NP: Still a nurse?

[TakeTwoAspirin]

I recently had to re-certify in ACLS and during the introductions a fellow ACLS student stated that she was a NP. During the course of the day she made several references to "when she was a nurse". Just curious, do you still consider yourself to be a nurse albeit in abroad sense of the term?

Not trying to start a semantics war here (or offend anyone on either side of this), but I've just never heard anyone go to as much trouble as she did to separate herself from being a nurse and I'm interested in your opinions of this behavior.

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

I still consider myself a nurse. I think I use "when I worked inpt" or "bedside" to differentiate the two roles. Now granted I wouldnt wanted to go back to RN bedside nursing but I am proud of my RN time and experiences. I wonder if that person from the original post was a new NP and maybe associated being an NP as a more glamorous role. Believe me I do NOT hear Sheila Easton singing the Glamorous LIfe in the background when I'm at work.

There's the thing, she was clearly not a new grad. I think that is partly why it bothered me so much. I think if it had have been a newbie I would have just blown it off but this was clearly a very mature/seasoned practitioner.

[NJnewRN]

Ha ha ha that's why it's called "Nurse Practitioner." Get it? There's Nurse in the title. Clearly, there is something going on in her head to make her want to separate herself from distinction or title. When she has to renew her rn license she should make that distinction to the BON.

[BostonFNP, APRN]

Ha ha ha that's why it's called "Nurse Practitioner." Get it? There's Nurse in the title. Clearly there is something going on in her head to make her want to separate herself from distinction or title. When she has to renew her rn license she should make that distinction to the BON.[/quote']

How long have you been working as an APRN?

[NPAlby]

There's the thing, she was clearly not a new grad. I think that is partly why it bothered me so much. I think if it had have been a newbie I would have just blown it off but this was clearly a very mature/seasoned practitioner.

Oh wow! That is odd. Maybe she didnt have much RN time prior to her NP? Don't know but something's up because I think most of us are proud of our nursing experience. It's my straight cred.

[%63theend]

I now work outside the hospital and I hear RN's saying that all the time "When I was a nurse". I think they maybe don't consider themselves nurses any more now that they don't work at a hospital?

[NPAlby]

"It's my straight cred"

oops "street"

[Dalla]

I am currently a NP student. I was surprised when given a tour of my clinical site, I was shown the Physician's Lounge and told that I could use it whenever I had spare time and to help myself to coffee, snacks, sodas, etc. free of charge. I know that "nurses" are not invited in there and introduced to the doctors.

[ked20]

I work with about 30 NP's. They absolutely do not consider themselves nurses. They refer to themselves as "clinicians" They think the nurses they work with are idiots and have stated so. It is really disgraceful.

[nomadcrna, DNP, CRNA, NP]

All 30 of them? Talk about group think.

Or maybe that is just rumor? Nothing wrong with being called a clinician.

[BostonFNP, APRN]

I work with about 30 NP's. They absolutely do not consider themselves nurses. They refer to themselves as "clinicians" They think the nurses they work with are idiots and have stated so. It is really disgraceful.

You wonder with 30 NPs all thinking nurses they work with are "idiots" if there is a problem on the other side of the fence.

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

I work with about 30 NP's. They absolutely do not consider themselves nurses. They refer to themselves as "clinicians" They think the nurses they work with are idiots and have stated so. It is really disgraceful.

Wow, just wow!

[NPAlby]

Yikes! Talk about hostile work environment. Where do you work that you have 30 NP's? Just curious.