AZBON newsletter- medical office employees calling themselves "nurses" busted.

UM Review RN, ASN, RN · May 26, 2005

Yay! :yelclap:

It's about time people started getting called on this--it IS a crime and it DOES give real nurses a bad name.

hollyster · May 27, 2005

This is a big pet peeve of mine. Their are two MDs here that have no Nurse. When you call to notify a MD of the need for a new order for drugs or treatment. After explaining to the office person that I needed an order for different pain med and a clarifications on other drug order he had written. She stated ok that sounds good,he agrees to it :uhoh21: Apparently she must be psychic.

I asked her name and title. She said I am the MDs nurse. I asked again she gave me her name and then said she was the receptionist and handle these orders all the time. :nono: I told her that it was illlegal for her to give or change orders. When I finally talked to the MD I lit into him for endangering the pts.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · May 27, 2005

Two years ago a bb member found a Nevada physician website that listed his "Nursing staff" --all MA's and receptionist. We peppered docs email that nurse was a protected title in this state. I emailed screenshots of website to BON and Nevada Nurses Association; within 36 hours website was changed. He pleded he was unaware of our protected title. Nsg Assoc even called office to make sure they didn't anwser the phones as "Nurse Suzzy Q".

Each time this happens EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY is the key....along with the threat of lawsuit if they don't cease and desist.

RNRealNurse417 · Oct 5, 2008

Medical Assistants misrepresenting themselves as nurses are posing many legal and safety issues for nurses, patients and pharmacist. For example: A clinic in Florida, where there are 6 regular physicians seeing patients on a daily basis. The facility is quite large and a good number of patients are in and out all day. All the assistants working for the physicians are Medical Assistants. However, they all refer to themselves as nurses. They even have gone so far to place a LARGE WOODEN SIGN in the window at the center station that reads..."NURSES STATION"

Several months back I approached the desk and asked........" Who are the LPN's, LVN's and RN's here? They all looked concerned and baffled. One responded......"Ahhh, we have one LPN who I think works somewhere in the back of the building in the business office."

I replied...." Then why do you all refer to yourselves as nurses? This is misrepresentation and needs to stop immediately." I continued... " You are not nurses." " I am an RN and if I posed as an MD, I would be facing serious legal action." They sat with blank stares.

To date, now October 2008......the sign remains and they still all refer to themselves as Nurses. The state should take action on this. It is clearly misrepresentation and illegal.

Penguin67 · Oct 5, 2008

Check your state's nurse practice act. In Georgia, the only "protected" title is that of "registered nurse". Unfortunately, in Georgia, people without formal training can refer to themselves as "nurses" but not "registered" nurses, or "licensed practical nurses". Of course, this may vary from state to state, so look at your nurse practice act.

:down:

espritjolieRN · Oct 5, 2008

In the clinic where I work, the doctors refer to their assistants as nurses. The receptionists refer to the assistants as nurses. Even the licensed and registered nurses refer to the assistants as nurses.

Because really, what is a nurse? It's one who cares for the sick. Time to duck and cover but I'll say it anyway: They do that. They take vitals and histories, give neb treatments and shots, do dressing changes, remove sutures, prep patients for and assist the docs with various procedures... they are a liason between the physician and the patient. They are not licensed practical nurses, they are not registered nurses --- these are legally protected titles --- but they are medical assistants who are performing nursing in a very basic sense... and so the name nurse tends to stick in this environment.

It's more of a social convention than a great conspiracy by MAs to misrepresent themselves as possessing a knowledge or degree they haven't earned. I'm not going to say your anger is unjustified, perhaps I'm too relaxed about the whole thing, but I will say I think it's misplaced.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Oct 5, 2008

Remember the old adage: Actions speak louder than words.

Please address your concern IN WRITING to each physician at the practice and include copy of your letter to the state board of nursing.

flightnurse2b, LPN · Oct 5, 2008

i believe the only way these people get caught is if someone reports them as a fraud to the state BON.

alot of the problem stems with the physicians who enable the behavior. they will say "oh, jane doe, my nurse, will call you".... and i will gently remind them "sir, you don't have a nurse."

i am not killing myself in nursing school for that term to be flung around... it nothing against CMA's at all... but when you work so hard for something it is very annoying for someone who didn't to call themself a "nurse". i know CMA school is not easy, right? so why not be proud and use the title that you earned.

Thornbird · Oct 5, 2008

in most states the titles rn, lpn/lvn, practical nurse, professional nurse and nurse are legally protected titles for use only by those who are licensed. actually, i don't know of any state where that's not true but there may be. such persons and clinics should be reported to the bon for practicing nursing without a license which is a crime in all states just as practicing medicine without a license is. the bon then issues (by way of the attorney general's office) a "cease and desist order" which if not complyed with results in fines and/or jail terms.

i am not slamming ma's in any way but patients have the right to know who is taking care of them. also a legal right in all 50 states. ma's exceeding their legal practice and pretending to be nurses endangers everyone.

from the florida dept of health:

q: i witnessed an unlicensed person performing activities that require a license. how do i report this activity?

a: you can report suspected unlicensed health care practice by calling 1-877-halt-ula (1-877-425-8852), emailing the department at

[color=#052a73][email protected]

or by mailing a completed

[color=#052a73]uniform complaint form

to the

[color=#052a73]consumer services unit.

Thornbird · Oct 5, 2008

From the Florida Statutes 2008 (other states have similar laws)

456.065 Unlicensed practice of a health care profession; intent; cease and desist notice; penalties; enforcement; citations; fees; allocation and disposition of moneys collected.-- (1) It is the intent of the Legislature that vigorous enforcement of licensure regulation for all health care professions is a state priority in order to protect Florida residents and visitors from the potentially serious and dangerous consequences of receiving medical and health care services from unlicensed persons whose professional education and training and other relevant qualifications have not been approved through the issuance of a license by the appropriate regulatory board or the department when there is no board. The unlicensed practice of a health care profession or the performance or delivery of medical or health care services to patients in this state without a valid, active license to practice that profession, regardless of the means of the performance or delivery of such services, is strictly prohibited.

Batman24 · Oct 5, 2008

Bravo!! This is refreshing to read and a welcome change. I hope it's a trend we see continue to take place. If you have the title MA you know you aren't a nurse and shouldn't call yourself one. And shame on the doctors who know they aren't nurse and allow and/or encourage it. I wouldn't trust an office who couldn't even be honest about the actual titles of their staff.