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??

LPNs are nurses as RNs are nurses. LPNs don't refer to themselves as "practical" nurses any more than RNs refer to themselves as "registered" nurses.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.

Agreed. When I introduce myself to a patient, saying that I will be their nurse would not be illegal or incorrect. If I'm asked to do something outside of the LPN scope of practice, I explain to the patient which titled nurse is more appropriate for the job and why.

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Specializes in Vascular Access Nurse.

An LPN is a nurse just as an RN is a nurse. Please don't tell me that an LPN who gives PO, IM, SQ, ID, SL, PR and IV meds, does wound care, updates careplans, calls physicians and takes orders, is the only nurse for a LTC unit, starts IVs, does trach care, inserts NG tubes, gives NG and G-tube feedings, supervises CNAs and all kind of other things isn't a nurse! I was an LPN for a long time before I became an RN. I can just do more now and have more opportunities for employment. I was darned proud of my LPN license just as I'm darned proud of my RN license! :nurse:

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This is a complicated issue. Historically, a "nurse" could even just be a babysitter or a nanny. We use the term "nursing" to refer to a breastfeeding mother and to someone who provides health care...

If that weren't enough, I'd say most of the general public does not even have a clue that there ARE differentiations such as tech, MA, CNA, etc. In a hospital or a doctor's office, if you are taking care of patients, you are either a nurse or a physician. My mom, who is a well-educated, successful professional, thought (and maybe still does) that my mother-in-law who works as a lab tech in a clinic was a nurse, probably just because she wears scrubs and works in the clinic.

Anyway, it's no excuse for those of us who do work in health care to misuse our titles. But my point is, ultimately the patients (at least the ones who aren't familiar with all the different roles) probably won't know the difference, or if they do, they may not even care. If you said you were a "tech" they may have no clue what that is. And correct me if I'm wrong, but don't many organizations include techs under the category of "nursing staff?"

I'm just a student, but personally if I were a nurse working in a hospital or clinic where others have a tendency to mislead patients about the titles of the staff, I would refer to myself specifically as an "RN" or "registered nurse" instead of simply saying "a nurse." So if I were to introduce myself to a patient, I'd say "Hi, my name is ___ and I'm an RN."

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We just say that we are the nurse and give our name. Short, sweet, and accurate.

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Specializes in geriatrics, orthopedic rehab.

LPN's are Nurses, RN's are Nurses, Nurse Practioners are nurses; just like you have different levels of doctors you have different levels of nurses. There are og/gyn's, podiatrists, Surgeons, General practice "family" doctors, etc... A nurse is a nurse, just like a doctor is a doctor--no matter how "advanced" their degree is-it is what it is..So YES absolutely LPN's are Nurses...its just kind of a silly question. LPN (Licensed Practical NURSE).

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:twocents: Though I went to school and stateboards there for license; I moved to Va, and certified as a nurse to work there as well, and it greatly disturbed me working in Va as a nurse to see MA's passing meds,etc; even letting pts think they were nurse:eek: One even asked me once if I wanted her to pass my meds to pts for me? Taken aback is putting it mildly! I felt also that I went through alot to earn that license, and the responsibilities that went with it, and was taken aback by it all! At another nursing home I had worked I heard MA's more than once when a pt was asking her who her nurse was for that day, the MA told pt she was her nurse for the day, Unbelievable! I promptly walked into the pts rm, and informed pt, and the MA that I was her nurse for that day, and that the MA was just that--an assistant! Very disheartening, and dangerous for pt, as well as made the nurse job harder CYA!
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Specializes in med/surg; LTC.....LPN, RN, DON; TCU.

I have been in positions where pts thought that the CNAs and MAs were their nurses and I couldn't be their nurse because I was a man. I have also seen CNAs and MAs and CMAs ID themselves as nurses as well as nursing students call themselves nurses. If involved in a conversation with the pt I try to work it in to properly inform the pt. When I was a firefighter/emt I saw this on a regular basis also where people IDed themselves as EMTs. I came to this conclusion: Those people that do this for the most part will never go beyond this level. They are at the top of their abilities and have no hope of going higher.

I have been put in circumstances that were unpleasant because of people doing this. At a local hospital on a certain unit the CNAs and NAs regularly IDed themselves as nurses to do things " for the pt ". Doc gets upset and asks for the nurse. I get chewed out and pt states " not him the girl". Doc walks out and gives up because he can't figure out who the girl nurse is. HE knows the difference and is looking for a NURSE. Another reason that hospital has such a high turnover.

Beware though. One place had a CNA telling family that she was a " direct care nurse " and I was a " medication nurse ". She got into ALOT of LEGAL trouble including NEVER being able to have a CNA, CMA, or any direct pt care job. With this record she cannot even get a legal nursing title.:twocents:

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I am a nurse. I am an LPN, but am still a nurse. I would NEVER misrepresent myself as an RN. My name badge clearly says Licensed Practical Nurse. When I introduce myself to a patient, I say "Hi, I'm Julie, I will be your nurse today".

Not "Hi, I'm Julie and I will be your practical nurse today."

:nurse:

In that case, I think MAs should introduce themselves as nurses or nurse assistants. "Hi I'm Sandy...I'll be your Medical Assistant" sounds kind of weird. I think it's all about calling yourself what the general public is most familiar and comfortable with without breaking any laws. Egos aside! I don't understand how a PA can refer to themselves as a doctor...that just seems really wrong.

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I tried to ignore this thread for its a very lengthy and sometimes heated topic..........I do not want to offend anyone and remember this is my own opinion so here I go.............What I dont understand is why not introduce yourself as what you are ?? if you are a Medical assistant then you should say "Hello I will be your Medical Assistant for the day" ...why say you are nurse? nowhere in that title is there the word nurse....?????? Plain and simple. The fact that you feel you are as capable or just as educated as any nurse or MORE educated, doesnt imply that you are entitled to call yourself a "nurse". That is deceptive and wrong. I was never a medical assistant but I worked in several Dr's offices before finishing school and never ever when was asked by patients did I ever say I was anything other than a receptionist. I was well aware of the fact that the MA's were the ones in the position of higher level giving medical care than myself no matter how capable I felt I was. Fast foward to now. I am an LVN ...nowhere in my mind can I justify calling myself a Registered Nurse ..Because I am not one!! it is offensive and wrong to misrepresent yourself as anything other than what you are no matter what your thought process is and how much more capable you feel you are...

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
In that case, I think MAs should introduce themselves as nurses or nurse assistants. "Hi I'm Sandy...I'll be your Medical Assistant" sounds kind of weird. I think it's all about calling yourself what the general public is most familiar and comfortable with without breaking any laws. Egos aside! I don't understand how a PA can refer to themselves as a doctor...that just seems really wrong.

PA's introducing themselves as doctors is "wrong," in your opinion, but you think MA's and CNA's should introduce themselves as nurses "for the comfort of the general public?" Am I missing some sarcasm in this post somewhere? "Without breaking any laws"....newsflash, it IS breaking a law to do just this! It has nothing to do with "ego." Wow.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
I am a nurse. I am an LPN, but am still a nurse. I would NEVER misrepresent myself as an RN. My name badge clearly says Licensed Practical Nurse. When I introduce myself to a patient, I say "Hi, I'm Julie, I will be your nurse today".

Not "Hi, I'm Julie and I will be your practical nurse today."

:nurse:

I completely agree that LPN's are also nurses. I just posted what the law in my state says, which is that the word "nurse," without modifiers, means only "RN." I didn't write the law.

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