Nurse Impersonators

[NancyRN]

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?

[Q.]

Originally posted by Jessy_CA26

Why should it scare you that some do triage calls? that is what were are trained to do ya know.

Because of what I explained earlier. Jessy, know what you don't know.

I am not making a judgement on you, but there are some MAs who DO NOT know what they don't know - and that is dangerous. Nursing is not about doing psychomotor skills like venipuncture, BPs and sterile technique. You have not gone to nursing school so you do not know what is it is that nurses are taught. Psychomotor skills are just a SMIDGIT of what a nurse does.

The decison making, like triaging, is MORE of what a nurse does and knows - but still not the half of it. I'm sorry, but an MA triaging is a dangerous thing. And, in the case I cited, the patient ASKED for a nurse and was not given one. The MA passed herself off as a nurse because she wears scrubs and wears a stethoscope around her neck - and as a result a patient was hurt. THAT is what licensed nurses are upset about. IMPERSONATION. Your issues that you are talking about are not about impersonation.

[JMP]

Jessy, go back and re-read suzy's story about the young girl, HTN and BCP's........... that is the scary part about telephone triage being done by someone OTHER than a RN.

[JMP]

Never mind.....Jessy just read Suzy's latest reply. Perfectly put.

[Jessy_CA26]

Ok but EMT's and Medic's have less then a year of training as well and do triage.. is that dangerous as well?

I think its the education that you have had and the continuing education that you are taking..

Im not here to fight with anybody.. Please dont think that.

Maybe Im just lucky cuz my office pays for my schooling and whatever classes I want to take including my Nursing school which will be paid for by them. Maybe that is the diffrence.. Im constantly in school taking classes and pushing fwd. Yes in MA school there were a bunch of half ass people who pranced around thinking they were nurses. I was never one of them. I understand why that would get you upset, angry etc. Really I do.

I work under a wonderful RN and Doctor who push me to go on.

Were all here to help people out right?

[JMP]

So does the term "scope of practice" exsist in the US? Cause it is a biggie here.........

[Furball]

I used to work homecare and an incident comes clearly to mind regarding a MA at a family practice office. One day during a visit with a quadraplegic pt, I noticed he was on 2 new meds. An ace inhibitor and a diuretic. That was odd....he had zero history of any cardiac probs. He was c/o dizziness (mmm...wonder why?) and didnt like peeing all the time and asked if this new water pill was really necessary? His BP was normally 130/80, today it was 90-ish over 40. I asked him if the doctor had discussed these drugs with him and alarms rang out when he said "no". I called the office to ask about the new meds and spoke with an MA who identified herself as "the nurse." I told her I thought there was a mistake with this pts meds and explained the situation. She asked me to look at the bottle label and the pts name was written on the label. (Yes it was) She INSISTED that the meds were correct. So, I asked her does this pt have a cardiac condition that wasn't explained to the pt ?? She said "no, not according to his records!!!!!! So why is he taking these meds? "I don't know but the dr obviously thought he should take them." She refused to get the doc on the line. I finally asked her "Are you an RN?" Looooong pause.."no..I'm a MA". Could you PLEASE get an RN on the line? I practically screamed. The RN and I figured it out in about 30 seconds...the pts father with the same name goes to the same dr. GEESH!

I would NEVER take my family to an office where triage is done by MA's, not any slam here just common sense re; education level and training.

[Q.]

Jessy you sound like a really nice girl and one who is very interested in the medical field. And that is good. We need nursing bodies whether it's RNs or LPNs. I just don't want you to misunderstand where our frustration comes in.

As far as EMTs, etc that you mentioned. I'm not so sure that EMTs are actually triaging; I think they are treating trauma and other injuries upon arrival - and then transporting them immediately to a hospital. I'm sure if come upon multiple victims the EMTs would have to "triage" of some sort - who is most critically injured - but again this is with full time experience in doing so and with actually being able to physically assess the patient. I think any layperson if coming upon 2 people, one bleeding from the abdomen and one with a shiner, I think they would be able to think that the bleeder is more important at the moment. But triaging on the phone is even MORE difficult; you can't see the patient sho you have to know what to ask - how to draw connections.

Nurses are usually only after one thing - and that is patient safety. When we fight for no overtime, it's for patient safety. When we fight for better pay, it's to attract more people to join the profession or keep who we have, for patient safety. When we hate nurse impersonators, it's for patient safety and the survival of our profession. Nothing more, really. It's not about MAs and if they are valuable, or about CNAs and if they are valuable, it's about nurses right now.

[cinny071]

I am a Unit Clerk and I dress like the Nursing Staff, and yes it causes confusion for the patients and visitors alike.

I cannot help them with their Medical issures nor answer their questions and they look at me like I don't want to help them.

I think if I would not be in scrubs it would help. But then I wouldn't look like a NURSE, which I know the Adm. likes! I use to be a CNA, so I guess I know how to help!

[victoreia]

I agree with everyone.... Uniforms and identification badges are notenforced. Hopitals and other medical facilities allow aides and MA to do things only nurses should be doing to save a buck or two. I have a friend in Maryland, an MA who helps change dressings and blood draws and give medications. Nuses aides in LTC are giving medications out that they have little to no knowledge about and who gets in to trouble if they can't identify a reaction to a medication? Does that not fall back on the RN? In my work place I am ultimately responsible for the actions of the LPN's. I lkove the bright scrubs and things we can wear and we should be the only ones able to wear them. MA's should have their own.... Vicki RN... PS. funny I was thinking of this exact subject on the way home from work today.

PSS. fogive my typo's I AM A NURSE NOT A TYPIST! :chuckle :roll

[Taber]

Please excuse my entrance into your discussion, but if one of you could please advise me as to where I might gain some information about RNPs ...and how they connect with potential practice opportunities...I'd greatly appreciate it. Thank you for your advice and guidance.

[Taber]

While I await a hopeful response to my prior request....may I say that I even employ a nurse as a receptionist / nurse combination.. This person works part time in direct patient care and part time up front as a receptionist, as I feel this provides the best phone triage possible....along with better appointment scheduling.

[Q.]

Originally posted by Taber

While I await a hopeful response to my prior request....may I say that I even employ a nurse as a receptionist / nurse combination.. This person works part time in direct patient care and part time up front as a receptionist, as I feel this provides the best phone triage possible....along with better appointment scheduling.

Are you for real?

Why not hire a nurse AND a receptionist? Why pay a nurse more to do secretarial duties? I mean, I guess I could see this concept working in a very small practice.....but geez.