*rant* "Nurse" at office answering questions.

I hate handing out diaper bags, for the same reason. I don't like the inference "Breast is best, but JUST IN CASE, here is the formula!". One place I worked, the Pediatrician had a standing order, "remove all formula and ads from the diaper bags prior to issue for breastfeeding moms". Pretty gutsy move on his part, but no one argued w/him on it. I thought it was great and did this w/pleasure.

deb

MA are allowed to ask questions over the phone. How was she assessing? I though she was asking questions. I work as a Certified Medical Assistant as I am going to school. When patients call and asked to talk to a nurse the receptionist says, "We do not have nurses, we have medical assistants, would you like to talk to one?"

MAs are allowed to triage, which involves asking questions so they can tell the doctor what is going on. But not make major decisions.

They can however give basic medical advise, like "Your U/A came back and indicates that you have a UTI. The doctor is having me call in an Rx for you. It is a good idea to drink a lot of orange juice. Avoid bubble baths and make sure you urinate frequently and not hold it too long.” Then when they ask questions about the test result they can say, “Normal range for urine pH is 5.0 to 7.0. Above 7.0 is considered alkaline, and below 5.0 is acid. If a urine specimen is above a pH of 7.0, more than likely it contains a large amount of bacteria, which is why the urine is alkaline. Urinary casts that are formed in the kidneys are destroyed, and urinary casts are important in the diagnosis of a patient’ condition. Adjustments can be made to help the body balance out pH levels. A patient with a condition like the above, maybe instructed by their doctor to drink large amounts of orange juice, not only to help flush the bacteria out of the urinary system, but to help balance their pH levels with the orange juice’s citric acid.
When homeostasis is out of balance, all cells of the body suffer. Moderate dysfunctions, like bacteria in the urine that causes a pH level rise, can cause illness, like a painful burn upon urination (UTI). Severe dysfunction can lead to death."

Yes, MA's should not refer to themselves as Nurses. I however hope that when I become a nurse I do not gain such a negative attitude about some one that has a lower status than me. I know when I become a nurse I do not want a doctor to say "Oh, what advise can she give? She is only a nurse"

It is against the law in Texas to represent yourself as a licensed nurse when you are not one. Is that not so in your state? The District Atty. in Texas prosecutes people who pass themselves off as nurses (even LVN';s who say they are RN's).