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?????
Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.
First of all I am not a nurse but in a family of nurses and nurse friends who are about handling there business who tend to agree. It is, I repeat "obsurd" anyway you look at it. Abrasive? oh well the truth hurts. I may have been a patient, hha, pca, cna, lpn, other nurse or doctor who witness such pettiness in a hospital, nursing home, or assistive living facility where the patient was the one who suffered the most. Even where uneseccary pain and death was involved (true story). Was it rude or was it a rude awakening? And I'm hoping it would add integrity.
Maybe my blood sugar is too low and I am having problems thinking. I really do not understand what you are attempting to say. I don't know your position on people who are not R.N.'s or L.P.N.'s referring to themselves as nurses.
Regarding money I also heard many of you talk and the topic was money, pt. should be priority. I believe that. And the messages were not to all educated, nursing licensure but to the stuck up educated licensure who has a bone to pick or likes to nit pick at silly things.
Interesting how NOBODY every questions the ethics or passes judgement on other professions when it comes pay. Yet in the nursing profession when it comes to discussions regarding financial compensation, nurses are severely judged and their integrity towards their patients is questioned. Why is that? Would you even consider questioning a physicians integrity regarding financial compensation for what they do? Frankly you could double my pay tomorrow and it would not alter the care my patients receive, in fact it couldn't. You see, no matter how many extra bucks you give me it does not change the fact that unless my work environment changes drastically more money cannot make me less busy, it does not increase my ablity to get more done, or give more, or do better, or be more thorough, or provide more time with my patients. This is actually not even part of the original topic of this thread, so I'm not sure why you brought this up.
The reason nurses are against those who do not hold licensure as either a RN or LPN representing themselves as nurses IS BECAUSE OF THE PATIENTS!! This is a safety issue. People seek advice and treatment from their physicians BECAUSE of their qualifications, it is also why they seek/accept advice and treatment from nurses. People who fraudulently represent themselves, either by omission, deliberately allowing others to assume, or by claiming to be just like nurses are dangerous. If they are willing to cross the line when they represent themselves, how many other lines are they willing to cross in their arrogance? When patient's go to a health care facility or physcian's office, what the term "nurse" means to them is a licensed, qualified professional that graduated from an accredited nursing program.
What is absurd is that people have so little regard for the title "nurse." The issue isn't about snobbery or elitism. It's not about what anyone thinks they deserve to be called. It's not about the inaccurate belief that you may have credentials you equate to that of an RN/LPN or that what you do is the equivalent of an RN/LPN. It's also not about CNA vs RN/LPN or MA/CMA vs RN/LPN. It's about accurate representation about what one is and their qualifications. NPs and PAs don't have issues about representing themselves as physicians. There shouldn't be issues for those that don't hold licenses as either an RN or LPN believing they are entitled to usurp a title that they did not earn.
OMG, much to do about nothing!!!!! this topic -obsurd. someone cleared it upon on the LPN/RN issue. Honestly for mature people who is about there business, you guys are fussing about what? You (nurses and nursing students) will be paid as nurses that's what matters. Hello!
Health care professional unity please. Nurses should know how it feels to be looked down on (as less than by doctors) Get off your high horse, or maybe you just need some humble pie? Life will provide that easily. Good luck.
Oh, we do know what it's like to be looked down upon, and it doesn't always come from doctors. I've had it come from all sorts of directions, including but not limited to CNAs, PTs, OTs, RTs, dietary personnel, housekeeping personnel, pharmacists, transporters, pretty much someone from any category of staff that may be within a hospital. Nurses are far from immune when it comes to being looked down upon.
First of all I am not a nurse but in a family of nurses and nurse friends who are about handling there business who tend to agree. It is, I repeat "obsurd" anyway you look at it. Abrasive? oh well the truth hurts. I may have been a patient, hha, pca, cna, lpn, other nurse or doctor who witness such pettiness in a hospital, nursing home, or assistive living facility where the patient was the one who suffered the most. Even where uneseccary pain and death was involved (true story). Was it rude or was it a rude awakening? And I'm hoping it would add integrity.
Doesn't one show a clear lack of integrity when they mislead and misrepresent? The fact that you may think anyone and everyone should have unlimited use to to the title "nurse" does not make it an "abrasive truth" or a "rude awakening" to me. The fact that patient's may be putting their trust in someone who is misleading them is a cause for concern to me as a nurse, on behalf of all patients IMO.
You refer to pettiness that affects patients causing them sufferring and allude to unnecessary pain and death. What is that about and what does it have to do with this issue, this issue being unlicenced personnel refering to themselves as nurses? Your posts seem to indicate that your are referring to other issues aside from the original topic of this thread.
By the way I went online for cna info. and I was link to this bull-ish. This site must have thought I was a nurse.
Actually it was your search engine that lead you here, not this site. The reason your search engine lead you here is because there are CNAs who are valued members that contribute to this site.
Did anyone read the dictionary? The term nurse is from the word nourish. Anyone can nourish, but not everyone can be an LPN/RN/NP etc. My thought-anyone can be a nurse, to family members, neighbors, loved ones. Restrict the titles, not the word.
Anyone can give bad advice: including LPN/RN/NP or MD. We aren't going to stop that, ever.
People also have to be responsible for following bad advice. I have been advised wrongly by professionals-WITH TITLES. It happens.
Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Having read this thread, I still don't get it.
Did anyone read the dictionary? The term nurse is from the word nourish. Anyone can nourish, but not everyone can be an LPN/RN/NP etc. My thought-anyone can be a nurse, to family members, neighbors, loved ones. Restrict the titles, not the word.
Anyone can give bad advice: including LPN/RN/NP or MD. We aren't going to stop that, ever.
People also have to be responsible for following bad advice. I have been advised wrongly by professionals-WITH TITLES. It happens.
A sad fact, but true. I have seen some things advised by nurses that make my hair stand on edge. The difference, though, is the level of responsibility and the legal implication that the licensed person has in giving bad advice.
A medical assistant should never refer to herself/himself as a "nurse," "office nurse," or "doctor's nurse." In every state this is a violation of the Nurse Practice Act, and can result in fines and penalties. All office personnel should avoid referring to medical assistants as "nurses." If a patient addresses you as a nurse, you should politely and pleasantly say that you are a Certified Medical Assistant® (CMA), not a nurse.
If the AAMA sees a problem with inappropriate use of the title "nurse," than I guess that says quite a bit.
Originally Posted by Mschrisco
Having read this thread, I still don't get it.
Did anyone read the dictionary? The term nurse is from the word nourish. Anyone can nourish, but not everyone can be an LPN/RN/NP etc. My thought-anyone can be a nurse, to family members, neighbors, loved ones. Restrict the titles, not the word.
Anyone can give bad advice: including LPN/RN/NP or MD. We aren't going to stop that, ever.
People also have to be responsible for following bad advice. I have been advised wrongly by professionals-WITH TITLES. It happens.
There is actually 20 separate definitions of the word "nurse," only 3 of those definitions were nouns: dry nurse, wet nurse, and nurse (as in one who received formal education and training to care for the sick). I'm not seeing the use of the terms "dry nurse'" or "wet nurse" in todays society.
The other definitions were use of the word nurse as a verb, which is how it would be used to describe providing care to a family member, neighbors, or loved one. People aren't up in arms because those that are not licensed as RNs/LPNs who have nursed a loved one through an illness, or nursed their infants for example are running around representing themselves as licensed nurses. They are not saying they're "nurses" but what they may do is describe their actions as nursing.
I just found it interesting how the definition of doctor shares some similarities with the definition of nurse for instance how the words "doctor" or "doctoring" can be used in a similar manner like the words "nurse" and "nursing."
Yes, the word "nurse" is also considered an honorary title granted by an institution. This is what people are getting up in arms about, people using this title to imply that they're something they are not.
What we are talking about is restricting the use of the title "nurse" within the health care setting, not the limitation of use as it may pertain outside of it. It's about accurate representation within the Health Care Disciplines.
BTW yes, unfortunately anyone can give bad advice, whether they're qualified to do so or not. I fail to see this as a valid argument to allow misrepresentation towards our patients within the health care community through use of the title "nurse."
I understand what this thread is about. And I am not referring the the verb.
Justl don't see any reason to restrict the NOUN "Nurse".
No big deal.
Grew up with many people referred to a "nurse", who were not RNs or LPNs. It was used as a term of respect.
Never saw any patients get upset about using the term when referring to CNAs. "Hi, we will be your nurses today-if you need anything please let us know. Faith is the RN, Hope is the LPN, and Charity is the CNA"
By the way I went online for cna info. and I was link to this bull-ish. This site must have thought I was a nurse.
LOL! This site doesn't "think" anything at all, certainly it didn't "think you were a nurse"!
You plugged the term "CNA" into Google or whatever search engine you use, and up came sites that frequently use the term and have relative information. Seeing it on your screen doesn't mean that you are now a bonafide member of the nursing profession....LOL....
Now back to our regularly scheduled programming, regarding the actual topic of this thread.
Are people crazy, the unit secretary person calling herself a nurse is just downright wrong, there is a big difference, wanna be a nurse?, then go to school like the rest of us!!!
I understand what this thread is about. And I am not referring the the verb.
Justl don't see any reason to restrict the NOUN "Nurse".
No big deal.
Grew up with many people referred to a "nurse", who were not RNs or LPNs. It was used as a term of respect.
Never saw any patients get upset about using the term when referring to CNAs. "Hi, we will be your nurses today-if you need anything please let us know. Faith is the RN, Hope is the LPN, and Charity is the CNA"
And if your are in any of the 19 states where the title "nurse" is a protected title, you could be getting poor Charity in a lot of trouble. In these states it's not a question of opinion or personal belief.
Use of the title "nursing assistant" is restricted in Ontario, Canada. I personally think that's ridiculously over the top when it comes to protecting the title "nurse," however it would not change the fact that one would be in violation of Ontario's Nursing Act if they referred to themselves by that title. If I worked in Ontario I certainly wouldn't encourage the use of or refer to PSWs (Personal Support Workers) or HCAs (Health Care Aides) as "nursing assistants" only because it is in violation of the Nursing Act.
11. (1) No person other than a member shall use the title "nurse", "nurse practitioner", "registered nurse" or "registered practical nurse", a variation or abbreviation or an equivalent in another language. 2007, c. 10, Sched. B, s. 14 (1).
(3) No person shall use the title "nursing assistant" or a variation or abbreviation of it. 1991, c. 32, s. 11 (3).
I also realize that I will not change your position on this issue any more than you can change mine.
Specializes in ub-Acute/LTC, Home Health, L&D, Peds.
I understand what this thread is about. And I am not referring the the verb.
Justl don't see any reason to restrict the NOUN "Nurse".
No big deal.
Grew up with many people referred to a "nurse", who were not RNs or LPNs. It was used as a term of respect.
Never saw any patients get upset about using the term when referring to CNAs. "Hi, we will be your nurses today-if you need anything please let us know. Faith is the RN, Hope is the LPN, and Charity is the CNA"
Maybe you would see it differently if you were a nurse. It takes a lot of work to become a nurse. I would like to know your views on the subject after you put in all the time and effort into becoming a RN/LPN. Let us know then.
Maybe you would see it differently if you were a nurse. It takes a lot of work to become a nurse. I would like to know your views on the subject after you put in all the time and effort into becoming a RN/LPN. Let us know then.
Careful, Katie......She's been a nurse for 25 years.
Specializes in ub-Acute/LTC, Home Health, L&D, Peds.
Careful, Katie......She's been a nurse for 25 years.
I looked on her public profile before I posted and it did not state any years of experience and under nursing education it only said "other". I then assumed she was not a nurse. I find it interesting if she has been a nurse for 25 years that she thinks that it is no big deal to refer to yourself as a nurse if you are not an RN/LPN. She then knows how hard we work for our licenses. Anyway in that case I must apologize for that part of my post. Thank you for correcting me.
woody62, RN
928 Posts
Maybe my blood sugar is too low and I am having problems thinking. I really do not understand what you are attempting to say. I don't know your position on people who are not R.N.'s or L.P.N.'s referring to themselves as nurses.
Woody:balloons: