Medical Assistant Identifying herself as a Nurse

[nmnurse]

Any one familiar with the laws regarding identifying your self as a nurse when in fact you are not...( this person is actually documenting that she is the nurse for so and so in the medical record). I am offended as you all know the work required to obtain the title of a nurse...any idea how i should approach this issue at work?

[AmandaWIRN]

talk to her about it first- maybe she doesn't realize that what she's doing is illegal. If she continues to do it, report it to her supervisor, or to your state's board of nursing.

[cougarnurse]

Documenting she is a nurse when she isn't? What kind of job are we talking about, first off? Just curious.

[nmnurse]

It is an office (internal medicine and family practice).

[OldSquidNewNurse]

Is she signing it with her full name then RN, LPN, or LVN after it?

[cougarnurse]

Originally Posted by OldSquidNewNurse

Is she signing it with her full name then RN, LPN, or LVN after it?

If so, read this post: Muncie nurse duped local nursing home Of course, one needs documented proof.....

[nmnurse]

She does not identify herself as RN, LPN, etc. Here is an example of how she is identifying her self as a nurse, for example at the end of a letter sent to a pt.-

"Charlene"
Nurse for Dr. Noname

another example is in the form of a notice posted in the office to patients instructing them to stop to speak with the nurse... (here she inserts her name "Charlene") before leaving the office if they need to schedule certain procedures.

She is classified as a Medical Assistant, which is what her name badge states.

Am I just being anal???...But seriously I am offended.

[nmnurse]

Another thing that chaps my A** is the fact that she FLUNKED out of nursing school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! When I busted my A** to get a 4.0 gpa and was given the first award (for this school) for Clinical Excellence. I worked hard and still do in order to sign my name as RN.

Sorry, I really needed to vent...as I can't do this at work.
:cry_smile:

[AmandaWIRN]

Even though she isn't putting "RN" after her name, she is still misrepresenting herself as a nurse, which is illegal. Have you talked to her about it??? What does her supervisor say? If it still happens after you've talked to her & her supervisor, report it to your state's board of nursing.

[nmnurse]

I am not sure if the manager would do anything. When I first got hired and read the company policies, there was a reference to (quote) "licensed and unlicensed nurses" WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT MEAN??? Should I just go the route of contacting the BON...would I be able to report it anonymously? If I talk with supervisors first and nothing is done and I go to the BON they will know it was me.

How would the BON go about investigating this?