Is it illegal to say you're a med student if you are not in medical school?

Nurses Relations

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OK, so I say that in jest; however, given the large number of discussions on AN about "can an MA call themselves a nurse?" I found this amusing.

Today in the ER, my pt told the resident (a medical school graduate, a full fledged MD) "I am a medical student too. I am studying medical coding." At this point I am trying to hide a smile and suppress a chuckle. The resident handled it professionally (i.e., ignored it), but I though it was kinda amusing and, well, really rude. Of course, I'm glad he didn't say anything....if he had corrected the pt that would have hurt our Press Gainey scores.

Specializes in RN.

We have a PCT that is new, and she is in Nursing School....uuhhhemmmm, working on math class presently, then a couple others before she applies...sheesh

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Illegal? No

Ethical? Big grey area.

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Reminds me of the patient in our endoscopy facility who wanted her boyfriend to observe the procedure "because he's in medical school and would find it interesting". Ok, I'm sure he'd find it interesting, but our policy doesn't allow it. Fast-forward to the recovery area, and this same boyfriend "med student" is actually taking classes at the fire house to be---an EMT.

Yeah. It's exactly the same. :sarcastic:

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I think calling it a crime is being a tad melodramatic. I've also heard MA students say "Im in medical school". Yes it makes me inwardly roll my eyes. But, come on, it's harmless ignorance, not "intent to impersonate a medical student" or something.

In their mind the logic is "I'm training to be a medical assistant, therefore I'm in medical school." I'm sure they don't even realize medical = physician.

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The nice thing about nursing is it IS illegal to state you are a nurse without a licence I would have asked her for her RN licence number, otherwise it was illegal for her to proclaim the title.

Tait

First, I'm sure you meant to say "I would have asked her for her RN and/or LPN license number".

But this made me wonder..... Is this a law that's even enforced? Has a MA in a doctors office ever actually had charges brought against her for letting the patients believe she was "the doctor's nurse"? I've heard a lot about how "nurse" is a protected title, but vie never heard anything about it being enforced.

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Specializes in OB/GYN, Peds, School Nurse, DD.

My nephew was "in nursing school" for 4 years. At least that's what *he* thought. He couldn't get his GPA above 2.4 and kept failing classes. The closest he ever got to a nursing class was Lamaze, with his wife. Finally he left college as a SOPHOMORE (after 4 years!) He is now a pipe-fitter and making great money(at least as much as an entry level nurse.) He still laments "losing his nursing career." Oy...

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My nephew was "in nursing school" for 4 years. At least that's what *he* thought. He couldn't get his GPA above 2.4 and kept failing classes. The closest he ever got to a nursing class was Lamaze, with his wife. Finally he left college as a SOPHOMORE (after 4 years!) He is now a pipe-fitter and making great money(at least as much as an entry level nurse.) He still laments "losing his nursing career." Oy...

too funny!! :roflmao: He sounds like an orderly I used to work with who frequently commented on how he was "just a few credits short" of a nursing degree. Never mind the fact that he never completed the pre-requs and therefore never got into any nursing program, lol....therefore had NO nursing credits.....nope, he was just a few classes away from the unit manager's job, the way he figured it!

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