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?

She's not more educated she is differently educated. Calling oneself Doctor when you are not for the purpose of misleading the patient is illegal. So is calling oneself "Nurse" when you are not is illegal....in 37 states.

OP...go to your MD's and let them know the lagalities of the situation. Call the nursing board if you require more clairifcation as the laws vary greatly state to state.

Thanks! I feel like I am being attacked for asking the question... I have read so many posts on how people are outraged that a coworker is calling themselves a nurse, but when I posted this some people seem to think it's ok or they say who cares... I still stand firm that I do not like it and her education is irrelevant because she IS NOT A NURSE :) I wish I hadn't started this thread now...

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To know if she is doing anything that will impinge upon your practice you would need to see what your states laws say regarding the use of the word "Nurse". Some states regulate titles and some don't.

Either way she is misleading patients by saying she is a nurse. I would take her to the side and let her know your feelings and then take it from there.

JonBRN

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Thanks! I feel like I am being attacked for asking the question... I have read so many posts on how people are outraged that a coworker is calling themselves a nurse, but when I posted this some people seem to think it's ok or they say who cares... I still stand firm that I do not like it and her education is irrelevant because she IS NOT A NURSE :) I wish I hadn't started this thread now...

No...this is a subject that more nurses need to be better educated and informed about. You can't impersonate a Police Officer and you can't impersonate a Nurse. Nurses need to become more involved in the protection of their profession to preserve it's future. You have very right to be offended by her misleading patients. Call your local board.

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My opinion:

She is at the very least misleading patients if not doing something illegal.

I am often mistaken for a physician by my patients. I never let them believe that I am a physician by immediately correcting them. It takes me a mere moment where I am proud to make the distinction that I am a "Registered Nurse" not a physician.

Her education in the fields in which she is not functioning are irrelevant to her practice when she is an Ultrasonographer.

I do not walk into a patient room and say "I am JonBRN" and I am a Certified Purchasing Manager and your Nurse today as one is not relevant. Nor do I walk in and say "I am JonBRN, BSN" also not relevant. I say "Hi I am JonBRN and I am your Nurse and I will be caring for you for the next 12 hours.". She ought to say, "Hi I am Betty, your ultrasonographer and I will be performing your ultrasound".

JonBRN

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My opinion:

She is at the very least misleading patients if not doing something illegal.

I am often mistaken for a physician by my patients. I never let them believe that I am a physician by immediately correcting them. It takes me a mere moment where I am proud to make the distinction that I am a "Registered Nurse" not a physician.

Her education in the fields in which she is not functioning are irrelevant to her practice when she is an Ultrasonographer.

I do not walk into a patient room and say "I am JonBRN" and I am a Certified Purchasing Manager and your Nurse today as one is not relevant. Nor do I walk in and say "I am JonBRN, BSN" also not relevant. I say "Hi I am JonBRN and I am your Nurse and I will be caring for you for the next 12 hours.". She ought to say, "Hi I am Betty, your ultrasonographer and I will be performing your ultrasound".

JonBRN

I agree.. :)

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that is NOT what she is doing. why would someone with all the education and certifications she has need to "gain stature."

:banghead:

what's the difference in this woman going by "nurse" and Dr. Greg who isn't a doctor going by doctor?

:uhoh3:

"Dr. Greg" is wrong too.

Trying to gain stature or not, she's misleading people. Neil deGrasse Tyson has way more education than me. And a lot more status than I have. But an astrophysicist is NOT a nurse. And thus, he would mislead people if he said that he was. And that would be wrong.

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My sister in law is not a medical assistant and she's not a nurse, she's not even a highschool graduate, but when she worked at her first doctors office she was promoted to office management and she called herself the head nurse. Now she got a new job, and calls herself a medical assistant. long story short, it looks like when you work in a doctors office, it really doesn't matter what the credentials are? sad...but true... especially because I'm working my butt off to be a nurse one day...:scrying:

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
the word "nurse" isn't protected. it's "registered nurse" and the woman isn't using that.

tennessee

[color=#2b3333]

tennessee code annotated section 6-3-7-107 and section 6-3-7-112 relative to use of the title " nurse". tennessee code annotated section is amended by deleting the current section in its entirety and substitution instead the following language: (2004) section 1. any person who holds a license to practice professional nursing under this chapter shall, during the effective period of such license, be entitled to use the title "nurse", "registered nurse", or abbreviation "rn". no other person shall assume such titles or use such abbreviation or any other words, letters, or signs to indicate that the person using the same is a professional or registered nurse. section 2. any person who holds a license to practice practical nursing under this chapter shall, during the effective period of such license, be entitled to use the title "nurse", "licensed practical nurse", or abbreviation "lpn". no other person shall assume such titles or use such abbreviation or any other words, letters, or signs to indicate that the person using the same is a licensed practical nurse.

(bolding added)

just the facts. sorry you seem to be so upset about it.

source:

title "nurse" protection

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No...this is a subject that more nurses need to be better educated and informed about. You can't impersonate a Police Officer and you can't impersonate a Nurse. Nurses need to become more involved in the protection of their profession to preserve it's future. You have very right to be offended by her misleading patients. Call your local board.

This I did not know?! so you mean my SIL could get in big trouble if they found out she wasn't a medical assistant or nurse? Well she quit her 1st job and no longer calls herself a nurse, but now she is calling herself a medical assistant. I've told my husband that I don't agree with people posing as a title that they are not, and that they have not worked hard for, but he just thinks I'm jealous. I'm not jealous one bit, because I'm working on my education to be an actual nurse. I just think it's not fair to the other nurse's who go and apply and get declined because they rather have a staff of "medical assitants" and "nurses" that never once went to school.

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She's not more educated she is differently educated. Calling oneself Doctor when you are not for the purpose of misleading the patient is illegal. So is calling oneself "Nurse" when you are not is illegal....in 37 states.

OP...go to your MD's and let them know the lagalities of the situation. Call the nursing board if you require more clairifcation as the laws vary greatly state to state.

"more educated" is a proper term.

i'm more educated than someone with a high school diploma. someone with a doctorate is more educated than i am.

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She can call herself the queen of France if it won't affect your license if she screws up.

If you just let the MD know that it is confusing to patients to have their ultrasound tech telling them that she is the nurse, and doing follow up education that would I think require a nurse to complete and sign off on, and see what the reaction is. If he feels that he is directing her to complete these activities, then you know that the MD is not on your side with this.

As stated by another poster, everyone wants to be a nurse until... something goes down.....then it's all fingers pointing at the licensed nurse.

CYA, and once it is sufficiently covered, decide if you want to continue to be involved in the practice.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
She can call herself the queen of France if it won't affect your license if she screws up.

If you just let the MD know that it is confusing to patients to have their ultrasound tech telling them that she is the nurse, and doing follow up education that would I think require a nurse to complete and sign off on, and see what the reaction is. If he feels that he is directing her to complete these activities, then you know that the MD is not on your side with this.

As stated by another poster, everyone wants to be a nurse until... something goes down.....then it's all fingers pointing at the licensed nurse.

CYA, and once it is sufficiently covered, decide if you want to continue to be involved in the practice.

Actually, some states have mandated reporting laws that if you are aware of violation of Nurse Practice Act or any laws relating to the Nurse Practice act and you have knowledge and don't report...your license may be disciplined/suspended/revoked/fined for not reporting....for you as the licensed professional have a legal/moral obligation to protect the public from harm/malfeasance.

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