"I'll let you talk to Dr Bigego's 'nurse'" (is she really a nurse?)

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When ever I call my doctor, or try to get through to a doctor about a patient, I'm always told by the receptionist that she'll transfer me to his/her 'nurse'. I've learned from this site, however, that many of these people are only medical asssistants! I've never been told that by the office receptionist. Even the doctors will refer to their assistant as "my nurse"!

I call that false advertising!!!:angryfire Our profession needs to put a stop to this misrepresentation!!!:angryfire

Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

I didn't intend to denigrate Medical Assistances in my opening post, sorry if it came across that way.

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I didn't intend to denigrate Medical Assistances in my opening post, sorry if it came across that way.

Jls, I don't feel your post was denigrating MA's at all. It's only the misrepresentation that SOME insist on that is the issue. And believe me I completely understand that.

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Specializes in ER, Occupational Health, Cardiology.

I have even printed out our State's BON decisions/mandates regarding MAs or others "impersonating a Nurse" and given them to Management (2 RNs!) here, and nothing has been done by them or any of the Physicians. Everybody here is called a nurse, and I was told by our COO (one of the RNs) that I am "predjudiced" when I first dared bring the subject up to her.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

That was my point, I don't approve of non-nurses to be labeled as nurses. Our profession should have some rights to insist on the word 'nurse' being only used by LPNs or RNs, especially someone who is working in a medical office or clinic.

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While I don't doubt that SOME MAs will misrepresent themselves, you do have to keep in mind that anytime someone from the general public sees a female in scrubs, she is a "nurse". Which is why I think we need to have a national color coding scrub rule for all healthcare workers.

I volunteer at a local hospital, and I have to wear scrubs, but I always have my name tag on the upper left hand of my shirt. It clearly says "VOLUNTEER SERVICES --MY NAME", then my picture. The text is even in a different color than that of an employee's. I can't even begin to tell you how many times people have said "Nurse, my husband needs something!", "Nurse, please come into the room", "Are you Sarah, my nurse?" while looking right at my nametag (my name isn't even Sarah!). Then they look at me like I'm lying when I say "I'm not a nurse, but I'll go find one for you." It's kind of silly =)

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.
I have even printed out our State's BON decisions/mandates regarding MAs or others "impersonating a Nurse" and given them to Management (2 RNs!) here, and nothing has been done by them or any of the Physicians. Everybody here is called a nurse, and I was told by our COO (one of the RNs) that I am "predjudiced" when I first dared bring the subject up to her.

While the doctors offices continue to refer to their MA's as nurses I did have a huge victory.

When I was doing charge I would get many phone calls from doctors offices from the "nurse" giving orders for a patient. I would ask are you an LPN? or an RN? ummmmmmn.....no MA. I would tell them sorry I cannot take an order from you. They would get mad and insist I take the order and I would insist on speaking to a licensed person or the doctor. I got so much flack that I decided to go to administration. Our hospital policy is now that we can only take orders from a licensed nurse, PA, NP or the physician. The physicians weren't too happy with our new policy but they have adjusted. I tried the same in HH but didn't have any luck changing anything so on we go taking orders from MA's.

The doctors and their offices continue to refer to their staff as "nurses". You win some :w00t:You lose some :angryfire

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When ever I call my doctor, or try to get through to a doctor about a patient, I'm always told by the receptionist that she'll transfer me to his/her 'nurse'. I've learned from this site, however, that many of these people are only medical asssistants! I've never been told that by the office receptionist. Even the doctors will refer to their assistant as "my nurse"!

I call that false advertising!!!:angryfire Our profession needs to put a stop to this misrepresentation!!!:angryfire

So you're assuming that the nurse is a medical assistant just because of what you've read on this site?? You don't even know for sure and you're claiming false advertising.

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.
So you're assuming that the nurse is a medical assistant just because of what you've read on this site?? You don't even know for sure and you're claiming false advertising.

I've learned from this site, however, that many of these people are only medical asssistants

Rather than reading the first post and reacting you should read further. Thanks. ;)

I didn't intend to denigrate Medical Assistants in my opening post, sorry if it came across that way.
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I am in aw of all nurses and the wonderful work that you do each and every day. I know that my meager 9 month education aas an MA is in no way equal to the years of nursinf school and the training and knowledge that go along with such.

I tell pt if I know an inch of info., a nurse know a mile, and a Dr. a couple of feet on a good day. ( Just kidding)

Don't sell yourself short. A 9 month education is exactly the same amount of time my husband spent to become a LPN and call himself a nurse.

Also, we have RN's, LPN's, and MA's working in our clinic offices and guess what? They all do the exact same job - just for different pay!

By the way, our MA's have no formal training. Just a couple weeks following another MA around on the job.

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

Also, we have RN's, LPN's, and MA's working in our clinic offices and guess what? They all do the exact same job - just for different pay!

You may think they're doing the same exact job but the nurses have critical thinking skills which the MA's do not.

By the way, our MA's have no formal training. Just a couple weeks following another MA around on the job.

That's scary

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You may think they're doing the same exact job but the nurses have critical thinking skills which the MA's do not.

That's scary

Regardless of the skills they possess, in our Docs office, they have the exact same job decription.

Sometimes it really is. Especially when the turnover rate is so high. You meet a new MA every time you go to the Doc.

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You may think they're doing the same exact job but the nurses have critical thinking skills which the MA's do not.

That's scary

What do you mean MAs do not posess critical thinking skills? I don't mean to start a flame war, I'm just very curious as to what you meant. It's not like we're taught to just to do skills...At least at my school, we have to know why we're doing it, what happens when we do it, what could potentially go wrong, and how to react and what to do if something does go wrong. I understand that we definately do not learn the same things that Nurses learn, but it's not like we're trained monkies or anything =)

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