Last week I had to take my father to an urgent care clinic while he was visiting me from out of state. We were both in the exam room when a woman walks in and introduces herself. "Hi, I'm Jane (not her real name) and I'm the nurse". Even her name tag said "Nurse" under it. After she got done taking my dad's VS, I asked her where she went to nursing school since I am currently in nursing school at a college close by. She started stumbling over her words and eventually told me that she had not gone to school at all and wasn't a nurse. She's not even a certified nursing assistant. She simply had received on-the-job training to be doing what she was doing.
As a nursing student who is working extremely hard to earn the title of "Nurse" I was furious! And if she's wearing a name tag that was issued from her from her place of employment, they should be ashamed for misrepresenting this woman as a nurse to their patients. Isn't this illegal, or at least unethical? Am I just over reacting here?
Specializes in orthopedics, trauma/ acute surgical.
The second story happened last year. I witnessed a car accident and stopped to help those involved. I called 911 first, and then as I got out of my car, a woman came running behind of me saying very loud that she was a "nurse" and wanted to help. I told her that I was also a nurse and instructed her to help the occupants of one of the cars while I did the same with the others. I have worked trauma for 8 years, but I have never encounter this situation before. I told them not to move or try to get out of the car until professional help arrived; thankfully none of them had any life-threatening injuries. Then I looked at the other car where "supernurse" was, and I saw the driver leaning sideways attempting to reach his glove compartment. I walked there to see why he was doing so and wondering why she was writing something on a piece of paper. When I got there, she proudly presented me with that piece of paper where she had written down their names, DOB, addresses and their private insurance info. When I asked her why she had done that, she replied that she was a medical assistant, but since she had only worked in the front office of a clinic as a receptionist, she figured that the insurance information was vital so the paramedics would know to take the victims to their assigned hospitals. I almost slapped her for making the driver lean sideways to look for his wallet ignoring spinal precautions. The moment she figured out her stupidity, she ran back to her car (which had a stethoscope hanging from the rear view mirror) drove away. I told the police and paramedics about it, but I wasn't able to get her license plate.
I disagree. Most patients call anyone they see in a 'uniform' 'nurse' and surly that's fine. If i was legally representing you, as a misrepresentation of title, then I would want to know what 'nurse' had 'done' to the patient. Any inappropriate treatment, discussion etc? Its very interesting medical law, and there are a few stated cases on 'nurses' being misrepresented as 'doctors' and the issue of consent.
You're stating the difference, but calling it the same thing. The patient may get the impression that anyone in a uniform is a nurse, and call them a nurse; that is completely different than that person calling THEMSELVES a nurse.
As far as the rest of the paragraph, I don't understand what you are saying. What do you mean "If i was legally representing you (etc)"?
I disagree. Most patients call anyone they see in a 'uniform' 'nurse' and surly that's fine. If i was legally representing you, as a misrepresentation of title, then I would want to know what 'nurse' had 'done' to the patient. Any inappropriate treatment, discussion etc? Its very interesting medical law, and there are a few stated cases on 'nurses' being misrepresented as 'doctors' and the issue of consent.
How in the world can you say that surely it is fine for anyone in a "uniform" to say that they are are a nurse as long as they don't perform any inappropriate treatments etc? The cleaning woman at our facility wears scrubs. Is it ok for her to tell people she is a nurse as long as she is not performing treatments just because she wears scrubs?
Gosh you do all get very upset over this, and about status. I am a nursing sister, who has a Master degree in clinical practice and a degree in nursing in Law. I agree its been a lot of hard work and I am proud to be a nurse, but it does not upset me if a nursing assistant calls herself 'nurse'. It happens and I am fine about it.
down here where I live medical assistants work at doctor's offices and they are always being referred to as "nurses" by the doctors, staff, patients, everyone. I know that nurses used to work at doctor's offices but now they hire medical assistants because an RN is overqualified to do most of the tasks required there, a position better suited to a medical assistant, and i guess somehow the name of "nurse" just stuck and that it WRONG!! I am a nursing student (RN) who will graduate in 5 weeks and I find it insulting that these people get to be called nurses!! they have not worked as hard to achieve that title as I am doing, nor do they posses the knowledge and skills that I have been taught. They are misinforming the public of their competence. Now i'm not saying they are incompetent but they don't posses the same level of knowledge and skills that an RN does, so PLEASE do us all a favor and call them what they are "MEDICAL ASSISTANTS" or MA's for short. :)
When I run rescue in my spare time we call those people "squirrels" They like to show up on scenes and make themselves look important and then come to work the next day and annoy people with their superhero stories and brag about how they saved someones life when really all they are doing is putting peoples lives in danger and getting in the way!
Specializes in LTC, CPR instructor, First aid instructor..
I am a client now at a homehealth agency. I had a CNA for a caregiver, and she used to refer to herself as a nurse. I resented that, because I knew she was not. She was just my caregiver, as was one of the very few people at that agency who was a CNA. I'm so glad my case manager, who is an RN placed me in another agency. I now have a very nice girl who does what I ask her to, who respects me, and who cares for me very nicely. :)
So wanted to let you guys know what happened after I talked to the people who ran the clinic.
Where I took my father is actually part of a franchise and the physician who owns all of it showed up along with their general manager. The MD was appalled. He claimed he had now idea that this was happening and said he was thankful I brought it to his attention. (Who knows if this is true or not?) He vowed to have inservice training with the other MD/PAs that work in his facilities as well as the other medical personnel that are on staff, making sure that they are all aware that it was inappropriate to mislead patients into thinking that they are licensed personnel.
Who knows if he'll actually follow through, but at least they took the time to listen to me.
It is illegal in most states to hold yourself out to be a nurse if you are not and LPN or RN, in fact, that means it is a crime!! Call the police. Call the employer first. It may look like it is employer issued, in fact, it may be a good replica she made.
I am a nursing student (RN) who will graduate in 5 weeks 
and I find it insulting that these people get to be called nurses!! they have not worked as hard to achieve that title as I am doing, nor do they posses the knowledge and skills that I have been taught. They are misinforming the public of their competence. Now i'm not saying they are incompetent but they don't posses the same level of knowledge and skills that an RN does, so PLEASE do us all a favor and call them what they are "MEDICAL ASSISTANTS" or MA's for short. :)
traumatizedRN
16 Posts
The second story happened last year. I witnessed a car accident and stopped to help those involved. I called 911 first, and then as I got out of my car, a woman came running behind of me saying very loud that she was a "nurse" and wanted to help. I told her that I was also a nurse and instructed her to help the occupants of one of the cars while I did the same with the others. I have worked trauma for 8 years, but I have never encounter this situation before. I told them not to move or try to get out of the car until professional help arrived; thankfully none of them had any life-threatening injuries. Then I looked at the other car where "supernurse" was, and I saw the driver leaning sideways attempting to reach his glove compartment. I walked there to see why he was doing so and wondering why she was writing something on a piece of paper. When I got there, she proudly presented me with that piece of paper where she had written down their names, DOB, addresses and their private insurance info. When I asked her why she had done that, she replied that she was a medical assistant, but since she had only worked in the front office of a clinic as a receptionist, she figured that the insurance information was vital so the paramedics would know to take the victims to their assigned hospitals. I almost slapped her for making the driver lean sideways to look for his wallet ignoring spinal precautions. The moment she figured out her stupidity, she ran back to her car (which had a stethoscope hanging from the rear view mirror) drove away. I told the police and paramedics about it, but I wasn't able to get her license plate.