Doctor's office and "nurses"

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Just a little rant... was wondering if anyone else has experienced this...

Called my doctor's office to see if I could get something called out for a returning ear infection. They transferred me to the "nurse." Long story short, this person is not a LVN or a RN, they are a medical assistant.

Does this bother anyone else?

Isn't this a little shady, calling people nurses who aren't?

I work in a clinic with several nurse practitioners and physicians assistants. Please note-not one of them hold a doctorate. But a few refer to themselves as "Doctor Smith". Last spring I wrote about this here on allnurses. The interesting response was" it was no big deal", "quit complaining, "they have advanced degrees"...etc.

My question is why do we as nurses get our panties in a wad when unlicensed health workers call themselves nurses, but when an NP or PA wants to call themself "Doctor", why don't we care?

I think patients have a right to understand who is treating them-

MA, LPN, RN, NP, PA

Does it not bother us to find out the person we assumed is a licensed medical doctor because he/she introduced themselves to us in this way, is a nurse practioner?

The member told me, I was lying about it happening!

I believe you and I have a problem with it as well. Misrepresenting yourself shouldn't be done. I find it vitally important that we be clear on our roles and titles. Our patients are entitled to that.

If a NP/PA have a doctorate and go by Doctor X they should still clarify they aren't a medical doctor. I'm sure some do and some don't.

"Hi. I'm Dr. X. I'm a PA/NP and will will be taking care of you today."

It's factual and honest. Same shoud be done when you are a nurse, aide, MA, etc.

"I'm X and will be your RN today."

"I'm Y and will be your MA today."

I find it shameful that we want our patients to trust us and some don't even give them the courtesy of being honest about their actual job titles. This would be a non-issue if everyone just told the truth. I'm a RN and prsent myself that way. It's dishonest and unethical to present myself as anything but that.

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"Putting the emphasis on "licensed" tells me you consider being "licensed" not a big deal? It is a big deal to those of us who have one :)"

The fact that you all consider your license sacred is abundantly clear. We lowly MA's get it. I do respect your license and all your years of hard work earning it. Yes I do! Do I want one? No, I really don't. My emphasis on "licensed" is because that's what you nurses constantly emphasize.

I just have to add this.. reading this stuff here makes me so thankful that I work where I do. I have none of this petty bs where I work. I'm respected for who I am, what I do, and the service I provide. Can anyone ask for more than that?

We're all working for a living here.. and trying to help people in the meantime.. chill out already.

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Just playing devil's advocate, but CMA's CAN give IM and sub-Q injections. At my community college, there is a 1 year MA program and they spend a whole term learning how to give injections. They should absolutely NOT be starting I.V.s though, unless they carry a separate I.V. certification. Scary.

Just to clarify, I never said they couldn't give them, I said that when they did so, they work under the license of a physician.

I have never seen a state that "certified" medical assistants. The "school" does (by whatever criteria that they set), but that MA's are not a legally regulated profession in any state (which means there would be a STATE license, state board, etc).

For example, a CNA is a certified nursing assistant. They take a state board, they have a scope of practice, they get a license issued to them by the state. They are 100% responsible for anything that they do, so if they make a mistake, it's their license that they lose.

That isn't the case with MA's. Legally, they don't have to have a certification at all, a physician can choose to train them directly, again, b/c they work under the license of the physician.

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I think patients have a right to understand who is treating them-

MA, LPN, RN, NP, PA

I am not debating NP or PA and the significance of their role in the healthcare setting but why, we as nurses, get my up in arms about an MA calling themself a nurse but we don't care about working for an NP who calls themself a "Doctor"?

I don't want to turn this thread into a "should NP's who have a doctorate be referred to as 'doctor' thread", but I agree with the spirit of what you are saying.

My own personal career goal is to eventually get my DNP as an NP. If I obtain this, I believe I should be addressed as, "Dr. Smith" in general, however, I have absolutely no intention of misleading any patients and fully plan on introducing myself as, "Hello, I am Dr. Smith, I am a nurse practitioner, just so you know, I'm not a medical doctor".

The NP's and PA's should be correcting them when patient's make this mistake.

I'm an extern, and because I have the "long coat" I have had patients thinking I was the physician walking in. I just laugh and say, "Oh gosh, no! I'm still a nursing student...but don't worry, they let us practice injections and IV's on Monday's and today is Saturday! So you lucked out!"

It always makes them laugh.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I think we all agree that (collectively) we as healthcare providers need to identify ourselves by a name tag and verbally who we are and what we do. That is just being honest.

And....professional.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I have none of this petty bs where I work.

It is not petty bs. It is important information that the patient deserves to know.

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Specializes in Emergency/ Critical Care.

I know a girl who took the lab tech course... the whole family threw her a party to congratulate her on becoming a nurse

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
I know a girl who took the lab tech course... the whole family threw her a party to congratulate her on becoming a nurse

laugh.gif

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
the MA works under the Physician, bottom line. Nurses are not responsible.. if you have MA's working under you and you don't like it then speak up! or shut up and quit yer ********!

Who has an attitude?? From what I've seen it's YOU who has the attitude! There are many "non-nurses" here who post.. are you going to call out the paramedics? the students? the aides? the lay people who are thinking about nursing?... seriously.. is this some secret club? Come on ya'll! This isn't rocket science! It's caring for people! Open up! Welcome those who are trying to help. There's room.. I've checked :)

"Putting the emphasis on "licensed" tells me you consider being "licensed" not a big deal? It is a big deal to those of us who have one :)"

The fact that you all consider your license sacred is abundantly clear. We lowly MA's get it. I do respect your license and all your years of hard work earning it. Yes I do! Do I want one? No, I really don't. My emphasis on "licensed" is because that's what you nurses constantly emphasize.

I just have to add this.. reading this stuff here makes me so thankful that I work where I do. I have none of this petty bs where I work. I'm respected for who I am, what I do, and the service I provide. Can anyone ask for more than that?

We're all working for a living here.. and trying to help people in the meantime.. chill out already.

I am trying to understand why such sarcasm, Mellowchick? We understand that mostly everyone posting here is trying to make an honest living, may it be as a CMA, CNA, LPN or RN. No one said that you were lowly or not worth your salt, or that you do not contribute to positive patient outcomes. But, to come with "if you don't like it, ****" to the point where some possibly vulgar words could have been bleeped out is not necessary. This is a nursing forum, and of course, this is part of the responses you may read; whether you agree or not. If nurses appeared at a CMA forum and spoke against you, it would be discourteous, because that is where you are free to vent. The same will happen here.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
I know a girl who took the lab tech course... the whole family threw her a party to congratulate her on becoming a nurse

Wow...:confused::rotfl:

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I work with several CMAs in my hospital clinic. Hiring CMAs is new to this facility. I respect the people I work with- no matter their credential. Once again I give credit to Pagan for clarifying the SOP for me last spring when we hired our first CMAs.

The dissention felt here comes from feelings of working long and hard toward a goal and finding out that certain people consider the certification they hold equal to a LPN or RN.

I AM NOT SAYING ANYONE ON THIS THREAD HAS IMPLIED THIS! But there have been threads where CNAs and CMAs have implied that they feel the certification they hold "almost makes them an LPN" etc.

I firmly believe that CMAs SHOULD have a state license as certified nurse assistants do. This is not happening because physicians and hospitals have not made a stink about this. For what CMAs get paid at my hospital...I wouldn't do the job. Most are in nursing school and using this experience to their advantage.

Certified Nurse Assistants are certified not licensed although they must take a STATE test. They are held to the standerds set by the state they practice in.

Certified Medical Assitants are Nationally Certified. If they move to another state the certification they hold goes with them. As in the case of a male CMA who came to us from Seattle.

On a side note-my hospital uses NAs. Nursing assitants that are not certified by the state but are trained in a 3 month hospital program. Go figure.....they are cheaper for the hospital!

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That is sad. :( At the office I used to work at MAs would assist in certain procedures, clean rooms, take vitals and such... but the nurse was the only one who could answer medical questions, talk to patients, etc. Sorry to hear you had a bad experience!

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