Long time no see! I haven't visited here in ages (lots of things going on personally), but when I saw this the other day, I knew I had to share....you folks here will understand it in a way no one else in my life will!
It was Thursday afternoon, I was watching Judge Joe Brown in the background as I got ready to go to work. Some lady was suing some dude for money for something (that's what happens when I half-watch something, LOL). Anyway, Judge Joe is asking the plaintiff lady what she does for a living..."you're a bus driver, right?" Lady: "Yes, and I have two jobs, I'm also a NURSE."
Joe: "Are you an RN or an LPN...?"
Lady: "I'm a medical assistant....REGISTERED."
Joe: "So, you're a bus driver and a nurse....(continues to discuss case, talks about how hard it is for her to support herself even without kids, blah blah blah).
You guys know where I am going with this. It's been discussed countless times here, I know. This was just a different forum for me to hear it in, and it made me MORE mad because all I could do was watch....and think, "THIS is how the misconceptions happen, dang it!" Anyone watching who doesn't know any better assumes that yes, this lady is a nurse.
I'm not saying her job isn't important, or that she doesn't have a role in healthcare. Of course she does. But that role is NOT of a nurse.
I know there are posters here that don't get/don't care about other people using the title "nurse," and that's fine. To each their own, no big deal. I'm just one of those people that it DOES bother, and hearing that exchange fired me up a little. The way she had to tack that word on the end...."REGISTERED"....like THAT is what makes the difference here. I realize that some MA's are registered and some are not, yes....it just has nothing to do with being a nurse either way.
I am a former CMA went to school for it, when I first went to MA school in 84 we were called physician assistants, true no lie, trying to remember the name of the school, but my age gets me every time. I must admit as I progressed along I thought to myself after going to MA school again that I did the same thing as a nurse. Anything they could do I could do also. Yeah right NOT, not even close. I decided to go back to school and start my nursing career, cna required before you actually go to nursing school, practical nursing school, NCLEX_PN passed, now trying to get the RN step done, so forth and so on. Well I went to my doctors office one day not sure how we got on the subject, oh yes I do the MA asked me if I was a nurse and I said yes, and I said you a nurse she answered well yes kind of slow, I said really, I know my doctors office don't higher to many nurses LPN/RN they higher mostly MA to keep cost down, and way she admitted to being a MA but added it'as the same thing as being a nurse, and I explained to her nope sweetie don't think so. I use to think that also I told her when I was a MA, but after going to school and working as a nurse I truly begged to differ. Well needless to say she was pretty hot with me an avoids me at all cost when I have to go see my doctor. I don apologize to my fellow nursing for thinking they was I thought when I was an MA, but in my defense I never ever once called my self a nurse, Oh but I am now and very Proud to be one..
Specializes in Trauma, ER, ICU, CCU, PACU, GI, Cardiology, OR.
we, as nurses, need to really catch a clue from other professionals in society and be more vocal about exposing the liars and impostors for who they truly are. other professionals will call out a liar on a moment's notice. we need to follow by example!
needless to say, i totally agree with you regarding the issue on hand we nurses had to go through a grueling nursing program in addition, taking the nclex and pass in order to call ourselves nurses. in other words we earned it!. however, what really gets me fuming is when something goes wrong within your dept. and the doctors are looking for the nurse responsible for that pt. every single individual that called themselves a nurse state the following "i'm not a nurse i'm a so & so". trust me i had to address this issue more times than i care to discuss, with my staff and nm together. unquestionably, a person shouldn't feel "ashamed" for whatever initials follow their name in a medical environment. furthermore, nor feel the necessity to portray themselves as nurse without the proper credentials just to glorified themselves in the eyes of patients & families. undoubtedly, this could potentially take a serious turn and harmful ramifications to the person in question, if they continue to address themselves as nurses, for example if a patients relative comes looking for their relative nurse because the so called nurse gave the wrong information, now this individual has 2 strikes against them. in all honesty, we nurses need to reclaim our status and raise our beloved profession with dignity and pride.
Several people have said that "nurse" is a "protected title" in their states. I'm not sure if it is in Alabama or not, but RubyVee (I think) said that her venipuncturist could get in trouble with the BON for eroniously passing herself off as a nurse.
Now my question is this: In those states where the title is protected, the BON probably can't do anything, because the non-nurse isn't involved with the BON. S/he would not have a license for the BON to do anything about. So, what is the actual legal entity that would do something, and what could be done?
That wasn't stated very articulately, and I apologize, and I'm not being facetious here. I really want to know.
Several people have said that "nurse" is a "protected title" in their states. I'm not sure if it is in Alabama or not, but RubyVee (I think) said that her venipuncturist could get in trouble with the BON for eroniously passing herself off as a nurse.
Now my question is this: In those states where the title is protected, the BON probably can't do anything, because the non-nurse isn't involved with the BON. S/he would not have a license for the BON to do anything about. So, what is the actual legal entity that would do something, and what could be done?
That wasn't stated very articulately, and I apologize, and I'm not being facetious here. I really want to know.
Specializes in Education, FP, LNC, Forensics, ED, OB.
I was wondering something...
Several people have said that "nurse" is a "protected title" in their states. I'm not sure if it is in Alabama or not, but RubyVee (I think) said that her venipuncturist could get in trouble with the BON for eroniously passing herself off as a nurse.
Now my question is this: In those states where the title is protected, the BON probably can't do anything, because the non-nurse isn't involved with the BON. S/he would not have a license for the BON to do anything about. So, what is the actual legal entity that would do something, and what could be done?
That wasn't stated very articulately, and I apologize, and I'm not being facetious here. I really want to know.
From Alabama BON NPA:
34-21-7. Violations and penalties.
Any person or persons, firm, partnership, association or corporation, who ...
... uses in connection with his or her name any designation implying or tending to imply that he or she is a licensed professional nurse and licensed to practice as a registered nurse, or a practical nurse licensed to practice practical nursing as a licensed practical nurse, unless duly licensed to practice under the provisions of this chapter... shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and upon conviction, shall be punished in accordance with the laws of the state of Alabama.
I am a CMA and an LPN and a CPC (Certified Professional Coder) and that comment would have upset me as well. I wish the public (and people writing movie scripts, politicians, popular book authors, etc) would care that there is a difference. We are not all 'nurses', nor do we all want to be. I think most states even have a law against saying you are a nurse if you aren't (check your state nursing practice acts). Offering yourself as a nurse denotes a certain level of care that is 'nursing'. Medical assisting has its own role delineation study and occupational analysis, and it certainly is not nursing.
But, as a correction, there are registered medical assistants (RMA thru the AMT) as well as certified medical assistants CMA(AAMA). Check their websites for more info.
Medical assistants fill a vital role in patient care in the ambulatory setting and are not nurses, nor are they nurse assistants. They assist the physician or midlevel provider in clinical areas or work in clerical and/or administrative areas. Many of the MA skills taught are not included in nursing education, even in the technical nursing areas and MAs are certainly not taught nursing skills.
Anyway, that is my two cents worth to the conversation.
Long time no see! I haven't visited here in ages (lots of things going on personally), but when I saw this the other day, I knew I had to share....you folks here will understand it in a way no one else in my life will!
It was Thursday afternoon, I was watching Judge Joe Brown in the background as I got ready to go to work. Some lady was suing some dude for money for something (that's what happens when I half-watch something, LOL). Anyway, Judge Joe is asking the plaintiff lady what she does for a living..."you're a bus driver, right?" Lady: "Yes, and I have two jobs, I'm also a NURSE."
Joe: "Are you an RN or an LPN...?"
Lady: "I'm a medical assistant....REGISTERED."
Joe: "So, you're a bus driver and a nurse....(continues to discuss case, talks about how hard it is for her to support herself even without kids, blah blah blah).
You guys know where I am going with this. It's been discussed countless times here, I know. This was just a different forum for me to hear it in, and it made me MORE mad because all I could do was watch....and think, "THIS is how the misconceptions happen, dang it!" Anyone watching who doesn't know any better assumes that yes, this lady is a nurse.
I'm not saying her job isn't important, or that she doesn't have a role in healthcare. Of course she does. But that role is NOT of a nurse.
I know there are posters here that don't get/don't care about other people using the title "nurse," and that's fine. To each their own, no big deal. I'm just one of those people that it DOES bother, and hearing that exchange fired me up a little. The way she had to tack that word on the end...."REGISTERED"....like THAT is what makes the difference here. I realize that some MA's are registered and some are not, yes....it just has nothing to do with being a nurse either way.
I had to go for a TB bleb test at the local 'Doctor's Clinic' branch. The MA that did the test was repeatedly referred to as 'Dr. Smith's nurse', by the office staff till I said "Oh! I thought she was a MA, not a nurse, to which the staff members twittered a bit then said, "oh, yeah she is, but she's HIS nurse". Now I get that the general public gets confused, but in a medical office? It annoys me to no end!
I am a medical assistant registered lol. I am taking my last A&P before taking my TEAS and applying to nursing school. I went thru 18 months of school to get my MA and I believe a LPN course was 2-3 additional classes. In my opinion the only people who should be called a nurse would hold an AS, BSN and successfully completed and passed the boards. I left out MSN by mistake. You should have to do the time (studying, Classes etc) to have that right of honor.
Nurse Fee Fee
39 Posts
Ok see....rofl