Thoughts on nurses who graduate nursing school calling themselves nurses before the NCLEX

BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN · May 12, 2015

I think it's semantics.
I also think semantics are important.
It is a bit like the "doctor" debate. Of course you can get a doctorate in anything, and have the right to use the title. But, if you use the title in the health care field, it's important you do so in a way that people understand you are not a physician. This takes nothing away from the hard work you put into your exercise kinesiologist doctorate.
In 2014 there were nearly 30,000 people who graduated nursing school who subsequently failed their NCLEX. These people were not qualified to be nurses. The fact that in some areas they were entitled to use the title for a short bit does not alter their qualifications.Yes, for the short period between graduation and failing, they have been technically entitled to the title, but unqualified nonetheless.
Those people should not be confused with qualified nurses in a health care setting.
Let's say you go to a law office, and the person helping you has graduated law school, and is on the way to failing his boards. Would you want that person to identify himself to you as a "lawyer"? What if you found out that technically he was entitled to the title until he failed his boards. Would that help?
Personally, if you call yourself a lawyer, I expect that you have passed your boards, and are licensed to practice law.

I've posted this before as well. If you are a Wisconsin resident, educated in law in WI and practice law in WI, you do NOT need to take the bar exam, yet you may call yourself AND practice as a lawyer. It's called diploma privileges: Diploma privilege - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

elijahvegas, ASN, RN, EMT-P · May 13, 2015

I also thanked the ones who posted helping me to understand, and to correct my understanding. Most posts, but elijahvirgo where helpful.

i suppose that the point of my post went beyond your understanding of it, so allow me to clarify a bit the intent of pointing out the irony, and if you still deem it unhelpful then i guess i have nothing further to say on the matter.

The reason i pointed out the irony is because, just as you yourself made the oversight of calling them a nurse without truly believing they are one, did it ever cross your mind that they too made that very same oversight ? Sure they verbally said, " i am now a nurse" but i think theres a big difference between being happy post graduation and walking around saying "im so and so, i am your rn"

sometimes its just easier to be technically incorrect. As another poster said, theres 101 other things going on in the world for me personally to care what someone is deciding to call themselves in and out of my presence. but i have a laissez-faire attitude about most things. so while i dont have an answer about whether its right or wrong (both morally and legally) my opinion on the matter is, who cares? :sarcastic: so long as no one is getting hurt, being purposely malicious, or engaging in criminal/dangerous behavior.

hope that helped.

elijahvegas, ASN, RN, EMT-P · May 13, 2015

and i mean that in the mildest, most harmless way possible. i know its hard to detect tone when reading responses on the internet, so im hoping my explanation in no way offended you or was taken as snark.

NuGuyNurse2b · May 13, 2015

I understand the technicality of it, that a GN is in fact a nurse, as stated in the title GN, but when you tell friends and family members you're a "nurse" - that's implying the whole yard (graduated, passed boards) and I think that is deceptive/misleading. I am just as excited as the next person to make it through your typical rigorous nursing program - but upon graduation this week, I still would not tell people I'm a "nurse" nor would I clarify that I'm a GN. I would go the long route and tell them I just graduated and I'm planning on taking my licensing exam. The only reason why I feel this way is because when you tell people you're a nurse, there's a preconceived expectation -most people don't know LPN/RN distinction, and even if they do, they don't see LPN's as "nurses" (am I the only one who recall years ago on TV those ads that told people to request an RN when hospitalized?), so that's a whole nother can of worms. I think it's unrealistic to expect non-nursing people to know these things and with this knowledge, if you say something that requires a lot of technical explanation to kind of make it correct, you're already in trouble.

bugya90, ASN, BSN, LVN, RN · May 13, 2015

most people don't know LPN/RN distinction, and even if they do, they don't see LPN's as "nurses" (am I the only one who recall years ago on TV those ads that told people to request an RN when hospitalized?), so that's a whole nother can of worms.

You realize the N in LPN stands for Nurse and the L stands for Licensed meaning they have passed boards and are a licensed nurse in their respective state right?

NuGuyNurse2b · May 13, 2015

You realize the N in LPN stands for Nurse and the L stands for Licensed meaning they have passed boards and are a licensed nurse in their respective state right?

That's not what I said. I said people don't perceive them as nurses...just as a graduate nurse isn't perceived as a nurse. I've heard the joke before...Licensed Pretend Nurse. That's what I'm talking about.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · May 14, 2015

My state does not have a Graduate Nurse designation so someone with a nursing degree could not call herself a nurse before passing NCLEX, nor can you work as a nurse in any capacity until you do.

DowntheRiver · May 14, 2015

A nurse is a nurse is a nurse.

I graduated nursing school so therefore I was a nurse.

I passed my NCLEX so therefore I am a Registered nurse.

I think it is all how you phrase it. As long as you aren't misleading, I don't think it is lying. People such as CNAs or MAs telling people that they are nurses when they are not, not correcting patients when they identify them wrong, etc. I have one friend who works as a doctor's MA and calls herself a nurse. She is NOT a nurse, never went to nursing school, and doesn't even want to be a nurse. Yet she identifies herself as a nurse. Multiple people have corrected her yet she still does it. It'll catch up to her one day and that's on her.

strawberryluv, BSN, RN · May 15, 2015

What's the big deal. It's just a title. What really matters is if this person is employed and calling themselves a nurse AND performing registered nurse functions without a license at their clinical setting job. Hmm...because that's not right haha.

But why not? Eventually, we will all becomes RNs right?

Guest219794 · May 16, 2015

What's the big deal. It's just a title. What really matters is if this person is employed and calling themselves a nurse AND performing registered nurse functions without a license at their clinical setting job. Hmm...because that's not right haha.
But why not? Eventually, we will all becomes RNs right?

Irony?

LittleCandles · May 19, 2015

I've posted this before as well. If you are a Wisconsin resident, educated in law in WI and practice law in WI, you do NOT need to take the bar exam, yet you may call yourself AND practice as a lawyer. It's called diploma privileges: Diploma privilege - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wikipedia is not a good site to source. The state says you can call yourself a nurse. So... Unless it's printed in their laws that it's unlawful. It seems like a "rumor" an angry RN made to prevent LPNs from claiming their rightful title.

NICUmiiki, DNP, NP · May 20, 2015

Well... I just graduated. And since I have a permit to practice nursing as a graduate nurse, I can legally walk into the room of the patient I'm caring for and introduce myself as a nurse in my state, of course. I just have to make it clear that I am not a registered nurse yet.