Non-Nurses calling themselves a Nurse

Nurses General Nursing

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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?:nono:

Specializes in ER/Trauma.

LUVyourCNA: I work with three LPNs.

Two have been on the job for 25+ years. The other just retired from active military duty (special forces medic) and has done extensive time in CCU/ICU and multiple combat tours.

They are some of the finest nurses I have the priviledge of working with!

Honestly, I attach more importance to competence, attitude and performace than the letters tagging your name.

cheers,

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Specializes in Everything but L&D and OR.

well said roy!!!

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Specializes in ICU, ER, HH, NICU, now FNP.

Honestly, I attach more importance to competence, attitude and performace than the letters tagging your name.

Exactly - which is why if you are worth your salt at what you do, there is no need to lie about what you are!

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Specializes in Lie detection.
I'd love to get your guys' take on this. I am in nursing school (graduate in October with an RN... take my NCLEX-PN next Thursday) and there is a girl in my class who has the license plate Nrs4Kdz, that is also part of her email address. She has a nurse extern position at the local children's hospital, but the license plate thing makes me a little uncomfortable. Am I just being oversensitive?

Any real nurse would know right away that the person driving that car is not a nurse because real nurse's never advertise! :lol2:

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I just started my clinicals for CNA training yesterday, and i noticed that in this LTC, the TMA is called "the nurse" by everyone. her batch just says TMA, though, not LPN....

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.
So you don't have a problem with non-nurses calling themselves nurses, but it bugs you that those without formal education call themselves CMAs. That really strange. I willing to bet that after you finish NURSING school and pass NCLEX that you will feel different than you do now. Come back to this thread in a year and let us know.

Ok, you need to read the entire thread before chastising. dbowens02 read our replies to her, some not entirely nice, and she has realized that it is wrong to call yourself a nurse if indeed you are not and she has been brave enough to post that. Bravo!

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LUVyourCNA: I work with three LPNs.

Two have been on the job for 25+ years. The other just retired from active military duty (special forces medic) and has done extensive time in CCU/ICU and multiple combat tours.

They are some of the finest nurses I have the priviledge of working with!

Honestly, I attach more importance to competence, attitude and performace than the letters tagging your name.

cheers,

Do you share that importance concerning the physicians in who you trust your life to? Or the lives of your loved ones? That having "MD" after your name is just showing off "letters after your name". I believe that the general public out there appreciates education, and unlike in nursing, it is respected and rewarded.

It never ceases to amaze me, how the education of an RN is so belittled by those who have not completed an RN program, or have only completed a medical assistant program. These individuals need to validate their self worth and self importance by considering, and presenting themselves, to the public, as "nurses".

Why is education not important for nurses? Isn't it important for your childrens' teachers to have their all-important Masters Degrees to teach Kindergarten? Parents would go nuts if the the school districts hired unlicensed Teachers Aides to teach in the classroom, or had teachers with only a two year, Community College Associates Degree teach in the public schools. Shouldn't parents have the same safeguards for their children when they are sick in the hospital? Aren't patients entitled to be cared for by individuals who have the same educational background as the individual who is teaching Kindergarten in the local public school? Or if the heart surgeon was only a PA who went to some "extra class" that taught him/her how to perform heart transplants?

There is a difference in the educational preparation of an RN and a Medical Assistant. The differences are minimized by corporations for who "deskilling" is $$$ in the bank. It makes a difference in their bottom line if they can hire minimally educated medical assistants, put them in scrubs, and call them "nurses".

So the next time you are faced with a major medical situation, I hope that you are satisfied with the health care provider who has a lot of experience, but only a HS diploma, or not much more to show. Letters don't meant that much, only experience? Remember?

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

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Specializes in Day Surgery/Infusion/ED.

I agree. It's time to get tough on these imposters. If you're an MA, be proud of being an MA--but don't try to pass yourself off as a nurse. And don't accuse real nurses (LPNs and RNs) of being arrogant for using the title they have legally and rightfully obtained.

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Specializes in Lie detection.
Why is education not important for nurses?

There is a difference in the educational preparation of an RN and a Medical Assistant. The differences are minimized by corporations for who "deskilling" is $$$ in the bank. It makes a difference in their bottom line if they can hire minimally educated medical assistants, put them in scrubs, and call them "nurses".

So the next time you are faced with a major medical situation, I hope that you are satisfied with the health care provider who has a lot of experience, but only a HS diploma, or not much more to show. Letters don't meant that much, only experience? Remember?

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

I edited your post just for length. While I do agree with the main premise of what you are trying to accomplish, I still do view LPN's as nurses.

I believe education is extremely important. It is why I have my BSN and am continuing on to obtain my MSN.

No matter how much I believe that we as a group should do more to educate ourselves and perhaps raise the bar for entry level, it does NOT mean that I will ever look at an LPN and disrespect that title.

In my eyes an LPN is a nurse. No, they are not registered nurses but they are nurses. I have worked with smart, kick butt nurses that just happened to be LPN's. I would gladly do so again.

I would love to see there be one unified NURSE title. But there is not at this time and that is what we have to deal with. So let us all respect each other. If you have a nursing license, you ARE a nurse!!!!

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Specializes in ER/Trauma.
Do you share that importance concerning the physicians in who you trust your life to? Or the lives of your loved ones? That having "MD" after your name is just showing off "letters after your name". I believe that the general public out there appreciates education, and unlike in nursing, it is respected and rewarded.
Uhhh, sorry; no. It is neither the same nor is it comparable.

You misunderstood the premise of my argument: you can have fourteen "degrees" and still be an incompetent idiot.

Meaning? Just because you have an "RN" or an "MD" after your name - doesn't make you "competent" or "excellent" to do your job.

How many of us here complain about "incompetent docs" or "scary nurses" ?

It never ceases to amaze me, how the education of an RN is so belittled by those who have not completed an RN program, or have only completed a medical assistant program. These individuals need to validate their self worth and self importance by considering, and presenting themselves, to the public, as "nurses".
1. I am an RN, BSN.

2. It never ceases to amaze me how much professionals think they are "entitled to" just because they have "xxx, yyy, zzz" after their name.

3. I'm not dismissing the concept of "recognizing titles" - but I do not think that "the title defines the person". In other words, there is more to being a professional than the title after your name.

Why is education not important for nurses? Isn't it important for your childrens' teachers to have their all-important Masters Degrees to teach Kindergarten? Parents would go nuts if the the school districts hired unlicensed Teachers Aides to teach in the classroom, or had teachers with only a two year, Community College Associates Degree teach in the public schools. Shouldn't parents have the same safeguards for their children when they are sick in the hospital? Aren't patients entitled to be cared for by individuals who have the same educational background as the individual who is teaching Kindergarten in the local public school? Or if the heart surgeon was only a PA who went to some "extra class" that taught him/her how to perform heart transplants?
You are bringing completely unrelated subjects to the discussion - but given your posting history and constant never-ending advocacy for "entry level BSN", I don't find this surprising in the least bit.

Oh and for the record - I am philosophically against "State mandatory licensing" anyway ---- but that is a whole different day and a whole different thread.

So the next time you are faced with a major medical situation, I hope that you are satisfied with the health care provider who has a lot of experience, but only a HS diploma, or not much more to show. Letters don't meant that much, only experience? Remember?
Classic Reductio ad absurdum.

I could just as simply respond by stating "So the next time you are faced with a major medical situation, I hope that you are satisfied with the health care provider who has 4 degrees but has not a month worth of experience. After all, education matters, not experience; right?"

Please re-read my original post and apply it to context.

cheers,

Roy

EDIT PS: I still don't see how/why this has anything to do with LPNs/LVNs and whether they are "nurses or not".

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
EDIT PS: I still don't see how/why this has anything to do with LPNs/LVNs and whether they are "nurses or not".

Because given her posting history, RNs are the only nurses to her.

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Specializes in Day Surgery/Infusion/ED.

For that matter, BSNs are the only real nurses. We diploma/ADN nurses are just begrudgingly accepted as a necessary evil, for now.

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