More ignorance. Any wonder the public is confused!

Nurses General Nursing

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This is the email I just sent to Karla at [email protected].

I read your response to the person who wrote in asking if she should be worried about her job because she is not an RN. First, if she is working under the title of RN manager, then she certainly should be worried. Using the title RN without a license is the same as calling yourself and MD without a medical license. It is illegal. No one can call themselves "nurse" unless they have a valid nursing license. Also, saying that one does not have a RN license, but has all the skills of an RN is ludicrous. Just because I can dissect a pig's brain, does not make me a neurosurgeon. To become a Registered Professional Nurse, one must attend an accredited school, learn the skills and theory, practice the skills and theory and then take a state licensing exam. All that to become minimally competent to practice nursing. Nursing is a profession that requires school, training and practice. It is not something one carries in their back pocket to whip out and say "Oh, I can do that too." If the job description called for administrative skills only, then yes, the questioner may have had those skills. if that is the case, then the appropriate title would be administrative manager, not RN manager. Even though she may not use the title, she is letting others refer to her title as an RN. Is she actively correcting this? If not, a crime of admission is still a crime. She should be reported to the state board of nursing for practicing without a license. Your advice was erroneous and insulting to all the nurses out there who worked hard to earn their title. Please show the respect to our profession that is our due.

Sincerely,

Well said!

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
And how about Karla calling a RN licence "some irrelevant qualification" Really?

When I read the question and the first part of the answer I was thinking "ok, whatever, this is just some people who don't know much about the situation providing sill commentary." The I reached this statement and was just floored. I always thought the Post provided thoughtful insight, but to call a nursing license an "irrelevant standard?" I can't even being to explain how wrong and insulting this is. All I can say, is that I'm glad I don't work around this or any other unlicensed 'RN managers.' As for the author of this piece, I don't waste any time paying attention to uneducated talking heads who just say stuff for the point of filling our heads with mindless drivel.

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.
Perhaps Karla would let me do her taxes this year. I'm pretty good at math. I think I'll call myself an Accountant, yeah.

I have a few college degrees and I have been working for several years. True, none of the degrees are in journalism and none of my work has been in writing for newspapers...however, these are just irrelevant standards for someone who wants a job in journalism. I'm sure I can make up some half truths and put together some interesting articles that provide career advice. Therefore, I should get Karla's job. This is the only time I've read a piece by Karla, but I'm pretty darn sure my article would be a better read.

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Specializes in Emergency, Telemetry, Transplant.

One other comment on this. Suppose Karla had surgery. I'm almost 100% sure that she is going to want the person caring for her in the PACU, ICU, and step-down to be a licensed nurse. Somehow I think "ah well, you have the skills...who cares if you didn't go to school for this?" is not going to cut it when Karla's life is on the line.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Reader: Recently, I have heard them refer to me as an “RN manager” (I manage a team, but they are not RNs). And now my supervisors will hire only RNs for my position. . . . .etc

Karla: There’s a lot of this going around. Hold on while I get my white lab coat.

Symptoms: Despite positive feedback and rewards, subject lives in fear of being “found out” for failing to meet an irrelevant standard.

Apparently not so irrelevant to Reader's employer, huh? I give Karla a big #fail at understanding the meaning of this one, although she did take time to comment that the impolitic headline was not her doing, and anyway those headline writers are simply too busy to bother with "nuance". smiley-laughing010.gif

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
This is the email I just sent to Karla at [email protected].

I read your response to the person who wrote in asking if she should be worried about her job because she is not an RN. First, if she is working under the title of RN manager, then she certainly should be worried. Using the title RN without a license is the same as calling yourself and MD without a medical license. It is illegal. No one can call themselves "nurse" unless they have a valid nursing license. Also, saying that one does not have a RN license, but has all the skills of an RN is ludicrous. Just because I can dissect a pig's brain, does not make me a neurosurgeon. To become a Registered Professional Nurse, one must attend an accredited school, learn the skills and theory, practice the skills and theory and then take a state licensing exam. All that to become minimally competent to practice nursing. Nursing is a profession that requires school, training and practice. It is not something one carries in their back pocket to whip out and say "Oh, I can do that too." If the job description called for administrative skills only, then yes, the questioner may have had those skills. if that is the case, then the appropriate title would be administrative manager, not RN manager. Even though she may not use the title, she is letting others refer to her title as an RN. Is she actively correcting this? If not, a crime of admission is still a crime. She should be reported to the state board of nursing for practicing without a license. Your advice was erroneous and insulting to all the nurses out there who worked hard to earn their title. Please show the respect to our profession that is our due.

Sincerely,

Just WOW...Wouldn't said it better myself! :)

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
Even though she may not use the title, she is letting others refer to her title as an RN. Is she actively correcting this? If not, a crime of admission is still a crime.

Overall, I like what you had to say in your letter a lot. But I have to point out that what you meant to write was "a crime of omission ..." not "admission." I hope it was just a typo here in allnurses and not an error made in the letter sent to the columnist. When trying to represent the profession of nursing in the public media, it's a good idea to have a few people proof-read your writing to catch those sorts of errors. They can make us look poorly educated and/or careless -- and that's the last impression we want to make.

But I do applaud you for trying to do something positive about the problem.

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Specializes in ED, Long-term care, MDS, doctor's office.

Kudos to Pudnluv! Please keep us updated regarding the response to your letter:)

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Just insane. What kind of advice is that??? Good luck to that employee. Good to know that ANYONE can work as a nurse now.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
Just insane. What kind of advice is that??? Good luck to that employee. Good to know that ANYONE can work as a nurse now.

I find in the quarterly journal my BON puts out that the going trend is

1. Practicing without a License/misrepresentation of being an RN (what the person I guess was writing to the, ahem, journalist), MOST offenders NEVER been to nursing school AT ALL...(yes, my BON reports go like, no record of attending nursing program...)

2. Failure to report violations against license (ie, arrested for aggravated assault, check fraud, illegal gun possession, etc)

3. Surrender of license secondary to being declared mentally incompetent.

Just FYI :)

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Really astonishing. Looks like the columnist gets her idea of what constitutes competent nursing practice from, oh, House or General Hospital.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

What many people don't know it that the Title nurse is protected in 38 states that make it a misdemeanor.

Background

Restricting use of the title "nurse" to only those individuals who have fulfilled the requirements for licensure as outlined in each state's nurse practice act is a protection for the public against unethical, unscrupulous, and incompetent practitioners. Nurse practice acts describe entry level qualifications such as education, practice standards and code of conduct for continued privilege to practice nursing. Limiting use of the title "nurse" to only those who have satisfied the licensure requirements ensures the protection the public deserves.

At least 37 states are known to have language in their Nurse Practice Act; either explicit in restricting use of the title "nurse" to only those who are licensed or implicit language restricting use of any words implying the individual is a licensed nurse.....

AR, AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, KS, KY, MD, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, NY, NC, ND, OK, OR, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WV, WI, WY

THere may be more states for this resource was late updated 5/2012....check with your state if your state doesn't have one get your nursing organization in your state get it passed.....make it illegal to use the title of nurse.

Responsible journalism....:no:

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