Nurse Impersonators

[NancyRN]

Am I the only one who resents the "nurse impersonators" who abound in the health care field?

Everyone who works at a doctor's office or in a hospital wears scrubs and seems to pass themselves off as a nurse. Of course, the hospital doesn't mind. Visitors and patients don't realize how few nurses are actually on the unit if the unit clerks, nursing assistants, housekeepers, and technicians are all wearing scrubs.

It seems harmless enough, this generic flowered jacketed scrub outfit, until you think of the harm it does to nurses' reputation as a whole. I just wonder what people think when they see two or three "nurses" ambling around the hallways or sitting at the nurses station while their family member waits for pain medication!

I have to think the doctor's offices are the worst. The doctors will actually refer to the medical assistant as "the nurse". I wonder if a doctor would appreciate an employee passing himself off as a doctor?

Last month I was in a doctor's waiting room with my son when a man came in holding his hand wrapped in a towel. He announced that he'd cut his hand and needed to see the doctor ( ok- dont ask me why he didn't go to the ER!) . The "nurse" told him to have a seat. The waiting room was crowded and it was obvious he was in for a very long wait. I saw the towel becoming saturated, and I couldn't help going over to him and telling him to hold his hand above heart level, apply pressure, try some deep breathing, etc. I told the "nurse" to let him go in and be seen, but she said, "He has to wait his turn, it wouldnt be fair to the patients who had appointments."

Driving home, my son asked, "Why didn't that nurse help that man?" I told him, "Because she's not a nurse!" But I wonder how many people in that waiting room went home with the story of the nurse who wouldnt help a bleeding man.

I know nurses don't want to go back to the days of wearing caps (even though I love my cap), but shouldn't we be more concerned about people in scrubs making us look bad? Shouldn't a nurse on duty be as easily recognizable as an EMT, a Firefighters, or a Police Officer?

[ShandyLynnRN, BSN, RN]

In the hospital that I work in, we are getting ready to implement a new "dress code" on our unit. All Liscenced personell will wear a White lab coat or vest over their scrubs with the appropriate Title on it. As for the other issue where everyone seems to be upset about NA's being mistaken for Nurses....I have been on that side of nursing, and all I can say is that we are all "nurses" regardless of our title. NA's Work very hard and usually interact with the patients more than RN's or LPN's do. Not tosay that it isnt wrong for patients and families to think that they are liscenced, but I personaly dont feel upset when an aide is called a nurse. They are providing nursing care as well as I am, just not liscenced care. I am very proud of my title, and all the hard work that it took to get me here, but I also commend the unliscensed personell that work just as hard as I do. As far as MA's having RN's "work for them", well, that is just plain wrong. I wouldnt want to be a pastient at that office. I think all "nurses" need to be recognized for their title, and their respective responsibilities as well. Name tags and simply identifying yourself can help. But if I am referred to as a "nurse" just the same as my NA being referred to as a "nurse" I dont get all bent out of shape about it. Just my opinion. :)

Shandy

[Q.]

Nurse is a protected title.

Until it isn't, I think it behooves our profession to uphold what a Professional Nurse is.

People who work very hard are not nurses. NURSES are nurses.

[NancyRN]

Well said, Suzy K.:kiss

[bellehill, RN]

My hospital has had nurses wearing white for a little over a year. Every nurse fought the change and is still fighting it, however it is so much easier for the patients to be able to identify who the nurse is (we hate to admit it). The aides are allowed to wear the colored scrubs and dietary/housekeeping have a specific department color.

In response to the "imposter nurse", we too have aides who consider themselves to be nurses and who will continually tell the nurse what to do for the patient. Nothing is more frustrating than listening to someone talk to you about something they know nothing about. They aren't the ones who are responsible if something should happen, they aren't the ones who have to talk to the doctor, they aren't responsible for coordinating care. I too worked very hard for my RN title.

[betts]

- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents - Listening to what other people are saying and asking questions as appropriate - Communicating effectively with others in writing as indicated by the needs of the audience - Talking to others to effectively convey information - Using mathematics to solve problems - Using scientific methods to solve problems - Using logic and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches - Working with new material or information to grasp its implications - Using multiple approaches when learning or teaching new things - Assessing how well one is doing when learning or doing something - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react the way they do - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions - Persuading others to approach things differently - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences - Teaching others how to do something -

Actively looking for ways to help people - Identifying the nature of problems - Knowing how to find information and identifying essential information - Finding ways to structure or classify multiple pieces of information - Reorganizing information to get a better approach to problems or tasks - Generating a number of different approaches to problems - Evaluating the likely success of an idea in relation to the demands of the situation - Developing approaches for implementing an idea - Observing and evaluating the outcomes of a problem solution to identify lessons learned or redirect efforts - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design - Generating or adapting equipment and technology to serve user needs - Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job - Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications - Conducting tests to determine whether equipment, software, or procedures are operating as expected - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly - Controlling operations of equipment or systems - Inspecting and evaluating the quality of products - Performing routine maintenance and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed - Determining what is causing an operating error and deciding what to do about it - Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools - Developing an image of how a system should work under ideal conditions - Determining when important changes have occurred in a system or are likely to occur - Determining the long-term outcomes of a change in operations - Identifying the things that must be changed to achieve a goal - Weighing the relative costs and benefits of a potential action - Looking at many indicators of system performance, taking into account their accuracy - Managing one's own time and the time of others - Determining how money will be spent to get the work done, and accounting for these expenditures - Obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job...

Job Ability:

- The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a given topic. It concerns the number of ideas produced and not the quality, correctness, or creativity of the ideas. - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to come up with logical answers. It involves deciding if an answer makes sense. - The ability to combine separate pieces of information, or specific answers to problems, to form general rules or conclusions. It includes coming up with a logical explanation for why a series of seemingly unrelated events occur together. - The ability to correctly follow a given rule or set of rules in order to arrange things or actions in a certain order. The things or actions can include numbers, letters, words, pictures, procedures, sentences, and mathematical or logical operations. - The ability to produce many rules so that each rule tells how to group (or combine) a set of things in a different way. - The ability to understand and organize a problem and then to select a mathematical method or formula to solve the problem - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly - The ability to remember information such as words, numbers, pictures, and procedures - The ability to quickly make sense of information that seems to be without meaning or organization. It involves quickly combining and organizing different pieces of information into a meaningful pattern - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material - The ability to quickly and accurately compare letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object - The ability to know one's location in relation to the environment, or to know where other objects are in relation to one's self - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged - The ability to concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task over a period of time - The ability to efficiently shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources) - The ability to keep the hand and arm steady while making an arm movement or while holding the arm and hand in one position - The ability to quickly make coordinated movements of one hand, a hand together with its arm, or two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects - The ability to quickly and repeatedly make precise adjustments in moving the controls of a machine or vehicle to exact positions - The ability to coordinate movements of two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the body is in motion - The ability to choose quickly and correctly between two or more movements in response to two or more signals (lights, sounds, pictures, etc.). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body parts - The ability to time the adjustments of a movement or equipment control in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a continuously moving object or scene - The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to one signal (sound, light, picture, etc.) when it appears - The ability to make fast, simple, repeated movements of the fingers, hands, and wrists - The ability to quickly move the arms or legs - The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects - The ability to use short bursts of muscle force to propel oneself (as in jumping or sprinting), or to throw an object - The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue - The ability to use one's abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing - The ability to exert one's self physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath - The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach out with the body, arms, and/or legs - The ability to quickly and repeatedly bend, stretch, twist, or reach out with the body, arms, and/or legs - The ability to coordinate the movement of the arms, legs, and torso together in activities where the whole body is in motion - The ability to keep or regain one's body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position - The ability to see details of objects at a close range (within a few feet of the observer) - The ability to see details at a distance - The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness - The ability to see under low light conditions - The ability to see objects or movement of objects to one's side when the eyes are focused forward - The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from the observer, or to judge the distance between an object and the observer - The ability to see objects in the presence of glare or bright lighting - The ability to detect or tell the difference between sounds that vary over broad ranges of pitch and loudness - The ability to focus on a single source of auditory (hearing) information in the presence of other distracting sounds - The ability to tell the direction from which a sound originated - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person - The ability to speak clearly so that it is understandable to a listener.

[betts]

Rules Of Netiquette

What is Netiquette? Simply stated, it's network etiquette -- that is, the etiquette of cyberspace. And "etiquette" means "the forms required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be required in social or official life." In other words, Netiquette is a set of rules for behaving properly online.

When you enter any new culture -- and cyberspace has its own culture -- you're liable to commit a few social blunders. You might offend people without meaning to. Or you might misunderstand what others say and take offense when it's not intended. To make matters worse, something about cyberspace makes it easy to forget that you're interacting with other real people -- not just ASCII characters on a screen, but live human characters.

So, partly as a result of forgetting that people online are still real, and partly because they don't know the conventions, well-meaning cybernauts, especially new ones, make all kinds of mistakes.

Rule 1: Remember the person on the other end is human!

Rule 2: Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life.

Rule 3: Know where you are in cyberspace.

Rule 4: Respect other people's time and bandwidth!

Rule 5: Make yourself look good online.

Rule 6: Share expert knowledge.

Rule 7: Help keep flame wars under control!

Rule 8: Respect other people's privacy.

Rule 9: Don't abuse your power!

Rule 10: Be forgiving of other people's mistakes.

[Maula, RN]

Well I have the opposite problem. Whenever I work agency I am mistaken for the nursing assistant. I have had the nurses approach me with my name badge reading RN and delegate to me to take so and so to the bathroom or to xray or hand me the nursing assistants assignment when I hit the floor. I told my mother about this after it had happened the umpteenth time and she said the same thing happens to her We have deduced that because we are African American it is automatically assumed that we are the assistants and not the nurse :roll Sometimes nursing can be so closed minded. I think if we pay attention to name tags and correct those who claim to be nurses, we can avoid confusing our patients who usually assumes that everyone is a nurse. Not the the LPN, ADN, BSN isn't confusing enough. I had to stop telling my patients that I was in school because it scares them that their nurse is in school getting a Bachelor's Degree. And I refuse to have my nametag read BSN. I woild no doubt have to explain that whole dilemma. RN is enough.

[Maula, RN]

People who work very hard are not nurses. NURSES are nurses.

I now know that you are a nurse

[Jay Levan]

Originally posted by Navy1Nurse

I get your point about the hats though... from my point of view Being a Male I get mistaken for a MD all the time, even after I have repeatedly introduced myself as an RN, it's kind of funny really...Or I get the old "So when do you plan on going to medical school?"

I'm sure this happens alot, but it get's old after a while..

I do think RN's should be more easily identified/identifiable too.

:( Me TOO x's 29yrs I have offered many times to have my Forehead Tattoo'd R.N. to no avail:eek: Jay Levan, R.N.

[betts]

Nurse imposters range from a person who has had no nursing education and represents him or herself as an LPN or RN, to an individual who has some education and represents him or herself as licensed for a broaderscope of practice (for example, CNA to LPN, or LPN to RN). The Board has no tolerance for any form of impostering and will impose the maximum dollar amount of its civil penalty authority. The Board may also impose a disciplinary sanction for imposters who are licensed or certified at some level.

The following factors will be considered in deliberating the level of discipline from reprimand through revocation: intent, harm to patients, length of time as an imposter, and insight/remorse.

The Board believes that employers of nurses should verify licensure and thereby avoid hiring a nurse imposter.The Board may impose a civil penalty and disciplinary sanction to the nurse employer found responsible for hiring a nurse imposter.

Lying or Falsification within the Practice of Nursing or Performing Duties of a Nursing Assistant

The safe and effective practice of nursing as a Licensed Practical Nurse, Registered Nurse, or NursePractitioner requires integrity, accuracy, and honesty in the provision of nursing care, including:*performing nursing assessments.*applying the nursing process.*reporting changes in patient condition.*acknowledging errors in practice and reporting them promptly.*accurate charting.*implementing care as ordered.

Safely performing the duties of a Nursing Assistant requires honesty in the provision of patient care, including reporting changes in patient condition to a licensed nurse, charting care as given, and recording vital signs accurately. Failure to be accurate and honest while providing patient care and keeping accurate records related to care, is potentially harmful to the overall care patients receive because nurses who follow do not have a complete and accurate picture of the client's care/condition. Each case of lying and falsification will be considered on an individual basis. The Board will consider the following factors:*actual harm to the patient as a result of the lying or falsification.*the potential for harm to clients.*the past performance record of the nurse/nursing assistant.*prior complaints.*accountability for the act of falsification.*insight.*remorse.*other mitigating or aggravating factors.The Board will also consider whether or not the nurse/nursing assistant was unduly influenced by a more experienced or supervising licensed nurse to falsify patient records or care, in which case that nurse's conduct will be investigated by the Board. The investigative process will be used as an opportunity to educate and reinforce acceptable standards of care. Disciplinary sanctions may range from a warning to revocation. The first complaint of lying or falsification which did not result in harm to a patient may be disciplined by a letter of warning. The level of sanction will be directly proportionate to harm caused to the patient.

Lying/Falsification to an Employer, School of Nursing, or Nursing Assistant Training Program

The Board believes that falsification of an application to an employer, school of nursing, or nursing assistant training program is the responsibility of the employer, school or training program to resolve, unless the falsification involves misrepresentation of credentials, competencies or work experience which, if relied on by the employer, may jeopardize patient care. Misrepresentation of credentials to an employer, which results inharm to a patient or jeopardizes patient care, will be investigated and viewed by the Board in the same way that lying or falsification within the practice of nursing is viewed. A student nurse or nursing assistant who falsifies patient records or engages in other dishonesty in patient care gives the Board reason to suspect that he or she will continue the same dishonest acts after licensure or certification. If the Board is made aware of acts committed as a student/nursing assistant, an investigation will be conducted once the student/nursing assistant makes application for licensure or certification. The Board will consider the same factors as described above for lying and falsification within the practice of nursing or functioning as a nursing assistant.

[LPN2RNdude]

LOL these posts are FUNNY!!!!! i find a good bit of humor when reading them. i work as an RN for home health and the other day this lady was at a senior living apartment complex (this place makes u call the person up before they let u in) and this lady in scrubs (wearing house shoes with them and a hair net) tells me,,, so u a nurse, too??? i was like "yes i am, are u" and she goes yeah im an R.N., a regular nurse" LOL!!! ROFLMAO!!! i nearly died!:rotfl:

[Hellllllo Nurse, BSN, RN]

As for the other issue where everyone seems to be upset about NA's being mistaken for Nurses....I have been on that side of nursing, and all I can say is that we are all "nurses" regardless of our title...

A security guard is not a cop.

A paralegal is not a lawyer.

A PA is not a doctor, and

a nursing assistant is not a @#$%^@#$%^ nurse.