I know a CNA who's name badge says nurse!

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Okay, my relative by marraige is a CNA II. She works for a Dr's office that is owned by a larger hospital coorporation. Since she has worked for this office she has called herself a "nurse" and she does get to administer IM injections and do lab draws, EKG'S, immunizations, and she says she even does patient teaching. Her husband told all the parents on our ball team that if any emergency arose not to worry because his wife is a nurse. This truely irritaes me to no end because I worked my butt off to get through nursing school and sacrificed so much to get my RN. I hate the fact that she has no idea what nursing is all about. Well, the other day she got off work and I saw that her badge said nurse, not LPN or RN just nurse. Not only am I offended that she uses this title but I feel like it is very misleading to patients who see Dr's at this practice. I know there are some good unlicensed health care workers but they still do not have the background, education or right to call themselves nurses. I have not confronted her about calling herself a nurse but I see this happening in the future. Makes me wonder if the "nurses" in the office that I go to are really nurses. I think from now on I will ask, "Where did you go to nursing school," just to be safe.

In your state is a nurse required to carry a plastic type card with his/her license information on it.

And are they required to carry it on anytime while working, and are required to be able to show it to a patient if asked by the patient?

Which state do you mean when you say "your state"? I'm in the same state as the OP, and I've never heard of such a thing ...

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Also, I'm guessing you're NOT in NY, as even Medical Assistants are prohibited from administering any medication of any type whatsoever. They cannot do this under the supervision of an LPN, an RN, or an MD, period. If I find an MA attempting to stick my child with anything, there's gonna be h*ll to pay.

If you ever travel to GA and God forbid your child get sick and need an urgent/emergent care visit for say a bee-sting. It will most likely be a MA that give them that Epi-pen injection here. It is perfectly legal in this state. And I would venture to think that it may be legal in many others. :nurse:

I too don't agree with it. And it causes the wages of LPNs to be depressed. Why would a doctor hire an LPN for say $18-20 Hr when he can get a MA for $10 or 12? But that's GA for you.

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If you ever travel to GA and God forbid your child get sick and need an urgent/emergent care visit for say a bee-sting. It will most likely be a MA that give them that Epi-pen injection here. It is perfectly legal in this state. And I would venture to think that it may be legal in many others. :nurse:

I too don't agree with it. And it causes the wages of LPNs to be depressed. Why would a doctor hire an LPN for say $18-20 Hr when he can get a MA for $10 or 12? But that's GA for you.

Ah, the good ol' Epi-Pen is a weird bit....it can be given by anyone you (as parent) approve to give it; it does travel with my kid to camp, and school, and anywhere else he's away from me. HE knows how to do it, so he's going to be the first one likely to do it, but in the event for some reason he needs help, anyone else can do it, too. It's prescribed to be given by non-medical personnel.

But when it comes to vaccinations? Um....no, give me someone with a license, please! I'm fine with an LPN in the peds office, not ok if they give me someone I know is not allowed to do it. So I guess I'll keep your post in mind when vacationing in the South!

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

you are in new york ...this comes directly from the new york board of nurse examiners..

"

6903. practice of nursing and use of title "registered professional nurse" or "licensed practical nurse".

only a person licensed or otherwise authorized under this article shall practice nursing and only a person licensed under section sixty-nine hundred four shall use the title "registered professional nurse" and only a person licensed under section sixty-nine hundred five of this article shall use the title "licensed practical nurse". no person shall use the title "nurse" or any other title or abbreviation that would represent to the public that the person is authorized to practice nursing unless the person is licensed or otherwise authorized under this article."

http://www.op.nysed.gov/article139.htm#sect6903

also , i dont know why it would be different in new york but medical assistants do practice under doctors and give all kinds of medications. this has nothing to do with the bon so it cannot be regulated by them. i dont agree with it but its the way it stands....

a couple of notes: i'm in ny, and there's a technical loophole that, while stating it is illegal for anyone who is unlicensed to call him or herself an rn or lpn, the actual word "nurse" is not included. it's been a bit of a snag here, as the popularity of "baby nurses" (ie: nannies who people think are somehow more educated in infant care--as a nurse would be) keeps the issue popping up from time to time. as of last year, it wasn't yet resolved; hoping it gets that way sometime soon.

however, and it's a big however, in ny anyone who works in a medical or healthcare setting is required to wear a namebadge that states not only their name, but professional title. i would think that if you are in ny, having janet jones, nurse on her badge would not be allowed, as it is not a professional title for the healthcare setting.

we're not required to carry a card of any type, with licensure information. when working in a healthcare setting, the facility is required to keep a copy of our licensure on file, so that it can be presented to a patient in the unlikely event that someone actually wanted to see a nurse's particulars.

also, i'm guessing you're not in ny, as even medical assistants are prohibited from administering any medication of any type whatsoever. they cannot do this under the supervision of an lpn, an rn, or an md, period. if i find an ma attempting to stick my child with anything, there's gonna be h*ll to pay.

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Specializes in Cardiac Thoracic Surgery, Emergency Med.
In an ER setting my minor daughter was seen by a person whose nametag had "PA" on it. That didn't bother me at the time. However, when I received a bill for the services she received and it listed this person's name along with a notation clearly indicating that "doctor" services were rendered, I became incensed. I didn't mind my daughter being treated by a PA, but certainly took note of the deception and the MD billing rate. If they were going to deceive, they should never have let the caregiver put "PA" on the name tag. The invoice should not have indicated that J. Doe was a doctor either. Unfortunately I never followed up on this.

A PA (Physician's Assistant) actually does get MD rates. They are more in line with an NP... They assist in surgery, prescribe, diagnose, etc. I guess I am not sure what you are stating... It said doctor services, or they called the PA a doctor?

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The big problem here is that state by state the rules are not uniform. Some states you could get away with calling yourself "nurse", others it is flat out illegal. I have not gotten my flu shots from a nurse or doctor in years. They are administered by medical assistants at my doctors office. I have never seen a medical assistant administer any kind of shot but a flu shot in Pennsylvania but it could well be going on, it could be legal. I think there is somesort of regulation in BOM in Pa that permits doctors to train assistants to work under their supervision.

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I'am in Texas and you can check to see if person is a Licensed Nurse online at the BON.

I figured it was law for the person to carry some type of ID issued by the State they practice in.

And they should be required to carry ID on them while working, and be prepared to Show it when requested.

Every state BON has an on-line licensure verification mechanism -- but I've never heard of a law (and I've practiced in a few different states) requiring healthcare providers to carry state-issued ID.

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

In my state that is against the law and is a felony. She may not realize the trouble she could get in and ignorance is no excuse. But I wonder who made the badge? Is the MD not aware???????

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Specializes in ER; HBOT- lots others.

i guess i dont care that she is doing all this she shouldnt be, but dang-it to heavens that she is saying nurse!! someone is letting her get away with that. we have worked our YOU KNOW WHATS OFF to get where i am today, not to just have someone else call themselves a nurse!! she sure has her dang husband fooled!!!!

makes my blood boil!

please please please REPORT HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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You are in New York ...this comes directly from the New York board of nurse examiners..

"

6903. Practice of nursing and use of title "registered professional nurse" or "licensed practical nurse".

Only a person licensed or otherwise authorized under this article shall practice nursing and only a person licensed under section sixty-nine hundred four shall use the title "registered professional nurse" and only a person licensed under section sixty-nine hundred five of this article shall use the title "licensed practical nurse". No person shall use the title "nurse" or any other title or abbreviation that would represent to the public that the person is authorized to practice nursing unless the person is licensed or otherwise authorized under this article."

http://www.op.nysed.gov/article139.htm#sect6903

Also , I dont know why it would be different in New York but medical assistants do practice under doctors and give all kinds of medications. This has nothing to do with the BON so it cannot be regulated by them. I dont agree with it but its the way it stands....

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Hey, thanks for that! The last part about the use of the title "nurse", then, IS recently added, as it WAS a big problem not too long ago. Looks like they finally closed that loophole :)

As for the MAs and medicine administration, it is addressed also in the nurse practice act specifically (for this State, anyway). Whether they can regulate it or not, it does say it there. My kids have only gotten injections from either an RN or an LPN when at the peds office, even though MAs do work there.

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Hey, thanks for that! The last part about the use of the title "nurse", then, IS recently added, as it WAS a big problem not too long ago. Looks like they finally closed that loophole :)

As for the MAs and medicine administration, it is addressed also in the nurse practice act specifically (for this State, anyway). Whether they can regulate it or not, it does say it there. My kids have only gotten injections from either an RN or an LPN when at the peds office, even though MAs do work there.

I tried to add this, but alas, my five minutes was up :( ...

As for the MAs and medicine administration, it is addressed by the BON specifically (for this State, anyway). Whether they can regulate it or not, it does say it there. I copied this line from the FAQ page:

"Can a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) supervise medical assistants in giving allergy shots?

No. Medical assistants are non-licensed personnel who may not legally administer medications to patients, by any route." Seemed to cover the question pretty well.

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In an ER setting my minor daughter was seen by a person whose nametag had "PA" on it. That didn't bother me at the time. However, when I received a bill for the services she received and it listed this person's name along with a notation clearly indicating that "doctor" services were rendered, I became incensed. I didn't mind my daughter being treated by a PA, but certainly took note of the deception and the MD billing rate. If they were going to deceive, they should never have let the caregiver put "PA" on the name tag. The invoice should not have indicated that J. Doe was a doctor either. Unfortunately I never followed up on this.

There are a couple of issues here. The first is the billing is for physician services. If an NP had seen you, you still would have received a bill for physician services. The second is that most insurance companies and hospitals still have a hard time figuring out how to bill for non-physician providers (NPPs). Most of the software that they use still templates things out as Doctor xxxxx. Finally many insurance companies do not separately credential NPPs. Instead the bill is submitted under the physicians insurance ID number. This is slowly changing with the national provider identification but its a slow process.

I tried to add this, but alas, my five minutes was up :( ...

As for the MAs and medicine administration, it is addressed by the BON specifically (for this State, anyway). Whether they can regulate it or not, it does say it there. I copied this line from the FAQ page:

"Can a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) supervise medical assistants in giving allergy shots?

No. Medical assistants are non-licensed personnel who may not legally administer medications to patients, by any route." Seemed to cover the question pretty well.

Not sure what state you live in but I would bet that under the BOM regulations there is a portion on the delegation of services by non-licensed providers. This is the authorization that MAs traditionally have fallen under. While the BON may state that a LPN may not supervise MAs administering medication, the BOM may state that physicians may delegate the practice of medicine (including medication administration) to a properly trained and supervised un-licensed provider (traditionally referred to as unlicensed assistive personell or UAP).

Finally to the OP. Is it possible that the badge says nursing on it not nurse? In our hospital under the title the badge has the department that the person works for. For example my badge says:

David Carpenter, PA-C

Physician Assistant

Surgery

Or

Becky Jones, RN

Registered Nurse

Nursing

However, since security makes the badge and really has no idea what any of this means you see all sorts of mistakes including one of the CNAs whose badge said simply:

Name

Nursing.

(not really sure what they were trying to do here) It could have easily have had the CNA's name and nursing with nothing else.

Not trying to justify anything, just know how strangely hospitals can work.

David Carpenter, PA-C

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