[BlueSkiesAhead]

When I graduated nursing school I was a GN. I had my boards two weeks later, then results about 4 days after that. During that time my mother was upset with me. You see, she had bought me a nice "RN" necklace for my graduation. I refused to wear it until I had earned the credential. She didn't understand that it was a matter of respect - I wasn't going to call myself an RN or accidentally designate myself as one until I was. Passing nursing school didn't make me an RN - passing all licensure requirements (including boards) did.

It created a little friction in the family, however, it was nice to put it on the day I got my results back - and those in the family who knew about the issue knew I had passed the moment they saw the necklace.

A student in my nursing school was kicked out in the second semester. A well meaning friend had given her a tote bag that said RN. She was dismissed, and a letter sent the state board of nursing explaining that she had misrepresented herself.

Just something to think about.

I find that I'm running into more and more people who say "oh, I'm a nurse" - and then later in the conversation I find out that they are a nursing student, a nursing assistant, contemplating on taking nursing prerequisites, an EMT, or - this one blew me away - a babysitter. I just find it disrespectful. It's also one of my pet peeves - because I went through personal hell to journey from a nursing assistant to a RN.

Blue skies

[BlueSkiesAhead]

I should clarify - my fellow nursing student carried this totebag to her job as a nursing assistant. She worked at a facility that was also used as clinical site, and was seen by one of the nursing instructors walking into the hospital with her tote bag that had "RN" in big letters on the front.

The student fought, and asked the board for clarification. The board sided with the nursing school - that they felt that the student had misrepresented herself.

[Ricu]

Hi Blue Skies,

Maybe I'm off the mark but from what you wrote, it sounds like your nursing school administrators dove off the deep end here. I think dismissing the student just for carrying her "nurse" totebag was extreme. Furthermore, making a case against her with the board likely curtailed her future in the field. It's a rare person willing to undertake the momumental effort of moving those bureaucractic mountains. There may well have been other things about this student that showed that she was not a good candidate or of good character but I can't help wondering if uncontrolled enthusiasm for her future career blurred her judgement.

Many of us have known students of healthcare programs who idolized workers of their future positions. Maybe a bit too much? Haven't we all heard "I can't wait to become a nurse"? In some way, I liken her carrying the nurse bag to trying on mommy's shoes. It's a bit immature to pretend like that but imitation after all, is the sincerest form of flattery.

On the other hand, if she was independently practicing her new skills on patients and calling herself a nurse, she was dangerously inclined and did need to be dismissed.

I know there's a difference between pretending and misleading. You listed several good examples in your first post of glory seekers doing more harm than good. What can be equally destructive is unrestrained administrative power. For that reason, I hope that this student was an unrepentant fraud who was practicing without a license and wasn't just burnt for administrative purposes. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

R

[AmandaWIRN]

I agree with Ricu- I think kicking this student out of school & reporting her to the board is a little much. While I think that posing as a nurse should be taken seriously, if all this girl did was carry a bag that says "RN" on it, I don't think she was really posing as a nurse. If she had been going into rooms telling people she was an RN, or had RN on her name tag, that would be a different story, but in this situation, I think the nursing school should have just told her to pack that bag away until after she graduated & passed boards....

[BlueSkiesAhead]

Yep - I wasn't saying that I thought it was fair, was just relating an incident that happened in my nursing school back in the day. She actually is a very good person, and made a wonderful PA - though she tells anyone that asks her to become a PA instead of a nurse due to her experiences.

The thing was, the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners sided with the school. So, I shared the story because it is a bit of a warning - what we think is ridiculous, and what the board thinks is ridiculous, may be two different things. Nobody goes to nursing school because it is easy - most people go through alot to qualify, apply, and attend. Don't let something derail you along the way.

I'm buddies with this ex-student. The school sent the letter to the board, the student protested to the board about the letter sent to them, the board sided with the school. You see, in Texas it is against board regulations to identify yourself as an RN "in any mode of communication". That's a fairly broad interpretation. That includes shirts with monograms, necklaces, tote bags, etc. Though it may seem ridiculous to even think of these things - technically, in my state, these things could get you in trouble. The best thing to do is to just not use those initials for ANYTHING until you earn them. Once again, earning them = pass school, fulfill licensure requirements, pass the boards, pay your fees.

Now, was it petty of the instructor to make this an issue? Yes. However, technically, she could - and she did. My buddy was barred from ever practicing any level of nursing in the State of Texas. She earned a BS in biochemisty, then went to PA school, now works in an inner-city ER and is a wonderful clinician (as a PA). Don't let someone else's pet peeve ruin your career - just don't use the initials until you earn them.

RICU - yes, the administrators dove off the deep end. However, our State Board of Nursing followed them off the plank. She wasn't practicing skills - I know her, and after 14 years I think she'd fess up to me. She was just carrying a tote with the initials. Those initials are legally protected in this state (and I'm sure many others).

End of the day - it bugs me, but I'm not going to go and put in complaints anywhere. Nursing students have enough stresses in this life without having the powers that be come down on them for trivial stuff. However, it was worth mentioning - because people's careers have been ruined over trivial stuff.