The sister of my SIL is in nursing school, graduating soon (I think) but since she started taking nursing courses, the entire family- including this girl talk like she is a nurse.
It drives me insane. Yes, you are in nursing school, and this is great, but you do not have a licence to practice, you have not passed the NCLEX,you are restricted on what you can do in clinicals, and your expirience is limited to what you have seen in school. Therefore, you are not a nurse, and in fact have alot of learning to do once you do graduate. Please stop telling people and letting other tell people that you are a nurse.
IMO, being a nurse is a privledge and sometimes even an honor. Many people respect nurses of our knowledge. To let someone think that you are a nurse is deceptive.
Just curious if others feel the same way, or if I just have bigger issues on board
Ok- so I work in surgery, and one particular surgeon will come in with the pt. and introduce herself, the anesthologist and then with open arms say "and these are all your nurses!" while Im the only nurse in the OR.
I find it to be so disrespectful! No..I am the only nurse in the room. I restate : hi my name is chicagobsn, Im your nurse...blah blah blah.
One of these days I feel like doing it back to her. Heres my dream senario:
Pt walks in, I introduce myself and our fab tech and then open my arms and say.." and these are all your doctors!"
OH- she would flip her lid! She would not stand for that at all! I couldnt and wouldnt but oh-it would feel so good! She thinks shes making the pts feel more comfortable by saying you have 5 nurses in the room...but..it is leading the pt to believe a lie.
Ive told her it bothers me when she does that, but in one ear and out the other it goes!
i was really curious, is it ever enforced? so i looked on my state website to see if anyone has actually been prosecuted for using the title nurse. this is what i found. it is public record for all to see but i still have removed their city of residence as well as their last names.
practicing nursing without a license in violation of t.c.a. 63-7-103 and
t.c.a. 63-7-112. no person shall use the title "nurse", assume such titles or use such words, letters or signs to indicate that this person is a licensed professional nurse.
action:
assessed $29,500.00 in civil penalties, plus cost
cordell hull building, 3rd floor
425 fifth avenue north
nashville, tn 37247
licensee:
ann o. unlicensed
violation: 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," assume such titles or use such abbreviation "l.p.n."
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.
action:
assessed $23,000.00 in civil penalties, plus costs
Verbiage aside, I worked my tail off to get to where I'm at right now. It bothers me when "nurse" is used as a generic catch all for anybody in scrubs. There IS a difference between me and a CNA. Nurses have to work so hard for any iota of respect we get, and petty and small though it might be, calling somebody who hasn't earned it "nurse" in a professional setting is disrespectful and diminishing.
I recently associated with a person who frequently referred to themselves as a "nurse", to doctors no less, in attempts to take on the respect accorded the opinions of a professional. I would bite my tongue because it was a situation I didn't need to get involved in. I spoke with another professional about this and he told me that the first time this person did this to him it didn't take him long to determine she was a lot of bull feces. I found it rather pathetic to hear the embellishments escalate. When present, I would always look at the faces of the people they were saying this to and listened for hints of the lack of credentials to back up the assertions. Couldn't imagine this person getting a license or maintaining themselves as a nurse.
I am not a nurse...yet. I have two more years and the nclex to pass before I can make that designation. However I know what you mean. My sister in law, who works in a Dr office, is always telling me how she is doing all kinds of procedures on patients, everything from ear flushing (she told me one patients ear began to bleeding and she sent them on their way) to wound care. People think she is a nurse and she doesn't correct them. She even had the nerve to tell me that she could probable pass the nclex without going to school because of all of the things the Drs have her doing. She has never gone for any further education after high school and I am working my butt off. Then she had the nerve to tell me that when I am finally a nurse that my job will be a piece of cake because whenever she is in the hospital visiting friend/family the nurses are always just standing around talking. I work full time, try to get good grades in school and learn the most I can, so my future patients are well taken care of. Fake nurses just burn me up. Thanks for letting me vent.
Hi everyone, My sister in law, who works in a Dr office. People think she is a nurse and she doesn't correct them. She even had the nerve to tell me that she could probable pass the nclex without going to school because of all of the things the Drs have her doing. Fake nurses just burn me up.
She has poor self-esteem. Pity her. She is being stupid and behaving illegally. Once you pass NCLEX and start working show her your pay stub. That should be a dose of reality.
The same problem is present in the social work profession. Before I decided to pursue nursing I was in a masters program for social work. By law you have to have at least a BSW (bachelors of social work) to be called a social worker. It is astounding that so many people working in human services call themselves social workers. It is an actual profession.
I think it is because of the history of the two professions and the fact that the qualifications to become a nurse or social worker did not always historically involve a formal college education. Now that was like 100 years ago and now we have to pass board exams, etc.
I think the problem is that people view "nurse" as just a title. It's not just a title, it truly is a way of life if you really care about what you're doing. I worked in a doctor's office before starting nursing school last year. The patients often called me a nurse and I was quick to correct them. It's wrong to rank myself, a medical assistant, as a nurse who has gone to school and passed a state board exam. Huge difference there! I'll be happy around June of next year when I can finally say, "yes, I am a nurse and I've earned every bit of it!"
RNgonewild
180 Posts
Back to the title subject. Yea, it bothers me.