Non-Nurses calling themselves a Nurse

Nurses General Nursing

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The school district my child goes to has a CNA in the school clinic, who refers to herself as "The school Nurse". I thought she was either an LVN or RN until last week when she had me come pick up my child from school. She had a little nausea but, she said she needed to stay out for two days due to a small rash on her face that she diagnosed as "Wingworm"! She told me to get an over-the-counter anti-fungal and treat for two days when she would be allowed to return to school! (I think that is practicing medicine w/o a license?!) I asked did she mean ringworm-she said no, wingworm...so, I had her write that down on the standard form they use when children are sent hm. Maybe the school board is exempt from following the law?!

Well, I took her to our family Doctor who said, she doesn't have ringworm-it's impetigo and prescribed bactriban.

My beef is that the teachers even refer to her as the school nurse-I wonder if

they even know the difference between an LVN or RN and a CNA? I sent a letter to the Assistant Superintendant for the district but, have not heard a reply. I think I am no different than most of you who have worked hard for your RN or LVN license and earn the respect of being called a "Nurse". I was a CNA before I was an LPN and have now been an RN over 20 yrs. As a CNA, I knew my place and my limits of practice. Any other parent or Nurse concerned about this?:nono:

Specializes in School Nurse-ran away from med-surg fast.

That makes me soooo mad. I am an RN who is a school nurse. I never diagnose a thing, that is way beyond my scope of practice. I may feel pretty confident that something is "wingworm." However, I refer student to a physician with my objective findings. I may give parent a list of possibilities but always tell them that the doctor needs to diagnose. Shame on that district for allowing those type of people to "practice."

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One thing this thread has taught me is to be sure I am seen by an actual nurse when I go to the doctor. I have no question looking at their tag and asking some additional questions.

In the cases like I have read here where people are clearly misrepresenting themselves (particularly like the one where the office manager passes himself off as a doc so as not to make patients feel bad...yeah right) what should we be doing?! Do we report them to someone?! Who?! Write letters and to who?! I would like to take action, but not sure of how to do so.

The only way these places will stop is if forced to do so. And sadly, that might not come until a potentially fatal error is made by someone who doesn't have the proper education. Pathetic.

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Is nurse a protected title in NJ?!

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Specializes in OR.

http://nursingworld.org/gova/titlepro.htm

The above link lists all states that have title protection.

Boggles the mind that anyone could be so stupid as to pass themselves off as something that they are not...:banghead:

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTC/Geriatric.

I am not a nurse yet and would never presume to imply as such to any patient (I work in a doctors office). I so admire the skill, education and training of nurses (which is why I will start nursing school in September!!! :D ), so this whole thread makes me so angry!!

I cannot believe that MA's, CNA's or whoever else has the audacity to imply that they are nurses, or have the same training or knowledge as a nurse.

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Specializes in Lie detection.
http://nursingworld.org/gova/titlepro.htm

The above link lists all states that have title protection.

Boggles the mind that anyone could be so stupid as to pass themselves off as something that they are not...:banghead:

Gotta love NY (mine). It's a misdemeanor to call yourself a nurse if you are not.

If you employ 3 or more people and call them nurses and they're not you can be charged with a felony! How do you like that DOCTOR? I betcha the next time I ever hear in a dr's office of this happening, I will remind them of this. I don't care if they don't like it.

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I think this is the best idea yet, will get the quickest results and alert the public to be careful who gives them advice. I called my doctor a few months back needed to get in quickly for a tetorifice shot as my school was breathing down my neck to get it updated. Was told on the phone if i wanted to get in today that a "Nurse" could do it for me, i said sure no problem! Go into the office sitting in the room chit-chating with said nurse talking to her about nursing school and such as i am in school right now she is playing along with the whole bit and right after she gives me my shot i ask her where she went to nursing school, uhhh turns out uhhhh she is umm a medical assistant. well i just about lost it. i know MA can give injections but i might have thought differently about the whole thing had i known who she really was before hand, boy did i lay into the staff there for telling me she was a nurse, im sick of this!

How petty. I am a CMA with an associates degree. I work in a big clinic that is half LPN's and half CMA's. We all do the same things. The nurses and doctors that I work with do not have a problem with CMA's. I work with a wonderful group of men and women. We call ourselves CMA's and are proud to do so. A CNA is neither a nurse or a CMA. They have limited training. A nurse or CMA should not diagnose and treat anyway, as that is the doctor's job. I have less then a year left in the BSN program and then will get my APN. The staff at most clinics are so busy,I don't think the staff at our clinic would care what you thought if you laid into them. Thank You.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, L&D.
How petty. I am a CMA with an associates degree. I work in a big clinic that is half LPN's and half CMA's. We all do the same things. The nurses and doctors that I work with do not have a problem with CMA's. I work with a wonderful group of men and women. We call ourselves CMA's and are proud to do so. A CNA is neither a nurse or a CMA. They have limited training. A nurse or CMA should not diagnose and treat anyway, as that is the doctor's job. I have less then a year left in the BSN program and then will get my APN. The staff at most clinics are so busy,I don't think the staff at our clinic would care what you thought if you laid into them. Thank You.

Petty??? PETTY?? Oh, puh-leeze. We are not saying we have a problem with CMAs. We are saying THEY ARE NOT NURSES. And in many states, it is illegal to say they are. In the rest, it's just unethical.

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.
I was a CMA in NJ before I became an RN. In the early 90's they were trying to allow CMA's to give injections in the medical office. I worked for an OB/GYN and several patient's came in to get their Depo shots. I never felt comfortable with this...well lo-and behold one of the CMA's I worked with gave an injection wrong and the patient wound up with a nasty reaction. I never said I told you so but I wanted to. That is why we go through such rigorous training. I remember this same CMA making several other mistakes before they finally fired her. BUT, that came at what expense?

I have been a CMA for five years now (and now a nursing student) I am TRAINED to give injections, yes rigorous. I resent your comment. I am sorry you had a bad experience with A medical assistant. Not to be rude or anything but giving shots.injections (especially Depo) is not that hard, not hard at all when you have had TRAINING. I have given hundreds of injections from depo to Demerol to Rocephin without a single problem other than "that stings!" when I give phenergan...which is normal (and I do tell them ahead of time too). There is nothing wrong with a CMA giving injections if she/he is trained. I could argue that nurses should not start I.V. without a rigorous pharmaceutical degree.

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Gotta love NY (mine). It's a misdemeanor to call yourself a nurse if you are not.

If you employ 3 or more people and call them nurses and they're not you can be charged with a felony! How do you like that DOCTOR? I betcha the next time I ever hear in a dr's office of this happening, I will remind them of this. I don't care if they don't like it.

That's very interesting. I never knew that and if I see it happening in my doctor's office I wouldn't have a problem saying anthing either. No one should be misrepresenting themselves. The fact that people do this in the medical field is especially distressing as we should all be able to trust our doctors. It is sad that some doctors take advantage of the trust their patients have in them by misleading them.

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I agree. I think we have to be very vigilant and assertive in making sure the person entrusted to provide nursing care for the public is who they represent themselves to be.

I never thought I'd have a personal take on this issue, but here goes. I am a nursing student. I'm also a patient who has utilized the healthcare system many times this past year. I was at a followup visit with my surgeon and I met a new employee who was wearing scrubs and a stethoscope; she looked very professional. She took my height and weight, my VS and updated my medical and medication hx. During the course of conversation, I asked her if she was a nurse (she said yes) and I asked her how long she had been in the doctor's employ (she was new that week and was still being trained.) I asked her where she went to school. She named the local business college. I clarified and asked her where she went to nursing school, and she told me the same thing. I said that the school she attended did not have a nursing program. She said that it did. I said I knew that they had a program for Medical Assistants, and she said that's the program she was in and they called themselves nurses because after all, they're the same thing. My mouth dropped open. I told her that they were most certainly not the same thing. I told her I was a student at the local diploma program and that the two did not mean we would take the same licensing exam. She said that she didn't know anything about that, but that my program was a waste of time because we had to learn all of the touchy-feely book stuff! After she left and the doctor came in, I told him about my conversation with her. He didn't seem at all concerned; in fact he referred to her as his intake nurse. I went through the entire issue with him about the title "nurse" and who was legally entitled to use it. He listened politely and didn't say much about it. Then, at the end of the session, he steered me to the checkout window, where his "scheduling nurse" would set me up with a new appointment in 6 months.

I guess my point is that this issue is probably bigger than any of us realize. My own surgeon (a man I respect deeply and owe my life to) doesn't seem bothered by it in his own staff. And yet, we really do hear it all the time. Walk down the halls of any hospital; everyone is dressed like a nurse.

The only answer I can think of is to identify the offenders and make it a big deal. The fact that we even have to consider such vigilance scares me. But what choices do we have?

Most Cma's go through a 2 year college. Their training is more geared for the medical office. They are trained in the office and medical to better serve the medical office. You are right about one thing, they should not call themselves nurses. But they are have gone to school and they deserve respect. After all, most of the training for nurses or Cma's is on the job training. So don't be so quick to judge one's abilities if you do not know the extent of their training. Most doctors are not going to risk their practice on someone that is not trained.

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