Ok, we've just switched doctors under our medical plan. So I go in for a routine checkup, etc. at this clinic. They tell me the nurse will be with me shortly. Of course, since I'm a student, I always ask nurses how they like their jobs etc. So I ask: You're a nurse, right? She nods. How do you like the job ... blah, blah blah ... Not once did she correct me. Then I ask where she went to school. When she names the school, I'm confused because I've never heard of it.
That's when she says, "Oh ... I'm an MA."
Then the doctor comes in, and tells me "the nurse will be with you shortly." I'm like ... what nurse? Then I find out that everybody at the "Nurses Station" is actually an MA, but everyone, from the receptionist to the doctors, are referring to these MA's as nurses. My husband, who has to go in fairly frequently, says they told him the same thing ... that these MA's were nurses.
Now, I don't know if there's actually anything wrong with this, and maybe this isn't a big deal but, it seemed really weird to me. I've been to other doctor's offices where the staff was very careful to tell me they were MA's, not nurses. Especially when I asked if they were a nurse or not.
Any thoughts? Is this allowed? Why would even doctors refer to MA's as nurses?
anyone impersonating a nurse should be reported. i'm sure that SOMEONE in their MA schooling has taught them that it is wrong and illegal. it's even more upsetting to see a doctor just throwing around the word "nurse" like it holds no water!
reality check time!
you (i say you, being that i AM NOT A nurse ,either! i am a STUDENT and refer to myself accordingly!!) deserve the respect that you have EARNED!
I assumed she meant she was a cma and is now an RN, but i could be wrong...
Her post about being an MA was written in the present tense. The post makes it sound like she is an MA now. I just would like clarification.
BTW, I have a nursing web site w/ message boards of my own. One of the TOS rules in my group is that no member can include in their screen name a title they do not hold.
For example, a nursing student could call herself RN2B in my group, but could not call herself something like "SunnyRN" or "Nursey-poo" if she is not actually an RN, or a nurse.
This has happened only a few times in my group, and most people change their name to something more appropriate, when asked to do so. If they won't. They are given the boot.
Her post about being an MA was written in the present tense. The post makes it sound like she is an MA now. I just would like clarification.
BTW, I have a nursing web site w/ message boards of my own. One of the TOS rules in my group is that no member can include in their screen name a title they do not hold.
For example, a nursing student could call herself RN2B in my group, but could not call herself something like "SunnyRN" or "Nursey-poo" if she is not actually an RN, or a nurse.
This has happened only a few times in my group, and most people change their name to something more appropriate, when asked to do so. If they won't. They are given the boot.
How do you know for sure that they are who they say they are? Do they give real names? Do you check on the state websites to see if they have a license?
How do you know for sure that they are who they say they are? Do they give real names? Do you check on the state websites to see if they have a license?
It has always been rather obvious, when a member joins my community claiming to be a nurse,then posts things that indicate that they do not know a thing about nursing. There have even been a few claiming to be doctors that weren't. One such person called themselves "Dr. Heal." But their posts made it obvious that they had very little medical knowledge. When questioned, this person said no, they were not a physician, they just liked the name. They were asked to change their name, but would not and left the site on their own.
Most of them just give themselves away.
For example, we had a member who had the letters RN in her screen name. She would say things like "I'm worried about clinicals" etc. These postings are indicative of a student, not an RN.
She would also not understand some of the medical lingo in our posts. I emailed her asking if she was an RN, and she said no, she was a CNA, taking her nursing prereqs.
Every single person I have suspected of calling themselves something they were not on my site has admitted to it when questioned.
Really, the fakes are pretty easy to spot, IMO. None of them were the brightest crayons in the box.
Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.
I totally agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It has always been rather obvious, when a member joins my community claiming to be a nurse,then posts things that indicate that they do not know a thing about nursing. There have even been a few claiming to be doctors that weren't. One such person called themselves "Dr. Heal." But their posts made it obvious that they had very little medical knowledge. When questioned, this person said no, they were not a physician, they just liked the name. They were asked to change their name, but would not and left the site on their own.
Most of them just give themselves away.
For example, we had a member who had the letters RN in her screen name. She would say things like "I'm worried about clinicals" etc. These postings are indicative of a student, not an RN.
She would also not understand some of the medical lingo in our posts. I emailed her asking if she was an RN, and she said no, she was a CNA, taking her nursing prereqs.
Every single person I have suspected of calling themselves something they were not on my site has admitted to it when questioned.
Really, the fakes are pretty easy to spot, IMO. None of them were the brightest crayons in the box.
Her post about being an MA was written in the present tense. The post makes it sound like she is an MA now. I just would like clarification.
BTW, I have a nursing web site w/ message boards of my own. One of the TOS rules in my group is that no member can include in their screen name a title they do not hold.
For example, a nursing student could call herself RN2B in my group, but could not call herself something like "SunnyRN" or "Nursey-poo" if she is not actually an RN, or a nurse.
This has happened only a few times in my group, and most people change their name to something more appropriate, when asked to do so. If they won't. They are given the boot.
i see, but perhaps she has kept her certification as an MA and has also become an RN? who knows though... edited to say i just saw on a different thread where the poster in question has graduated and recently passed NCLEX in august, so she indeed is an RN.
she did not say "it doesn't bother me personally!!!"
this is what you're talking about. i'm sorry, but it looks like some are taking things out of context here. she was an ma, went to nursing school and recently passed! so yes, she's an rn.
originally posted by karafromphilly
i wonder how a certified medical assistant would feel about a person who was hired to work in a doctor's office, with no prior experience or credentials, with otj training only, calling themselves a "medical assistant". (after all, they do the same thing, right?)
this is what breastfeedingrn said:
as a certified medical assistant, it actually wouldn't bother me personally. i know what mas were designed to do and it is truly a job where you can be trained on the job. it is a skill based job (or should be used as that). i know many an otj trained ma that was very proficient at their job. i got my certification for me. i knew that it would not get me better pay or anything. it was a personal achievement.
most ma schools are technical schools (at least here) anyway and they learn how to do things, not why or when. my school actually had very little hands on practice. we learned the whys of things. our externship was where we really got to do hands on practice. i was very lucky to have learned all that i did in ma school.
we even had rns that taught about medication administration and the whole class had to keep taking math med admin quizzes until we all got 100%.
i see, but perhaps she has kept her certification as an MA and has also become an RN? who knows though... edited to say i just saw on a different thread where the poster in question has graduated and recently passed NCLEX in august, so she indeed is an RN.
Thanks for the clarification. I was just curious. You know how it is on a bb- it is sometimes difficult to convey attitude or tone in a bb post. Just want to reiterate that I was just curious- not trying to accuse anyone of anything.
We even had RNs that taught about medication administration and the whole class had to keep taking math med admin quizzes until we all got 100%.
In my program, we had 2 chances to get 100%. If you didn't get it on the second try (different test, each try) you were out. We also had a lot of tests where we had to answer in essay form.
I wonder if MAs have to go through anything like that?
In my program, we had 2 chances to get 100%. If you didn't get it on the second try (different test, each try) you were out. We also had a lot of tests where we had to answer in essay form.
I wonder if MAs have to go through anything like that?
That's how it was in my program too. Two chances to score 100% - get it or you're out. In one of my previous posts, I put information from an MA training program - the one where I was aghast over their "virtual online" lab portion - I remember it also mentioning that they could take their exams as many times as it took for them to pass (not demanding 100% here, just PASS) without so much as an extra charge. I am not here to put anyone down, but in the real world you do not get as many chances as it takes to get it right...in the nursing world, one chance may be life or death for another person.
In my program, we had 2 chances to get 100%. If you didn't get it on the second try (different test, each try) you were out. We also had a lot of tests where we had to answer in essay form.
I wonder if MAs have to go through anything like that?
that was a quote that i was quoting from someone else! lol
(after all, they do the same thing, right?) 
DZcarrie
178 Posts
i am generally a very nice person....
but not in this instance.
this riles me up!!!
anyone impersonating a nurse should be reported. i'm sure that SOMEONE in their MA schooling has taught them that it is wrong and illegal. it's even more upsetting to see a doctor just throwing around the word "nurse" like it holds no water!
reality check time!
you (i say you, being that i AM NOT A nurse ,either! i am a STUDENT and refer to myself accordingly!!) deserve the respect that you have EARNED!