I'm sure this has been said.. MA's calling themselves Nurses

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So Monday I was in a system-wide orientation for my new job as an LPN. I just graduated (so technically until i take my boards and pass.. I'm a GPN). Anyway- there was a girl in our orientation that was an MA, and said she was a nurse at her Dr's office. I was a little taken a-back by this! Call me a brat but I went through a lot to get IN to nursing school, make the grades and graduate to be able to call myself a NURSE! Does this bother anyone else??

Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.
It's interesting to read the different opinions on this. How would

some of you feel if a physician's assistant, when asked what

he/she did, said "I'm on the physicians' staff."

It not Physician's Assistant. Its Physician Assistant. My friend graduated from UC Davis with her PA but before she got in she got rejected one term she applied and was sternly corrected that it is Physician Assistant, not Physician's Assistant.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

Well dang! She wasn't rejected because that apostrophe was included in her application I hope!!

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Well dang! She wasn't rejected because that comma was included in her application I hope!!

If you cannot get the name of your intended profession correct, it does not say much for your commitment or attention to detail.

I would have serious reservations about a PA applicant who inserted the apostrophe of angst.

They really are very, very, very sensitive about that.

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Specializes in geriatrics, orthopedic rehab.
Nurse - a person formally educated and trained in the care of the sick or infirm.

You act like I'm saying it's okay for MAs to DO all the same functions an RN would do. I'm not. I'm merely saying that an MA calling her/himself a nurse or nurse assistant if that pleases you more, is not a catastrophic event. Some of them may feel they are nurses in the sense that they (please refer to definition above) take care of sick people and ARE formally educated.

oh oh then----i think i like the title Dr Christina, so il just use that when i get back to work...see how stupid that sounds. no its not ok to use a title that does not belong to you.:uhoh3:

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
If you cannot get the name of your intended profession correct, it does not say much for your commitment or attention to detail.

I would have serious reservations about a PA applicant who inserted the apostrophe of angst.

They really are very, very, very sensitive about that.

:lol2: Well it's clear I need not concern myself with the vexing issue of higher education if I don't know the difference between an apostrophe and a comma, lol. ==brainfart== after a real cluster-blank of a shift-- And you're right. Little things like that are important. I'm one who freaks out at the idea of O2 "stats" etc., so I know where you're coming from. :up:

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:lol2: Well it's clear I need not concern myself with the vexing issue of higher education if I don't know the difference between an apostrophe and a comma, lol. ==brainfart== after a real cluster-blank of a shift-- And you're right. Little things like that are important. I'm one who freaks out at the idea of O2 "stats" etc., so I know where you're coming from. :up:

Hehe, I figured it was a brainfart! Your grammar is always spot on.

We're all allowed a brainfart or two....or 12...

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.
Well dang! She wasn't rejected because that comma was included in her application I hope!!

No. She applied late in the year so her chances of getting in were not the best. It is a competitive program to get into. I use to work with a PA that said a guy was in her class that got in after 7 years of applying!

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.
If you cannot get the name of your intended profession correct, it does not say much for your commitment or attention to detail.

I would have serious reservations about a PA applicant who inserted the apostrophe of angst.

They really are very, very, very sensitive about that.

It was not in her application, she flubbed and said it out loud during her interview. Like you have never flubbed and said a medical term incorrectly. I would have serious doubts about having a nurse that was so critical.:uhoh3:

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Well, when I graduated from nursing school in the 1990's nurses were still required to wear white uniforms. I even had white dresses and hose. Within 2 years of graduating nurses and CNA's started to wear the same uniforms. It went from CNA's wearing plain purple scrubs and nurses wearing all white to everyone wearing the same uniforms. So without the badge who is to know. I really think we need to go back to the day of white uniforms only for nurses, just me. You say no one cares who takes care of them that is not true. I get ask all the time if I am the nurse.

Here is a story for you I use to work at Veteran's Medical Center as the unit leader RN I did everything LPN's could not do IV insertion then. It was me the RN and 5 LPNS and one evening one of the LPN's needed me to come into a room, so she rang for me she said to me in front of the patient okay you can insert this IV now and I said okay will do. I got the IV cart and preceded to prep the patients arm for the IV. The patient said to me don't you ever get tire of doing everything he said your just as good as she is why don't you go on and get your LPN?????? I was sort of listening but busy inserting the IV. I said, excuse me? He said, why don't you get your LPN ( someone had to tell him that it stood for Licensed practical nurse.) He said most all the nurse on the floor have their LPN except you. I was speechless to say the least, because I had never been approach with that one before. I said, well no disrespect to you but I already had my LPN and now I am a RN. He said, but your not a licensed nurse right??? I said yes I am a licensed nurse. I said I am a RN, now mind you I am getting no where, because he still didn't seem to believe me. What is the difference he ask I said a LPN is a 1 year vocational nurse and RN is a 2-4 year college nurse, and they are licensed. Well he could not say enough appologies that evening.

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It was not in her application, she flubbed and said it out loud during her interview. Like you have never flubbed and said a medical term incorrectly. I would have serious doubts about having a nurse that was so critical.:uhoh3:

A flubbing a medical term is not equal to getting the name of your profession wrong.

There are thousands of medical terms and some are tounge-twisters. You typically only have one (maybe two) professional title. Like lawyer, dentist, nurse, plumber, electrician.

However, flubbing it in speech is different than flubbing it in written text. But, it is a very sore point to PAs to be referred to as Physician's assistants. Being nervous will make the mouth do all sorts of funny things, but I, personally, knowing how sensitive they can be about it, would have taken extra care to make sure it came out correct, as I would have serious doubts regarding a person who wishes to become a PA, but makes the same mistakes lay people make regarding their professional title.

But as you said, he applied late, so hopefully they didn't hold it against him.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Well, when I graduated from nursing school in the 1990's nurses were still required to wear white uniforms. I even had white dresses and hose. Within 2 years of graduating nurses and CNA's started to wear the same uniforms. It went from CNA's wearing plain purple scrubs and nurses wearing all white to everyone wearing the same uniforms. So without the badge who is to know. I really think we need to go back to the day of white uniforms only for nurses, just me. You say no one cares who takes care of them that is not true. I get ask all the time if I am the nurse.

Here is a story for you I use to work at Veteran's Medical Center as the unit leader RN I did everything LPN's could not do IV insertion then. It was me the RN and 5 LPNS and one evening one of the LPN's needed me to come into a room, so she rang for me she said to me in front of the patient okay you can insert this IV now and I said okay will do. I got the IV cart and preceded to prep the patients arm for the IV. The patient said to me don't you ever get tire of doing everything he said your just as good as she is why don't you go on and get your LPN?????? I was sort of listening but busy inserting the IV. I said, excuse me? He said, why don't you get your LPN ( someone had to tell him that it stood for Licensed practical nurse.) He said most all the nurse on the floor have their LPN except you. I was speechless to say the least, because I had never been approach with that one before. I said, well no disrespect to you but I already had my LPN and now I am a RN. He said, but your not a licensed nurse right??? I said yes I am a licensed nurse. I said I am a RN, now mind you I am getting no where, because he still didn't seem to believe me. What is the difference he ask I said a LPN is a 1 year vocational nurse and RN is a 2-4 year college nurse, and they are licensed. Well he could not say enough appologies that evening.

Now, THAT is a new one on me! Telling an RN to go get her LPN...what a hoot! Everyone has their LPN,but you. WHO, pray tell, then, would supervise the LPNs? What a funny story! LOL!

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Specializes in Nursing Education, CVICU, Float Pool.
Well dang! She wasn't rejected because that comma was included in her application I hope!!

Actually, I think it's an Apostrophe if you are refferring to Physician's Assistant. I never knew taht you were not supposed to use the apostrophe in that title. The apostrohpe shows possession in that the physician possesses the assistant or an assitant, that could be viewed negatively by some. Sorry, not trying to be a smart allic, but everyone here seems to be obessed with grammar, and most of them use it improperly themselves.

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