Nursing without license

Blackcat99 · Jun 18, 2005

What about those women who dress up as nurses and ask for contributions? I've seen these women in front of Wal-mart dressed up in white nursing outfits and they all wear white nursing caps too. They ask for money for their charity but to me it seems that they are trying to pass themselves off as "real" nurses. :rolleyes:

WriteStuff · Jun 18, 2005

I see that the orginal poster is a "registered user" and does not identify as a licensed health professional. That being the case, the poster may very well not know that licensure is required. My apologies to the poster for my oversight there.

As long as I"m here.........maybe I haven't come out from under my rock yet, but it seems you don't read or hear in the news media about persons fraudulently impersonating a Nurse, like you do a Doctor. Doctors are independent practioners, we are, for the most part, employed by someone else. Because of that we're subject to the background check, the license verification, etc. etc. So at least in the acute care and LTC settings it's probably much more difficult to be an imposter.

amber1142 · Jun 18, 2005

I'm totally with you too guys....it's soooo obvious....to practice any kind of profession specially nursing required license. Remember that our responsibility is to practice a quality patient care......
Bori

You can work as a student nurse under the supervision of a registered nurse, and you can work as a graduate nurse (if you are one) under the supervision of a registered nurse, but you cannot represent yourself as a registered nurse if you are not.

kathc · Jun 18, 2005

You can work as a student nurse under the supervision of a registered nurse, and you can work as a graduate nurse (if you are one) under the supervision of a registered nurse, but you cannot represent yourself as a registered nurse if you are not.

I thought this was what she was asking...until I read further. I worked as a graduate nurse under an RN and then on permit (limit one year) until I sat for my boards a few months later. But if I had failed my test, I had 10 days before the permit expired.

That is scary that agencies have no problem hiring nurses that are not registered or licensed. :uhoh21:

justavolunteer · Jun 18, 2005

I am not a nurse (as my user name says) but I know this would be flat-out illegal. I know of a former nurse where I volunteer who worked elsewhere while her license was suspended. She got caught & now she's out there on my state's criminal website for the whole world to see. I can see the obvious temptation because a nurse who suddenly can't work might have severe bill-paying trouble. However, the result of being caught (felony conviction) is not worth it.

suzanne4, RN · Jun 18, 2005

You can work as a student nurse under the supervision of a registered nurse, and you can work as a graduate nurse (if you are one) under the supervision of a registered nurse, but you cannot represent yourself as a registered nurse if you are not.

But you are not practising as a Registered Nurse in those cases under your own license.

ZASHAGALKA, RN · Jun 18, 2005

Sounds to me like OP works or frequents a place where it is common practice for the office staff to refer to anyone wearing scrubs as 'the nurse' and was inquiring about the legitimacy of that practice.

While that's a no-brainer to those of us in here, it is a common (illegal) practice and can reasonably be confusing to a casual observer.

The issue is about more than just semantics though. The term nurse is not a connotative term; it's denotative. It's not subject to an understanding of its meaning; it has a specific meaning grounded in law.

But as long as it makes an office worker feel good to hear herself called 'nurse' and as long as the doc doesn't care because it makes his staff sound more trained, and as long as the licensed staff that runs into this practice doesn't do some serious 'nurse advocating', it is a practice that will continue. (and I might add that while the practice is definitely illegal, try to get your BON to enforce it. It's like driving 72 in a 70: too pervasive to actually enforce.)

I doubt OP was aware of this and that is why (s)he was asking.

~faith,

Timothy.

jansop · Jun 18, 2005

My name is jan. I'm the original poster. I'm have been an active practicing LPN since 1993. I can't really go into detail why I asked that original question, but the answers here have convinced me that calling yourself a nurse when you're not........is a big NO-NO!!!

Is there anywhere a person can go online to see the law side of it?.........jan

Katnip, RN · Jun 18, 2005

Check your state board's Nursing Practice Act to define who and who may not use the title nurse in your state.

NiceNurse · Jun 18, 2005

I recently went to a skin specialist for some minor surgery. The woman with the white M.D.'s coat prepped the area, and before you could blink an eye started the surgery. I asked where the doctor was, she said she did these proceedures for him. I aksed if she was a NP, no was the answer, well I said surely you are an RN with a specialty, no she said, LPN I asked, nope was the answer......she said "I am a CNA, all nurses do is wipe butts and babysit, I can do surgery". I kid you not. I left right after she had to call the real doctor in there to stop my bleeding. They billed my insurance for "surgery at $600.00. I found out later she is the doc's wife! (By the way, she's young, blonde, giant boobs and gorgeous, he of course is not).

My name is jan. I'm the original poster. I'm have been an active practicing LPN since 1993. I can't really go into detail why I asked that original question, but the answers here have convinced me that calling yourself a nurse when you're not........is a big NO-NO!!!
Is there anywhere a person can go online to see the law side of it?.........jan

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · Jun 18, 2005

My name is jan. I'm the original poster. I'm have been an active practicing LPN since 1993. I can't really go into detail why I asked that original question, but the answers here have convinced me that calling yourself a nurse when you're not........is a big NO-NO!!!
Is there anywhere a person can go online to see the law side of it?.........jan

Go to the website of your state's board of nursing. Most of them have a link to the state's nurse practice act. It is stated very clearly in the nurse practice act who practice as a nurse and who cannot. Most states also include a statement of who can call themselves a nurse and who cannot.

Stitchie · Jun 18, 2005

I recently went to a skin specialist for some minor surgery. The woman with the white M.D.'s coat prepped the area, and before you could blink an eye started the surgery. I asked where the doctor was, she said she did these proceedures for him. I aksed if she was a NP, no was the answer, well I said surely you are an RN with a specialty, no she said, LPN I asked, nope was the answer......she said "I am a CNA, all nurses do is wipe butts and babysit, I can do surgery". I kid you not. I left right after she had to call the real doctor in there to stop my bleeding. They billed my insurance for "surgery at $600.00. I found out later she is the doc's wife! (By the way, she's young, blonde, giant boobs and gorgeous, he of course is not).

:nono: :chair:

Did you report that?

Did I miss something? When did "Mrs. MD" mean you became "MD"?