CNA agitation

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I posted this over in the LPN corner as well to get the POV of the licensed professionals, but I would also like to hear from fellow students. Here is the situation:

Our school had a blood drive last month, and being O- I decided I would donate. Upon entering the auditorium, I knew the young gentleman doing the donor interview as a person who had started the surgical technician program in September but had been dropped from the program because of grades. Instead, he came back in November and obtained his CNA. Good for him! :yelclap: CNAs are very important. Anyhow, I told him it was nice to see him and that I was pleased he had gotten a good job so quickly. He then replies, "Oh yea. I have two. One at MCH, one with the Red Cross. I became a nurse and then it was really easy to get a job." I smiled, but inside I was infuriated. I know I should have said something, but I couldn't. I was too angry and afraid I would hurt his feelings. In no way am I downplaying the CNA title, nor am I saying these valuable individuals do not work hard to get their certification. What angers me is how someone can have the gall to say they are a nurse when in no way have they put in the hours or paid the dues I have. My family and I have sacrificed A LOT this year so I could follow my dreams, and we have a long way to go as I transition from LPN to RN. Not only is it illegal for a CNA to call themselves a nurse, it is insulting to me. Am I the only one who feels this way? :banghead:

Specializes in NICU.

I agree with the posters that say to look at what "CNA" stands for. A nursing assistant, not a nurse. Just like a PA is an assistant, not a physician.

And no one is trying to elevate themselves by making others feel lower. I have my CNA license and I've worked as a CNA before, we all know it's not easy work. But the class that I took to get my CNA license was about 3 weeks. And here I am in school, for years and years, to get my BSN. 3 weeks to get your CNA license vs. years to get your LPN/LVN/RN. Those are different categories. You bust your butt for years and years and call yourself a nurse, where someone that has 3 weeks of training is calling themselves the SAME thing you are?

I agree that it's a team effort, we all work together, we all provide patient care. But it's not one in the same. Unless you have a certified license that says "NURSE", then you shouldn't be calling yourself nurse. As someone previously stated, that's fraud and it should be taken seriously. And I totally agree with marie, very well said:

Protecting the integrity of our future profession and the safety of our future patients by insisting that others not represent themselves as having the education and skills of a registered or licensed nurse when they do not is something that should be worth our time.

Yes, it's definitely worth battling.

Specializes in critical care; community health; psych.

Just for the heck of it, I checked the web definitions of "nurse." What I found raised my ire. From http://www.cogsci.princeton.edu... one skilled in caring for young children or the sick (typically under the supervision of a physician).

I know this is off topic, but since we're talking about professional integrity, this is an assumption that is way off base.

Specializes in LTC, home health, critical care, pulmonary nursing.

I'm forever correcting residents and families when they call me "nurse." That title is not an honor that I've earned yet.

I don't believe you are alone in your feelings. Right now I am a CNA attending

PN school...in my final semester of first year. I always refer to myself as a CNA and add that I am in school for PN. There is all the difference in the

world in these 2 positions...both equally important...but the CNA is an

assistant. I look forward to the day that I can refer to myself as a nurse.

It will truly be a priviledge. I do admire you and others because it is hard

and you sacrifice so much. Thanks to all Nurses.

CNA's work very hard and are very much underpaid and a lot of times unappreciated. I have worked many night shifts depending on the good CNA's I was working with to alert me to things they notice when caring for their resident's, because I couldn't be everywhere at once. We were a team and made it through the night because of this.

Take care.

Caye

I'm forever correcting residents and families when they call me "nurse." That title is not an honor that I've earned yet.

Well I think that this guy just doesnt have enough knowledge or education, to understand the variety of nurses out there. But I am sure that in the long run he will learn that. Have that for sure.

I finish my CNA class this month (take my test May 31st!) and I would NEVER refer to myself as a "nurse". I'm also in college taking my pre-reqs to get in the RN program and so I know that once I finish that, I will be a nurse. CNA's are nurse "assistants". No different than a lawyer's "assistant" or a teacher's "assistant".

Specializes in Utilization Management.

Yes, it is illegal in FL to represent oneself as a nurse if one is not a licensed nurse. In fact, it's a misdemeanor.

So correcting people who represent themselves as nurses or who allow people to believe they are nurses without correcting them could very well result in jail time.

From the FL BON website, an excerpt of the Nurse Practice Act:

http://www.ncsbn.org/regulation/nursingpractice_npa_florida.asp

464.016 Violations and penalties.

  1. Each of the following acts constitutes a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084:

    1. Practicing advanced or specialized, professional or practical nursing, as defined in this chapter, unless holding an active license or certificate to do so.
    2. Using or attempting to use a license or certificate which has been suspended or revoked.
    3. Knowingly employing unlicensed persons in the practice of nursing.
    4. Obtaining or attempting to obtain a license or certificate under this chapter by misleading statements or knowing misrepresentation.

      5. [*]Each of the following acts constitutes a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083:

      1. Using the name or title "Registered Nurse," "Licensed Practical Nurse," "Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner," or any other name or title which implies that a person was licensed or certified as same, unless such person is duly licensed or certified.
      2. Knowingly concealing information relating to violations of this chapter.

I also am a CNA, and have been for the past 5 years. When I took my CNA course, which was 6 months, we were constantly told to introduce ourselves this way to a patient: "Hello, my name is _____, and I am your nurse today". When I took my certification test, I had to use the same introduction when I performed a skill. When I started my first CNA job, I always introduced myself as the nurse for the day, because that was how I was taught. Of course, we were taught that were were the nurse's assistant, but I didn't give much thought to saying I was a nurse, because it came with practicing. Also, when a patient rings that call bell, and says they want their nurse, a CNA is the first one they call to go to the room. If a patient stops a charge nurse in the hallway and say they want their nurse, most times the charge nurse points them in the direction of the nurse assistant.

It took me to get into nursing school to think otherwise. Since being admitted to the nursing program and being taught to introduce myself as a nursing student, I have began to see it all differently. I approach my clients by stating that I am the nurses assistant for the day, and so forth.

I know for a fact that nurse assistants have a load of work, and I believe it is too much at my current job. But no longer do I look at myself as a nurse. I am an assistant for about another year, and I have put off calling myself a nurse until I have my degree. But not all people will see it this way.....and it may be because of my starting line: They may have been taught to call themselves nurses as I had. Also I am not saying that we were taught right. I know that a registered nurse taught us, so for one, they were wrong to have us call ourselves nurses from the beginning.....and I am not at all saying all CNA instructors follow that same pattern...but the one I went to did. However, I took my class 5 years ago, and maybe they are using a different approach now.

Just wanted to add....

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
What is a nurse? CNAs provide basic nursing care. The term "nurse" is a broad one. Check out any job description for a CNA or PCA. Look at any dictionary.

A CNA is a member of the nursing team. In his mind, this man is a nurse. I would not disagree. I may be out on a limb here, but when medical assistants are referred to as "the nurse" in the doctor's office, it doesn't tick me off that a nursing assistant who bathes and cleans and feeds and takes VS, and assists a sick patient or elderly resident would refer to himself as a nurse. In my mind, he functions as a kind of nurse. In the patient's mind too.

I'm not so sure that what he said to you was illegal. He didn't represent himself as an LPN or RN. He didn't walk into your room and say "I am your nurse", which would be illegal.

Why get upset? Far be it from me to elevate myself by making someone else feel lower.

In his mind he is a nurse? Maybe, but the State Board may have a another perspective, and so do I.

Look up nursing in the state nurse practice act. It's not going to address CNA's there as nurses. Because they are not nurses. Nor are office assistants, medical assistants, medication aides, or receptionists, or anyone else who happens to come into contact and care for patients that is not an LPN or RN. They are valuable members of the health care team, yes.

The title of "nurse" is abused wrongfully and misleadingly by many parties and it ought not be. In some cases, it can get one into legal hot water to do this. Our title as "nurse" is legally protected in most NPA's for a reason. It's not about elevating ourselves, but having a clear understanding of scope and practices, nothing more. It's not personal nor meant to be.

Oh for goodness sakes. The guy was doing the donor interview and not performing medical procedures.

If someone wants to say their a nurse, well...hoooray for you, youre a nurse.

However, is someone is presenting themselves as a Nurse in a professional element where they are in the position do to only those things RNs, LPNs, or LVNs are allowed to do they better have the credentials.

Perhaps your guy got his license somewhere else or is just plain lying. Either way, you didn't bother to ask so why be angered about it?

Everyone in the Nursing field works hard. All are essential to patient care.

Don't hate :)

I, too, have noticed this. I've seen some CNA's brag about themselves being a nurse and it irritates me greatly. Nurses have worked so very hard to get the title RN, while CNA's don't have as much education. Nearwhere near the education.

It bugs me in my own doctor's office, I call on something and they tell me to talk to my doctor's nurse in the office, and I found out recently that she's not a nurse, not an LPN. I got rather irate and complained to the office manager.

PLEASE understand, I'm not picking on CNA's here or PCT's. I had one in the hospital a few weeks ago and I could tell by her caring heart and just her touch that this was her true calling. She treated everyone with respect, and she comforted me when I needed it. I've said this before, good CNA's and PCT's are worth their weight in gold.

Oh, another time I saw this on a court tv show. The defendent that the couple was suing started having a chest pains, and that husband of the plaintiff proudly said, "Ask my wife, she's a NURSE. She'll know what to do." What she did was go over and say, "Mr. Jackson, are you OK?" It did come out on this show that the woman was not an RN, but a CNA. Talk about being put on the spot!

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