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.
I guess it is all right for me to eat anything I want, even though I am an insulin dependent diabetic. After all who am I hurting? The only one is myself. Now, all of my care has to be paid by Medicare, which is contributed to by the gainfully employed. They certainly do not have any right to say anything about my failure to follow my doctor's orders.
And I guess my grandchildren have the right to bully anyone they wish. After all, they are only picking on those weak kneed babies, in their classes.
And I guess it is all right for me to drive over the speed limit. I am not hurting anyone. I am not drinking and driving. I am only driving too fast, what right does the state have to restrict the speed at which I drive.
I realize that my situations are somewhat outlandish. But calling one's self a nurse when one is not a nurse, is a violation of most state's laws and BON regulations. And they certainly are not hurting anyone until they make a mistake. And when they make that mistake, the one's who don't object, will most likely be objecting the loudest.
I worked very hard to get my first degree in nursing. And I worked equally as hard to get my BSN. And I kept up my formal education by taking a class a semester at U.S.F. And I was lost when I could no longer work. And I do not believe that anyone, who is not a licensed nurse, be allowed to refer to him/herself as a nurse, even in a doctor's office.
We love to refer to ourselves as Professionals. Tell me, what other profession allows anyone who has not meet their professional requirements, to refer to themselves as that professional. Doctors do not. O.T., P.T. do not. Teachers do not. Engineers do not. Not even someone who does not have the qualifications to be called an officer, in the military, can refer to one's self as an officer. Seems we are among the very few who see no harm, no foul.
Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.
I personally think the problem is partly the fault of the nursing profession in that we had a clear way that patients knew we were nurses when we wore clothing that said so from the front or the back. It was especially helpful in situations of crowded circumstances when there wasn't a lot of time to ask questions or try to get a look at a tiny badge. We should never have given that practice up, even if we collectively instead had made the decision to change to wearing something more practical. There is nothing to stop nurses from collectively making the decision to go BACK to wearing something distinctive that stands out and separates us from the herd of all other types of health care personnel.
And to Nurse75
You are both correct. As a profession, we have slowly given our requirements and duties to non-licensed personnel. I'llbet very few know how licensed practical nurses came into being. It was during the 40s, when the need for nurses far outstriped the availability. Some one suggested licensing people who had gone to school for a year and who could handle the practical aspects. Hence the L. P. N.
Woody:balloons:
Who finds it increasingly difficult to determine who is doing what to her, when she is an inpatient. No caps, wrinkled scrubs, turned around name badges
So its against the law. But does it threaten who you are. Does it cause you to be hurt. Does it really bother you and if so why. Yes it may well be illegal. Fraudulent, even. But how does it affect you. A lot of things are illegal. Occasionally I hunt out of season. Doesnt hurt anybody except the deer I shoot. Presidents pardon people who obstruct justice, doesnt hurt anyone.
Well, Tom, it IS a problem, and a rather big one from where I'm standing (or sitting, at the moment).
Who is hurt? Well, when someone who can't buy a clue about nursing is convincing others that she IS a nurse, well, whatever she says then becomes FACT. To the people who are being deceived (and they ARE deceived, since they have been lied to), the medical information or advice they are receiving is bonafide. Legitimate. And those people will tell others about what "the nurse" told them, and potentially they or someone else will be hurt. Pretty good potential for that, from what I've seen. So who is hurt? The people who fall prey to this fraud.
What else is hurt? The credibility of ALL nurses, once the information or advice is at some point recognized to be horse pucky. Because it won't be "a Wannabe told me bad information under false pretenses". Nope. It will be "a NURSE didn't know what she was talking about when she told me to do XYZ". THAT'S what they will remember. "Hey, Bob: Nurses can't be trusted to give even simple medical information, it seems; remember what that idiot from Doc Baker's office told me?"
there aren't any nurses working in an er clinic???
who administers the meds, treatments?
as dutchgirl states, it is 100% illegal when personifying oneself as a nurse.
unless they're signing themselves off as a nurse, or identifying themselves as nurses to the pt population, i don't know what else can be done.
of course you can always call them to it, but if tptb are going along with it, there seems to be little support.
i don't know what or if the BON could do anything since there isn't anything overt.
i could be way off base however.
best of luck in this frustrating situation.
leslie
OMG, every nurse I have EVER discussed this with agrees with the angry feelings expressed. And those running about calling themselves "nurse" do NOT get it. But, I have to say, if you do call them on it, you end up alienating everyone, and you are labelled the "trouble-maker". BON has absolutely NO authority over it. Very unfair, I agree with you all.
I feel that you have worked hard and did pass you exams. But there are people who are out there and have been doing the same things as RN's do but they do not get the recognition from anyone not even the DR's That they work for.
I have always respected RN's and will continue, But let's not jump on the ones who work in the Medical Field and work hard.
Tiffany
Not sure what your point is, as relates to this thread.
No one is "jumping on ones who work in the Medical Field and work hard". People ARE upset or offended to have people who have no right to a certain title USING it. People are upset or offended to have people who have no education in nursing providing medical information to the general public.
As for people who "do the same things RNs do but they do not get recognition from anyone...", well.....who might that be? Who is it that is doing the SAME THINGS that RNs do, without a license, and deserve "recognition" for it? Seems to me if they are truly doing what RNs do (sans license) they don't deserve recognition, they deserve prosecution.
Well I guess we all have our own opinions and that is why we live in the United States.
Have a Great Day
tiffany
One of the things I love about living in the U.S. is that there are laws protecting my livelihood (licensing laws) and there are laws protecting the innocent general public from those who would harm them (intended or not).
I had a friend today tell me that she went thru nursing school but it wasn't for her. She is actually a MA with an associates in it and working in a hospital on computers. I did not have the heart to correct her, and she is a nice person and has a great and very respectable job at a hospital I would love to get in. I know there are similar courses for MA and RN but there is a TON that is different as well.
The reason I did not correct her is because her education and resume is respectable in itself and does not need to be pumped up with the nursing school title but evidently she may feel otherwise. I was also wondering if maybe this school where she got her MA was telling her it is just like Nursing School......
I had a friend today tell me that she went thru nursing school but it wasn't for her. She is actually a MA with an associates in it and working in a hospital on computers. I did not have the heart to correct her, and she is a nice person and has a great and very respectable job at a hospital I would love to get in. I know there are similar courses for MA and RN but there is a TON that is different as well.
The reason I did not correct her is because her education and resume is respectable in itself and does not need to be pumped up with the nursing school title but evidently she may feel otherwise. I was also wondering if maybe this school where she got her MA was telling her it is just like Nursing School......
In this case, I'd let it go entirely. Either she honestly doesn't know the difference (hard to believe, but I've heard of people who don't seem to get it) OR she does and finds it easier/better to say "nursing school".
Either way, doesn't really matter, since she works on computers! (data entry?)
I recently came across someone who described her MA school as a "nursing school"; when pressed for more details, it was "just a different kind of nursing but still a nursing school". Ummm.....yeah, whatever.
You will probably come across more people, over time, who will tell you that they were "in nursing school and it just wasn't for me". Like my neighbor, who told me (when I told her that I was halfway through, whenever that was) that very same thing. Actually, she told me she got halfway through before finding it too hard. And when I asked for more details, it turns out she had actually taken three pre-reqs, and failed to complete one of them, earning an F. Never got near the nursing program. But ah, she was "halfway through nursing school", LOL!
Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.
I feel that you have worked hard and did pass you exams. But there are people who are out there and have been doing the same things as RN's do but they do not get the recognition from anyone not even the DR's That they work for.
I have always respected RN's and will continue, But let's not jump on the ones who work in the Medical Field and work hard.
Tiffany
Tiffany, I have always respected others, for their knowledge and skills, regardless if they are an LPN or RN or MA. They have all gone thru some form of education and practical clinical experiences. And I respect anyone who works hard. What I object to is someone either allowing themselves to be called something they are not or calling themselves something they are not. How would you react if a young man or woman, entered your hospital room, with a sethoscope around their neck, and introducing themselves as Doctor, when in fact they are a third year medical student? I and a lot of other people would feel that a fraud had been put on them, since this third year student isn't a licensed doctor. And a lot of doctors would be incfensed and would put that student in their place.
Tiffany, I am not against giving people the respect that their hard work and education, has earned them. What I and others object to, is the person who represents himself to be something he is not. That means a CNA representing themselves as an M.A. Or a P.A. representing himself as a doctor. Or an M.A. representing themselves as a nurse when they are not. Nor the doctor, whose license they are working under, does not correct them. There are reasons for educational requirements, clinical practice and licensing, or certification requirements for each and everyone. And failure to meet those requirements but representing one's self as someone who has not meet those requirements is illegal and a disservice to each and everyone who has taken the time to meet them.
I work float in a clinic between family practice and internal med. One day float pool sent me to a family practice office I had never worked before. Sometimes as a nurse I either do the job of a nurse or a MA, it depends on what the need is. Usually the MA rooms the patients and the nurse does injections, order tests, assists the doctor in minor procedures, patient teaching, etc. Well this day I worked as a MA rooming patients but I was working under a MA. This doctor doesn't have nurse working for him he has a MA who calls the patients with there labs, sets up tests, assists in procedures, etc. When she calls the patients I feel its misleading because I would think they would assume that a nurse is calling to explain the labs, test results, or whatever, but no it's a MA. She also calls in RX's, I guess maybe I need to look further into their scope, but she had to come to me to give injections, go figure. I kind of felt like I went to school for nothing that day. I had to answer to a MA and report anything to her because she reported to the doctor, no me, because I was the MA for her and the doctor that day. Confusing huh?
Specializes in icu, er, transplant, case management, ps.
OMG, every nurse I have EVER discussed this with agrees with the angry feelings expressed. And those running about calling themselves "nurse" do NOT get it. But, I have to say, if you do call them on it, you end up alienating everyone, and you are labelled the "trouble-maker". BON has absolutely NO authority over it. Very unfair, I agree with you all.
Actually you are wrong. Here in Florida, we have the Division of Professional Regulation. Anyone who represents themselves as someone who is licensed or certified, in this state, can be prosecuted if they are not licensed or certified. And their employer be it a doctor's office or a clinic, can also be sanctioned, suspended or have their license revoked. Back in the 80's I reported someone to them who was representing himself as a P.A., as well as the doctor who allowed him to. After an investigation, the doctor received a suspension and the individual was prosecuted for fraud. I also gave testimony, in NYS, against a gentleman who represented himself as a doctor when he was not. His brother was and had suffered a stroke. The doctor lost his license and his brother received a five year prison term and was deported, after he had served his time. Most states have such departments. They are just as concerned about misrepresentation as we are.
If you would like to know how I investigated this doctor, I was a fraud and abuse investigator for the Department of Health, New York State, in NYC. We had received a letter of complaint by a member of his community that was concerned. He was also charged with billing fraud because he had billed Medicaid.
People misrepresenting themselves can be called to task for their misrepresentations. You just have to do a little exploring to find out which department in your state covers this area.
woody62, RN
928 Posts
I guess it is all right for me to eat anything I want, even though I am an insulin dependent diabetic. After all who am I hurting? The only one is myself. Now, all of my care has to be paid by Medicare, which is contributed to by the gainfully employed. They certainly do not have any right to say anything about my failure to follow my doctor's orders.
And I guess my grandchildren have the right to bully anyone they wish. After all, they are only picking on those weak kneed babies, in their classes.
And I guess it is all right for me to drive over the speed limit. I am not hurting anyone. I am not drinking and driving. I am only driving too fast, what right does the state have to restrict the speed at which I drive.
I realize that my situations are somewhat outlandish. But calling one's self a nurse when one is not a nurse, is a violation of most state's laws and BON regulations. And they certainly are not hurting anyone until they make a mistake. And when they make that mistake, the one's who don't object, will most likely be objecting the loudest.
I worked very hard to get my first degree in nursing. And I worked equally as hard to get my BSN. And I kept up my formal education by taking a class a semester at U.S.F. And I was lost when I could no longer work. And I do not believe that anyone, who is not a licensed nurse, be allowed to refer to him/herself as a nurse, even in a doctor's office.
We love to refer to ourselves as Professionals. Tell me, what other profession allows anyone who has not meet their professional requirements, to refer to themselves as that professional. Doctors do not. O.T., P.T. do not. Teachers do not. Engineers do not. Not even someone who does not have the qualifications to be called an officer, in the military, can refer to one's self as an officer. Seems we are among the very few who see no harm, no foul.
Woody:balloons: