Tech saying they are a nurse

llltapp · Mar 4, 2009

I think ACHA is another place I would bring this issue. They are LTC nazi's lol

Thankful RN,BSN · Mar 4, 2009

Of course other people are bothered by people who are not nurses, calling themselves nurses. There are tons of other posts like this.

babyNP., APRN · Mar 4, 2009

^^ doesn't mean we should ignore it! Stand up for our rights and our license.

Trophywife81 · Mar 4, 2009

I worked too hard and made too many sacrifices to become a nurse to have unlicensed personnel using for themselves the title that I EARNED...I can kinda, sorta look the other way if I see a CNA trying to soothe a dementia patient who may not know what a CNA is, but may likely be reassured by the presence of a "nurse".....however this individual deliberately chose to impersonate a nurse to a nursing professional. Definitely call the BON and the DON.

ksangel · Mar 4, 2009

just a thought: as an aide or medication aide.... when a patient was calling out for a nurse? and you said yes?

it was wrong she claimed to be a nurse when asked specifically for a nurse. the director of nursing is wrong by telling them to call themselves nurses

core0 · Mar 5, 2009

It is illegal in any state and also against the nurse practice act to identify yourself as a "Nurse". I would report this not only to thier DON but to the BON. I worked hard to earn my title as RN. A Nurse is a nurse and a tech/cna is just that a CNA. Heck you dont even have to have a GED to be a CNA in many institutions. Lol do any of you remember the stink about "heart attack grill" calling thier servers nurses? If a CNA can call thierselves a Nurse then I could just as well say I'm the Doc!!!! I wouldnt stand for it.

Actually this is incorrect. In pretty much ever state registered nurse and RN are protected titles. However, in a number of states nurse is not a protected title (including the OPs state if a quick perusal of the nurse practice act is correct).

siouxsieyq, BSN, LPN, RN · Mar 5, 2009

Hard to fathom that an LTC or SNF could run in any state without RN's or LVN's. Makes me wonder if this isn't an RCFE (residential care facility for the elderly). In California at least, they are licensed by the department of social services, not the dept. of health. Some will have a nurse, usually and LVN that works for 8 hours a day, checking mars, med reconciliation etc. But many RCFE's have no licensed staff at all. Med techs or medication aides give meds, but can only give PO meds. If the residents have any PRNs, the parameters must be clearly defined (i.e. cant use mild, mod or severe pain as that requires assessment, must be broken down into the pain scale. 1 pain pill for pain rated 1-5, 2 for pain rated 6-10). In any case, I agree that she should not have identified herself as a nurse. While I have met some very smart, sharp med techs in my work experiences ( I work for a hospice and have some patients that still live in RCFE's) I haven't met that many that have the critical thinking skills that come with a nursing education and experiences. Being able to say "I am a nurse" is an honor and priveledge that is earned through hard work and also carries a great responsibility. I think if "Jessica" had realized in some states she could be held responsible as a nurse for stating she was a nurse, she would have had second thoughts about saying that. Just my lil ol 2 cents.

prettyNpurple · Mar 5, 2009

I am a tech/Cna and I am in the works of getting into a nursing school so that I can not only be trained to be a nurse, but to also be called a Nurse.

If Nurses get their PhD's and can't be called "DR." then I dont find it fair for Cna's to be called, Nurse. We are their assistants, we assist. Though sometimes I think we are underpayed for all the hardwork we do, thats another story! anyway, I like being called a Tech rather than CNA.

inland18mempire · Mar 5, 2009

i don't think this is a big deal. patient's know what a nurse is. hospital's come up with these elaborate and unnecessary titles. in our hospital, CNAs are "patient care associates". I'd get tired of explaining that over and over and over again. It's easier to say that you are a nurse and people get it. As for the previous comment about it being illegal to represent yourself as a nurse.....yes, that's true, but to be "prosecuted in a court of law" you would have to act in the role of a nurse (for example, take a telephone order and write it) to actually have this law apply. this law doesn't apply to someone that simply states they are a nurse. anyone can say they are a nurse. but again, for it to be illegal, you would have to ACT in a role as an RN.

RochesterRN-BSN, BSN, RN · Mar 5, 2009

i don't think this is a big deal. patient's know what a nurse is. hospital's come up with these elaborate and unnecessary titles. in our hospital, CNAs are "patient care associates". I'd get tired of explaining that over and over and over again. It's easier to say that you are a nurse and people get it. As for the previous comment about it being illegal to represent yourself as a nurse.....yes, that's true, but to be "prosecuted in a court of law" you would have to act in the role of a nurse (for example, take a telephone order and write it) to actually have this law apply. this law doesn't apply to someone that simply states they are a nurse. anyone can say they are a nurse. but again, for it to be illegal, you would have to ACT in a role as an RN.

This is unbelievable. Can a nurse SAY she is a PHYSICIAN even if she doesn't actually practice and DO something.....HELL NO!!!!! This is the most ignorant thing I have read here in a while. IT IS ILLEGAL TO ACT AS A NURSE OR SAY YOU ARE ONE...WHEN YOU DON'T HOLD THE LICENSE!!!!! It is NOT an unnessary TITLE. IT is a state issued--and earned--LICENSE....that comes with a lot of responsibility, accountability and priviledge. If you don't understand this concept you have NO RIGHT to ever hold ANY LICENSE as an LPN, RN or any other LICENSED profession.

flightnurse2b, LPN · Mar 5, 2009

it does drive me crazy when people who are not nurses use that word to describe themselves. it makes me feel like i put alot of hard work in for nothing. and here in north carolina, the word nurse is a protect term, reserved only for LPN and RN.

however, there was a thread on here recently about med techs and i learned alot. some LTC/SNF/ALF do not require a licensed nurse to be there to administer meds and care for patients, only an RN in the building as a supervisor, and i guess the residents/their families sign a waiver saying that they are aware there is not going to be a nurse there and a nurse will not be administering their medicines and treatments.

now, while i do agree it was wrong that this girl said she was the pt's "nurse", perhaps she was the only one on the floor who knew anything about the pt and was maybe the most appropriate person to actually get report from, if she was functioning in the role of a med tech on that hall without a licensed nurse supervising her. the DON or whoever might not have known the patient from adam.

it is not worth getting yourself very upset over. althought it's NOT ok, the practice is very common and it will continue, i think simply due to the fact that the general public does not truly know the difference between everyone with scrubs on and it's just easier to say "nurse" as well as physicians (esp in like MD offices) enable the behavior by referring to their CMA/RMA as their "nurse". and due to this practice, i suppose it is easier for the person who is now thought of as the "nurse" to continue to call themselves that rather than correct people and spend the time explaining when the questions come afterwards.

like i said, as a licensed nurse who worked her rear off in nrsg school, it does annoy me, and i know it's illegal.

just trying to look at a different point of view.

APRN., DNP, RN, APRN, NP · Mar 5, 2009

i don't think this is a big deal. patient's know what a nurse is. hospital's come up with these elaborate and unnecessary titles. in our hospital, cnas are "patient care associates". i'd get tired of explaining that over and over and over again. it's easier to say that you are a nurse and people get it. as for the previous comment about it being illegal to represent yourself as a nurse.....yes, that's true, but to be "prosecuted in a court of law" you would have to act in the role of a nurse (for example, take a telephone order and write it) to actually have this law apply. this law doesn't apply to someone that simply states they are a nurse. anyone can say they are a nurse. but again, for it to be illegal, you would have to act in a role as an rn.

it is a big deal in california. so much so, that there is a website ( http://www.rn.ca.gov/enforcement/unlicprac.shtml ) that you can peruse to see how many other people like yourself thought the same thing until they got prosecuted!

npr-i-27 winter 1999

new law protects title "nurse" and requires name tags

the title "nurse" is now protected by law effective january 1, 1999, as the result of legislation introduced by

assemblyman brett granlund.

"in the interest of public safety and consumer awareness," ab 1439 (chaptered 98-1013) prohibits the use of the title

"nurse" by any individual except rns or licensed vocational nurses. the new law does not prohibit certified nurses'

aides from using their specific title.

this new law also requires health care practitioners to wear a name tag while working that discloses their name and

practitioner license status in at least 18-point type. in psychiatric settings or in settings not licensed by the state,

employers have the discretion to not require name tags if there are individual safety or therapeutic concerns. also, if

the practitioner's license is prominently displayed in a practice or an office, name tags are not required.

the board supported this legislation as a means to prevent confusion for consumers.

board of registered nursing

p.o box 944210, sacramento, ca 94244-2100

p (916) 322-3350 | http://www.rn.ca.gov

ruth ann terry, mph, rn, executive officer