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?
One reason I blame for this is allowing them to wear scrubs, they now think they are nurses
I strongly disagree.
When I became an aide, waaaaaaaaay back in the day, the aides wore white from head to toe. We wore uniforms, not scrubs. We wore dresses and white stockings.
We looked like nurses... more so than anyone in scrubs would look today.
And not a darn one of us thought we were nurses or told our patients we were.
However, about the very first thing we were taught in CNA class was that we were assistants, not nurses, and that we could not call ourselves "nurse" and must always correct (or try to) anyone who calls us "nurse". The confused elderly could not be corrected, but we knew our scope and did not step outside it.
Perhaps, the aides who call themselves "nurse" were not educated not to? Maybe they confuse the fact that, since they do the most basic of nursing skills and are part of the nursing team, that they must be "nurses" too?
I think CNA should be proud to call themselves CNAs. While I love being a nurse sometimes I miss the times when I was a CNA and had less responsibilty. When I go to work all every five minutes I hear" Can you get the nurse"? Where is the nurse" ? " I need the nurse" " NURSE" " NURSE"
This used to be music to my ears when I was a new grad... now when I hear it I want to hide.:sofahider
Here is my 2 cents. I think CNA's do a lot of nursing work: bathing, taking care of patients, comforting them, some even spend more time with the patients than RN's do, etc. I remember I attended a talk by a nursing leader and he said that when we delegated our bathing pts and so on to others, we've given away our nursing notion. I feel like CNA's are even more nursing than nursing RN's. So many RN's dread the thought of taking care of patients' bodies. So, I think your friend probably just need to clarify with the patient that she is an RN whose scope includes some other things that a CNA title is not entitled by laws to do. I hope it helps ease the tension. just my 2 cents.
I think assistants are nurses. They preform nursing duties, albeit through delegation authority. When a patient requests a "nurse," the cna deserves at least the respect of being told what is needed. I trust that she knows her role and will get me if needed. I find it frustrating when a patient "Wants to see the nurse", so I stop doing something only an RN can do, go the the patient and find she needs a glass of water. Getting a glass of water is a nursing duty and important, so I get the water.
I would report an aide and refuse to continue working with her, for patient safety reasons, if she called herself an LPN or RN. But she is a nurse.
What anyone "thinks" is irrelevant in a legal sense. In my state, it IS illegal for anyone who is not a LPN or RN to refer to themselves or represent themselves in any way as a "nurse." "Lay nurse" doesn't cut it. You cannot escape legal ramifications for this by expressing an opinion that a cna is a nurse. It is a legal term and is absolutely not a matter of opinion.
How many times do we have to say.... This is never ok, Do Not call yourself a Nurse until you pass the NCLEX! I have corrected CNAs in front of patients, family members and other staff, somehow it never gets thru to them!
I think CNA should be proud to call themselves CNAs. While I love being a nurse sometimes I miss the times when I was a CNA and had less responsibilty. When I go to work all every five minutes I hear" Can you get the nurse"? Where is the nurse" ? " I need the nurse" " NURSE" " NURSE"
This used to be music to my ears when I was a new grad... now when I hear it I want to hide.:sofahider
"Oh NURRRSE?" Sometimes when I hear it coming from a certain room I do hide. This one patient was so bad one night with the complaints, questions, needs, .. I jokingly said to the CNA in that hallway.. "tell her I left and I'm not coming back."
Its one thing for the CNA to go in and see what they need and let us know, but to tell the patient, "I am your nurse tonight.." or "I am the nurse.." is not right.
Now there was one instance when I was asked if I was a nurse and I said Yes. The Dog & Beth Chapman had a book signing at the local book store and when he signed my book he asked if I were a nurse (I was on my lunch break and dressed in scrubs) so I said Yes...I was not about to correct The Dog...I was in awe that I was even looking at him in the flesh...He was so cool.
I don't think it's that big of a deal that she calls herself a nurse but the issue is how she responded to the patient's request. It would have been better had she replied "Sure, ma'am/sir. Is there anything specific you want addressed / handled?"
Because as an RN on a medsurg floor, it bugs me when a CNA comes up to me that a patient is looking for their nurse only to find out that the patient has a problem with the bedsheet. That is something the CNA could have easily addressed on the spot rather than going back and forth and wasting time.
I will take exception if that CNA assumed other responsibilities.
arnie1234
64 Posts
Never! This is practicing without a license, and as others have stated.. would be the same as you saying you're a doctor!