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

[RNFROMTHEHILL]

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.

[core0]

Please enlighten me...what is a PA-C, RPA, OPA? Is there a difference between a PA (which I interpet as being a Physicians Assistant) and the others? Thanks!:wink2:

Back in the dawn of time there were a number of experiments in the PA world. Surgical PA, primary care PA, Child health associate (CHA) etc. One of these was the Orthopedic PA (OPA). However, there was a National Academy of Sciences review of the profession these were labeled as essentially technical professions as opposed to professional. The surgical PA and CHA programs eventually adopted the common PA educational structure with increased emphasis on surgery and pediatrics respectively. The OPA's went on their own. Eventually the programs folded and there have not been any new grads since 1990. There are occasional attempts to get recognized as PAs but as far as I know they are only licensed or certified in a few states. Current certification is for anyone that has worked in orthopedics for five years.

RPA is supposed to mean radiology practitioner assistant. These are radiology techs that have additional training in radiology procedures such as ugi's freeing up radiologists to do other things. However, a number of them have taken to calling themselves radiology physician assistants. In most states this is frowned on or banned outright. The issue is that there are a number of other titles that can use PA. It would be as if a nutrition practitioner (to use an example) called themselves an NP. Depending on the state this would probably be legal unless NP (as opposed to nurse practitioner) was protected. The terms Physician Assistant - certified and PA-C are protected by trademark and are only available to someone who is currently certified as a physician assistant.

Sorry for the diversion. Now back to the OP.

David Carpenter, PA-C

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

Back in the dawn of time there were a number of experiments in the PA world. Surgical PA, primary care PA, Child health associate (CHA) etc. One of these was the Orthopedic PA (OPA). However, there was a National Academy of Sciences review of the profession these were labeled as essentially technical professions as opposed to professional. The surgical PA and CHA programs eventually adopted the common PA educational structure with increased emphasis on surgery and pediatrics respectively. The OPA's went on their own. Eventually the programs folded and there have not been any new grads since 1990. There are occasional attempts to get recognized as PAs but as far as I know they are only licensed or certified in a few states. Current certification is for anyone that has worked in orthopedics for five years.

RPA is supposed to mean radiology practitioner assistant. These are radiology techs that have additional training in radiology procedures such as ugi's freeing up radiologists to do other things. However, a number of them have taken to calling themselves radiology physician assistants. In most states this is frowned on or banned outright. The issue is that there are a number of other titles that can use PA. It would be as if a nutrition practitioner (to use an example) called themselves an NP. Depending on the state this would probably be legal unless NP (as opposed to nurse practitioner) was protected. The terms Physician Assistant - certified and PA-C are protected by trademark and are only available to someone who is currently certified as a physician assistant.

Sorry for the diversion. Now back to the OP.

David Carpenter, PA-C

I really appreciate this information. So, your title is Physician Assistant-Certified? I was not aware that there were so many divisions once upon a time...goodness! Thank you again for sharing. Now, back to the regularly scheduled program...

[Batman24]

Her employer is potentially setting themselves up for a lawsuit should something go awry with a patient. She is misrepresenting herself and the doctor is allowing her to do so. It can be illegal in some states to misrepresent yourself as a nurse. If this is the case in your state and you have a relationship that would allow you to approach her I would do so. Another option would be to call the doctor's office and make them aware.

I would be leery right off the back as it only says nurse but lay people might not realize that isn't typical of what is put on name badges.

[medsurgnurse, RN]

Back in the dawn of time there were a number of experiments in the PA world. Surgical PA, primary care PA, Child health associate (CHA) etc. One of these was the Orthopedic PA (OPA). However, there was a National Academy of Sciences review of the profession these were labeled as essentially technical professions as opposed to professional. The surgical PA and CHA programs eventually adopted the common PA educational structure with increased emphasis on surgery and pediatrics respectively. The OPA's went on their own. Eventually the programs folded and there have not been any new grads since 1990. There are occasional attempts to get recognized as PAs but as far as I know they are only licensed or certified in a few states. Current certification is for anyone that has worked in orthopedics for five years.

RPA is supposed to mean radiology practitioner assistant. These are radiology techs that have additional training in radiology procedures such as ugi's freeing up radiologists to do other things. However, a number of them have taken to calling themselves radiology physician assistants. In most states this is frowned on or banned outright. The issue is that there are a number of other titles that can use PA. It would be as if a nutrition practitioner (to use an example) called themselves an NP. Depending on the state this would probably be legal unless NP (as opposed to nurse practitioner) was protected. The terms Physician Assistant - certified and PA-C are protected by trademark and are only available to someone who is currently certified as a physician assistant.

Sorry for the diversion. Now back to the OP.

David Carpenter, PA-C

You always have a wealth of information. You serve not only your patients well, but you serve your profession well by having this knowledge of the history of your field. In this discussion most nurses have agreed that protecting the title Nurse is important. However, there is one nurse who disagrees and that astounds me.

[BinkieRN, BSN, RN]

I find it more offensive that the health care field is spitting out so called "nurses" with little clinical experience, minimum compassion, and a whole lot of ignorance.

As a new nurse (RN) I don't think that is true.

My question would be why would a person who is not a nurse want people to think they are a nurse? It seems to me they would be asking for trouble.

[mscsrjhm]

You always have a wealth of information. You serve not only your patients well, but you serve your profession well by having this knowledge of the history of your field. In this discussion most nurses have agreed that protecting the title Nurse is important. However, there is one nurse who disagrees and that astounds me.

It seems to be (possibly) a cultural thing. There are others who agree with me (other posts), that come from the midwest/gulf coast region, as do some of my co-workers. Perhaps we are understanding the discussion differently? I noted some misunderstanding in previous posts.

Simply to refer to nursing staff as "nurses", I don't see a problem with. For a Physician to generally refer to staff as "nurses", again- no problem.

To specifically state "I am an RN" -fraudulently- problem.

Any assistant to state "I am one of Dr. Smith's nurses"- no problem.

It is seen as a general term (for some of us).

Technically- by your argument- CNAs, PCTs, CMTs, and MAs should not be included in any "nursing" department? It is generalized as a department. (maybe this explains it better- communication not my strong suit.)

[Hausfrau]

I tell them no she is your nurse aide....they say "well, she said she's my nurse" it burns me up!!!! and they turn there name tags around where no one can see their title....I always make them flip it when I see it.

I remember when I worked in LTC the residents were always calling me, and the other CNA's "nurses". I think that is part of the problem. The term is thrown around so much.

When I introduce myself to a new client I always said I was the nurses helper.

[Okami_CCRN, BSN, RN]

I think most people do not know the difference, they see CNA's, LPN's, and RN's wearing scrubs and they generalize.

It is part of our psyche and I think you can try to tell them who you are as much as you'd like but they will still yell "NURSE," and more often than not the CNA/PCT is the first one to respond.

[BinkieRN, BSN, RN]

I think most people do not know the difference, they see CNA's, LPN's, and RN's wearing scrubs and they generalize.

It is part of our psyche and I think you can try to tell them who you are as much as you'd like but they will still yell "NURSE," and more often than not the CNA/PCT is the first one to respond.

You're right most people do not know the difference but the unlicensed person who allows patients to call them "nurse" does know the difference and if they don't inform the patient then they are wrong. Allowing a patient to believe you are something you are not is deceptive and is not good patient care

[Ms.Williams]

Many MD offices use CMA instead of RN's or LPN's and the part that really makes me furious is that not only do they refer to themselves as nurses in converstions with patients and their families, they do patient teaching , give injections call in prescriptions and perform other duties that should be left to an LPN or RN. Now to the real deal I know for a fact that they are paid pretty much the same as as LPN. I saw a letter come over the fax machine that detailed pay for LPN/CMA and the pay was the same. The MD's also refer to them as nurses so how do you stop this behavior? Surely they have not crossed the line so they cannot be hit with some sort of fine because there are to many MD offices in this state that use them. So how do you decrease this behavior? I would be glad to start the process if I knew how other than contacting the BON?

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

It is interesting...a physician would go wild if a physician's assistant called themselves a doctor, but will not blink an eye to call a medical assistant a nurse. Sometimes, unfortunately, this shows how some of the physicians (not all, mind you) think of us.

[BinkieRN, BSN, RN]

So how do you decrease this behavior? I would be glad to start the process if I knew how other than contacting the BON?

Sadly I don't think there is anything that can be done about it. At least not until the public starts complaining to their doctors. The BON isn't interested either, their only concern is licensed nurses not fake ones.