Ok folks, I'm just about ready to lose it and I know it's a little silly..or it may seem petty...but just take my feelings into consideration.
I am SICK to DEATH of SOME Medical Assistants, CNAs, and Respiratory Therapists (etc.) calling themselves NURSES, or allowing themselves to be called nurses...or saying that they are getting their "RN". Are you KIDDING ME?
Before I start, let me begin by saying that I respect ALL health care workers and think you should be proud of what you are doing, going to school for, and what your title is. However, I have LOW tolerance for people who break the law and throw around a professional title/license. It's beyond ignorant and I'm wondering how it can be stopped.
I would NEVER in a million years, call myself a Doctor...or a Nurse Practitioner..because I am NOT one. I did NOT go to school for it. I am a Registered Nurse and PROUD of it. If anyone calls me Doctor, or ANYTHING else, I quickly correct them with a sweet smile on my face.
Examples of what I have heard/seen/witnessed/etc.:
" Can I speak to the nurse?" Medical Assistant" Speaking, How can I help you?"
" So excited for my first day of school, we did injections!" says the medical assisting student..friend asks "OH, nursing program?!"...medical assistant student says "Yep, sure is!".
"Nurse Sarah, when do you finish school?". Sarah says, "In 2 months"...Sarah is in a RESPIRATORY therapy program.
My friend says to me," I went to school to become a nurse and finished, but I decided I prefer Social Work." I ask, "Really, so you're a nurse, where did you go?" Friend replies "Yes, CNA Tech Institute".(fake name) Uhm, that's a well known 6 month CNA school. SERIOUSLY?
"I actually teach the nurses on my unit everything. I know more than them and have more experience.", says the Medical Assistant after I ask them why they are referring to themselves as "Nurse".
I can't even go on to tell you how much more I have witnessed. MANY of this is coming from my friends. I'm going to be REALLY honest with you guys. I am just heated. I worked my BOTTOM off in nursing school. I applied to a program with 600 applicants in line (which is STANDARD) and was accepted into ONE of 20 seats. I killed myself not to be flunked out and passed with an average 3.5 GPA. It was four years of GRUELING work and I feel I have earned the right to refer to myself as a Registered Nurse. I'm very proud of it.
I feel like other health care workers are SERIOUSLY making a JOKE of the nursing field throwing around the title as though we are a dime a dozen. Why can't they be proud of what they do? EACH of those fields is JUST fine..but WHY are you breaking the law and calling yourself a Nurse?
Can you imagine what would happen if I called myself a Doctor? Sorry, but that's ignorant and pathetic. I would NEVER do it. If this thread offends you, then please don't reply. It shouldn't be offensive unless you are one of the few health care workers who live a lie and call yourself a nurse.
How do we address this and stop this? Medical Assistants are the BIGGEST group I have witnessed this by. I have a LOT of respect for them and envy their position. They ENJOY their jobs...but why do SOME (not ALL), throw MY nursing license value around like that by claiming they are a nurse?
What do you do when it's a friend doing this?
What do you do when it's a health care coworker?
I already know what I would do if I was going to a Doctor's office and they did this. That's easy. It's the friend part that is hard. I KNOW it's silly to be upset..but I have never seen so much ignorance. Why did I work hard if someone else can call themselves a nurse and only went to school for 6 months? What did I work for? Other than the obvious paycheck and passion?! ha :)
My husband's aunt is a surgical tech and does this all the time. She refers to herself as a nurse and constantly gives 'nursing' advice to his family. She'll provide incorrect information to them, and it drives me insane. She also puts me down a lot when it comes to nursing related stuff. Granted, she has a lot of experience and I am a new nurse, but I have the degree and license...she doesn't!
I am a CNA, while in LPN school, and I actually agree with the original poster. It is dangerous for a CNA or tech to allow someone to think that they are a licensed nurse.
That being said, I'm sure you all still treat the CNA's with respect since they do a lot of the dirty work. :)
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
then what is a CNA to say if they are called nurse by a patient?
This thread has many real-life experiences with this shared by people who face the issue in their workplace. While "I am a nurse assistant" or "I am a student nurse" will usually suffice ---as in most things, it doesn't apply to 100% of the situations you will encounter on the job.
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
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are you saying that cnas are not nurses? at all? then what are they? im so confused by this post....
i have seen people say they are nurses and not even finish a program.... are those the people your mad at? or are you mad at cnas... because they attended a shorter program than you did with your rn program?
certified nurse assistant
if its not a nurse then why is it called certified nurse assistant ?
note: im not mad or offended i just want to understand ...
for example.. i know a girl that callles herself a cna but does not have her certification. therefore i dont consider her a nurse
it's called that because you "assist nurses." you're not a nurse. that's not a put-down, it's just a fact. you're not a nurse until you hold a license from your state's bon as a registered or practical nurse.
be proud of what you are, but don't pretend to be what you aren't.
i don't think nurses are mad at cnas because they attended a shorter program.
Well I don't claim something I'm not . But when people ask what I am going to school gor I reply CNA. That's all.. I don't go around saying I am a nurse. I will leave this alone already , people will say what they want anyway.
then what is a CNA to say if they are called nurse by a patient?
They should say "oh, I'm not a nurse, but if you need the nurse I can get her....or is there something I can help you with instead?"
Simple, straightforward, informs the patient of the error and still allows you to help the patient as needed.
If, as you say, you are going to school to become a CNA then I would think you'd already understand the distinction between being an assistant (or aide) to a nurse and actually being a nurse yourself...? Therein lies my confusion.
Well yikes.. I get it lol thanks for the advice. That's it. You all made your point . CNAs are not nurses.
Yeah - finally! You get it!
Sincerely, I wish you well in your CNA classes. A great CNA is a treasure to have as a team member in this field. As a CNA you will have a very important role in caring for patients. With any luck and a lot of hard work, you may even go on to be a nurse someday - then you will be back here defending that precious title you worked so hard to earn. Good luck.
In SOME situations, people who are clearly NOT nurses allow themselves to be called nurses, or refer to themselves as nurses, because they actually want to BE a nurse, but they don't want to put in the time/energy that it takes to become a nurse. I've never lied about my title, and I correct people quickly because with certain titles come certain expectations.....which can get you in even more trouble if people find out that you're lying about who you are.
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Starfish, RN
13 Posts
My husband's aunt is a surgical tech and does this all the time. She refers to herself as a nurse and constantly gives 'nursing' advice to his family. She'll provide incorrect information to them, and it drives me insane. She also puts me down a lot when it comes to nursing related stuff. Granted, she has a lot of experience and I am a new nurse, but I have the degree and license...she doesn't!