Wanna Be "RN"

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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!

Specializes in ED, CTSurg, IVTeam, Oncology.

From the state of New Jersey (in part), found on this page: New Jersey Statutes- NJ Board of Nursing Board of Nursing

It shall be unlawful for any person (including any corporation, partnership, association or individual):

a. After September 1, 1956, to practice or offer to practice professional nursing as defined by this act, unless such person holds an effective, unsuspended license as a registered nurse under this act; or

b. After September 1, 1959, to practice or offer to practice practical nursing or to represent that such person is a practical nurse unless such person holds an effective, unsuspended license as a practical nurse under this act; or

c. To represent in any way that such person is a registered nurse or to use after his or her name the abbreviation "R.N." unless such person holds an effective, unsuspended license as a professional nurse under this act; or

d. To represent in any way that such person is licensed as a practical nurse or to use the title "Licensed Practical Nurse" or to use after his or her name the abbreviation "L.P.N." unless such person holds an effective, unsuspended license as a practical nurse under this act; or

e. To conduct or to represent in any way that such person conducts a school for professional nursing, unless such person holds an affective, unsuspended certificate of accreditation under this act; or

f. After January 1, 1950, to conduct or to represent in any way that such person conducts a school for practical nursing unless such person holds the subsisting, unsuspended approval of the board; or

g. To obtain or attempt to obtain by fraud a license or renewal thereof or a certificate of accreditation or a renewal thereof under this act; or

h. To represent in any way that such person is authorized to issue a license for the practice of professional nursing or practical nursing or a certificate of accreditation for a school of professional nursing; or

i. To transfer, offer to transfer, or permit the use by another of any license issued under this act; or

j. Without the approval of the board, to transfer, offer to transfer, or permit the use by another of a certificate of accreditation issued under this act; or

k. Otherwise to violate any provision of this act; or

l. To aid or abet any person to violate any provision of this act.

Every person violating any of the foregoing provisions of this section shall be subject to a penalty of $200.00 for each violation, and if after conviction as hereinafter provided such person shall again violate any provision of this act, such person shall be subject to a penalty of $500.00 for each subsequent offense. A voluntary payment of a penalty for a violation of any provision of this act shall be deemed to be a conviction rendering such person liable for the greater penalty for subsequent violations, and the continuation of an offense after conviction shall be deemed to be a subsequent offense.

At the least it would seem that she could be charged with a violation and fined.

Also, very interesting article about the Federal False Claims Act, and how it could apply, especially if she ever signed her name as "RN" instead of "LPN" can be found here:

Falsification of Medical Records on ADVANCE for Nurses

Granted, the case cited related to falsifying medication records. However, given that the law stipulates, "...that a false statement was knowingly or willfully made in connection with services rendered that are paid for by a federal insurance program..." (eg like medicare), then such a willful, knowingly false statement, ie misrepresenting oneself as a Registered Nurse when she was not, may literally be a federal offense under HIPAA.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

Sounds like your coworker has some self esteem issues. She obviously views RNs and BSNs as superior to herself or she wouldn't continuously claim to be an RN or in school for BSN.

She can get into trouble, claiming to be at a higher rank than she is. :/

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To portray yourself as something you're not is considered as fraud. When I was in nursing school, we went on a "field trip" to the BON. On that particular day, there was a nurse that had to go before the Board and explain her actions because she was portraying herself as something she wasn't. Needless to say, her license got suspended. On top of that, the Board made her do research on fraud as part of her punishment. Wow!

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

Where I live, that's illegal! And also, that's degrading to other LPNs! I mean, it seems like she's ashamed of her status of LPN but really, a nurse is a nurse. And after 25 years of experience she's probably as competent as an RN, but that doesn't make it right to lie.

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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!

Im an HCA and back in school doing the PN program. Many of our residents know that Im in school at the moment, and I wear my badge backwards, however the reason is because I have an ugly...gawd awful photo...haha (I do flip it over to show who I am when res. ask -says NA though which is the same).

Where I work though we are all called nurses by the residents, no one gets upset or angry over this as we are all in the nursing field persay, however I will tell the resident that Im an HCA and will tell them that I will go and get the RN or the mednurse (LPN) if there is something that I am not able to answer or do for the res.

I know others who are in school and take a course and yes life does intervene and they dont complete the course however that does not mean that they are not taking it. Some just take longer than others, espeasally distant courses...yuck!!

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It seems I have heard that often from nurses and CNAs on here who work in LTC--that the residents call everyone "nurse". Regardless of the setting or that most of the residents are elderly I still think it is wrong not to correct them. And personally I don't think it helps with this population to have all of the nurses and CNAs wearing the same thing. At least around here nurses and aides all wear any scrubs they want. No difference in colors or anything. Heck even the housekeeping staff wears scrubs--no wonder they can't tell anyone apart. It goes for everyone--I have had patients/residents refer to me (an RN) as the doctor and corrected them promptly.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I know someone that tells staff, doctors and patients she is a nurse, she has never been to college. Recently she was interviewed by local news at the hospital she works at; described herself and the news listed her as a RN. It always bothered me but people think it was just an error by the reporter. She never gets in trouble for it?

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