I didnt believe this was happening until I went to the dermatologist last week and the nurse who was wearing a nurses name tag that said her name and her title as charge nurse. She was talking to me about nursing while giving me a shot for pain, telling me she never finished nursing school because it was too hard. I was in disbelief that she was administering meds into my leg!
Then she assisted the doctor with sewing my stitches. I talked with my mother in law who has worked for many surgeons over the years as an office manager, she told me that this happens all the time. She said if the doctor feels the person is competent then they will hire them as a nurse.
I find this to be unethical and I certainly do not think she should be wearing a nurses badge. I know its illegal to pose as a doctor, why not a nurse? Does anyone find this as crazy as I do?
Specializes in Med-Surg, Tele, Peri-op, Home health.
I was working a job, not in the medical field, and a co-worker of mine said he had a second job as a home health nurse. I asked if he was an RN as I was going to nursing school, and he said yes. He told EVERYone at work he was an RN. I recently looked his license up on the NY State BON..... and guess what? He isn't an RN at all..... he IS a licensed LPN though!!!
Being licensed as an LPN he should know it is unethical to be calling himself an RN.... and it really makes me angry..... knowing how hard I am studying for NCLEX-RN, and this guy is walking around calling himself an RN.
I don't work at that job anymore.... but I have alot of friends who are still there. So I casually mentioned this little tidbit to a few of them..... What a shame if word gets around........ :chuckle
When working at a clinic as a nurse manager I had MA's calling themselves nurses to patients, I was a LPN at the time, I tried to nip it in the bud-but they went and complained to the MD who owned the practice. He said he allowed it so they wouldn't feel inept in comparasion to nurses- I felt insulted to say the least I later resigned.
I guess it upsets me because I am working my butt off to get my license and learning as much as I can so I know what I am doing and then there are people working under this same title who didnt.
I totally agree with you! I'm finishing up my last couple of prerequisites, and if all goes well, I will be starting nursing school next spring or fall. I would never dream of calling myself a nurse unless I had finished nursing school and passed the NCLEX. I have WAY too much respect for real nurses who worked so hard to earn the RN title!!!
When working at a clinic as a nurse manager I had MA's calling themselves nurses to patients, I was a LPN at the time, I tried to nip it in the bud-but they went and complained to the MD who owned the practice. He said he allowed it so they wouldn't feel inept in comparasion to nurses- I felt insulted to say the least I later resigned.
You must have worked in the same office as me. It had one supreme Evil MA who tried to tell me (a former immunization nurse with the State) how to give injections! (and in front of the parent!) Flew outta that place as soon as I could get another job.
What's the point of reporting this to the BON? They aren't nurses, so they can't lose their licenses anyway. If they have been practicing like this anyway, what's going to stop them? Not the doctor's office they work in of course. He/she thinks they are getting a crazy bargain I'll bet! An almost trained RN for the price of a medical assistant. If they aren't refering to themselves as an RN, I don't think there is much you can do. If anyone actually challenged them they would just say, well I'm the "office nurse", not an RN. And they are working under the auspices of the doctors license anyway.
Actually, one is subject to the rules of a BON and calling themself a nurse when they are not is actually illegal in every single state. They can be fined and will be sent a cease and desist order, and so will the physician's office.
So yes, they can get into alot of trouble. And especially this one that has a name tag calling herself the charge nurse.
Anyone that is not a nurse is practicing under the license of the physician that they are working for. As an actual RN or LPN, they function under their license and are held accountable to the BON for their state for their actions.
A physician has the right to train or use whomever they want in their office as long as that person if in the office only and does not assist in any way with patients in the hospital setting. What ever happens is under their MD license.
However, they can be held accountable for someone passing themselves off as an RN or nurse when they are not. And as mentioned above, it is considered a felony in many states.
Reporting this to a BON is the only way to get it to stop. We as nurses have to take some responsibility for our profession, and this is the best way to do it. Get the BON involved directly and quickly.
Specializes in Cardiac, Adolescent/Child Mental Health.
I would like to see the title of "nurse" be protected just as the title of RN and LPN are.
If someone is telling patients that they are a nurse, I think that those patients assume that there is some kind of education and licensure involved when that may not necessarily be the case.
Actually, one is subject to the rules of a BON and calling themself a nurse when they are not is actually illegal in every single state. They can be fined and will be sent a cease and desist order, and so will the physician's office.
So yes, they can get into alot of trouble. And especially this one that has a name tag calling herself the charge nurse.
I would like to see the title of "nurse" be protected just as the title of RN and LPN are.
Depending on what State you live in, it is.
New York, until recently, had only protected the title of RN and LPN specifically. Using the title "nurse" (as in the 'baby nurse' scandal a couple of years ago) had always been a loophole. Now, however, the nurse practice act clearly states that anyone using the title "nurse" had better be holding a license or be subject to the laws of the State in which they are misrepresenting themselves. If this incident the OP is describing occured in NYS, believe me the BON and the local DA would be mighty interested.
I can see them hiring them as a medical assistant, they are allow to give shots (but not help with suturing unless its just cleaning the area before and handing instruments...) From what I heard (tell me if I am wrong) in california you do not have to hold a lisence to work as a public health nurse but have to have your BSN...I do now that many people get hired and work as a nurse before they take their exam but must pass before 6months or somthin
Specializes in ER/SICU/Med-Surg/Ortho/Trauma/Flight.
You must have worked in the same office as me. It had one supreme Evil MA who tried to tell me (a former immunization nurse with the State) how to give injections! (and in front of the parent!) Flew outta that place as soon as I could get another job.
Oh yeah, I had an MA once when I was an LPN in an urgent care before I became an RN try to tell me how to set up an IV, for god sakes she didnt even purge the air outta the line and I had too!
:angryfireStupid people I swear are going to be the death of me!
Abut 3 years ago I ran into a similar situation. I took my children to a local ped office for routine care. They had been going there for about 2 years after we had to change peds. The old ped was not on the insurance list of providers. Anyway, the Dr was nice and had two other employees who were always in the office. The first employee sat at the front desk, took insurance info, answered phones etc. The second employee took the patients back, did vitals, asked the questions, etc. After the patient was seen by the Dr the same second employee ran whatever test was needed, gave the shots, meds etc, and then gave followup information to the patient.
One day I was talking to her and telling her how I was going back to get my RN. She shocked me when she said that one day she would like to do that also. I thought she was an RN. I then asked if she was an MA or CNA. She shocked me even more when she told me she had not formal medical education. She dropped out of highschool, and got her GED. She was married, had 5 kids, and was somewhat poor. She went on to explain to me how great the Dr. was to help her out and give her this wonderful opportunity.
WHAT....This woman had acted like a nurse, and been giving meds and injections to my children for 2 years, and she had no education what so ever to do so. I found a new ped quick.
She never called herself an nurse, MA, or CNA she just did the job. She also never wore a a name tag. I now make sure I ask those who care for my family exactly what title they hold before they do anything to them. VERY SCARY!!!!
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BSNin2008
43 Posts
I was working a job, not in the medical field, and a co-worker of mine said he had a second job as a home health nurse. I asked if he was an RN as I was going to nursing school, and he said yes. He told EVERYone at work he was an RN. I recently looked his license up on the NY State BON..... and guess what? He isn't an RN at all..... he IS a licensed LPN though!!!
Being licensed as an LPN he should know it is unethical to be calling himself an RN.... and it really makes me angry..... knowing how hard I am studying for NCLEX-RN, and this guy is walking around calling himself an RN.
I don't work at that job anymore.... but I have alot of friends who are still there. So I casually mentioned this little tidbit to a few of them.....
What a shame if word gets around........ :chuckle
hehe