Impersonating a nurse

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So I'm a new grad vn (taking nclex 4/2) I decided to go back to medical assisting in the mean time since jobs are hard to come by for new vn's. So I landed a job at a Urgent care and didn't tell them I was a new grad because they wouldn't have hired me. On my first day they introduced me to the head nurse and then she took me to nurse's station and I met the rest of the nurses at least that's what they called themselves, I asked them "Are u lvns or rns?" And they replied "we're ma's" I was shocked they even had business cards that said nurses they tried to give me some to give my pts in case they needed to call me, that's not even the worst of it even the docs says "my nurse" this is a huge practice 10 + docs and not 1 licensed nurse. These ma's are giving Demerol and I.V's I really don't know what to do, who can I anonymously report this to?

Specializes in ER.
rn2pa the poster was saying "what if a medical assistant or other unlicensed staff started calling themselves "Physician Assistant", and "wouldn't that p!ss off PAs?". It's just another comparison. Like what if a practical nurse called themselves a "practitioner nurse" and confused people about whether they were an NP. The poster was not comparing PAs to Medical Assistants at all.

I think you either misread the scenario, or you have had a rough week, or both. Rough week?

If you've worked yourself way all the way from ER tech to LPN to RN to PA, then I'm guessing every week has been a rough week. We all respect those accomplishments, but maybe it's time for a vacation to Cozumel or something.

ok, gotta admit, finals week coming up. 6 finals and 1 comprehensive physical exam. Vacation? Get 9days off after finals then none til Christmas break, well we get Thur and Fri off T'giving week. good times

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Okay, I completely agree this is totally wrong, and you need to get far far away. It is illegal for them to be performing nursing tasks, BUT since they aren't putting Registered Nurse on the cards or referring to them as REGISTERED nurses, I don't know if that would be illegal. The word nurse is not reserved solely for the professional title unless the word registered precedes it.

In my state, it is also illegal to represent yourself as a "nurse" if you do not hold a license to practice as a RN or LPN.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.

what is a vn and an ma please? I don't understand all the US abbreviations.

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Specializes in Cardiovascular, ER.

vn - vocational nurse, i think. Same thing as an LPN

ma - medical assistant. they typically work at doctor's offices/clinics.

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That's right on point. Absent the supervision of a physician, these MAs (Medical Assistants) would be on the hook for illegal practice of nursing or medicine. Under the supervision or direction of a physician, it seems that it's happening under someone's medical license. So it's not really the California BRN or BVN that this should have been reported to, it's the California Medical Board. Though all of these should probably be aware. To play devil's advocate, maybe the practice realized this and it is why they hired an LVN? Seems unlikely given what OP described, but...

I have also heard of RN new grads dealing with a situation where they have to work "under" a supervisor who is an experienced and talented LVN (Vocational Nurse) with their own unofficial power in that setting. That's a rough situation because we all know that the RN is the manager of care in theory and the one whose license is at risk legally if the LVN makes a bad call or assessment (which they shouldn't be making in theory/legally iaw scope of practice). The RN wants to respect the LVNs ability but must also observe the law. But that's for another thread.

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Specializes in Family Practice, Mental Health.
Okay, I completely agree this is totally wrong, and you need to get far far away. It is illegal for them to be performing nursing tasks, BUT since they aren't putting Registered Nurse on the cards or referring to them as REGISTERED nurses, I don't know if that would be illegal. The word nurse is not reserved solely for the professional title unless the word registered precedes it.

It does not matter that it doesn't say "Registered" in front of the word nurse.

The title "Nurse", and even to allow someone to presume that you are a nurse is against the law in California. The OP has stated that this is taking place in California.

http://www.rn.ca.gov/pdfs/regulations/npr-i-27.pdf

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that is very annoying - not to mention insulting to every nurse who has worked hard to earn his/her title.

when i worked in a daycare while i was working on my teaching degree, it irritated me to no end that people who had only a GED would call themselves "teachers."

i can't tell you how many times i've heard people talking about their sister, aunt, cousin, wife who is a "nurse" and after my probing them further found out they were a CNA! ugh! i'm a CNA right now while i'm working on my nursing degree (i went back after i got my teaching degree) so i know how valuable CNA's are, but they are NOT nurses! i get that some people are content being NA's just like some people are content being daycare workers, but if that's the case then be proud of what you ARE - don't claim to be something you aren't!

i have patients regularly ask me how many patients i have and when i tell them "twenty" and they have a look of shock and horror, i quickly tell them, "i'm not a NURSE - i'm an assistant" to which they seem equally shocked but still - it amazes me that there are people who try to pass themselves off as something they aren't. it just shows their lack of pride in what they actually are IMO.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
what is a vn and an ma please? I don't understand all the US abbreviations.

Neither do I. I was just over reading the supporting arguments for the "BSN in 10" law- the authors and contributors had the most mind boggling array of letters, dots, dashes, hyphens, uppercase, lowercase, and none seemed to be attached to more than one lady. I had to stop reading them for a while.

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Specializes in Ambulatory (Urgent care) & Home Health.

*UPDATE*

I'm still there nothings changed even after i reported it. Im now licensed and i have liability ins just in case.

"To play devil's advocate, maybe the practice realized this and it is why they hired an LVN? Seems unlikely given what OP "

They hired me as an M.A. I didnt tell them in the interview that i was a VN grad so they didnt know.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTC/Geriatric.
*UPDATE*

I'm still there nothings changed even after i reported it. Im now licensed and i have liability ins just in case.

"To play devil's advocate, maybe the practice realized this and it is why they hired an LVN? Seems unlikely given what OP "

They hired me as an M.A. I didnt tell them in the interview that i was a VN grad so they didnt know.

That sucks that nothing has changed :mad: Do you know if the BON investigated at all?

Congrats on being licensed! Hopefully you will get a job as a nurse soon and get the heck out of there!!

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Specializes in Ambulatory (Urgent care) & Home Health.

I doubt the BON has done anything, its ridiculous. I make sure i document properly and I call the Medical assistants M.A.s NOT nurse, Im looking for other work but I live in LA so work is scarce for a newbie.

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Sorry to hear that nothing was done. Good luck in finding another job sooner rather than later. And definitely keep your mouth closed about your part in reporting this.

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