claiming to be what she isn't

[traumamomtx]

Has anyone ever had someone claim to be a nurse when they weren't? Last night at my hubby's ballgame one of the other players girlfriend claimed she was a R.N. and when I asked her what school she graduated from she named a local facility. I remembered the name but gave her the benefit of the doubt thinking "diploma program" but had my doubts because I have heard her lie before about trivial stuff and I haven't lived in this area for that long to really know much about the schools. Anyway, so came home looked it up on the internet and it is a Medical Asst. school. That is cool and I get along with everyone regardless of what title, job, or position in life they hold that goes for most nurses. I'm not her friend, enemy, or anything in between so why lie? Anyway, I'm not going to rat her out to her face but just wondered if many people have had the same experience at some time?

[LanaBanana]

I had a colposcopy the other day and the doctor said she was going to get the "nurse". I looked at the girl's badge and it said clinical assistant. The doctor's at Kaiser are always referring to their MAs as nurses.

One of the big clinics here even calls RN's and LPN's "clinical assistant". I'm not sure what Clinical Ast. I is, but Clin.Ast. II is a medical assistant, III is LPN, IV is RN. I only found this out when the girl who was doing my vitals had "LPN" embroidered on her scrub top but her name tag said "clinical assistant III". I think this just causes more confusion with patients between what is a nurse and what isn't.

[RoxanRN]

I think a small part of the problem is the general perception with the public that nurses are simply anyone who 'helps in the medical field.' I am not even excusing lying here, just pondering how this nonsense happens.

For example, recently at my physicians office, my doc said he was sending in his "nurse" to give me a shot. I watched as she signed the chart with the lot number of the shot, etc. She signed her name and clearly signed M.A. after it. Then, I looked on my paperwork and what was I billed for? "NURSE injection" was printed on the form. I asked his office manager, "what is this fee for again?" She said "that's the fee for the nurse visit, it's only $25 for a nurse visit." So then I said "oh you mean the medical assistant fee for the injection, because she's not a nurse of course?" The office manager (smart lady I've known for a while) said "no, that's for a NURSE visit."

Even at my allergist's office they refer to the MA's who give the injections as "nurses." Repeatedly they do.

That could probably be reported to the insurance companies as fraud........

[RoxanRN]

I worked with a wonderful Nurse Tech who would introduce himself as the Nurse Tech and that he was here to help the nurse. He made it absolutely clear the patient that he was not the nurse. He has since graduated nursing school and is awaiting NCLEX. I keep wondering how many time he's going to trip over his tongue when he introduces himself - as the nurse :roll :selfbonk:

[MIA-RN1, RN]

A smudgin off topic but this thread made me wonder...

As a newly-minted graduate nurse, can I legally call myself a nurse and then if there is a question go on to say that I have my degree and am awaiting licensure? I'll be working in two weeks as a GN, and it will probably take 6 weeks or so to get all the paperwork processed to sign up for the NCLEX.

My final was this morning, I guess I want to be able to tell people Im a nurse!

[bondoson88]

I have had experiences with patients, namely the moms of peds patients that when they come in to see their child the first words out of their mouths are "Well I'm a nurse!" That is like a big red warning flag that you have someone here that probably will be a problem othewise know as a pain in the you know what. Whenever anyone in my family is hospitilized I never say anything about being a nurse and working in an acute hospital because I feel it makes you seem ignorant. Instead I talk to the medical professionals as I would talk to my co-workers. I always know when I'm talking to a family member that is a real nurse but does not reveal it just by the questions that they ask. I'll just ask them or say are you a nurse or you must be a nurse because I can tell by the questions you are asking me. Another clue when someone says well I'm a nurse, if you look at the face sheet and see their occupation it usually says unemployed, now everyone knows nurses can't be unemployed at least in northern California!

[Antikigirl, ASN, RN]

LOL...I don't typically admit I am an RN unless I want to hear a earload about everyones medical probelms and free Dx's I can't do! LOL!!!!!!!

I typically say "oh cool...are you a certified or registered nurse?" That typically gets the story unfolding..use certified first because one that isn't in the know may not know the difference and will pick the first ...

[Multicollinearity, BSN, RN]

Thank you all for explaining the educational history of "practical nurses" to me!

[Passion4Compassion]

well, the next time you run into her...tell her you have been hoping you'd see her again because wherever you work is really looking for some good rns and that the pay is outstanding...make up a bogus number or if your facility pays really well, tell her the truth. tell her you'd be glad to help her set up a time to meet with the nurse recruiter or hr at your facility and that she would love working there etc... she'll crap herself and have nothing to say or roll into another lie which would be absolutely hysterical!

vanessa :lol_hitti

[sjt9721, BSN, RN]

My friend ex wife said she was an RN even produced a licence and went to work for the district attorney reviewin and testifying in rape cases. When my friend found out he reported her.She was not an RN nor did she ever go to any college. She forged her licence. Now that is what I call a serious lie.

Shame on the DA's office for not verifying her license!

[sjt9721, BSN, RN]

A smudgin off topic but this thread made me wonder...

As a newly-minted graduate nurse, can I legally call myself a nurse and then if there is a question go on to say that I have my degree and am awaiting licensure? I'll be working in two weeks as a GN, and it will probably take 6 weeks or so to get all the paperwork processed to sign up for the NCLEX.

My final was this morning, I guess I want to be able to tell people Im a nurse!

You are a Graduate Nurse and have every right to introduce yourself as such. The degree doesn't make you a nurse. It provides the education for you to be licensed.

Good luck on the NCLEX! :yelclap:

[Gaelic]

My dental hygienist of all people told me just the other day that she "used to be a nurse". Wondering in my head why she would change careers I pressed further - turns out she was a CNA. I didn't know what to say - especially since I am now slaving for free to complete my clinical hours to graduate this June. Why did I bother - I could have just stuck with my CNA!!!

I also had an acquaintance ask me if I thought it was a good idea for her to inject herself with the Tetorifice vaccine she had left over in her fridge from her horses spring shots! Her actual quote is "why pay a nurse? It can't be that hard. People inject themselves with insulin all the time":angryfire:icon_roll

People....have....no....idea.

I don't think this is unique to nursing however. I used to work in an office with a young gentleman who was the talk of the place...dressed nattily, had aspirations to rise among the ranks. The excited whispers involved the fact that he had told everyone he had gone to law school. "He's a lawyer, you know...he just hasn't been called to the bar". Turns out he couldn't have found the bar with a designated driver....he had attended two years of a General Arts and Science degree with intentions of getting into pre-law.

I tripped him up when my hubby (who honestly DID do pre-law at one point, but is not and does not pretend to be a lawyer) told me to ask him how he did on the LCAT's over a nice leisurely lunch with the office gang.

[nurse2be2008]

I work as a receptionist at an Ob/Gyn office and I am also an MA. When I started working there it didn't bother me when patients called and said they wanted to speak to the "nurse". We don't have any nurses at our practice so I knew that they really meant the MA. I've noticed that since I've gone back to school to persue my dream to become an RN (took me 2 1/2 years to finish my pre-req's part time) I get very annoyed when people ask for the "nurse" when they call the office. I don't think that anyone has the right to use that title who hasn't worked their butt off to earn it. So now when patients call and ask for the "nurse", I kindy explain to them that we don't have nurses at our practice but that I would be happy to transfer them to the MA!