Non-Nurses calling themselves a Nurse

[sarajasmine]

The school district my child goes to has a CNA in the school clinic, who refers to herself as "The school Nurse". I thought she was either an LVN or RN until last week when she had me come pick up my child from school. She had a little nausea but, she said she needed to stay out for two days due to a small rash on her face that she diagnosed as "Wingworm"! She told me to get an over-the-counter anti-fungal and treat for two days when she would be allowed to return to school! (I think that is practicing medicine w/o a license?!) I asked did she mean ringworm-she said no, wingworm...so, I had her write that down on the standard form they use when children are sent hm. Maybe the school board is exempt from following the law?!

Well, I took her to our family Doctor who said, she doesn't have ringworm-it's impetigo and prescribed bactriban.

My beef is that the teachers even refer to her as the school nurse-I wonder if

they even know the difference between an LVN or RN and a CNA? I sent a letter to the Assistant Superintendant for the district but, have not heard a reply. I think I am no different than most of you who have worked hard for your RN or LVN license and earn the respect of being called a "Nurse". I was a CNA before I was an LPN and have now been an RN over 20 yrs. As a CNA, I knew my place and my limits of practice. Any other parent or Nurse concerned about this?

[dbowens02]

Not here they don't - they do a 12 week program at a local tech school or community college. There is no 2 year degree for a CMA in Texas - sorry. Nothing like nursing. In fact they don't even HAVE to do that - many of them are trained "on the job".

I respect the CMA's I work with - I couldn't do my job without them, but they are not nurses, and they are the first ones who will remind me of that!

Some programs take 6-9 mos apparently if they qualify for federal financial aid.

Then they are considered an RMA. Our program is an associates degree.

[dbowens02]

I made no judgements about anyone's abilities to do the job for which they are educated. I am well acquainted with the educational level to which CMA's are trained. My story was used to illustrate that this person, educated to be a CMA, told me she was a nurse. Further, when challenged, she asserted her belief that it was the same thing, when it clearly is not. I would have respected her much more if she had told me that she was a CMA.

I agree about the fact that she was misleading. I do not think it is professional. But some nurses think they are above everyone. That is sad. They act like it is rocket science to give a shot. That Cma's are stupid. You may not feel that way but a lot do. I really don't care what people think of me. I know my abilities as do my coworkers and doctors. i will graduate this year with my BSN but am still the same person and will never mistreat trained people trying to do their job. What I do have a problem with on the other hand is people who are not trained and have no formal education calling themselves nurses or CMA's. I just wish everyone would get along and just do their job.

[DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN]

How petty. I am a CMA with an associates degree.

Associates Degree, that's great! (truely)...Congratulations. no NCLEX? You are not a nurse.

A nurse or CMA should not diagnose and treat anyway, as that is the doctor's job.

Ever heard of a nursing diagnosis? We do it all the time. We can and do diagnose. We cannot prescribe the medications to treat the diagosis. We know our limitations.

The staff at most clinics are so busy,I don't think the staff at our clinic would care what you thought if you laid into them.

They may not care but we would feel better and if we would all just join forces for this cause we could make a huge impact. Doctors, as a majority, don't mind calling a MA his "nurse" as long as he's not paying a nurses salary. That's the truth of it.

I have absolutely no problem what-so-ever with MA's, my doctor has awesome MA's, they call themselves Medical Assistants and wear name badges with Medical Assistant on it. My doctor and I discussed this issue once and he told me he feels he shouldn't have to pay for a licensed nurse when an MA is perfectly capable and I totally agree. He said you'll notice no one here refers to themself as a nurse that's not a coincidence. I hugged him.

[TDub, MSN, EdD]

And remember, "medical assistant" may not mean CMA. I would have felt a lot better if those two dingdongs were CMAs; they would have had medical training and supervision (and most likely wouldn't have been dingdongs) A medical assistant can mean a high school drop out off the street who is hired and given a 2 hour orientation on how to do vs, hts and wts and to take very skimpy histories.

I love my doctor and the NPs here, so I don't want to leave his practice. But his 'MAs' are so ham fisted I give my family their vaccinations and take their vs when we come in. I started this after one woman gave my daughter her Hep B vacc in the head of the bicep instead of the deltoid. My daughter was weeping and I angrily asked the MA what the h3ll landmarks was she using. She didn't know what I was talking about.

I'm a big fat tub, but I have normal to low BP. The MAs never listen to me, use the wrong size cuff, pump it up to 200 mmHg and then lecture me when they get a false high reading and have deep purple petechiae up and down my arm. I want to shake them. These are the same ones who suggested I was "high-strung" when I was pregnant and so depressed I was begging God to let me die in my sleep. Thank goodness a nurse caught on and saved me.

[DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN]

I was so pleasantly pleased today!! I called my transplant surgeon (cornea) to ask about an RX eye drop for allergies. I was told to never put any drops in my eyes without first checking with him. They said just a minute I'll let you talk with an assistant. The woman came to the phone and said "ths is

Janice, I'm a Medical Assistant what can I help you with?". I nearly fell down. She said she'd have to talk to the doctor and call me back. About 30 minutes later a man called me and said "Hi I'm Blake an eye tech, Dr. Jones will call you in an RX and said only one drop in each eye twice a day". Wow! I will definately congratulate this Dr at my next appt. This proves it can be done correctly and professionally.

Way to go Doc.

P.S. The names have been changed to protect the innocent!

[dbowens02]

Associates Degree, that's great! (truely)...Congratulations. no NCLEX? You are not a nurse.

Never said I was. We have our own certification test we have to take.

I will soon take the NCLEX. I'll still be me. I will still be confident in my abilities and not worry about what everyone else calls themselves.

Ever heard of a nursing diagnosis? We do it all the time. We can and do diagnose. We cannot prescribe the medications to treat the diagosis. We know our limitations.

No kidding, a nursing dx? Wow, I must live under a rock or something.

I am talking about working in a clinic. The nurses do not dx and treat. The doctors do. Hospital nurse and clinic nurse, two different animals. Lord, I hope you do know your limitations.

They may not care but we would feel better and if we would all just join forces for this cause we could make a huge impact. Doctors, as a majority, don't mind calling a MA his "nurse" as long as he's not paying a nurses salary. That's the truth of it.

They and We? Ok..whatever. Cause? What cause? Oh by the way, we all make the same according to our years of experience at the clinic. My two best friends that i work with, one is an RN and one an LPN are confident enough in their abilities, not to worry about CMA's. They just laugh at these posts.

I have absolutely no problem what-so-ever with MA's, my doctor has awesome MA's, they call themselves Medical Assistants and wear name badges with Medical Assistant on it. My doctor and I discussed this issue once and he told me he feels he shouldn't have to pay for a licensed nurse when an MA is perfectly capable and I totally agree. He said you'll notice no one here refers to themself as a nurse that's not a coincidence. I hugged him.

We all wear name badges with our titles. I bet he is glad you hugged him. I guess Medical Assistants around the globe are supposed to feel gratitude because you approve.

[dbowens02]

And remember, "medical assistant" may not mean CMA. I would have felt a lot better if those two dingdongs were CMAs; they would have had medical training and supervision (and most likely wouldn't have been dingdongs) A medical assistant can mean a high school drop out off the street who is hired and given a 2 hour orientation on how to do vs, hts and wts and to take very skimpy histories.

So how do you think a CMA feels when someone off the street comes in and has minimal training and does this? It is just as wrong as someone calling themselves a nurse. Our clinic only hires RN's, LPN's and Associate degree CMA's.

I love my doctor and the NPs here, so I don't want to leave his practice. But his 'MAs' are so ham fisted I give my family their vaccinations and take their vs when we come in. I started this after one woman gave my daughter her Hep B vacc in the head of the bicep instead of the deltoid. My daughter was weeping and I angrily asked the MA what the h3ll landmarks was she using. She didn't know what I was talking about.

I have seen nurses do the same stupid things. No more sense then God gave a goose. Not just CMA's. If these two gals have never had formal training then they should not be giving shots in the first place.

I'm a big fat tub, but I have normal to low BP. The MAs never listen to me, use the wrong size cuff, pump it up to 200 mmHg and then lecture me when they get a false high reading and have deep purple petechiae up and down my arm. I want to shake them. These are the same ones who suggested I was "high-strung" when I was pregnant and so depressed I was begging God to let me die in my sleep. Thank goodness a nurse caught on and saved me.

Like I said, a nurse can be just as goofy. These two sound like they are fresh off the street. I think a good CMA could have saved ya.

[PANurseRN1]

How petty. I am a CMA with an associates degree. I work in a big clinic that is half LPN's and half CMA's. We all do the same things. The nurses and doctors that I work with do not have a problem with CMA's. I work with a wonderful group of men and women. We call ourselves CMA's and are proud to do so. A CNA is neither a nurse or a CMA. They have limited training. A nurse or CMA should not diagnose and treat anyway, as that is the doctor's job. I have less then a year left in the BSN program and then will get my APN. The staff at most clinics are so busy,I don't think the staff at our clinic would care what you thought if you laid into them. Thank You.

No, you are not the same as an LPN and if you haven't learned that in your BSN program, then shame on them. You should demand a refund on your tuition.

[PANurseRN1]

Petty...Petty....Yes sister....I said petty. Never said they were nurses. Might want to read my comments again. Glad you don't work at our clinic.

Frankly, I'm glad I don't work there too. Sounds like some people there play fast and loose with legal boundaries.

[DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN]

Doubled Post

[DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN]

My two best friends that i work with, one is an RN and one an LPN are confident enough in their abilities, not to worry about CMA's.

Being confident in our abilities has no correlation with MA's. Not all MA's pose as nurses but there is a vast majority who do call themselves nurses. They are not nurses and that is against the law. No matter how you slice it. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW.

RN's do diagnose. We have the knowledge to interupt the patients s/s and labs. We phone the physician and he accepts our assessment and he orders meds or tests accordingly. If the physician had to come over everytime we called them in order to validate our assessment they would never be able to leave the hospital.

In HH it's the same. If I call a physician and tell them that a patient is having a CHF exacerbation and I think they could use 80 mg of Lasix IV. You bet the physician will order it and I'll give it.

I bet he is glad you hugged him. I guess Medical Assistants around the globe are supposed to feel gratitude because you approve.

That is an unprofessional statement. Your post comes across lke you have a real problem with nurses. Like nurses don't agree with MA's calling themselves nurses and you being a CMA don't give merit to nurses because you feel as though you are just as qualified as a nurse. You have an associates. I truely do think that's a good thing. I wish all MA's had to be certified but certified does not = nursing degree. You will be getting your BSN this year. I bet a year from now you'll feel differently about MA's who call themselves or consider themselves nurses. That's what is is all about

"Non-Nurses calling themselves a Nurse" it's not about your qualifications to do a good job in the clinic. Not a single nurse has a problem with competent MA's. The problem is those who use the legally protected title

"Nurse".

[txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN]

anyone can be trained to give a shot..but it takes a long time to gain the pharm knowledge to give all these medications safely. i don't even know what to say about your iv comment,thats just junk.

i have been a cma for five years now (and now a nursing student) i am trained to give injections, yes rigorous. i resent your comment. i am sorry you had a bad experience with a medical assistant. not to be rude or anything but giving shots.injections (especially depo) is not that hard, not hard at all when you have had training. i have given hundreds of injections from depo to demerol to rocephin without a single problem other than "that stings!" when i give phenergan...which is normal (and i do tell them ahead of time too). there is nothing wrong with a cma giving injections if she/he is trained. i could argue that nurses should not start i.v. without a rigorous pharmaceutical degree.