problems.....at work

[Cmanursestudenta]

So I took my boards a week ago and I passed and now have a nursing license(YAY still celebrating)

Work has told me I can not call myself a nurse. I have stated a few times to them that I am a nurse, provided a copy of my nursing license from the State BON, requested a raise, and yesterday was visited by management member and told "can you please chill on telling people you are a nurse." I have not refused to be on the floor, accepted my current CNA assignments and was told I will have to be retrained as a nurse but not given a time frame. I have only stated that I would like to be called a nurse and written the word nurse by name where everyone writes their titles. Apparently this has upset people and I've been told that no I can't be called a nurse. One nurse chewed me out for calling myself a nurse but I went to nursing school, passed my boards, and have a nursing license and am beyond fed up. I'm about ready to hand in my notice. I left work in tears yesterday.

[ProperlySeasoned]

I would not die on this hill. You have the potential to have years, if not decades, as an RN working in an RN role. Accept their policy, disagree with it mentally, and move on to bigger and better things (while keeping the bridge intact).

[TriciaJ, RN]

Here's what should have happened: A few weeks or months before graduation you would have asked your employer what need to happens to be employed there as a nurse. They should have told you what the process is and what the timeline would be. Ideally, you should have been on board as a nurse the minute you passed NCLEX.

Now you hold a nursing license and a CNA employment position, with no clear plan from your employer for transitioning to a nursing position. Instead of coming up with a plan, your employer just chides you for calling yourself a nurse, when you are one. They seem to see you as a thorn in their side, rather than the valuable resource that you are.

Time to move on. Meanwhile, quit calling yourself a nurse in that facility. Keep on quietly doing your CNA work, and politely resign as soon as you find a nursing position. Congratulations and good luck!

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

You might win this battle, but at the expense of the war.

Look for another job. Unless you are independently wealthy and don't need your paycheck, keep working and keep quiet until you find one.

Congratulations on finishing school. Swallow that lemon. It is only a blip on the radar of your life and not worth the heft you are giving it by being so stubborn. What they call you or don't call you doesn't change what you are.

[Cmanursestudenta]

well my DON called me to her office after I was very very quiet and stopped identifying as a nurse. Told me I could be in serious trouble for not identifying as a nurse to the CNA and med aides there and that I was responsible to the highest level of my licensing for the CNA and med aides under me(the fact that I am a nurse on a unit without another nurse meant that they were under my supervision defacto according to the DON) and then they also told me when I would be oriented as a nurse ASAP and gave me a raise. Apparently I was responsible as a nurse for my unit in the absence of another nurse despite not being a formally recognized nurse there and had anything happened according to my DON and state nursing board, I would have been held legally responsible by state. I discussed this with my DON and they changed my status to nurse and I'm no longer allowed to work there as a CNA and must identify as a Nurse.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Interesting. I would definitely be looking for a different job.

[caliotter3]

Get the Hades out of there!!!

[Cmanursestudenta]

I am transferring to another unit.

[caliotter3]

That may not be enough. Managers collude with each other you know. I would leave as soon as I got a new job. Fresh start will give you a better chance at success.

[Cmanursestudenta]

I'm transferring to a different unit. I think the problem is my lack of confidence and the fact that I didn't think I would pass. My NCLEX was hellishly hard half my questions were SATA and I left shaking and in tears. It was about 85 questions and one hour long. I left thinking I failed and stated as much. The licensing unit took almost a month and a half when I got my med aide and I was in shock when I saw my nursing license on the board website.

My manager told me she thought from the way I was acting that I had failed...They posted my license so fast...not even 48 hours later. My work thought it would take 6 weeks....and that they had time.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

85 questions is great and you earned this. They should have been supporting you, not believing you failed. I am sorry you work with people like that. Congratulations on your accomplishment - you deserve to feel very good about how you did.

[Cmanursestudenta]

I could have fainted from the shock of seeing my license. My DON and nursing supervisor were in shock too.

We are having a severe nursing shortage here. There are tons of jobs for nurses and a lot of

complaints according to my nursing supervisor of how long it's taken in the past. My DON flat out said

that maybe the BON finally realized how desperate for nurses they really are......I often underestimate myself...

and I tend to be rather shy...

[TriciaJ, RN]

So you were in trouble for identifying yourself as a nurse until you stopped. Then you were in trouble for not identifying yourself as a nurse. They seem to want it both ways. This behaviour suggests they would not hesitate to throw you under the bus.

A fresh start as an RN on a different unit with no ambiguity should be a good thing. However, keep your eyes open for shenanigans from your new management. If they can't get it together and support you as a new nurse then you can always bail if need be.

Congratulations and good luck! Keep us posted.