Nurse Impersonators

Nurses General Nursing

Published

:( Am I the only one who resents the "nurse impersonators" who abound in the health care field?

Everyone who works at a doctor's office or in a hospital wears scrubs and seems to pass themselves off as a nurse. Of course, the hospital doesn't mind. Visitors and patients don't realize how few nurses are actually on the unit if the unit clerks, nursing assistants, housekeepers, and technicians are all wearing scrubs.

It seems harmless enough, this generic flowered jacketed scrub outfit, until you think of the harm it does to nurses' reputation as a whole. I just wonder what people think when they see two or three "nurses" ambling around the hallways or sitting at the nurses station while their family member waits for pain medication!

I have to think the doctor's offices are the worst. The doctors will actually refer to the medical assistant as "the nurse". I wonder if a doctor would appreciate an employee passing himself off as a doctor?

Last month I was in a doctor's waiting room with my son when a man came in holding his hand wrapped in a towel. He announced that he'd cut his hand and needed to see the doctor ( ok- dont ask me why he didn't go to the ER!) . The "nurse" told him to have a seat. The waiting room was crowded and it was obvious he was in for a very long wait. I saw the towel becoming saturated, and I couldn't help going over to him and telling him to hold his hand above heart level, apply pressure, try some deep breathing, etc. I told the "nurse" to let him go in and be seen, but she said, "He has to wait his turn, it wouldnt be fair to the patients who had appointments."

Driving home, my son asked, "Why didn't that nurse help that man?" I told him, "Because she's not a nurse!" But I wonder how many people in that waiting room went home with the story of the nurse who wouldnt help a bleeding man.

I know nurses don't want to go back to the days of wearing caps (even though I love my cap), but shouldn't we be more concerned about people in scrubs making us look bad? Shouldn't a nurse on duty be as easily recognizable as an EMT, a Firefighters, or a Police Officer?

You are so right! I worked in L&D as a unit secretary. We all wore scrubs and I was always mistaken as a nurse because I would go that extra mile and help those laboring moms. I am a nurse now and I can't stand the way non nurses try to fake like they are nurses. You ask them a question they wouldn't have a clue in the world. And as for that man bleeding like that I would have torn her a new a**hole. Just plum trifling. I think regardless what your title when you are in the health profession everyone should act professional because you just don't know who you may have to help in the long run. Nurses get the worse of the it because the lack of educated individuals. I know our profession is hard but I truly love it. For someone trying to enroach on it is a real disservice to us all.

Even though I'm not a nurse yet I completely understand why a nurse would be at the least disgruntled by these nurse impersonators.

As someone who has had experience going into the hospital and clinical setting as a patient, for not only myself but also with relatives, I think that the "impersonators" not only do damage to the nursing professions persona as a whole but also to the general publics trust or lack of trust for the medical field.

Advertising your position such as Medical Assistant, LPN, or RN - I really don't think that a layperson would understand the increasing degrees of education, knowledge, and experience that is required for each. If a person is sick or concerned about a patient all they want is to talk to a medical professional to get the situation under control and ensure that they are going to be taken care of. If a layperson were to see "Medical Assistant" on a name badge they would probably assume that since it says "Medical" on it that person should be able to offer help. The same way an RN would.

A "layperson" or someone with little or no background in the medical field would see anyone in scrubs as a person with medical knowledge. Can you imagine a worried and stressed out relative of a patient going up to a janitor, secretary, or MA(dressed in scrubs) asking pertinent medical questions and then that janitor or secretary trying to answer them? Can you imagine what that relative must be thinking! Either they will believe what ever the secretary or janitor is saying and later be dismayed when they find out the information they were given was incorrect. Or, if they catch on that the person they are speaking with doesn't have that much knowledge in the medical field they will think "What kind of place have I brought my relative to? The nurses don't know anything!"

This problem is more far reaching than I think "impersonators" give it credit.

As for the man with the serious cut who went to his regular doctor's office... Last year I was sent to a new Primary Care Physician because of insurance changes. When I went to the doctor's office to have a case of poison ivy taken care of I was instructed that if I should ever have any type of "Emergency Situation" I should go to the doctors' office rather than the nearest ER because the doctor's would see me faster than waiting around in the busy ER. Unfortunately, for this particular gentlemen it doesn't seem to have made much of a difference.

We worked in a hospital where everybody was instructed to wear scrubs. Housekeeping got a "uniform" allowance and those individuals purchased some of the coolest scrubs from S.C.R.U.B.S. Agency and Travellers wore scrubs. Even transport wore scrubs. Everybody had a prominent ID tag hung on a bead necklace. But of course the pts / families had no idea what was what. When asked to do a task one was not qualified / hired for, one would say: You have to contact the Drs / RNs / RTs / PTs / Housekeeping / LabTechs etc for that. Everybody was too busy for deliberate impersonation :D No way anybody was willing to take on anything extra.

I couldn't agree more that nurses need to identifiable! This issue exists in home care, too, where the HHA's are called "nurses" by their patients and the families. I can't tell you how many times I called some one and said, "This is the nurse, Fulana, from XYZ. I'm coming to see you today." and heard, "Oh, the nurse is already here. She arrived an hour ago and just gave me my bath." I just wanted to scream, "THAT'S YOUR AIDE, YOU IDIOT!!!" Not professional at all...

Educating the public is necessary, but difficult. It took me 3 years to convince my mother - my own mother who watched me labor and sweat blood for my RN - that I'm not a "mini doctor". Finding the language to talk to her was really hard, tho, despite the fact that I was in school and up to date on the theorists etc... Sigh! If any one finds a solution to this, please let us all know. Then patent or copyright it so you get the millions due you!

I'm not sure I could stand a white lab coat with all the heavy physical work I do. I usually end up taking off my lightweight jacket, even. I do like the idea of a patch and/or one uniform. Why should Flight Attendants look more professional than do nurses?

The real problem is that the EMPLOYERS like the confusion created by the generic scrub outfit, because it looks as if there are a lot of nurses on staff. It's our profession that's suffering. It's up to us to put a stop to it. Isn't it illegal in Florida to call yourself a nurse if you aren't one?

"Isn't it illegal in Florida to call yourself a nurse if you aren't one?"

Yes, that is correct.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Long Term Care.

I'm with NancyRN-- I like the idea of a white lab coat to identify nurses, but I get overheated as it is with my short sleeved scrub top. (I always marvel at nurses who come to work with a turtleneck or sweater along with their scrub top or warm-up jacket; I guess I'm just an unfeminine heavy sweater. :imbar )

Underneath our names on our badges we are required to wear, it reads "Registered Nurse"; however, the type is half the size of my name. It might help if it was at least the same size or in red or other distinctive color. I know it's hard on the docs when they're looking for an RN to which to give orders. Until they get to know the RN's, they're squinting and peering at our badges trying to read our title.

Sorry to disagree with your comment Peeps, but this is not a fair analogy. Both CRT/RRT are respiratory therapists, just like LPN's and RN's are both nurses. Comparing a medical assistants's or na's use of the title "nurse" to the difference between respiratory therapists is not an equitable comparison. It is against the law for a nurse assistant to call herself a nurse. It is not against the law for a CRT to call herself a respiratory therapist.

Mattsmom81

while I agree with the fact that nursing is a profession and that people who impersonate said profession should be reprimended and not able to use the title "nurse"

however it has been posted that CNA's and RPN's are not "nurses" This I disagree with completely.

who said that the only people who can adorn the title or nurse is an RN?

RPN's and CNA's do just as much, if not more bedside care then the RN does.

If we continue this attitude, will it get to the point where the only RN's to be appreciated and recognized as a nurse will be the ones who have a BSCN or some other degree?

the attitude of some of you belittles the nursing profession in general, while others of you make me proud to be among you in the profession.

I am an RN, have worked extremely hard to become one and thank god every day that I am in a profession that has some *even though it may seem uncertain* stability.

lets try to get away from calling people "impersonators" unless they really are impersonating an RN or nurse and dont have the title of same.

it bothers me that people do claim to be

nurses when they are not , but in some small way it could be considered to be a compliment....

maybe they aspire to be a nurse, or have spent years taking care of ill family members etc.

the term nurse is openly interpreted and involves many types of professionals

RPN's, CNA's, nurse practitioners, RN's with degrees, RN's with diploma's etc

together we make the profession what it is :)

cheers

Sorry to mislead you.

I was pointing out the hypocritical use of the argument.

The difference between CRTT and RRT is truly more of the gulf between LPN and RN. You would be very suprised at the "training" that I had coming from a one year accelerated program as compared to the usual 4-year RRT.

I imagine my training was similar in skill level to what MA's learn.

The courses for an BSN's are the same 4-year classes as RRT's with exception of the majors.

You lump those same people in with the CRTT's AND the OJT's AND the resp students all the time.

I can see by the lack of response from anyone else( I appreciate that you did) that that is still the concensus. I imagine it will never change. The profession of Respiratory Therapy( I imagine your snickering right now) is in the Toilet of Lax Guidelines for Licensure.:rolleyes:

FOR GAWDS SAKE........ SOMEBODY FLUSH ALREADY!

Kinda explains why I'm not an "RT" anymore huh.

Okay, I understand all of the negative feelings of people impersonating nurses, but I get the feeling that some of you see the CNA working next to you as an uneducated buffoon. Althought I, as an aide, would never tell or even let someone believe i was a nurse, I did have to go to college AND take a test to get that certification. Are CNA's professionals????? You bet your a** they are.

I too think that there should be a distinct way to differentiate the Aides, LPN's, RN's, MA's, Janitor's, Housekeeping, and the list just goes on. However, every time i bring up uniforms all of the nurses that i know throw a big huge fit about freedom to wear what they want and argue that if they are going to have to pay for their uniforms then they should be allowed to buy whatever they want.

Traci:D

I hope you're not disappointed in your career change, Peeps! Some days I wish I would have taken the RRT vs the RN---and then maybe after 25 years I would still have a working spine and not be literally 'falling apart at the seams' ---like so many of my veteran nurse friends...LOL!

My pet peeve is in the papers where nurse assistants run ads as "private nurses". I guess what we can do is notify the papers they are contributing to fraud when they run these ads: same with the docs offices when they allow the public to think their assistants are nurses, eh?

I agree with the poster who stated that dressing all of us in the same unis at work makes the hospital look good. One hospital here started putting nurses in whites again --they are the only ones though. In a way Ithink it would help us to go back to all whites. What's everyone else think??

Mattsmom81;

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