I apologize if this is a stupid question, but I really just had to ask
Can a CNA be considered a nurse?
I mean, I have always been led to believe that CNA stood for certified nursing assistant. An assistant to a nurse and not a nurse.
The reason why I ask is because I've ran into quite a few people that say they are nurses, then when I try to go into it more (seeing as I have interest in the nursing field), they say they are CNA's.
But then when I was in the brief period of LVN school and was talking to a CNA, she had no clue about some of the things LVN's did much less RN's.
I've been taught (so far, since I really don't know much yet to begin with) that none of that would be in a CNA's "scope of practice." Could be my state though
For me CNA are still a nurse (that's why its nursing assisstant).LPNs, RNs and CNAs, we are all in nursing field. Its just the job description, like LPNs can't do some of the staff that RNs can. If you work in nursing home, CNA knows the patient 85%. Why?, bacause they are the one who do all the basic needs of the patient. Most of the LPNs and Rns are just there for their medicines and emergency situations. So, CNA are still part of nursing field.Please don't get me wrong. If there are something wrong with the patient, CNA are the first one who will notice it. Because we knew them better than others. We all have the same goals, serve our patients and sometimes give them TLC. :)
MDs are responsible for the medical assistant. When the MA is not there, the MD does her own vitals, weights and positioning of the patient. Therefore per YOUR logic, The MA does what the MD would have to do anyway...because by extension, MAs are doing medical care.
Surgeons are responsible for the surgical assistant. When the surgical assistant is not there, the surgeon or an assisting surgeon must do those duties. Therefore per YOUR logic, the SA does what a surgeon would have to do anyway....because by extension, SAs are doing surgery.
Your words per your logic. Not mine.
Caroladybelle - great minds think alike. Only I used lawyers and legal secretaries. Same logic though.
The other issue is, what is so demeaning about being a nursing assistant as opposed to a nurse?
Why are people so upset about not being considered a nurse if they are a CNA? There is nothing insulting or demeaning about that title, so there is no need for another one.
Heck, there are days that I would rather not be known as a "nurse"
Carolina RN, OCN, traveler (basically a rent-a-nurse)
For me CNA are still a nurse (that's why its nursing assisstant).LPNs, RNs and CNAs, we are all in nursing field. Its just the job description, like LPNs can't do some of the staff that RNs can. If you work in nursing home, CNA knows the patient 85%. Why?, bacause they are the one who do all the basic needs of the patient. Most of the LPNs and Rns are just there for their medicines and emergency situations. So, CNA are still part of nursing field.Please don't get me wrong. If there are something wrong with the patient, CNA are the first one who will notice it. Because we knew them better than others. We all have the same goals, serve our patients and sometimes give them TLC. :)
Great points brought up here. In many settings, without the CNA the nurse would be screwed. Their eyes, ears and knowlege of the patient is invaluable. To try to make such a clear line defining nurses from CNA's is demeaning and like cutting off the nose to spite the face. Why would you do that? Levels of nursing is what CNA,LPN, RN describe, but asside from level of education, we are one. Everyone needs to know their role, but why all the fuss over title? Someone had said in some places LPN's are not considered nurses. Come on, now...where will it end? This is a crazy debate, IMO. We are all in the same club. As long as the CNA doesn't try to be an RN, what's the big deal with semantics?
In the military it's a little different. The run of the mill soldier knows the care, consideration, and urgency they'd receive if they ever needed to seriously yell, "medic!" and I think that a lot of that sense has spilled out into the general public about any medical person, nurse, doctor, tech, CNA, LVN. We have techs, RNs and LVNs in the miltary and most of our retirees don't know the difference between us; they would call each of us "Nurse." Whenever this debate comes up I explain that the average layperson considers us all nurses, so that is what we are. I think the debate over what the average layperson calls us isn't so much legal vs illegal but just a common, sociological belief. Now, if a tech seeks off base employment from some elderly person and misrepresents themselves as an RN, then that misrepresentation is illegal. But to answer, "well, yeah, I guess you could say I'm a nurse," to someone's question rather than argue the differences between RNs and CNAs for ten minutes in a noisy nightclub, that's just friggin' common sense to me. The average layperson will always view all of us as nurses, and we don't always have the time or the right environment to educate them on the differences. Sometimes we do. Sometimes they catch on, sometimes they have a family member in the medical field who can further explain the differences to them, sometimes they just can't grasp the differences.
In the military it's a little different. The run of the mill soldier knows the care, consideration, and urgency they'd receive if they ever needed to seriously yell, "medic!" and I think that a lot of that sense has spilled out into the general public about any medical person, nurse, doctor, tech, CNA, LVN. We have techs, RNs and LVNs in the miltary and most of our retirees don't know the difference between us; they would call each of us "Nurse." Whenever this debate comes up I explain that the average layperson considers us all nurses, so that is what we are. I think the debate over what the average layperson calls us isn't so much legal vs illegal but just a common, sociological belief. Now, if a tech seeks off base employment from some elderly person and misrepresents themselves as an RN, then that misrepresentation is illegal. But to answer, "well, yeah, I guess you could say I'm a nurse," to someone's question rather than argue the differences between RNs and CNAs for ten minutes in a noisy nightclub, that's just friggin' common sense to me. The average layperson will always view all of us as nurses, and we don't always have the time or the right environment to educate them on the differences. Sometimes we do. Sometimes they catch on, sometimes they have a family member in the medical field who can further explain the differences to them, sometimes they just can't grasp the differences.
Agree. Like that wise instructor used to tell us in nursing school: K.I.S.S., right?
This is riveting! What we are talking about here is apples and oranges, no, I prefer apples and peaches...
anyway, lets say nurses are apples. You got your green apples (they're the students), you got your red apples, (lets say they work in ER,) and then there's you rotten apples, (and no one is going to get me to say where most of them work)....the point is they're all apples.
Then there's the nurse's assistants. They're your peaches. They're fuzzy, well rounded, softened with age and you can't make a decent fruit salad without them. But, like it or not, they're not apples.
I try hard to be the very best CNA I can be.
If I want to be a nurse, I will go back to school and meet the requirements.
This is riveting! What we are talking about here is apples and oranges, no, I prefer apples and peaches...
anyway, lets say nurses are apples. You got your green apples (they're the students), you got your red apples, (lets say they work in ER,) and then there's you rotten apples, (and no one is going to get me to say where most of them work)....the point is they're all apples.
Then there's the nurse's assistants. They're your peaches. They're fuzzy, well rounded, softened with age and you can't make a decent fruit salad without them. But, like it or not, they're not apples.
I try hard to be the very best CNA I can be.
If I want to be a nurse, I will go back to school and meet the requirements.
I don't totally agree with your thinking, but I LOVE the analogies! Wonderful.
The other issue is, what is so demeaning about being a nursing assistant as opposed to a nurse?
Why are people so upset about not being considered a nurse if they are a CNA? There is nothing insulting or demeaning about that title, so there is no need for another one.
Carolina RN, OCN, traveler (basically a rent-a-nurse)
Amen!
That is why I would rather be known by a title that doesn't include the word nurse. It confuses patients. I often have to explain why I cannot do certain procedures, or give meds. If I were known as a Tech or something, that would clarify my role. A title doesnt validate us, it defines our function.
Great points brought up here. In many settings, without the CNA the nurse would be screwed. Their eyes, ears and knowlege of the patient is invaluable. To try to make such a clear line defining nurses from CNA's is demeaning and like cutting off the nose to spite the face. Why would you do that? Levels of nursing is what CNA,LPN, RN describe, but asside from level of education, we are one. Everyone needs to know their role, but why all the fuss over title? Someone had said in some places LPN's are not considered nurses. Come on, now...where will it end? This is a crazy debate, IMO. We are all in the same club. As long as the CNA doesn't try to be an RN, what's the big deal with semantics?
Hi again sbic - so if there is no big deal with semantics, why the big deal over not being called a nurse?
This discussion is about each side's "big deal" with the term nurse.
In the military it's a little different. The run of the mill soldier knows the care, consideration, and urgency they'd receive if they ever needed to seriously yell, "medic!" and I think that a lot of that sense has spilled out into the general public about any medical person, nurse, doctor, tech, CNA, LVN. We have techs, RNs and LVNs in the miltary and most of our retirees don't know the difference between us; they would call each of us "Nurse." Whenever this debate comes up I explain that the average layperson considers us all nurses, so that is what we are. I think the debate over what the average layperson calls us isn't so much legal vs illegal but just a common, sociological belief. Now, if a tech seeks off base employment from some elderly person and misrepresents themselves as an RN, then that misrepresentation is illegal. But to answer, "well, yeah, I guess you could say I'm a nurse," to someone's question rather than argue the differences between RNs and CNAs for ten minutes in a noisy nightclub, that's just friggin' common sense to me. The average layperson will always view all of us as nurses, and we don't always have the time or the right environment to educate them on the differences. Sometimes we do. Sometimes they catch on, sometimes they have a family member in the medical field who can further explain the differences to them, sometimes they just can't grasp the differences.
Actually there is a huge debate over the public being unable to differentiate the RN's from the CNA's from the housekeepers due to the RN's don't wear anything that makes them stand out anymore - like an all white uniform and a little white hat.
So I don't agree that the public sees us all the same. They are complaining about not being able to tell who their nurse is and want to be able to tell the difference.
Our CNA's say, "Hi I'm Debbie and I'm your CNA for the day". Usually we go in together at the beginning of the shift for our first assessment which is at 4 a.m. because we don't want to wake up the patients twice. I usually introduce myself and say I'm your nurse and this is Deb and she is your CNA.
None of our CNA's consider themselves nurses. I'd actually never realized CNA's felt this way.
merlie
27 Posts
For me CNA are still a nurse (that's why its nursing assisstant).LPNs, RNs and CNAs, we are all in nursing field. Its just the job description, like LPNs can't do some of the staff that RNs can. If you work in nursing home, CNA knows the patient 85%. Why?, bacause they are the one who do all the basic needs of the patient. Most of the LPNs and Rns are just there for their medicines and emergency situations. So, CNA are still part of nursing field.Please don't get me wrong. If there are something wrong with the patient, CNA are the first one who will notice it. Because we knew them better than others. We all have the same goals, serve our patients and sometimes give them TLC. :)