Wanna Be "RN"

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Specializes in SNF, 2 year s hospital.

There's a LPN at my job that wears her name badge backwards at all times and even tells her patients she's an RN? She's been an LPN for over 25 years and Im not sure why she does this? We all laugh at her because she lies about going back to school for her BSN, when every semester she claims to be taking classes but always has an excuse of why she never completes the courses. Im an LPN going back to school and i just cant believe she acts this way? Has anybody ever meet nurses like this:eek: O and supervisors and managers know her badge is always backwards lol!

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Specializes in ER, ICU.

I read lots of posts about LPNs giving themselves an upgrade. If she did that in front of a patient I would just tell the patient, in front of her, that's she's not an RN but an LPN.

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Specializes in Med./Surg. and paramed. exams.

Crazy, she should simply be proud of what she has. Is it legal to state and pretend that you a certain professional when you aren't? That would be my main question and concern, if she is stating she is an RN, then is she preforming RN duties without the qualifications?

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Specializes in ICU, Home Health, Camp, Travel, L&D.

No, it's not legal to use a credential you didn't earn. And it's unprofessional. Being the person that I am, I'd have to confront her, although not in front of a patient. I would state that her behavior had been noted numerous times, by many staff, and that if she wants to be RN, she should suck it up and go back to school. Otherwise, turn her badge around and tell the truth. Maybe if she has to face it often enough, she'll put up or shut up.

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Specializes in Wound Care, LTC, Sub-Acute, Vents.

it is illegal to call yourself an rn when you are not. when i was an lpn, patient would assume i was an rn but i always corrected them saying i was an lpn. then i get that oh..... look.

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Specializes in pediatrics, ed, public health.

I really dont think most patients really know the difference, they think a nurse is a nurse or that even a nurses aide is a nurse. The question is why she felt she had to lie. Really makes on think about her intergrity as a person. Does she lie about other things on the job as well? I sure hope that the LVN gets to someday achieve her dream of becoming a registered nurse. It isn't always easy for people to finish up what they hoped to start.

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Specializes in ER, Trauma.

Those outside the health care field may not even understand the difference between LPN and RN. Still, in most states I've worked there are various laws dealing with misrepresenting ones credentials. Seems like she should realize that an anonymous call or two to the board of nursing could cost her her license. Wonder what she'll tell people then?

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Specializes in PACU, OR.

I'm not sure about it being illegal to call herself an RN, but it would definitely be illegal if she faked her resume in order to apply for a job as an RN. And of course, if she tried to perform any tasks within an RN's scope of practice.

She sounds like a complete oddball, though. Maybe the backward badge is a clue....Perhaps she escaped to our world through a looking-glass....:bugeyes:

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Specializes in ER, Trauma.

You can count on it being wrong to call herself a RN. In some states it's dealt with through the nurse practice act, others a seperate law that you can't misrepresent yourself, and one state, I forget which one, they made it clear that patients were allowed to file suit, I believe they called it a civil action (although I doubt there'd be anything civil about it).

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Specializes in PACU, OR.
You can count on it being wrong to call herself a RN. In some states it's dealt with through the nurse practice act, others a seperate law that you can't misrepresent yourself, and one state, I forget which one, they made it clear that patients were allowed to file suit, I believe they called it a civil action (although I doubt there'd be anything civil about it).

True....but the OP doesn't state whether any other staff members have actually witnessed her lying to the patients. That would be very good cause for at least a disciplinary process, and in any case her manager should counsel her. She sounds like a nut to me, but as long as she remains a harmless nut and doesn't try to function outside her scope of practice, she's not hurting anyone but herself.

Of course, if there's documented evidence that she has misrepresented herself for personal gain, she has committed fraud.

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Hello. Thanks for sharing your situation. The closest experience to your situation I have had was working with a long term L.P.N. who frequently said things such as "I can do the same things as R.N.'s and employers should treat us the same way....". At first, her comments really grated on my nerves because I had sacrificed big time to work hard to earn my college nursing degree. Then, as another writer mentioned, I slowly realized that her dream may have been to become an R.N.---so I kindly gave her written info from the local university about admission requirements and curriculums for associate degree and bachelor degree in nursing. After that, she never went back to school, however she toned down her comments about R.N.'s . Best wishes!

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Specializes in substance abuse.

I think we have the same co-worker.. lol. My co-worker has been "in school" since I have worked with her for the last 6+ years. Now she has some imaginary school that she is attending for her BSN. Seriously, she will not tell you the name of her school...

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