I'm not really sure where this goes, but I ran into an old friend the other day and asked how his family was doing. My friend's sister has worked as a CNA for years, but never went to nursing school as she became a stay at home wife as soon as she got married and quit school (prereqs) and her job.
My friend told me that his sister is currently working at a local middle school as the school nurse. I replied that I thought his sister never attended nursing school, so if he was sure if that was really her job title. He replied that she had her CNA and that since their grandma works for the school system was able to pull a few strings and get her hired.
I asked if maybe she was assisting the school nurse and he told me that the previous nurse either quit or was let go. (Can't remember.) I questioned him on what would happen if there was an emergency, as CNA training doesn't prepare you to handle those type of situations. He told me that all she does is call the parents if the kids get sick, and other than that give them Band-Aids or juice/snacks if they feel weak and allow the kids to lay down. He said her job was pretty laid back, and she really enjoys it and the salary increase that comes along with being a nurse.
I thought maybe he was lying about her working as a nurse having never attended nursing school of any kind, and asked another friend's little sister who attends that middle school (in 8th grade) who their new school nurse was. The little girl described her and even said my friends sisters name, so I pulled up a picture of her and asked the little girl if that was her and she replied that it was.
I'm a little shocked how this is even legal and honestly quite annoyed as I am busting my butt in school while others can claim and even get hired as a "nurse" without working for that title. Her name badge even has RN on it. Am I over reacting?
The local CNA school in our town that me and his sister went to is 1 week of training (ADL's, BP, simple tasks) and then we are allowed to test to become certified for the state of FL. All I can think of is that this situation would be a disaster if one of those children had a major health problem and that our 1 week CNA training clearly doesn't cut out to handle those situations.
We live in a very small town, and who you know does pull more weight than what you know. This same family got their cousin hired on as a paralegal without ever attending school, although I know nothing if on the job training is offered in place of schooling for that.
What do you all think is going on here? (Besides 3rd hand conversation with a lay person)
Do you think this small town's school district is so wealthy that they have an on site RN position at this middle school?
Do you think if they did have an RN position, in a govt/public organization, that this gal was so slick as to fool them AND they didn't do a back ground and finger print on her, like they do every other employee? She was just some exception thanks to Auntie?
Do you think that this one and only school has put their students at risk by having only having a CNA on staff? Do you not care that your own schools districts don't have an RN on staff? What about those kids needing medical attention?
For gawd sakes call your state BON.
I think that the OP's friend (the brother) doesn't have his story straight. I think that the OP can find the school's website in seconds and click on staff directory. If the school nurse is listed as someone other than her CNA friend and the CNA friend is listed as a health aide or something, there is no issue and no reason to involve the BON.
Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Supervisory, HEDIS, IT.
A lot of school districts are going the way towards MAs and CNAs acting as school health workers with an RN "overseeing" their work. It still should be reported to the state board that a person is referring to themselves as a nurse when they are not.
I haven't read all the replies, but initially I thought this sounded reasonable. Well not reasonable as in "good idea," but reasonable as "that could happen." My own school, a rural PS, only had a "Health Aide" in the building on a full-time basis. Our district LSN would come and speak to health classes, but she was not a fixture at any one school. My two elementary aged kids go to a school that has "health paras" on site full time; the district has 3 or 4 LSNs for six elementary schools. The LSNs do the care planning for the medically needy kids, do the screenings, train the paras in med administration, that kind of thing. In fact, a district they used to attend school in made the point of informing parents that unlike many schools, each school has a LSN full-time on site.
The kids often refer to the paras as the "school nurse." They don't claim to be RNs or LPNs, but to a child who doesn't know any better, the woman who takes their temp and gives them ice packs = a nurse.
This is where my red flags go up--
Her name badge even has RN on it
Not okay at all. If you know it's true, I'd definitely say something to the school admin. and/or the state BON.
How do you know her name badge says she's an RN? In Baltimore City many school nurses (the ones in the building M-F) are CNAs who work under an RN who is in charge of a handful of schools. Sounds like a whole lot of speculation on your part. Maybe meet her and ask her about her job (in a friendly, non-accusatory way)?
I worked as a school health assistant ad a CNA. Everyone called me the school nurse no matter how many times I corrected them. Pure ignorance. If you haven't seen her impersonate a nurse with your own eyes then I would not assume anything.
Did u actually see "RN" on her name badge? If not, then the whole story is gossip until u have any evidence. I won't contact the BON unless u have proof that this person is really breaking any law or BON regulations. CA BON is already busy dealing with so many things... I would not worsen the situation if there is no proof. Now, if it was abuse-related, then nurses are mandated to report the abuse even with no proof. If I am really bothered by this, I would personally visit this person at school and confirm the accusations. You could also call the school.
Well, it happens all the time where I work but not to this extent. Whenever a family member ask a CNA if they are the nurses they usually say yes and continue talking to the family member as if they are. CNAs rarely say they are CNAs unless it is regarding a specific care like for instance changing colostomy bags, then they are glad to be CNAs but other than that they say they are nurses. However, in florida being an RN is not required to be a school nurse, my school nurse said she was an lpn.
OP hasn't confirmed whether the CNA is actually impersonating an RN.
I thought this at first but I'd read the post late at night and responded quickly. Felt a nagging doubt this morning, so I reread that the OP pulled up a picture of the person in question wearing a name badge that identified her as "RN." If the picture was of the person in her current position, say on a school website or directory, or anything else that would clearly tie the RN badge to the school position, I think that is enough to justify a call to the BON.
Sorry, OP, for skimming over this sentence. Guess I'll apply a "three checks" rule to AllNurses posts from now on, just like with meds!
I am just going off of information that her brother has told me. He is the one that told me her name badge has RN, and I have not personally seen her myself..
i interpreted the pic that OP pulled up was a personal pic, Facebook maybe.
KelRN215, BSN, RN
1 Article; 7,349 Posts
I think that the OP's friend (the brother) doesn't have his story straight. I think that the OP can find the school's website in seconds and click on staff directory. If the school nurse is listed as someone other than her CNA friend and the CNA friend is listed as a health aide or something, there is no issue and no reason to involve the BON.