Nurse practicing without license?

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I am a BSN student graduating in May. While I was in my rotation at a middle school I was with two school nurses and sometimes a substitute nurse who substitutes for when one of the other nurses are gone. During that particular day the substitute nurse was giving me and another student case scenarios and asking what we would do in the situation, she was really irritating. A student came in that day and had stomach pain, but it was more up into his chest. She laid him down and proceeded to do an assesment on him and determined that he had possible appendicitis and called his parents. The other nursing student and myself did not think it was the case at all as he did not have any of the symptoms of appendicitis. Anyway I said all of that to say later in the day I asked the substitute nurse how long she had been nursing and she preceded to tell me that she hasn't had her license for years because she decided years ago to not renew because she had lost respect for the healthcare system. I am wondering why she substitutes and is this legal. I am angry that she was quizzing me and assessing students when she has not practiced nursing in years except subbing at this school.:nono:

Specializes in med/surg/tele/neuro/rehab/corrections.
Thanks for the replies, I was actually thinking about discussing it with one of my nursing instructors to see what she thought. And with her personality she will not take it lightly. I know she will not like the fact that this substitute was actually giving students case scenarios and assessing.

My son had appendicitis when very young and he didn't exhibit those symptoms that you wrote about in your first post. :o I would be very interested to read what your instructor has to say about this woman. Keep us posted.

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Thanks for the replies, I was actually thinking about discussing it with one of my nursing instructors to see what she thought. And with her personality she will not take it lightly. I know she will not like the fact that this substitute was actually giving students case scenarios and assessing.

you are "thinking" about talking with your instructor?? i think you should report her! ethically, you should be obligated to report her. it's illegal to "pose" as a nurse and that's exactly what she's doing. she is NOT a nurse. who cares how she'll take it. what about the patient/client who she's practising on without a licence? how will the patient take it when they find out that someone "off the street and without a licence" is working on them. what if she's teaching you the wrong thing?

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Illegal, no doubt about it. I am not a nurse, but I know a nurse cannot practice, even subtituting without a license. Someone needs to report her as soon as possible.

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Specializes in Perinatal, Education.

sensweet-

You are right to report it to your instructor immediately--even by phone or pager if you don't meet for class for a while. This is also putting your school on the line as they are sending you out to be supervised by a non-licensed individual--also a big no-no. Your instructor ahould go over with you what needs to be done about the situation, but she or whomever is in charge of clinical sites, should take the lead. Oh my! I would keep it out of the press as it will reflect poorly on your school for sending you out there. You need to give them a heads up ASAP!

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. " can you pass this information onto the school, the BON, or an anonymous letter to the dept of education? "

Sorry to post again, but I would skip the notifing the school or board of Education-they are guilty, and would likely (to my cynical thinking) be more in a hurry to cover it up than to rectify the situation. I'd go right to the BON, the news, or even, if you can find them, some parents of the children attending that school.

Actually I think the school should be informed that this substitute does not have her license. Since she is not regular staff, they may not have kept her records up to date. She may have been licensed at the time she was initially hired to substitute and the school may not be aware that she is now not currently licensed.

I would not go to the School Board without first talking to the school.

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Actually I think the school should be informed that this substitute does not have her license. Since she is not regular staff, they may not have kept her records up to date. She may have been licensed at the time she was initially hired to substitute and the school may not be aware that she is now not currently licensed.

I would not go to the School Board without first talking to the school.

Sorry, but it is the school's responsibility to make sure that records are up to date, same thing with a teacher if their credentials expire, then they have to deal with that as well.

And as per what the OP had originally posted, the school substitute "person" hasn't kept their license up in years.

What if it were your children that were at this school? Even for the simple thing that this person is passing themselves off as a RN, and they are not, is in direct violation of the BON of every single state. Even if you were an RN for twenty years, your license falls out of status, you are no longer a licensed and registered nurse. The school board could be ultimately liable for a large sum of money if this person is practicing without a license, and that is exactly what she is doing.

Not sure how things are done north of the border: but in the US, even with substitute staff, if they are in contact with the students, then the school has to have updated files on them at all times.

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Sorry, but it is the school's responsibility to make sure that records are up to date, same thing with a teacher if their credentials expire, then they have to deal with that as well.

And as per what the OP had originally posted, the school substitute "person" hasn't kept their license up in years.

What if it were your children that were at this school? Even for the simple thing that this person is passing themselves off as a RN, and they are not, is in direct violation of the BON of every single state. Even if you were an RN for twenty years, your license falls out of status, you are no longer a licensed and registered nurse. The school board could be ultimately liable for a large sum of money if this person is practicing without a license, and that is exactly what she is doing.

Not sure how things are done north of the border: but in the US, even with substitute staff, if they are in contact with the students, then the school has to have updated files on them at all times.

I didn't imply it wasn't the school's responsibility to keep their records up to date, I was pointing out the possibility that they weren't. The fact that we are dealing with children and that an unlicensed individual is there in the capacity of a nurse is exactly why I would call the school in the first place. In the case of substitute teacher or nurse, both the school and Board of Education bear responsiblity for their staff to maintain current credentials, obviously in this instance they haven't. The fact that I think that the school should be notified first, or that I'm Canadian, does not make me ignorant of the fact that in order to practice nursing one does need a license.

BTW you also need a valid license in Canada as you do in the states to practice nursing. My post was also in response to someone who though they should skip notifiying the school board or the school.

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Specializes in Perinatal, Education.

I'm curious as to what will happen--will the OP please let us know if any action is taken? Thanks!

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I didn't imply it wasn't the school's responsibility to keep their records up to date, I was pointing out the possibility that they weren't. The fact that we are dealing with children and that an unlicensed individual is there in the capacity of a nurse is exactly why I would call the school in the first place. In the case of substitute teacher or nurse, both the school and Board of Education bear responsiblity for their staff to maintain current credentials, obviously in this instance they haven't. The fact that I think that the school should be notified first, or that I'm Canadian, does not make me ignorant of the fact that in order to practice nursing one does need a license.

BTW you also need a valid license in Canada as you do in the states to practice nursing. My post was also in response to someone who though they should skip notifiying the school board or the school.

Sorry, I misunderstood what you had posted above.

From a legal standpoint, everyone needs to be notified: the school, the Board of Education for that schol district, as well as the BON. And at the same time.

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Sorry, I misunderstood what you had posted above.

From a legal standpoint, everyone needs to be notified: the school, the Board of Education for that schol district, as well as the BON. And at the same time.

I also apologize, Suzanne. I do agree that all should be notified.

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Specializes in Geriatric, LTC, PC, home care, pediatric.

No, you can not legally practice nursing without a license. In PA, you will be fined for the time period you worked without a valid license. And depending on the time period you may have your license revoked. Please for the safety and wellbeing of the children, and that school district, let people know!

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Actually I think the school should be informed that this substitute does not have her license. Since she is not regular staff, they may not have kept her records up to date. She may have been licensed at the time she was initially hired to substitute and the school may not be aware that she is now not currently licensed.

I would not go to the School Board without first talking to the school.

I meant that all authorities should be notified, but not in your suggested order; we had an incident here where the local school board hired the dh of a teacher as a teacher "to help her out"; he had a AS in agriculture from an "open university"-he couldn't find work. when a parent found that her child was being taught by an unlicensed teacher and went to the school board first, by the the time the state got involved, all of a sudden the dh was an "aide" helping out-even though he had clearly been a teacher for several months in charge of students-the documentation now stated otherwise.

that would be my only concern with going to the school first-if this person has been subbing there as a nurse for years-or a long while-how quickly would the school board realize that they have left themselves open to legal action-and suddenly, it is all abig misunderstanding; she's not a school nurse, she's an "aide" or "health room tech" and the op is made to look silly.

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