Specialties NP
Published Mar 24, 2011
Need advice. I am a recent grad NP and I work as a RNFA, but can I refer to myself as a NP now (even though I am not functioning as a NP)? Thanks!
canchaser, BSN, RN
447 Posts
Y can't the op use APN- G. The G standing for graduate?
NPinWCH
374 Posts
Well in Ohio there is no "G" designation. You can't be an GN, as according to the BON you are either nurse or you aren't.
Thanks for all of your input. Any advice on how to approach the facility? I plan to talk with the DON.
Most likely, since you aren't practicing as an NP there isn't anything to worry about. I'm assuming they haven't changed your name badge to say NP, so it's just a matter of educating people you interact with. I would honestly just start correcting people when they mistakenly refer to you as an NP.
When that happened to me, I would say, "No, not an NP yet." They would often say, "Close enough..." and I would say, "I'm an almost-NP" and then I would smile and we would chuckle and end of that.
sirI, MSN, APRN, NP
17 Articles; 44,737 Posts
Since the facility has already approached you, just be honest like you were here. That you were unaware that you could not use the NP designation even though you had completed the program. Apologize for any misunderstanding and assure them that you will cease referring to yourself as NP. Then, once you are certified and licensed, bring the verification(s) to them and all should be fine.
If that designation is a BON-approved designation for the APN, the OP can use it. Otherwise, no.
ORNP
9 Posts
Thank you for your input
Corey Narry, MSN, RN, NP
8 Articles; 4,370 Posts
I realize now that it is easily assumed that if you say you are a NP, people think you are practicing as one, but in surgery, there is no scope of practice for NPs. I am currently only functioning as a RNFA, so I havent overstepped by scope. I am confused.
Actually, a nurse practitioner who assists in the OR can bill for the service while an RNFA can not, so there is a role for NP's during surgery. There are some conditions that need to apply for this to happen, obviously, as you have to be credentialed by the hospital as an NP and your salary should not be included in the hospital cost report the way RN's are typically paid.
Thanks for the reply, but actually, NPs and RNFAs both bill the same:as non-physician first assistants. I took a medical billing class for first assistants.
core0
1,830 Posts
Actually this is correct and incorrect. For Medicare and Medicaid the only first assists that can bill are physicians, PAs, NPs, CNS and CNM. RNFAs cannot bill Medicare and Medicaid.
"Medicare will make payment for an assistant-at-surgery when the procedure is covered for an assistant and one of the following situations exists:
The person reporting the service is a physician.
The person bears the designation of PA, NP, nurse midwife or CNS.
Physicians are prohibited from billing a Medicare beneficiary for assistant-at-surgery services for surgical procedures deemed non-covered for an assistant."
For other insurances its going to depend on the insurance contracts the hospital, physicians or RNFA has. Some of them follow Medicare guidelines others follow their own guidelines. There are 7-8 states that require Non-medicare insurance companies to reimburse RNFAs. YMMV
This is why I have a biller!