So I just got off the phone with my best friend, who is a RN in another state. She said that a CNA on the floor tells the patients she's a nurse. My friend said today was the last straw when she overheard the patient who sounded upset ask to speak to a nurse and the CNA said, "I am a nurse." I dont know the full details because I wasnt there, and Im trying to get her to join allnurses.com (maybe one day). Apparently, when she approached the CNA about this, she got defensive and my best friend was just trying to tell her that it would be more appropriate to tell the patients she is an aid and not a nurse, which offended the CNA because she said that she is a nurse (or they all are nurses - something like that). Anyhow, I just wanted to know you guys perspective on this, I know a couple CNAs who call themselves nurses (I mean I have a cousin who has nurse as her job on fb and she is a CNA), but this is different because its occurring in the field, not just in random conversation or on social sites. Is this a big deal? I personally think my best friend handled it the best she could (even though she said the CNA didnt seem to change her mind on the issue). I dont know if there is anymore she can do, should she just let this one ride?
Correct. If you didn't take and pass the boards to become licensed you aren't a LPN or RN. Period.
It is also a huge liability to a hospital, etc. for employees to represent themselves as nurses if they aren't one. Patients have the right to know the title of exactly who is caring for them.
Yes, roser13, I understood what you were saying. I am simply pointing out that the CNA is responsible to the pt. or family to point out that we are not an LPN or RN. That often times it is the pt. or family that will not understand the difference.
In fact, the employer is actually referencing the legal aspect of assuming the identity of a licensed professional (i.e., open to criminal prosecution).
They are smart to do so because individual charges aside it puts the hospital at great risk if someone doesn't identify themselves properly to patients. They have the legal right to know the title of the person caring for them. You'd be flat out fired if you did this at my facility.
If you are a nurse and hold this opinion, then I'm starting to understand why this trend of assistants calling themselves nurses may be gaining ground.
I hope it continues to gain ground. We need to clarify what our profession does and how a registered nurse is different from a lay nurse.
Just for fun, would you think it illegal for a mother to say she was nursing her child instead of breast feeding?
Okay, really???? CNA stands for Certified Nursing Assistant or Certified Nurse's Aide (or something to that variation). ASSISTANT/AIDE!!! NOT NURSE!!! Nurses went to school for YEARS to earn that title!! Just my
If you are a nurse and hold this opinion, then I'm starting to understand why this trend of assistants calling themselves nurses may be gaining ground.
And why respect for REAL nurses might be losing ground.
NO it is NOT ok for anyone to misrepresent themselves and I don't care if it hurts feelings or not. I get very irritated when I call a clinic and have someone say "Hello this is the nurse" when I know they are a MA or CNA.
Once, I had a MA give me a verbal assessment over the phone and then give me "medical advice" as a result instead of just giving the MD a message; she stated "when you call back just ask for the nurse- that's me". I said "Really? What school did you go to? Are you an LPN or RN?" She stumbled then got defensive so I informed her that her information was incorrect, she was misrepresenting herself, and by the way she was speaking with an RN-BSN who didn't appreciate her presumption.
I ended up having another PCP because he didn't respect his patients enough to pursue this issue or to even have a licensed nurse at all in his employ.
ahem, I am staring at my physical license from my state. It has my license # and expiration date. It also requires the "signature of licensee" on it.My license # can be found at the "Departments Licensure Verification" where it lists where I attended classes, Licensure status, and any disciplinary actions taken. This is a License to work as a CNA and is required in my state. This still will never allow me to call myself a nurse and it is still my responsibility to make a pt. aware that I am not a LPN or RN. I do not hold any other professional licensure and would be in violation of the law if I represented myself as such.
Batman25
686 Posts
Correct. If you didn't take and pass the boards to become licensed you aren't a LPN or RN. Period.
It is also a huge liability to a hospital, etc. for employees to represent themselves as nurses if they aren't one. Patients have the right to know the title of exactly who is caring for them.