I dont trust anybody in healthcare until they can demonstrate competence, bc my family and i have paid the ultimate price in. RNs. thinking that a title registers competence.

My mom did not have the title RN, but she functioned with the training and ethics that everyone given their scope of practice should have.

When i watch people attempting to celebrate themselves and at the same time denigrating others, the first qwestion i ask is, "who is oppressing them and why can't they identify their real reasons that they dont feel appreciated in ways that are meaningful to them. BECAUSE OPPRESSED PEOPLE HISTORICALLY WILL FIND SOMEONE THAN CAN OPPRESS , UNTIL THEY DECIDE TO TRULY DEAL WITH THE ABUSE. AND ABUSED PEOPLE ARE VERY LIMITED IN HELPING OTHERS.

I am afraid of incompetence taking care of me if I should need care,, and they dont wear name tags.

I apologize for not staying focused on the original thread of MAs being referred to as nurses, but i will always address this insidious hinderance to nursing growth like LVNs cant be trusted over RNs.

There is enough in healthcare for all groups, as long as we manage our scope of practice by identifying to our pts, peers , facilities, WHO WE ARE and WHAT WE DO.

Another apology for all the typos....i respond to the posts on my android and it is not the most reliable machinery to manage,so please dont get all aggravated by it.....it just is not that critical. And if you have suggestions for others please be kind it is not hard to do,

i think we can take the feedback but being rude over things you can not control seems silly to me.

Some of us are new to social media, forums etc and could use a little slack.

Ask for what you need or want in a way to get it. Snide remarks, sarcasm, brow beating etc does not work.

This is an opportunity to lay down sticks,old negative habits,and create a place to grow....if not, then what is the point.

I am sorry for your loss....((HUGS))

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