Ultrasound Tech Telling Patients She is a Nurse

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I work with an ultrasound tech that tells patients and other doctors that she is Dr. So and so's nurse. She functions as his nurse, but she isn't a nurse. I am the only nurse working in the office. I do not want our practice shut down because of her actions. Am I overreacting? Can I be held responsible for her actions?

As long as the MS BON doesn't hold me accountable for not reporting it I don't care what she claims to be as long as its not a nurse ;) ... I read multiple threads before posting this one and people were outraged that MAs were calling themselves nurses.

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As long as the MS BON doesn't hold me accountable for not reporting it I don't care what she claims to be... I read multiple threads before posting this one and people were outraged that MAs were calling themselves nurses.

i'm sure there are people who are/will be equally upset about this person going by "nurse."

the issue for ME personally with people using the term nurse is that they usually have little or NO education when they do it. someone shouldn't get the credit for being college educated when they aren't. all of us who ARE know how much hard work it was, and anyone who didn't put in the work shouldn't have the privelege.

however, in THIS case...in MY opinion...it's a little different because not only is she educated (although she's not a RN) but she actually required MORE education than a RN does and has additional certifications beyond that.

so, as i said before...i don't think she tells patients she's a "nurse" because she wants respect for being educated when she isn't...but moreso because it would take a long wind to explain what she really is. plus, she functions as a nurse....so it makes sense to ME..personally.

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You do make a valid point. Thank you for giving me your point of view. :)

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She has multiple credentials and should know better than to call herself a nurse. I spoke with one of the doctors today and he said he would mention it to our other doctor. I have avoided talking to her directly because of her attitude and also because I have tried to give her the benefit of the doubt thinking maybe she wouldn't continue doing it. No such luck tho..

Ok girl, time to call out the heavy artillery. Bust out the whites and a cap one day for duty, something this woman cannot do. Let's see how she explains that one! *LOL*

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Lol :)

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Ok girl, time to call out the heavy artillery. Bust out the whites and a cap one day for duty, something this woman cannot do. Let's see how she explains that one! *LOL*

Actually....she could do that. Then they'd both look silly! :rotfl:

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

It doesn't matter how many degrees and/or certifications or education you have in a related field of study. If you aren't licensed as a nurse, you can no more call yourself a nurse than a medical assistant or a CNA can.

I like the idea of dressing the part, though! Bust out the whites and cap! :)

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It doesn't matter how many degrees and/or certifications or education you have in a related field of study. If you aren't licensed as a nurse, you can no more call yourself a nurse than a medical assistant or a CNA can.
I agree! That is how I feel.. I don't have multiple credentials, but I am a nurse and I'm proud of it! For her to just throw it around is disrespectful. In all honesty she is more educated than I am, but she isn't a nurse! ;)
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It doesn't matter how many degrees and/or certifications or education you have in a related field of study. If you aren't licensed as a nurse, you can no more call yourself a nurse than a medical assistant or a CNA can.

I like the idea of dressing the part, though! Bust out the whites and cap! :)

they can....and they do.

it's just that in this case...she's kind of right.

if it weren't that she was calling herself a "nurse" it would be "this woman i work with who is certified in everything feels the need to tell every patient all the degrees and certifications she has."

i think the intent behind it matters. her intent is to simplify her title and the OP even said, "she functions as his nurse."

if she weren't highly educated in the medical field and didn't "function as his nurse" then it would be a totally different story. everything has an exception, and for me...this is one of them.

but i knew some people wouldn't agree with my take on it which is why i said it's my opinion.

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I have two points of view on this.

I get annoyed at CNAs who tell pts and family outright "I'm your nurse." they know better. I will tell these aides they should not be telling people (especially family) that they are the nurse.

Then you have the patients (usually pleasantly confused little old people) who call anyone who feeds them or changes their briefs "my nurse". Who cares in this case? I know the CNAs don't bother to correct them. Neither do I. What would be the point?

Also, I think a UAP CAN technically do anything a nurse does in a doctors office setting. A doctor can delegate anything he sees fit, right?

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In the case the OP mentions, I think it's okay that the tech refers to herself as a nurse.

Let's be frank, does she really have the time to explain the complicated mess of different health care roles to a general public who couldn't care less? She probably deals with a lot of pts every day and introducing herself as the "nurse" keeps things flowing quicker.

I'd place this in the "who cares" category. It's the lesser of two evils.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

In an LTC or office practice the pleasantly confused patients/residents who do that -- I don't care. It would be pointless to make an issue of it. The issue here is whether or not education tangentially related to nursing entitles someone to call themselves a nurse simply because it is college-level education of some type. If I'm an RN or LPN and have worked in and around psych or at an outreach clinic in disadvantaged areas will I eventually become an LCSW?

The point is, it doesn't matter what an MD delegates to an MA, a tech, or somebody with a degree in healthcare administration, because it doesn't turn them into a nurse. They don't at any point become governed by the BON. It's a disservice to ourselves and the public to state otherwise.

Nurses are hired for more than just tasks,anyway. We're hired because we're trained in the nursing process, ie "critical thinking". That's why one of the few things in my state an MA can't legally do is telephone triage.

If all it took was our opinion to decide who can call themselves a nurse or not, I'm quite certain there are many MAs who've worked in a field for a long time and know the type of patient their employer sees backwards and forwards. Why would they be less qualified to use a professional title they don't have than someone who is a vascular tech, etc. It's entirely subjective. That's why we have licensing exams in the first place.

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