More ignorance. Any wonder the public is confused!

[TakeTwoAspirin]

The ignorance evident in this article is just staggering to me. No wonder the general public is confused.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/your-skills-matter-more-than-your-degrees/2013/01/11/8480565a-4b93-11e2-a6a6-aabac85e8036_story.html?hpid=z5

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

But she said her employees refer to her as the "RN manager". That's fraud no two ways about it. And I like how at the end of her "advice" Karla says they should change the job description to "RN or equivalent experience". The only people who have equivalent experience to a RN are.... RNs.[/quote']

Exactly, Brandon, hence most if us being up in arms about it and the advice...her words not ours...sounds like the person is a FRAUD....or, maybe the person shouldn't have written to Karla and asked us at AN...that would've cleared up this issue by now...*just a thought*...

[psu_213, BSN, RN]

In other words: simmer down.

The thing that really upset me was that this "journalist" (or whatever the heck she is) implied...no, flat out said, that an RN license is an "irrelevant standard." That is pretty insulting to anyone who paid their way through school and then passed the NCLEX. Are you an RN? Does it not bother you that someone is saying that your education and your license are irrelevant? I think you better understand what people are upset about before you tell them to simmer down.

[tokmom, BSN, RN]

Also, it's pretty insulting that she applied for a RN position saying, "I'm not a nurse, but I have all the skills needed for the job." No, no you do not. And how about Karla calling a RN licence "some irrelevant qualification" Really?

Well, let's put her on a med/surg floor with a buttload of sick people and see how far her 'nursing skills' go. She'd being peeing down her legs in minutes.

[hershdawg]

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,

damn straight

[BSNbeauty, BSN, RN]

She is misreprensenting herself. Someone needs to call her out on it. You cannot be a RN manager without having a RN license. Point.Blank.Period.

[djh123]

I agree w/some others - the whole little 'article' was weird. And yeah, if you can practice as an RN without a degree (which means there's no way you'd have a license either), then yeah, wow, you can do anything! Why have degrees or certificates? "I had model rockets when I was a kid, so uh, I could like, be an astronaut, right?" Sho' nuff!

[yoganurs]

I have no doubt this woman does zero patient care, does not work at a hospital and probably works at a nurse-temp agency who preferred to hire a nurse, but instead hired her.

[Nightingallow]

Ha ha ha ha!!!...or maybe it's like this...do you concur?

[video=youtube_share;i5j1wWY-qus]

[tewdles, RN]

I concur...Dr Welby

The journalist doesn't get it, isn't well enough informed to get that she doesn't get it, and the person in the "RN Manager" role may well be in jeopardy.

There is no way of knowing what she is actually doing, but the fact that they continue to refer to her as RN Manager suggests that something is not right here.

[djh123]

Ha ha - thanks for the 2 clips. And guess what movie I just added to my Netflix queue? :^) (I knew about it - and it's based on a true story, but had forgotten about it... so thanks).

[Pudnluv, ASN, RN]

Here is the letter I received today from Karla L. Miller

[TABLE=class: cf gJ]

[TR=class: acZ]

[TD=class: gF gK][TABLE=class: cf ix]

[TR]

[TD]Karla Miller

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

[/TD]

[TD=class: gH]3:16 PM (1 hour ago)

[/TD]

[TD=class: gH][/TD]

[TD=class: gH acX]

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: acZ xD]

[TD=colspan: 3][TABLE=class: cf adz]

[TR]

[TD=class: ady]to me

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

Hi Karen, and thanks for writing in. Yours is one of many comments I have received on this column, both online and in the Washington Post inbox, setting me straight on my response to the non-RN worker.

I meant no disrespect to registered nurses, and certainly didn't mean to imply that anyone can do their work. I was focused entirely on the letter writer and her specific (purely administrative) job. But you and other knowledgeable readers have convinced me that the important issue is state law and her employer's misuse of the term "RN." Even though I think the letter writer has been honest and scrupulous with her employer, that may not be enough to protect her.

I will definitely be running a follow-up in an upcoming column (to appear late February/early March) explaining how my advice fell short and urging the letter writer to protect herself.

Thank you for explaining the issues and for giving me an opportunity to make amends. I hope you will keep reading and continue to keep me on track.

Karla

I just wanted to share this with everyone.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Here is the letter I received today from Karla L. Miller

[TABLE=class: cf gJ]

[TR=class: acZ]

[TD=class: gF gK][TABLE=class: cf ix]

[TR]

[TD]Karla Miller

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

[/TD]

[TD=class: gH]3:16 PM (1 hour ago)

[/TD]

[TD=class: gH][/TD]

[TD=class: gH acX]

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR=class: acZ xD]

[TD=colspan: 3][TABLE=class: cf adz]

[TR]

[TD=class: ady]to me

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

Hi Karen, and thanks for writing in. Yours is one of many comments I have received on this column, both online and in the Washington Post inbox, setting me straight on my response to the non-RN worker.

I meant no disrespect to registered nurses, and certainly didn't mean to imply that anyone can do their work. I was focused entirely on the letter writer and her specific (purely administrative) job. But you and other knowledgeable readers have convinced me that the important issue is state law and her employer's misuse of the term "RN." Even though I think the letter writer has been honest and scrupulous with her employer, that may not be enough to protect her.

I will definitely be running a follow-up in an upcoming column (to appear late February/early March) explaining how my advice fell short and urging the letter writer to protect herself.

Thank you for explaining the issues and for giving me an opportunity to make amends. I hope you will keep reading and continue to keep me on track.

Karla

I just wanted to share this with everyone.

^^^^YAY!!!!