Tech saying they are a nurse

BradleyRN · Mar 5, 2009

Calling yourself a nurse when you are not licensed as one is a deception and should be punished!:)

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Mar 5, 2009

my grandmother was in an assisted living facility. when the DON, the only nurse that the company employed, told me that the CNAs give the medicine i was flabergasted! she told me that she set the meds up and the CNAs gave them when she is not there. that includes if a patient needs a prn med like a pain pill or "nerve" pill.

In some states, CNAs can give meds if they are trained or certified to give meds.

LuLu2008 · Mar 5, 2009

http://nursingworld.org/mainmenucategories/ANAPoliticalPower/State/StateLegislativeAgenda/TitleNurse_1.aspx

Good article. It is about the title "nurse" being protected.

Yes... doctors can save $$$$ by hiring people with little education and training, and having these people assist them in their offices. These people have a habit of calling themselves nurses and are perfectly legal doing all sorts of nursing functions under the supervision of the doctor.... who has saved lots of money.

BradleyRN · Mar 5, 2009

In some states, CNAs can give meds if they are trained or certified to give meds.

Indeed, another crime perpetrated against the elderly.

(and against us too, really) :)

DeepFriedRN · Mar 5, 2009

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.

Actually, you can be prosecuted just for saying you are one, (at least in CA, anyway) because you are misrepresenting yourself as a licensed professional, to someone who may not know better.

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Mar 5, 2009

Correct English grammar would be: Tech saying SHE is a nurse! :)

According to The Handbook of Nonsexist Writing, "they" can be singular if the subject's gender is unknown.

LuLu2008 · Mar 5, 2009

The Handbook of Nonsexist Writing is just a reflection on current usage, but not a guide to good grammar.

BradleyRN · Mar 5, 2009

Correct English grammar would be: Tech saying SHE is a nurse! :)

The Handbook of Nonsexist Writing is just a reflection on current usage, but not a guide to good grammar.

Really? Seriously? It took me a while to figure out just what you were talking about. :)

dotherightthing · Mar 5, 2009

hello my fellow nurses,
i work in the er and the other night, we got an ambulance from a local nursing home. well, ems gave us report and it did not quite fit the patient. so, the doctor told me to call the nursing home and get report (since the nursing home did not bother to call report before they sent the patient). well, i asked can i talk to the nurse taking care of mr. so-so, she said she was the nurse. so i asked the needed questions and asked her name and title (for my charting) and she said "nurse jessica" well, i had the transfer sheet that jessica so-so, ml1 signed. i asked her if she was jessica so-so, and she said yes. i told her a ml1 is not a nurse and asked again if i could talk to the nurse. she said they have no nurses- no lpns or rns just ml1. i told her that calling yourself a nurse (when you're not) is against the law and that i would be calling her don tomorrow morning. she said they are suppose to call themselves nurses because they are part of nursing.
does this bother anybody else besides me? we do not even care enough about our older generation to provide with nursing care, only ml1 care (whatever an ml1 is) i think instead of nursing home they should call it a mid level care center, this would be more accurate!!
brandie

a really huge lawsuit was won in illinois around a med tech allowing a family to beleive she was a nurse. it's a bit easier to accept a poor prognosid and a bad outcome when they're thinking that the professional staff has done all they could. but a bad outcome when a professional staff was not there? uh-uh. would the outcome been different with a professional staff there? just that question equals winning.

Iam46yearsold · Mar 8, 2009

I DON'T THINK SO...I worked too hard for my RN degree to have a care giver just throw the term around to suit their needs...illegally...!!!!

I worked for my degree also just like everyone else here. maybe they have a reason for it. Yes it is illegal to deliberatelt commit fraud to impersonate a nurse. Especially for personal beneifit. But I did not get that from the OP message.

Iam46yearsold · Mar 8, 2009

Indeed, another crime perpetrated against the elderly.
(and against us too, really) :)

How is it a crime against you or me for that matter. Some states have certified med aides. Maybe that is to aid in alleviating the nursing shortage.

LuLu2008 · Mar 8, 2009

Iam46yearsold, as I see it the problem is the unclear usage of the word "nurse" which some states have clearly defined as a protected title. I think people who do not have a license and use the term are trying to elevate themselves in the eyes of other people and for many years have been allowed to do so. That is changing now. The way the system works is to use the least qualified person to do the highest level of skill, in order to pay that person the least possible wage... therefore you have certified med techs passing meds!