maybe its just me, but i get very bothered when someone says "i'm a nurse," and their not, their a cna, or nurse aid, or have no schooling at all and just worked their way up in a clinic. i work at a local emergency clinic 30 hours a week to gain experience in my field, and i just got accepted in ns, and i'v worked darn hard to get here! and i find it bothersome when one of the girls at work say "i'm the nurse" or something along those lines...i feel that when i graduate and pass my nclex that, only then, will i be able to say "i'm a nurse." the other day my doctor said "jamie, will you get a nurse?" i said "im sorry doc, i dont think we have any of those working here." he actually laughed and said "you know what i mean"......but is this just me?????
of course i am, even i'm only a nursing student. the way i care my patients everytime we have a hospital duty, the way i understand the do's and dont's being as a student, the way i work with sincere and honest to my patients, clininical instructors and even to the staffs. if you're really understands the roles and responsibilities of being a nurse, even you're not a registered nurse, you can call yourself as a "nurse", "a true nurse".
Hi Shananagins----I agree with you over the uniform! As I have said in a previous post that is exactly the case here in Calderdale, West Yorkshire, UK. When I worked as a night district nurse we went out in twos, both in the same uniform, a horrid baggy pale blue tunic effort which made us both look like checkout operators at the supermarket( with all due respect to these ladies who also do an important job!)
No one knew who was the quialified or the unqualified, both or neither, and as it is all first names also, I am sure even with our badges and after making personal introductions of ourselves, the elderly and upset, bereaved etc did not always register the distinction. As as result of thi brainwave of managements--to deprive us qualified of our lovely blue dresses which everyoen recognised instantly--- all the hospital staff and all the community staff were dressed alike--except the men for some reason--talk about sexist also! so the general public were fooled into thinking there were loads of "nurses" looking after them! Or--maybe-- loads of checkout operators !
as i have identified, i have been a rn since 6-14-07.
to be specific:
on 6-15 i went to work and i was still considered a gn(can be called a nurse, have graduated nursing school and can be called a nurse for a specific amount of time).
i remember one of my patients asking me (because i had a preceptor) "are you an rn?"
i stated, "not yet, "i took my state boards yesterday, and i will not find out if i passed for a few more days".
of course the patients were all happy for me and wished me the best.
on the 17th of june i surprisingly received results via pearson vue, and that day i was asked, "are you an rn?" i proudly stated, "yes i passed my boards, and yes i am an rn.
i felt so proud, but at the same time could not belive it.
passing boards is the last step in becoming an rn or an lpn.
no matter how you look at it: student nurse, graduate nurse, they are nurses and deserve to be called nurses.
but one is not allowed to be called a rn or an lpn until they have passed the state boards.
egads!!!!!!!!!!!
i just got my license, after working full-time during nursing school, yet i now realize how little i know, i'm almost embarassed to wear the same badge as people who really know what's going on!
the ones who call themselves "nurse" (but who wouldn't recognize a nanda if it bit them) get quiet real quickly when i ask them about liability insurance, ceus in our state, etc etc lololol
Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.
as i have identified, i have been a rn since 6-14-07.
to be specific:
on 6-15 i went to work and i was still considered a gn(can be called a nurse, have graduated nursing school and can be called a nurse for a specific amount of time).
i remember one of my patients asking me (because i had a preceptor) "are you an rn?"
i stated, "not yet, "i took my state boards yesterday, and i will not find out if i passed for a few more days".
of course the patients were all happy for me and wished me the best.
on the 17th of june i surprisingly received results via pearson vue, and that day i was asked, "are you an rn?" i proudly stated, "yes i passed my boards, and yes i am an rn.
i felt so proud, but at the same time could not belive it.
passing boards is the last step in becoming an rn or an lpn.
no matter how you look at it: student nurse, graduate nurse, they are nurses and deserve to be called nurses.
but one is not allowed to be called a rn or an lpn until they have passed the state boards.
i am sorry but until one is licensed, one is not entitled to refer to themselves as a nurse. if you are a student, you need to refer to yourself as a student nurse. a graduate, as a graduate nurse. howver calling yourself a nurse, when you are not licensed is dishonest and a violation of most npas.
a graduate nurse is a nurse- they graduated ,were pinned and have the right to the title (as you say) graduate nurse, and those who are in those positons should clearly state they are not licenced yet, but they are still considered nurses.
a student nurse is introduced as a student nurse, and they are still a nurse. they also must clearly identify themselves as that.
yes, if they try to pass themselves off as a rn or lpn then it is considered fraud, but what i mean is a gn is still a nurse, and so is the student nurse. so yes i agree with you, but those who earn gn or students nurse are still nurses.
i am sorry but until one is licensed, one is not entitled to refer to themselves as a nurse. if you are a student, you need to refer to yourself as a student nurse. a graduate, as a graduate nurse. howver calling yourself a nurse, when you are not licensed is dishonest and a violation of most npas.
Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.
all i was trying to convey was:
a graduate nurse is a nurse- they graduated ,were pinned and have the right to the title (as you say) graduate nurse, and those who are in those positons should clearly state they are not licenced yet, but they are still considered nurses.
a student nurse is introduced as a student nurse, and they are still a nurse. they also must clearly identify themselves as that.
yes, if they try to pass themselves off as a rn or lpn then it is considered fraud, but what i mean is a gn is still a nurse, and so is the student nurse. so yes i agree with you, but those who earn gn or students nurse are still nurses.
i am a little confused. you state that you understand that a student is a student and a graduate is a graduate but they are still considered nurses. if that is so, then they do not have to refer to themselves as either a student or a graduate. and in the state i am licensed in, that is against the npa. only a person holding a license as a professional nurse can refer to themselves as an rn. and only a pn, who is licensed, can refer to herself as an lpn. anyone else referring to themselves as a nurse is in violation of our npa. whatever you believe is fine but it is not law. and anyone referring to one's self as a nurse, who is not licensed, will find themselves in a great deal of trouble, if someone makes a complaint to the appropriate state agency.
and believe me, i will report anyone who refers to themselves as a nurse, who is not licensed as one, to the appropriate state agency. the only reason for someone to refer to one's self as a nurse, who is not, is to commit a fraud on the public, be they employed by a doctor, clinic, hospital, ltc or group home.
I've been reading a lot of what has been posted here and elsewhere on this forum, and there is always a lot of conflicting information floating around... specifically when we discuss job titles, wages, etc.
While I realise that things change state to state, country to country (even facility to facility), please consider looking at the chart and fill in the categories so wwe can have an idea what things are like where you work.
Consider this... why would a private facility employ X number or RN's at Y salary per year when they can employ twice as many helpers/ MAs for less cost and lump them all in as "Nurses"? Answer: We let them !!
The fact that people will use the excuse " oh I started nursing school, but it wasn't for me..." then take a job as a "helper / MA" for the employment without the work and education and try and pass themselves off as doing the same job as I am pisses me right off.
We (RN's) are really shooting ourselves in the foot by letting the infighting over " a nurse is a nurse is a nurse" to distract us while our employers can employ MA's, Medication technicians, CNA, for cheap to do our jobs.
A degree as entry to practice is, in my opinion, the only way for new grads to become licensed RNs (We did it in Ontario) LPN is a diploma program, and other than that accept the fact that you didn't put the time and work to earn the title "Nurse". The rest is semantics and hair splitting. I'm not talking about all of us who are currently practicing, but new people coming into the workplace.
If you keep bickering among yourselves and accept untrained personnel in to do your job it is small wonder employers will walk all over you to make more money and the US government considers Nursing as an unskilled trade.
Input ? Disagree ?? let's hear about it... and no more us vs. them, Degree vs. Diploma, US vs. Foreingers debates.
Nothing comes of them except people defending themslelves and other people making money off our backs at our patients expense.
facilities looking to hire cheap labour to do a job (poor outcomes forthe patient be damned).
Anybody and their dog can be Certified to do whatever... doen't mean squat in the end.
I'd hope that BON etc issuing licenses are a little more stringent. I didn't find the Canadian Nurses Association License exam too difficult (but I was well prepared by four years of clinical and schooling).
Is there really a nursing shortage in the US, or just a shortage of well paying and healthy worplaces that qualified persons want to work at...
Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.
Ian, I attended at three year diploma program but left seven months before my graduation. I was granted a wavier to be a L.P.N. the month after my daughter was born. From 1969 to 1971, I attended a two year program at a local community college. Graduated, worked as a graduate nurse for three months after taking my state boards. In 1973 I return to a four year college, obtained my BSN in January of 1974. Attended a graduate program for hospital administration, wrote my thesis, graduated and went to work for the Department of Health, State of New York, where my business card reflected that I was a Public Health Administrator-I qualified as one. From 1980 to 1989 I worked as a major case manager, dealing with workers comp clients. My business cards reflected that I was an R.N., B.S. N., M.S, C.V.C. (certified vocational counselor). I worked hard for my degrees. I find it repugnant when an employer allows someone who is not a nurse to refer to him/herself. I am equally against anyone who is not licensed calling themselves a nurse. They are not and never will be. And until everyone wakes up and realizes that these people are frauds, they will continue to call themselves nurses when they are not.:angryfire
Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.
I think its healthier if we all take a deep breathe and relax a little.
I am sorry if you found my post upsetting. Taking a deep breath and relaxing is what is wrong with our profession. We have allowed others to take skills away from us. Handing them over to unlicensed individuals in an attempt to save money, by our employers. And in some states, we have allowed state legislatures to creat new cerificates, and naming them as Level One or Two CNAs. We are the only profession, that I am aware of, that has three entry levels, for the same skill set. We tend to make light of others calling themselves nurses, when they are not.
And we wonder why we are not treated as professionals by others. I am no longer able to practice nursing but I have not given up on my profession.
WindyhillBSN
383 Posts
beautiful statement, but...no.