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 Med/Surg, LTC/Geriatric.
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.

I'm not quite sure how my statement fits into your response. :confused:

Do you agree or disagree that I state "I will be your nurse today" not' "I will be your practical nurse today." ? The province I will in clearly states that I am legally allowed to call myself "nurse" and will continue to do so.

:nurse:

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Specializes in heart failure and prison.

I have been a MA for 16 years and I never once passed myself off as a RN. I think the title of nurse is taken lightly and MA's and CNA's really do think they are. Now that I am a RN, I have truly earned that title. I use to work with a girl who would Id herself as the nurse, this was before I went to nursing school, once I started nursing school, I would constantly put her in check. I think their is a law against calling yourself a nurse and you are not. I really think they need a reality check. Also, I remember one time a cna was complaining about his patient assignment and how he had 16 patients. He had the nerve to say to me, because I had 4 patients and remind you I am the RN that his assignment was harder than mind. However, I had to remind him of his job duties. Your only job is to take vital signs, and make a bed or two and maybe help wash a patient. But my job, it never ends I have to do assessments, call the MD if something is wrong, pass their meds, write notes and deal with family memebers and not to mention the other things in between. Now I am not down grading a CNA or MA, all I am saying stop calling yourself something that you are not. Because I had to go to school, study for test and pray to GOD that I passed, take boards and then becareful not to get my license taken for something dumb.

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Specializes in Psychiatry/Drug Rehab.

I find the observation quite interesting. In a hospital setting each grade of staff should know their level of trainning and what they are legal covered to do. Making a big fuss about the title nurse defeats team unity. Oh by the way in some countries RNs do not consider LPNs nurses either.

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Specializes in geriatrics, orthopedic rehab.

Doesnt really make one hill of beans whether in "some" countries, or in your state or in whatever area you come from as to whether "they" consider lpn's nurses or not-the board does recognize them as nurses, and thats the only thing that counts. Opinions do not matter in this situation. Nurses are nurses-if you sit for the nursing board and pass your nclex--you are a nurse. That-my frind-is the law-wherever you reside.

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I totally disagree that MA should introduce themselves as nurses. why? BEcause they are NOT NURSES! Why is that so hard? if you are a licensed nurse then you are a nurse, if you didn't go to nursing school and get licensed then you have no right to call yourself a nurse.

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I've heard cna's and med assts. say this when asked their title or job description: "I'm part of the nursing staff," or "I'm with the nursing staff." I consider that to be boarding on deception, too, because its intent seems to be deflecting the question. Although assts. could still be considered part of the nursing staff, the answer I quoted seem to imply they are indeed nurses. What you do think?

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTC/Geriatric.
I've heard cna's and med assts. say this when asked their title or job description: "I'm part of the nursing staff," or "I'm with the nursing staff." I consider that to be boarding on deception, too, because its intent seems to be deflecting the question. Although assts. could still be considered part of the nursing staff, the answer I quoted seem to imply they are indeed nurses. What you do think?

I disagree. I think it's perfectly acceptable for a CNA or med assistant to say they are apart of the nursing staff. The nursing staff is who cares for patients/residents and they are doing just that.

I think it simplifies things, especially for the elderly. They don't necessarily need/want the details on what a med assistant is or a CNA. Just who is there to help them. :)

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Specializes in gunshot wounds , paediatrics,burns ,.

it is worse in the millitary they impose orders on newly recruited nurses

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Specializes in gunshot wounds , paediatrics,burns ,.

the other day i called one by her title ....she had failed to rehydrate a baby claiming the clinician had not talked of that can you imagine.. [email protected]

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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.

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.

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Any medical employer, or facility I ever worked always gave, as part of the orientation, an indepth job description listing everything you were responsible to do, and in what scope to do it. The legal responsibilities that go with your title & job description should be a consern because if something you did was not in your description, and the pt was injured in some way you could be sued, and or lose your liscense. All nurses need to get malpractice Ins. I also kept my own log on a daily base so I would have info reference in case anything should happen to a pt I'd been assigned. There was one instance for me where someone that had been a pt of mine in past took legal action against the facility, and I had to testify regarding the pt's Ins co! My log I kept helped jog my memory of the pt, and info about that pt, and cares given, etc.. If you are a nurse you need to have the malpractice Ins coverage for peace of mind, as well as legalities. I can not imagine why anyone in the medical profession would want to call themself a nurse if they were not! :confused:CYA.

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Specializes in Nursing Education, CVICU, Float Pool.
If this is the case, then I know tons of people who are committing crimes here in NC. As I've mentioned before, we have a large multi-physician practice in our town that employs CNA's only. Everyone, the doctors, the office employees, the patients, the CNA's and the residents of the town all call them NURSES.

I know what you mean. It's just a hot mess here sometimes.

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