Med assistants are nurses?

[MarkMyWords]

So the secretaries at this specialty clinic call the medical assistants "nurses". Three times they told me about the "nurses" who are actually medical assistants.  I am a patient there.Never in my life has this occured. Can I assume the doctor knows this or told them to say they have nurses?  He told me they are assistants, later.  Odd, isn't it?

[unreal RN, ASN, RN]

I was a medical assistant in a doctors office many many years ago... before I became a nurse. I always introduced myself as a medical assistant and my name tag specified that, as well. Still, there was always at least one person...usually a front office person who referred to the MAs as nurses even after being corrected. I think that is just the 'go to' title for clinical staff who work in the back office and assist the doctors...at least it was in my situation.

[beachynurse, ASN, BSN]

That is true, however, the Nurse Practice Act clearly states that the only people able to call themselves nurses are RN's and LPN's. Calling a Medical Assistant, CNA's nurses can be considered fraudulent, and can be reported to the Boards. That needs to be corrected immediately. When I go to the MD, if they are a medical assistant that is how they are addressed, at least by me. They really don't like it, they prefer the Nurse title, I have reminded more than one that this can be construed as fraud. 

[Lipoma, BSN, RN]

Not legally...but MAs are lumped in the nursing category for the same reason when you're on a company's website to apply for a job and you click "nursing"...CNAs, MAs, and nursing techs are listed under it.

When I was a MA, the front desk would say something on the line of "the nursing staff will answer your questions" when the patient had any clinical questions. I corrected the general public but most of the time they don't care. It's just a title. Likewise when they called the NP/PA doctors even after being corrected.

[MarkMyWords]

In my case, the medical assistant can assist in the procedure as the nurse would. It is easy and quick. But they should be upfront clear about titles, even if some patients don't care.   

   Similarly, library assistants (who have no degree or  A.A.) are mistaken for librarians who have a Masters. The public assumes that everyone in the public library is a librarian who checks out materials. True librarians resent this.  Library Assistants answer questions that should be referred to professionals. (Obviously, medical questions issues are more important) 

 

[beachynurse, ASN, BSN]

Lipoma said:

Not legally...but MAs are lumped in the nursing category for the same reason when you're on a company's website to apply for a job and you click "nursing"...CNAs, MAs, and nursing techs are listed under it.

When I was a MA, the front desk would say something on the line of "the nursing staff will answer your questions" when the patient had any clinical questions. I corrected the general public but most of the time they don't care. It's just a title. Likewise when they called the NP/PA doctors even after being corrected.

I understand, but, just because MA's are lumped into the nursing "category", does not make them Nurses, nor does it permit them to call themselves Nurses. They are Medical Assistants.

[Emergent, RN]

I'm a landlord. Someone answered my ad on Craigslist when I was looking for new tenants once. She informed me that she was a nurse at Dr So&So's office for work.  

Naturally, I looked her name up on the nursing website. I emailed her back saying that she wasn't listed there. She informed me that she was actually an MA. I informed her that it's illegal to call yourself a nurse if you are an MA. She responded,  quite offended,  stating that everyone in Dr So&So's office calls MAs nurses. 

She didn't get the house...?

[TriciaJ, RN]

MarkMyWords said:

In my case, the medical assistant can assist in the procedure as the nurse would. It is easy and quick. But they should be upfront clear about titles, even if some patients don't care.   

   Similarly, library assistants (who have no degree or  A.A.) are mistaken for librarians who have a Masters. The public assumes that everyone in the public library is a librarian who checks out materials. True librarians resent this.  Library Assistants answer questions that should be referred to professionals. (Obviously, medical questions issues are more important) 

 

"Nurse" is a legally protected title and fraudulent use can trigger legal repercussions.

I have no idea if there are similar laws regarding librarians.  If there aren't then they don't have much recourse.