Legally Protect the word "Nurse?"

[applesxoranges]

Should the word "nurse" be a legally protected title? I am mixed on it. Personally, the word nurse is vague and could mean many different things. It could mean an LPN and it could mean an RN. It does not signify a credential. However, a lot of people assume nurse = RN.

It is kind of like a "doctor" in my opinion. A doctor could be a doctor of anything whereas it is illegal to say you are an MD or DO without being an MD or a DO.

My state does not currently regulate the use of the word nurse. Hence why we have graduate nurse interns or nurse techs (which are PCTs/CNAs).

So what are your thoughts on the issue?

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Our next door neighbors have three adorable little boys. They became citizens about two years ago. When she was about eight and a half months pregnant, she asked me how to find a "wet NURSE." She had already hired a nanny for when the baby was about three months old.

There's the nurse word again. I tried my very best to explain to her that the word "nurse" meant something entirely different here and that woman either breastfed their babies and children or bottle fed them in America. She just looked at me as though I had three heads. I set up an appointment with a lactation consultant friend for her who was a registered nurse. She had more luck that I (a mere neighbor and retired nurse) did explaining why "nurse" means something else entirely in the USA.

Something that I've wondered about is what my two great aunts who were nurses in wars would think of the nurses role now. One was a nurse in both world wars and the other in WWII and in the Korean Conflict. I'm sure they would both have had very strong opinions about unauthorized personnel calling themselves "nurses."

While "nurse" is a protected title, I wonder about "wet nurse", since that's a specific job and I don't see any other title for it. "Woman I hired to breastfeed my baby?" "Employee for the purpose of providing human milk to my child?"

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

I wonder would it be okay for student nurses to call each other baby nurses or even nurse for encouragement to get through the program.. For example, if one of my friends are lacking motivation I might say, "Dnt give up, we need you Nurse!" I think tht helps students to remember what we're working towards!

I don't think what you call each other privately is going to get anyone into trouble, but one should comply with the TOS of the forum you're using. Which means don't call each other "nurse" on here, unless you're actually nurses. An LPN enrolled in a BSN program is a nurse. A high school graduate enrolled in the same program is not.

[applesxoranges, BSN, RN]

In my state the word nurse is not a credential like the term doctor though. I know of a few people who used to call their babysitters nurses too. It may be a regional term though.

In my state, the credential is RN. A BSN is not a credential. The word nurse is not a credential in my state. You are either an RN, LPN, or NP.

A lawyer is a credential though.

I guess this is also coming from my previous viewpoint as an basic EMT and then a paramedic. Our state used to label us all emergency medical technicians followed by a letter to designate letters. Therefore, EMT is not the credential but the EMT-B/EMT-P was.

Also, you would not sign your paperwork Nurse Shelly. It would be Shelly RN or Shelly LPN because that is the credential.

When I answer the phone in my unit, I answer it X RN. We are instructed to use our title so people know we are in fact an RN or an LPN or a clerk for that one or two units who still have LPNs.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

Let me reiterate; I am supportive of "nurse" as a protected title. I guess my contention is that regardless of our vast discussions, it's not really. What does seem to be protected is calling one's self a nurse to then obtain an official position to then practice nursing.

We don't prosecute blowhards who claim to be "doctors" at a bar to impress the ladies. Even if he passes out a little medical advice. We only get serious if said blowhard convinces any ladies that he's able to do some lipo. The cases I can find where people have been criminally prosecuted for "calling" themselves nurses it has always been in the context of them taking employment for a licensed position.

Nowhere have I seen the scenario RubyVee (luv ya girl, no offense meant) described that resulted in any charges, much less conviction or penalties.

Just saying, if this is a passion for someone, they should be aware that there don't seem to be any true consequences to calling one's self a "nurse" as long as one doesn't do so to get a licensed position. If this is important to someone, I guess they should have a talk with their local prosecutors. I'm afraid they will find prosecutors have bigger fish to fry. Just saying.

What's the point of my rant? Not sure. As Dr. Smith said (as he laughed about it) "They all do that." And no entity with any teeth cares.

So you think it's OK for the CNA at St. Elsewhere Medical Center to tell patients she is a nurse?

If not, why is it OK for the MA in the doctor's office to tell patients she is a nurse? She isn't. If I go to a doctor's office and ask to speak to the nurse, I wish to speak to an RN or an LPN, not an MA. It is reasonable to expect that the folks who work in a doctor's office would know the difference, and it's reasonable to expect that a doctor would as well.

[TiffyRN, BSN, PhD]

So you think it's OK for the CNA at St. Elsewhere Medical Center to tell patients she is a nurse?

If not, why is it OK for the MA in the doctor's office to tell patients she is a nurse? She isn't. If I go to a doctor's office and ask to speak to the nurse, I wish to speak to an RN or an LPN, not an MA. It is reasonable to expect that the folks who work in a doctor's office would know the difference, and it's reasonable to expect that a doctor would as well.

No, I absolutely think it's wrong!

What I'm saying it's; though it's technically "illegal", no one's really getting in trouble for this. That's why it keeps happening. Unless some of us are willing to start some kind of political campaign the only hope we have it to keep doing what Ruby has done; verbally chastise the offenders and try to get some kind of response from the physicians running offices allowing this. I would love to think this would work but I fear this will prove ineffective.

I think I remember another thread on this in the last few months where a nurse actually called their Board and made a report on such a situation (MA calling themselves a nurse in a clinic) and kept waiting for a response. . . I think she's still waiting.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

While "nurse" is a protected title, I wonder about "wet nurse", since that's a specific job and I don't see any other title for it. "Woman I hired to breastfeed my baby?" "Employee for the purpose of providing human milk to my child?"

lactation technician?

[pookyp, LPN]

I wonder would it be okay for student nurses to call each other baby nurses or even nurse for encouragement to get through the program.. For example if one of my friends are lacking motivation I might say, "Dnt give up, we need you Nurse!" I think tht helps students to remember what we're working towards![/quote']

Yeah. In school when we were stumped on a question, our instructor would say 'come on nurses! Think!'

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

I think I remember another thread on this in the last few months where a nurse actually called their Board and made a report on such a situation (MA calling themselves a nurse in a clinic) and kept waiting for a response. . . I think she's still waiting.

I don't know if I was the one on the thread you remember, but I definitely have posted that....knowing someone was not a nurse, was announcing herself as one, and I notified the BON. I notified them in writing and phone calls and you're right: nada. We have these laws in place but they have to be enforced, or what's the point?

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

Yeah. In school when we were stumped on a question, our instructor would say 'come on nurses! Think!'

Completely different scenario, and of course not a problem for anyone. Now, if she was holding this class as an open-to-the-public one, then yes, it'd be a problem: some would think that some in that class might be nurses....and that the one with the particularly stupid response was, in fact, a nurse.

But a clinical with just students? She could call you all panda bears and have it not be a problem, LOL...she's the instructor! :)

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

In my state the word nurse is not a credential like the term doctor though. I know of a few people who used to call their babysitters nurses too. It may be a regional term though.

In my state, the credential is RN. A BSN is not a credential. The word nurse is not a credential in my state. You are either an RN, LPN, or NP.

A lawyer is a credential though.

I guess this is also coming from my previous viewpoint as an basic EMT and then a paramedic. Our state used to label us all emergency medical technicians followed by a letter to designate letters. Therefore, EMT is not the credential but the EMT-B/EMT-P was.

Also, you would not sign your paperwork Nurse Shelly. It would be Shelly RN or Shelly LPN because that is the credential.

When I answer the phone in my unit, I answer it X RN. We are instructed to use our title so people know we are in fact an RN or an LPN or a clerk for that one or two units who still have LPNs.

I think where you're getting hung up is on the definition of a credential: A BSN is a degree, RN is a license. LPN is a license; there is no degree for that. You said "lawyer is a credential"...well, if you mean a law school graduate with a law degree, then NO, it is not a credential....his license to practice is the credential.

When it comes to "nurse", because it's a broad term used to encompass any nursing license, we obviously do recognize it as a credential, even though the actual license is not identified, the word 'nurse' is.

I understand what you are saying, but I'm sure by now you understand the rest of the argument: someone who holds a degree in medicine is not a doctor. The one who is LICENSED is a doctor of medicine (or DO or whatever). The person who graduates nursing school but hasn't passed the NCLEX after 3 tries is not a nurse...and it is a little irritating to see someone posting with SuzySmithRN who can't pass the licensing exam.

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

Yep, this happens where I go too. The MA's all conveniently wear their ID badges on lanyards with the photo and title turned against their chests. When you call and ask to talk to Dr. Jones' nurse, they'll put you on with an MA. I've asked "are you an RN/LPN" and they'll say "no, I'm Dr JONES NURSE". Um, no, you're not.

I actually changed PCPs a few years ago because the office staff kept referring to themselves as "nurses" when clearly they weren't. The first time this happened, I asked, "Oh, where did you go to school?"

She named a community college nearby.

"RN or LPN?" At this point, she admitted that she was "just like a nurse."

"No," I told her. "You are not. And furthermore, it is against the law to represent yourself as a nurse when you clearly are not."

She got all huffy and marched off. Another MA came into the room to take my vital signs and a similar conversation -- with a touch more huffiness ensured. This time, I told her, "I'm going to inform Dr. Smith that you are falsely -- and illegally -- misrepresenting yourself as a nurse." And when I did, Dr. Smith just laughed and said "They all do that." That was the last time I saw Dr. Smith.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

Yep, this happens where I go too. The MA's all conveniently wear their ID badges on lanyards with the photo and title turned against their chests. When you call and ask to talk to Dr. Jones' nurse, they'll put you on with an MA. I've asked "are you an RN/LPN" and they'll say "no, I'm Dr JONES NURSE". Um, no, you're not.

How nice for Dr. Jones that he owns his very own nurse.....while everyone else has to share one