8 Weeks of training does NOT make you a nurse!!

[kukukajoo]

I have seen this covered on here long ago and now it has happened to me and I know EXACTLY how much it can bother people!!

I ran into an ex-coworker who left to do the LNA program. Evidently she is all done now despite only leaving in late Oct. The program was 6 or 8 weeks. She has not even taken the state test yet.

So new years, we are at this party together (at our former boss/friends house) and she tells me and others there a BUNCH OF LIES! She says she is a NURSE now! Imagine that! THEN she even lied about where she was attending which I totally do not understand!

I let her lies and stories of being a NURSE go, as well as her fake job offers, I did not say anything, I just walked away when she got really deep into it, as did several others who knew the truth and also knew how very, very hard I have worked to get where I am which is graduating with my RN in May! THEY were all shocked I did not lay into her butt and set her straight! Not like I go around claiming to be a NP or anything I am not. I have spent the last 3 years working my little butt off and sacrificing a lot of things to be here. Something this woman has no idea about. Funny, it wasnt hard to keep my mouth shut and smile! I must finally be maturing, lol!

I kind of felt bad for her- because she had to lie to make herself feel better and appear something she is not in front of people and then to be lying so blatantly in front of so many who knew it, which means she is not comfortable or happy where she is in life, and also because after that she had a miserable time the rest of the night because many ppl knew she was lying and avoided her and were whispering about it once she left the room and caught that at least once. It was kind of sad really. I bet she feels pretty awful inside. If she had continued later on, or something, I was prepared to mention it is illegal in this state to claim you are a nurse when you are not!

Anyhow, NOW I really know how you all have felt in the same kind of situations!

[DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN]

[bANANA]LPN's Rock ![/bANANA]

And you are most welcome friend!

[caliotter3]

I've recently met one of these people, so can relate. I get very uncomfortable when I hear the person make false statements to others. However, because of the circumstances, I don't say anything. Although I don't like the situation and try to understand the person's actions, it is better for me that no situation has arisen that would require me to butt in. I figure that this person is aware of what they are doing and will be the one to suffer any consequences. Right now, all I see is a person with low self esteem who is placing themselves in a position to be embarassed in a major way one of these days. Sad to watch.

[suespets]

what is an op, an a&e, also please, what is a pm?

[caliotter3]

PM is private message; you can send private messages to other allnurses members and OP is original poster or original post.

[kukukajoo, LPN]

Yes, I feel there are very capable LPNs, some more than a few RNs I know. It is just another layer of scholastic education that seperates RN and LPN and I bet everyone on here knows some LPNs who may not have that formal education but are truly far more educated!

I know an LNA here in the local hospital who was actually a doctor who fled her country d/t political violence/war as a refugee and is struggling to get her LPN due to the language barrier, but I tell you she is one great person who I admire so much! She has no qualms about doing her LNA job and never complains and is very competent and just a lovely person who works hard and has this aura of good around her. I truly respect her. I feel that there should be more things in place to help someone like her attain her goals and aspirations as the way nursing school is set up, it makes it very difficult for her, but she isn't giving up anytime soon!

Here we don't classify LNAs as Nursing Staff, they are actually nursing SUPPORT staff. That is not to say they are any less, they just do a different job with a different education and I tell you they have taught me so much and helped me so much. I will always be respectful and thoughtful to any that I work with. Without them, my job would be a million times harder and I appreciate and understand that.

I remember one LNA when I delivered all my kids- she was one FOREVER and was there for postnatal care for both my deliveries and she is the only one I remember other than the OB and the Midwives, I could not tell you anything about the any of the nurses as she was the one who attended to me and showed me the most compassion and caring I have ever had. (the OB had to attend my first delivery as it was twins nearly 21 years ago and this was protocol then). I want to be like her when I grow up.

[santhony44, MSN, RN, NP]

I recently found where an old classmate of mine stated that she was a "nurse." What made me curious was that she had attended the "so-and-so school of nursing." I'd never heard of that school so googled it.

The "so-and-so school" turned out to be a proprietary school with a MA program. It did not call itself a school of nursing!

When another friend questioned her, she never responded to why she said she was a nurse but did say she was a MA and talked about how wonderful it was and what a wonderful job she'd had and so on and so forth. (Which is why you posted that you are a nurse, right???)

It's amazing how little some things change in 30 years!

I'm not knocking MA's BTW, I have worked with a couple of fairly good ones and one just plain excellent one; none of them, however, claimed to be a nurse.

[DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN]

I recently found where an old classmate of mine stated that she was a "nurse." What made me curious was that she had attended the "so-and-so school of nursing." I'd never heard of that school so googled it.

The "so-and-so school" turned out to be a proprietary school with a MA program. It did not call itself a school of nursing!

When another friend questioned her, she never responded to why she said she was a nurse but did say she was a MA and talked about how wonderful it was and what a wonderful job she'd had and so on and so forth. (Which is why you posted that you are a nurse, right???)

It's amazing how little some things change in 30 years!

I'm not knocking MA's BTW, I have worked with a couple of fairly good ones and one just plain excellent one; none of them, however, claimed to be a nurse.

Same here...My PCP has excellent MA's whom I trust. They wear distinct name tags with MA and do refer to theirselves as MA's as well as when you call to ask a question the receptionist says "I'll put you through to one of the MA's". Fair enough.

I wish all offices could be so professional. If I had a dime for everytime I called a doctors office, from work/for orders, and heard that they would put me through to the nurse and it's an MA who I can't take orders from...then I'd be a rich woman indeed. I wish the public could be more informed but those threads have already been done ad nauseam.

I almost forgot to respond to your post. All I can say is these nurse impersonaters are simply suffering from low-self esteem.

[nurseby07]

Another lesson I learned the hard way: When I finally got into the nsg program (and I was a cna) I went to the orientation for the program. The director welcomed us by saying, "Hello Nurses!" It was so exciting. So I went camping with my kids. We were 250 miles from home. I was camping next to a rowdy group of college kids. I talked and talked, drank and drank, round the campfire with them. "I'm a nurse blah blah blah" I went on and on, why they should be RN's etc etc. So, Monday morning I am at work, as a cna, at the hospital and there is one of the college girls and her mother! "Hey I know you!" She says. Her father was checking in for a stem cell transplant and would be there for 6 weeks. "Oh thank God, are you his nurse?" asks the mother. I was so embarassed, red faced and ashamed. "No, but I'll be his cna." That was the end of that. I am ashamed to post this but will admit to it....

[DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN]

So, Monday morning I am at work, as a cna, at the hospital and there is one of the college girls and her mother! "Hey I know you!" She says. Her father was checking in for a stem cell transplant and would be there for 6 weeks. "Oh thank God, are you his nurse?" asks the mother. I was so embarassed, red faced and ashamed. "No, but I'll be his cna." That was the end of that. I am ashamed to post this but will admit to it....

Kudos to you! :cheers: I love honest people and who aren't afraid to admit to doing or saying something stupid so that others can learn from their mistake. Cheers!

[kayel]

My friend's sister is claiming to be a nurse. I'm in the middle of pre-reqs and entrance tests and POOF!! she's a nurse. She is so ill informed that the initials she is using to identify herself is that of a Nurse Practioner. My friend who is an RN (she didn't realize she was lying) innocently asked her about her boards, etc. and her reply was, "Oh, I can do all that nursing stuff." Whatever.

That is just plain bizarre!!!

[kayel]

The label "Nurse" covers a whole gamit of personnel these days. The key word is "Registered", that's what sets you apart. In most cases, RNs, LPNs, Patient Care Techs, and CNAs are all labeled as "Nursing Staff". It is the Scope of Practice and the level of credentialing that sets them apart.

While "nursing staff" may refer to several parts of the health care team, the term by itself -- "nurse" -- doesn't. As I keep reading here, I see "support staff" is another way to refer to it and I have heard that before also. Anyway, as many have said, each job is so valuable in the team ... who knows why someone would stretch the truth but maybe the situation pushes someone to feel it it true at the time. Loved nurseby07's campfire story!

[Katie82, RN]

I think docs and others refer to their clinical staff as nurses, because patients assume that if staff wears a uniform they are nurses. It's just a general catch-all term. The difference is when you add the word "Registered". LNA is Licensed Nursing Assistant, in some states they are licensed rather than Certified.