why do many MAs and CNAs call themselves nurses?

[murseforever]

As I was taking care of a pt, she mentions she's also a nurse. I asked what her specialty is and where she works at. She says she works at a clinic as an MA. In my head, in what universe is an MA a nurse?!

[Nibbles1]

When I was in nursing school, I worked as a CNA. A fellow CNA told me she was in medical school but had to drop out. She said she only lacked 3 hours before she could sit for her "doctor boards." Ummm, okay. Then she told me a few weeks later that was a NP but working as a CNA until she found a NP job. She had some crazy stories she would share with us fellow CNA's because prior to becoming a NP, she was a trauma nurse, after she was in a car wreck, when she was 3 hours away from getting her MD.

[Farawyn]

When I was in nursing school, I worked as a CNA. A fellow CNA told me she was in medical school but had to drop out. She said she only lacked 3 hours before she could sit for her "doctor boards." Ummm, okay. Then she told me a few weeks later that was a NP but working as a CNA until she found a NP job. She had some crazy stories she would share with us fellow CNA's because prior to becoming a NP, she was a trauma nurse, after she was in a car wreck, when she was 3 hours away from getting her MD.

I was going to say I knew the same girl, but my acquaintance wasn't even a CNA.

"Mine" claimed she was a nurse, and she taught nursing classes, that she was a RD, that she was a black belt in karate, that she spoke Chinese and that she was an Ex Marine.

She was FOS on all counts.

[BeachsideRN, ASN]

This happens in so many positions. I have a friend who calls herself a physical therapist when she is in fact a PTA

[pixiestudent2]

When I was in nursing school, I worked as a CNA. A fellow CNA told me she was in medical school but had to drop out. She said she only lacked 3 hours before she could sit for her "doctor boards." Ummm, okay. Then she told me a few weeks later that was a NP but working as a CNA until she found a NP job. She had some crazy stories she would share with us fellow CNA's because prior to becoming a NP, she was a trauma nurse, after she was in a car wreck, when she was 3 hours away from getting her MD.

This honestly is not normal job inflation ... This is completely delusional... I'd feel uncomfortable around someone that unstable. Yikes!

[cdsavannah59, CNA]

I worked at a Dr office and have also heard other doctors refer to their MA's or tech as their nurse and have made comments like give those papers to my nurse etc. I always correct a patient when I'm called a nurse, and it happens most of the day because I work as Tech at a hospital. I tell them I take care of personal needs and test taking. I tell them techs don't give medical advice or medication. When a patient asks how can they tell who is a nurse on our unit I explain the uniform differences, I say your nurse or any nurse on our unit will be wearing a white top and blue pants and the techs that are here to assist them wear multi color scrubs, if they don't have on a white top, they are not the nurse.

[bunnysanford]

I was going to say I knew the same girl, but my acquaintance wasn't even a CNA.

"Mine" claimed she was a nurse, and she taught nursing classes, that she was a RD, that she was a black belt in karate, that she spoke Chinese and that she was an Ex Marine.

She was FOS on all counts.

And that is the abbreviation that should follow all of these faux credentials:

Jane McFaker, RN,NP, MD, FOS

[Mavrick, BSN, RN]

'.....finishing my degree as a medical assistant"

I read this in another post. Do medical assistants get degrees?

OOps.. Googled it myself and yes indeed they do.

[hawaiicarl, BSN, RN]

I think it's crap. There was a doc at my old clinic who called the MAs nurses and I would correct him.

I think most of the public would be amazed that private practice docs, are cutting corners by hiring MAs in their office. I remember back in the day when the nurses in the Dr.'s offices were really nurses. Would probably erode even further the public's confidence in Drs. if they found out about it.

Cheers

[nursingaround1]

probably the same reason many nurses like to think of themselves as doctors.

[Farawyn]

probably the same reason many nurses like to think of themselves as doctors.

I don't know of any nurses that do, but I'll bet you have a story about it...

[BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN]

I have never ever seen that, not once. But I'm sure you've seen it countless times and have a wild tale associated with each and every instance!!

probably the same reason many nurses like to think of themselves as doctors.

[JustBeachyNurse, LPN]

probably the same reason many nurses like to think of themselves as doctors.

I've not ever seen a nurse think of themselves as a physician.

There are nurses that have earned doctorate degrees and deserve the doctoral title just like any other doctorate level professional whether DDiv, DSc, PhD, MD, DO, PsyD, EdD, DNS, DNP, DDS, JD, DMD....